parking brake MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2015 MY15 Operator’s Manual

Parking brake
G
WARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi- cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
R release the parking brake.
R shift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
R start the engine.
In addition, they may operate vehicle equip-
ment and become trapped. There is a risk of
an accident and injury.
When leaving the vehicle, always take the
SmartKey with you and lock the vehicle. Never
leave children unsupervised in the vehicle. G
WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi- cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again. The brake lamps are not illuminated when you
brake the vehicle using the parking brake.
As a rule, you may only apply the parking
brake when the vehicle is stationary. X
To apply the parking brake: pull brake
lever 0043up as far as the last possible
detent.
The 0066 warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
i On vehicles with a folding brake lever, you
can then press lever 0043down to the stop.
X To release the parking brake: on vehicles
with a folding brake lever, first pull brake
lever 0043up to the stop.
X Raise brake lever 0043slightly and press
release knob 0044.
X Guide brake lever 0043down to the stop.
The 0066 indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
Exceptionally, if the service brake fails, the
parking brake can be used to brake the vehi- cle in an emergency.
X Emergency braking: press and hold
release button 0044and carefully apply brake
lever 0043. Switching off the engine
G
WARNING
The automatic transmission switches to neu-
tral position Nwhen you switch off the engine.
The vehicle may roll away. There is a risk of an
accident.
After switching off the engine, always switch
to parking position P. Prevent the parked vehi-
cle from rolling away by applying the parking
brake.
! If the coolant temperature is very high,
e.g. after driving on hilly roads, leave the
engine running at idle speed for about
two minutes before turning it off.
This allows the coolant temperature to
return to normal.
X Stop the vehicle.
X Shift the automatic transmission to posi-
tion P. 150
ParkingDriving and parking

X
Apply the parking brake.
X Turn the key to position 0in the ignition
lock and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
X Secure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away (Y page 149). Wheel chock
Use the wheel chock or a similar object to
prevent the vehicle from rolling away, e.g.
when parking or changing a wheel. Wheel chock in the load/passenger compartment
X To remove the wheel chock on Cargo
Vans/Passenger Vans: pull restraining
cable 0043down a little and remove it from
retainer 0044.
X Remove the chock.
i When stowing the wheel chock, make
sure that restraining cable 0043is holding it
securely in retainer 0044. Wheel chock to the rear of the chassis on the left
side of the vehicle (example) X
To remove the wheel chock on Cab
Chassis: pull the locking springs down and
remove the wheel chock.
i When stowing the wheel chock, make
sure that it is secured in the retainer with
the locking springs. Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you park your vehicle for longer than
three weeks: R connect the batteries to a trickle charger or
R disconnect the vehicle's starter battery or
R switch off the electrical system using the
battery main switch (Y page 137) and
R disconnect the vehicle's auxiliary battery
Otherwise, you need to check the battery's
condition of charge every three weeks, since standby power consumption can drain the
battery. If the battery voltage is lower than
12.2 V,the battery must be charged. Other-
wise, the battery may be damaged by exhaus-
tive discharging.
Be sure to observe the notes on disconnect-
ing and charging the batteries under "Bat-
tery“ (Y page 258). You can obtain informa-
tion about trickle chargers from a qualified
specialist workshop.
If you leave the vehicle parked for longer than
6 weeks, the vehicle may suffer damage as a result of lack of use. In this event, consult a
qualified specialist workshop. Driving tips
General notes
Important safety notes G
WARNING
The driver's attention to the road must always be his/her primary focus when driving. For
your safety and the safety of others, we rec-
ommend that you pull over to a safe location
and stop before placing or taking a telephone Driving
tips
151Driving an d parking
Z

