transmission MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2018 MY18 Operator’s Manual

The display in the instrument cluster shows the
present selector lever position or the current
shift range:
Ron vehicles with steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 166)
Ron vehicles without steering wheel buttons
(Ypage 162)
Selector lever positions
BPark position
This prevents the vehicle from rolling
away when stopped. Only move the
selector lever toPif the vehicle is
stationary.
You can only remove the key when
the selector lever is in this position.
The selector lever is locked in posi-
tion Pif the key is removed.
The parking lock should not be used
as a brake when parking. Always
apply the parking brake as well once
you have parked the vehicle.
CReverse gear
Only move the selector lever to R
when the vehicle is stationary.
ANeutral
No power is transmitted from the
engine to the drive wheels. Releasing
the brakes will allow you to move the
vehicle freely, e.g. by pushing.
Do not move the selector lever to N
while driving. The automatic trans-
mission could otherwise be dam-
aged.
If ASR is deactivated or ESP
®has
malfunctioned: only move the selec-
tor lever to Nif the vehicle is in dan-
ger of skidding, e.g. on icy roads.
7Drive
The automatic transmission changes
gear itself. All forward gears are avail-
able.
You can influence the gearshifts and
shift gears yourself or limit the shift
range.
Changing gear
The 5-speed automatic transmission adapts to
your individual driving style by continuously
adjusting its shift points. These shift point
adjustments take into account the current oper-
ating and driving conditions. If the operating or
driving conditions change, the automatic trans-
mission reacts by adjusting the gearshift pro-
gram.
When the selector lever is in position D, the
automatic transmission selects the individual
gears automatically. This depends on:
Rany restriction in the shift range
(Ypage 125)
Rthe position of the accelerator pedal
Rthe road speed
Touchshift
When the selector lever is in position D, you can
perform gearshifts yourself.
XTo shift down: press the selector lever to the
left towards D–.
The automatic transmission shifts to the next gear down, depending on the gear currently
engaged. The shift range is also restricted.
iThe automatic transmission does not shift
down if you press the selector lever towards
D– while traveling at too high a speed. This
protects the engine from overrevving.
XTo shift up: briefly press the selector lever to
the right towards D+.
The automatic transmission shifts to the next
gear up, depending on the current gearshift
program. This also extends the shift range.
XTo derestrict the shift range: press and hold
the selector lever towards D+until D
appears
in the display again.
The automatic transmission shifts from the
current shift range directly to D.
XTo select the optimum shift range: press
and hold the selector lever to the left towards
D–.
The automatic transmission will shift to a
range which allows easy acceleration and
deceleration. To do this, the automatic trans-
mission will shift down one or more gears.
124Automatic transmission
Driving and parking

Shift ranges
When the selector lever is in positionDyou can
restrict or derestrict the shift range for the auto- matic transmission.
XTo extend and restrict the shift range:
press the selector lever briefly to the right
towards D+or left towards D–.
The display shows the selected shift range.
The automatic transmission shifts only as far
as the relevant gear.
iIf the maximum engine speed for the restric-
ted shift range is reached and you depress the
accelerator pedal, the automatic transmis-
sion will not shift up.
Driving situations
5Use the braking effect of the engine
on steep downhill gradients and for
driving:
Ron steep mountain roads
Rin mountainous terrain
Rin arduous conditions
4Use the braking effect of the engine
on extremely steep downhill gradi-
ents and long downhill stretches.
Driving tips
Accelerator pedal position
Your style of driving influences how the auto-
matic transmission shifts gear:
Rlittle throttle: early upshifts
Rlots of throttle: later upshifts
Kickdown
Use kickdown for maximum acceleration:
XDepress the accelerator pedal beyond the
pressure point.
The automatic transmission shifts to the next
gear down, depending on the engine speed.
XEase off on the accelerator pedal once the
desired speed is reached.
The automatic transmission shifts up again.
Maneuvering
Maneuvering in a tight space:
XControl the vehicle's speed by braking care-
fully.
XDepress the accelerator pedal slightly and
evenly.
iYou can shift back and forth between drive
position Dand reverse gear Rat low speeds
without applying the brakes. This can help
you, for example when rapidly maneuvering
the vehicle or rocking it out of snow or slush.
Towing a trailer
XDrive at moderate engine speeds on steep
uphill gradients.
XDepending on the uphill or downhill gradient,
shift down to a shift range adapted to the
driving situation (
Ypage 125), even if cruise
control is activated.
Automatic transmission125
Driving and parking
Z