call. If you choose to use the telephone while
driving, please use the hands-free device and
only use the telephone when road, weather
and traffic conditions permit.
Some jurisdictions prohibit the driver from
using a mobile phone while driving a vehicle.
Bear in mind that at a speed of just 30 mph
(approximately 50 km/h), your vehicle covers a distance of 44 feet (approximately 14 m)
every second. G
WARNING
If you switch off the ignition while driving,
safety-relevant functions are only available
with limitations, or not at all. This could affect, for example, the power steering and the brake
boosting effect. You will require considerably
more effort to steer and brake. There is a risk of an accident.
Do not switch off the ignition while driving.
! Always observe the ground clearance of
the vehicle and avoid obstacles. On vehi-
cles with a step, ground clearance is further
restricted. Obstacles can damage the vehi- cle.
If you must drive over obstacles, drive espe-
cially slowly and carefully. If necessary,
have another person direct you.
Drive sensibly – save fuel In order to save fuel, observe the following
tips:
X The tires should always be inflated to the
recommended tire pressure.
X Remove unnecessary loads.
X Remove roof carriers when they are not
needed.
X Warm up the engine at low engine speeds.
X Avoid frequent acceleration or braking.
X Have all maintenance work carried out as
indicated by the service intervals in the
Maintenance Booklet or by the service
interval display. Fuel consumption also increases when driv-
ing in cold weather, in stop-start traffic and in
mountainous terrain.
Overrun cutoff If you are in overrun mode and take your foot
off the accelerator pedal, the fuel supply is cut off when the engine speed is out of the idle
speed control range.
Drinking and driving G
WARNING
Drinking and driving and/or taking drugs and driving are very dangerous combinations.
Even a small amount of alcohol or drugs can
affect your reflexes, perceptions and judg-
ment.
The possibility of a serious or even fatal acci-
dent are greatly increased when you drink or
take drugs and drive.
Do not drink or take drugs and drive or allow
anyone to drive who has been drinking or tak-
ing drugs.
Emission control G
WARNING
Combustion engines emit poisonous exhaust
gases such as carbon monoxide. Inhaling
these exhaust gases leads to poisoning. There is a risk of fatal injury. Therefore never leave
the engine running in enclosed spaces with-
out sufficient ventilation.
Certain engine systems are designed to keep
the level of poisonous substances in exhaust fumes within legal limits.
These systems only work optimally if they are
maintained exactly in accordance with the
manufacturer's specifications. Any work on
the engine should therefore be carried out by qualified and authorized technicians at a
Sprinter dealer.
The engine settings must not be changed
under any circumstances. In addition, all spe- 152
Driving tipsDriving and parking

When you return from your journey, and as
close to the border as possible, you will need
to:
R remove the adhesive surfaces from your
halogen headlamps and clean the glass of
the headlamps if necessary
R have the Bi-Xenon headlamps reset to
asymmetrical low beam at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop Transport by rail
Transporting your vehicle by rail may be sub-
ject to certain restrictions or require special
measures to be taken in some countries due
to varying tunnel heights and loading stand-
ards.
You can obtain further information from any
authorized Sprinter dealer. Braking
Important safety notes G
WARNING
If you shift down on a slippery road surface in an attempt to increase the engine's braking
effect, the drive wheels could lose their grip.
There is an increased danger of skidding and
accidents.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface. G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads. Downhill gradients !
Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
On long and steep downhill gradients, you
should change down to shift range 0048or0047
in good time. This should be observed in par- ticular when driving with a laden vehicle and
when towing a trailer.
i You must also change the shift range in
good time when cruise control is switched
on.
You thereby make use of the braking effect of the engine and do not have to brake as oftento maintain the speed. This relieves the load
on the service brake and prevents the brakes
from overheating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads G
WARNING
If you rest your foot on the brake pedal while
driving, the braking system can overheat. This increases the stopping distance and can even
cause the braking system to fail. There is a
risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Never
depress the brake pedal and the accelerator
pedal at the same time.
! Depressing the brake pedal constantly
results in excessive and premature wear to
the brake pads.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy load, do not stop the vehicle immediately.
Drive on for a short while. The brakes are
cooled down more quickly in the airflow.
Wet road surfaces If you have been driving for a long time in
heavy rain without braking, there may be a
delayed response when you first apply the
brakes. This may also occur after driving
through a car wash or deep water. 154
Driving tipsDriving and parking

You must depress the brake pedal more
firmly. Maintain a longer distance to the vehi- cle in front.
While paying attention to the traffic condi-
tions, you should brake the vehicle firmly
after driving on a wet road surface or through
a car wash. This heats the brake discs, so that they dry more quickly, which protects them
against corrosion.
Limited braking performance on salt-
treated roads When driving on salted roads, salt may start
to build up on the brake disks and brake pads.
This can increase braking distances consid-
erably.
Maintain a greater distance to the vehicle in
front.
To remove any build up of salt that may have
formed:
X Apply the brakes at the start of the journey,
occasionally during journey and at the end
of the journey. Make sure that you do not
endanger other road users when doing so.
Parking brake G
WARNING
If you must brake the vehicle with the parking brake, the braking distance is considerably
longer and the wheels could lock. There is an
increased danger of skidding and accidents.
Only use the parking brake to brake the vehi- cle when the service brake is faulty. Do not
apply the parking brake too firmly. If the
wheels lock, release the parking brake until
the wheels begin turning again.
When driving on wet roads or dirt-covered
surfaces, road salt and/or dirt may get into
the parking brake. This causes corrosion and a reduction of braking force.
In order to prevent this, drive with the parking
brake lightly applied from time to time. When
doing so, drive for a distance of approximately 110 yds (100 m) at a maximum speed of
12 mph (20 km/h).
The brake lamps are not illuminated when you
brake the vehicle using the parking brake. Driving in wet conditions
Hydroplaning G
WARNING
There is a danger of hydroplaning occurring,
even if you are driving slowly and your tires
have sufficient tread depth, depending on the depth of water on the road. There is a risk of
an accident.
For this reason, avoid tire ruts and brake care- fully.
Therefore, in heavy rain or other conditions in which hydroplaning can occur, drive as fol-
lows:
R reduce your speed
R avoid tire ruts
R apply the brakes with care
Driving on flooded roads !
Do not drive through flooded areas.
Check the depth of any water before driving
through it. Drive slowly through standing
water. Otherwise, water may enter the
vehicle interior or the engine compartment.
This can damage the electronic compo-
nents in the engine or the automatic trans- mission. Water can also be drawn in by the engine's air suction nozzles and this can
cause engine damage.
If you have to drive on stretches of road on
which water has collected, please bear in
mind that:
R the water level of standing water should not
be above the lower edge of the front
bumper
R do not drive faster than walking speed Driving tips
155Driving and parking Z

G
WARNING
When driving off-road, your body is subject to forces from all directions, due to the uneven
surface. You could be thrown from your seat,
for instance. There is a risk of injury.
Always wear a seat belt, even when driving off-
road. G
WARNING
If you drive over obstacles or in ruts, the steer- ing wheel may jerk out of your grip, causing
injury to your hands.
Always hold the steering wheel firmly with
both hands. When driving over obstacles, you must expect steering forces to increase
briefly and suddenly. G
WARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with hot parts of the exhaust system. There is a risk of fire.
When driving off road or on unpaved roads,
check the vehicle's underside regularly. In
particular, remove parts of plants or other
flammable materials which have become
trapped. In the case of damage, contact a
qualified specialist workshop.
! When driving off-road or on unpaved sur-
faces, check the underside of the vehicle
and the wheels and tires at regular inter-
vals. In particular, remove any trapped for- eign objects, e.g. stones and branches.
Such foreign objects may:
R damage the chassis, the fuel tank or the
brake system
R cause imbalances and thus vibrations
R be flung out when you continue driving
If there is any damage, inform a qualified
specialist workshop.
When driving off-road and on construction
sites, sand, mud and water mixed with oil, for
example, may get into the brakes. This may
lead to a reduction in braking performance or total brake failure, also as a result of
increased wear. The braking characteristics
will vary depending on the material that has
got into the system. Clean the brakes after
driving off-road. If you then notice reduced
braking performance or hear scraping noises,
have the brake system checked at a qualified specialist workshop. Adjust your driving style
to the changed braking characteristics.
Driving off-road or on construction sites
increases the possibility of vehicle damage
which may in turn lead to the failure of certain assemblies and systems. Adapt your driving
style to the off-road driving conditions. Drive
carefully. Have any vehicle damage rectified
at a qualified specialist workshop as soon as
possible.
When driving on rough terrain, do not shift the transmission into the neutral position. You
could lose control when attempting to brake
the vehicle with the service brake. If your
vehicle cannot manage an uphill slope, drive
back down the slope in reverse gear.
When loading your vehicle for driving off-road or on a construction site, keep the vehicle's
center of gravity as low as possible.
Checklist before driving off-road X
Check the fuel and DEF levels (Y page 181)
and top up (Y page 148).
X Engine: check the oil level (Y page 250)
and add oil (Y page 252).
Before driving up or down steep gradients,
fill the oil to the maximum level.
i If you drive up or down steep gradients,
the 00B2 symbol may appear in the display.
The engine operating safety is not put at
risk if you have filled the engine oil to the
maximum level before the journey.
X Vehicle tool kit: check that the jack is
working (Y page 274).
X Make sure that a lug wrench (Y page 274),
wooden underlay for the jack, a robust tow Driving tips
157Driving and parking Z