Problems with the transmission
ProblemPossible causes/consequences andMSolutions
The transmission mal-
functions when shifting
gear.The transmission is losing oil.
XHave the transmission checked immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
The acceleration charac-
teristics have deteriora-
ted noticeably.
The transmission does
not shift.The transmission is in emergency mode.
It is only possible to shift into second gear or reverse gear R.
XStop the vehicle.
XDepress the brake pedal.
XMove the selector lever to positionP.
XSwitch off the engine.
XWait at least 10 seconds before restarting the engine.
XDepress the brake pedal.
XMove the selector lever to positionDor R.
In position D, the transmission shifts into second gear; in position R,
the transmission shifts into reverse gear.
XHave the transmission checked immediately at a qualified specialist
workshop.
Releasing the parking lock manually
In the event of a malfunction, it is possible to
manually release the selector lever from the
lock in parking position P, e.g. to have the vehi-
cle towed away.
XApply the parking brake.
XRemove cover :.
XSlide implement ;as far as it will go into the
opening.
XPush the implement in and simultaneously
move the selector lever out of position P.
The selector lever lock is released. You can
now move the selector lever freely again until
it is returned to position P.
XRemove implement;.
XRe-install cover:.
iThe screwdriver from the vehicle tool kit
could function as the implement, for instance
(
Ypage 241).
Refueling
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Fuel is highly flammable. Improper handling of
fuel creates a risk of fire and explosion.
Avoid fire, open flames, smoking and creating
sparks under all circumstances. Switch off the
engine and, if applicable, the auxiliary heating
before refueling.
GWARNING
Fuel is poisonous and hazardous to health.
There is a risk of injury.
You must make sure that fuel does not come into contact with your skin, eyes or clothing
126Refueling
Driving and parking

Lockable filler cap
Example: DEF filler cap in the engine compartment
XTo open:switch off the ignition.
XOpen the hood (Ypage 219).
XRemove tool ?for unlocking tank filler
cap :from the footwell on the front-
passenger side (
Ypage 241).
XPull cover =up, turn 90° and release.
XInsert tool ?into hole ;of tank filler cap :.
XTurn filler cap:counter-clockwise and
remove it. Make sure that tool ?remains in
tank filler cap :while doing so.
XTo close: replace filler cap :and turn it
clockwise until closed.
XPull tool ?out of tank filler cap :and stow
with the vehicle tool kit in the footwell on the
front-passenger side.
XPull cover =up over hole ;of tank filler
cap :, turn and release.
XTurn tank filler cap :.
If tank filler cap :turns freely, the DEF tank
is closed.
Parking
Important safety notes
GWARNING
Flammable material such as leaves, grass or
twigs may ignite if they come into contact with
hot parts of the exhaust system or exhaust
gas flow. There is a risk of fire.
Park the vehicle so that no flammable mate-
rials come into contact with parts of the vehi-
cle which are hot. Take particular care not to
park on dry grassland or harvested grain
fields.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
Rstart 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.
!A moving vehicle can lead to damage to the
vehicle or damage to the drive train.
!When the vehicle is parked, always remove
the key to prevent the battery from becoming
discharged.
On vehicles with a battery isolating switch,
switch off the power supply if the vehicle is to
be out of use for a longer period of time.
Parking129
Driving and parking
Z

Always park your vehicle safely and according to
legal requirements and secure it against rolling
away.
To ensure that the vehicle is properly secured
against rolling away unintentionally:
Rthe parking brake must be firmly applied
Rthe selector lever must be in positionPand
the key must be removed from the ignition
lock
Ron steep uphill or downhill gradients, the front
wheels must be turned towards the curb
Rthe rear axle must be secured, e.g. with a
wheel chock, on steep uphill or downhill gra-
dients
Use the wheel chock (
Ypage 131) to do so.
If you leave the vehicle parked for more than
three weeks:
Rconnect the batteries to a trickle charger or
Rdisconnect the vehicle's starter battery or
Rswitch off the electrical system using the bat-
tery main switch (Ypage 118) and
Rdisconnect the vehicle's auxiliary battery
Otherwise, you need to check the battery's con-
dition of charge every 3 weeks, since standby
power consumption can drain the battery. If the
battery voltage is lower than 12.2 V,the battery
must be charged. Otherwise, the battery may be damaged by exhaustive discharging.
Be sure to observe the notes on disconnecting
and charging the batte
ries under "Bat-
tery“ (Ypage 228). You can obtain information
about trickle chargers from a qualified specialist
workshop.
Parking brake
GWARNING
If you leave children unsupervised in the vehi-
cle, they could set it in motion by, for example:
Rrelease the parking brake.
Rshift the automatic transmission out of the
parking position P.
Rstart 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.
GWARNING
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.
XTo apply the parking brake: pull brake
lever :up as far as the last possible detent.
The c warning lamp in the instrument
cluster lights up if the engine is running.
iOn vehicles with a folding brake lever, you
can then press lever :down to the stop.
XTo release the parking brake: on vehicles
with a folding brake lever, first pull brake
lever :up to the stop.
XRaise brake lever :slightly and press
release knob ;.
XGuide brake lever :down to the stop.
The c indicator lamp in the instrument
cluster goes out.
130Parking
Driving an d parking