age to fuel lines, brake hoses and the rub-
ber bellows of axle joints and drive shafts.
X Clean the brake disks, brake pads and axle
joints, particularly after operation in sand,
mud, grit/gravel, water or similarly dirty
conditions.
X Check the entire floor assembly, the tires,
wheels, bodywork structure, brakes, steer-
ing, chassis and exhaust system for any
damage.
X Check the service brake for operating
safety, e.g. carry out a brake test.
X If you notice strong vibrations after driving
off-road, check the wheels and drive train
for foreign objects again. Remove any for-
eign objects which can lead to imbalances
and thus cause vibrations. Driving systems
Cruise control
General notes Cruise control maintains the speed of the
vehicle for you.
Use cruise control if road and traffic condi-
tions make it appropriate to maintain a steady speed for a prolonged period. You can set any
speed from 20 mph upwards in increments of
1 mph.
i If you have set km/h as the unit for the
digital speedometer (Y page 190), you can
set any speed from 30 km/h upwards in
increments of 1 km/h.
Cruise control should not be activated when
driving off-road or on construction sites.
Cruise control may not be able to maintain the
stored speed on uphill or downhill gradients.
If the gradient evens out and the vehicle's
speed does not fall below 20 mph (30 km/h), the stored speed is resumed. Important safety notes Observe the notes on braking (Y
page 154).
If you fail to adapt your driving style or if you
are inattentive, cruise control can neither
reduce the risk of an accident nor override the laws of physics. Cruise control cannot take
road, weather and traffic conditions into
account. Cruise control is only an aid. You are responsible for the distance to the vehicle in
front, for vehicle speed, for braking in good
time and for staying in lane.
Do not use cruise control:
R in traffic conditions that are unsuitable for
driving at a constant speed, e.g. in heavy
traffic, on winding roads or off-road.
R on slippery roads. Braking or accelerating
may cause the drive wheels to lose traction
and the vehicle could then skid.
R when there is poor visibility, e.g. due to fog,
heavy rain or snow.
If there is a change of drivers, make sure that you inform the new driver about the set cruisespeed.
Cruise control lever 0043
To activate and store the current speed or
a higher speed
0044 To activate at the last stored speed
0087 To activate and store the current speed or
a lower speed
0085 To deactivate cruise control
The cruise control lever is the upper lever on
the left of the steering column. Driving systems
159Driving and parking Z

Activation conditions
To activate cruise control, all of the following
activation conditions must be fulfilled:
R the parking brake must be released. The
0066 indicator lamp in the instrument clus-
ter is off
R you are driving faster than 20 mph
(30 km/h)
R neither the brake or clutch pedal is
depressed
i Other drive and brake systems not descri-
bed in this Operator's Manual, such as a
retarder, may affect cruise control. You can
find information on this in the separate
operating instructions provided by the
body manufacturer.
Storing and maintaining the current
speed X
Accelerate the vehicle to the desired speed
above 20 mph (30 km/h).
X Briefly push the cruise control lever up 0043
or down 0087.
X Release the accelerator pedal.
Cruise control is activated. The current
speed is stored.
Setting the speed It may be a moment before the vehicle starts
to accelerate or brake to the set speed. Take
this delay into account when setting the
speed.
X Briefly push the cruise control lever up 0043
to increase the speed or down 0087to reduce
the speed.
The last stored speed increases or decrea- ses in 1 mph increments (1 km/h incre-
ments).
or
X Press and hold the cruise control lever
up 0043 or down 0087until the desired speed
has been reached. X
Release the cruise control lever.
The current speed is stored.
i Cruise control is not deactivated if you
depress the accelerator pedal. If you accel- erate briefly to overtake, for example,
cruise control resumes the vehicle’s speed
to the last speed stored after you have fin- ished overtaking.
Deactivating cruise control There are various ways to deactivate cruise
control:
X Briefly press the cruise control lever for-
wards 0085.
or
X Apply the brakes.
The last speed set remains stored. The last
speed stored is deleted when you switch off
the engine.
Cruise control is deactivated automatically
when: R you apply the brakes
R you apply the parking brake and the 0066
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
lights up
R you are driving slower than 20 mph
(30 km/h)
R you shift the automatic transmission to
neutral position Nwhile the vehicle is in
motion
R ESP ®
or ASR intervenes
R there is a malfunction in the ESP ®
, ASR or
ABS system 160
Driving systemsDriving and parking

Problems with cruise control
Problem
Possible causes/consequences and
0050
0050Solutions On vehicles with steer-
ing wheel buttons, the
speed cannot be set
when cruise control is
activated. The display shows a high-priority message. Thus a change in speed
is not possible.
X Proceed as instructed by the message in the display.
X Deactivate cruise control COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
General notes COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST comprises
the distance warning function and adaptive
Brake Assist.
Distance warning function Important safety notes
i Note the section on 'Important safety
notes' (Y page 57). G
WARNING
The distance warning function does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R when cornering
Thus, the distance warning function cannot
provide a warning in all critical situations.
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and be ready to brake. G
WARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and complex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
R give an unnecessary warning
R not give a warning
There is a risk of an accident. Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and do not rely solely on the distance
warning function.
Operation
The distance warning function can help you to
minimize the risk of a front-end collision with
a vehicle ahead or reduce the effects of such a collision. If the distance warning function
detects that there is a risk of a collision, you
will be warned visually and acoustically. With-out your intervention, the distance warning
function cannot prevent a collision.
The distance warning function will issue a
warning at speeds of around 20 mph
(30 km/h) or more if:
R you approach a vehicle ahead of you very
quickly. You will then hear an intermittent
warning tone and the 00C7warning lamp in
the instrument cluster flashes.
X Brake immediately in order to increase the
distance from the vehicle in front.
or
X Take evasive action provided it is safe to do
so.
If you want the distance warning function to
assist you, the function must be activated and operational.
Due to the nature of the system, particularly
complicated driving conditions may cause thesystem to display an unnecessary warning.
With the help of the radar sensor system, the
distance warning function can detect obsta-
cles that are in the path of your vehicle for an
extended period of time. Driving systems
161Driving and parking Z

Up to a speed of about 45 mph (70 km/h), the
distance warning function can also react to
stationary obstacles, such as stopped or
parked vehicles.
If you approach an obstacle and the distance
warning function detects a risk of a collision,
the system will alert you both visually and
acoustically.
In particular, the detection of obstacles can
be impaired in the case of:
R there is dirt on the sensors or anything else
covering the sensors
R it is snowing or raining heavily
R there is interference from other radar sour-
ces
R there are strong radar reflections, for
example in parking garages
R a narrow vehicle traveling in front, e.g. a
motorbike
R a vehicle traveling in front on a different line
Following damage to the front end of the vehi-
cle, have the configuration and operation of
the radar sensor checked at a qualified spe-
cialist workshop. This also applies to colli-
sions at slow speeds where there is no visible
damage to the front of the vehicle.
Activating/deactivating the distance
warning function
When you switch on the engine, the distance
warning function switches on after a few sec-
onds.
X To deactivate: press the00D4button
(Y page 37).
Vehicles without steering wheel but-
tons: the00C7 warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster lights up and the OFF
OFF message
flashes.
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons:
the 00C7 warning lamp in the instrument cluster lights up and the
Distance Warn‐ Distance Warn‐
ing Deactivated
ing Deactivated message appears.
X To activate: press the00D4button again
(Y page 37).
Vehicles without steering wheel but-
tons: the00C7 warning lamp in the instru-
ment cluster goes out and the ON
ON message
flashes.
Vehicles with steering wheel buttons:
the 00C7 warning lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out and the Distance Warn‐ Distance Warn‐
ing Activated
ing Activated message appears in the
multifunction display.
Adaptive Brake Assist i
Observe the "Important safety notes" sec-
tion for driving safety systems (Y page 57). G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist cannot always clearly
identify objects and complex traffic situa-
tions.
In such cases, Adaptive Brake Assist can:
R intervene unnecessarily
R not intervene
There is a risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. Terminate the
intervention in a non-critical driving situation. G
WARNING
Adaptive Brake Assist does not react:
R to people or animals
R to oncoming vehicles
R to crossing traffic
R to stationary obstacles
R when cornering
As a result, the Adaptive Brake Assist may not intervene in all critical conditions. There is a
risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit- uation and be ready to brake. 162
Driving systemsDriving and parking