Exceptionally, if the service brake fails, the park-
ing brake can be used to brake the vehicle in an
emergency.
XEmergency braking: press and hold release
button ;and carefully apply brake lever :.
Switching off the engine
GWARNING
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.
XStop the vehicle.
XShift the automatic transmission to position
P .
XApply the parking brake.
XTurn the key to position 0in the ignition lock
and remove it.
The immobilizer is activated.
XSecure the vehicle to prevent it from rolling
away (Ypage 129).
Wheel chock
Use the wheel chock or a similar object to pre-
vent the vehicle from rolling away, e.g. when
parking or changing a wheel.
Wheel chock in the load/passenger compartment
XTo remove the wheel chock on Cargo
Vans/Passenger Vans: pull restraining
cable :down a little and remove it from
retainer ;.
XRemove the chock.
iWhen stowing the wheel chock, make sure
that restraining cable :is holding it securely
in retainer ;.
Wheel chock to the rear of the chassis on the left
side of the vehicle (example)
XTo remove the wheel chock on Cab Chas-
sis:pull the locking springs down and remove
the wheel chock.
iWhen stowing the wheel chock, make sure
that it is secured in the retainer with the lock-
ing springs.
Parking the vehicle for a long period
If you park your vehicle for longer than
three weeks:
Rconnect the batteries to a trickle charger or
Rdisconnect the vehicle's starter battery or
Parking131
Driving an d parking
Z

Drivingin wet conditions
Hydroplaning
GWARNING
There is adanger of hydroplaning occurring,
eve nif you are drivin gslowly and your tires
hav esufficien ttread depth, dependin gon th e
dept hof water on th eroad. There is aris kof
an accident.
Fo rthis reason ,avoid tire rut sand brake care-
fully.
Therefore, in heav yrain or other condition sin
whic hhydroplaning can occur ,drive as follows:
Rreduce your speed
Ravoid tire rut s
Rapply thebrake swit hcar e
Drivin gon flooded road s
!Do notdrive through floode dareas. Chec k
th edept hof any water befor edrivin gthrough
it .Drive slowly through standin gwater. Oth-
erwise ,water may ente rth evehicle interio ror
th eengin ecompartment. Thi scan damage
th eelectronic component sin th eengin eor
th eautomatic transmission. Water can also
be drawn in by th eengine's air suction nozzles
and this can cause engin edamage.
If you hav eto drive on stretches of road on whic h
water has collected, please bear in min dthat :
Rthewater level of standin gwater should no t
be abov eth elowe redg eof th efron tbumper
Ryou mus tno tdrive faste rthan walkin gspeed
Drivin gin winter
General notes
GWARNING
If you shift down on aslipper yroad surfac ein
an attempt to increase th eengine's braking
effect ,th edrive wheels could los etheir grip.
There is an increase ddanger of skidding and
accidents .
Do no tshift down fo radditional engin ebrak-
in g on aslipper yroad surface.
GDANGER
If th eexhaus tpipe is blocke dor adequat e
ventilation is no tpossible, poisonous gases
suc has carbon monoxide (CO) may ente rth e
vehicle. Thi sis th ecase, e.g. if th evehicle
becomes trappe din snow. There is aris kof
fatal injury.
If you leav eth eengin eor th eauxiliar yheatin g
running ,mak esur eth eexhaus tpipe and are a
around th evehicle are clear of snow. To
ensur ean adequat esupply of fresh air, ope n a
window on th esid eof th evehicle that is no t
facin ginto th ewind.
Hav eyour vehicle winterproofed at aqualified
specialis tworkshop in goo dtime at th eonset of
winter.
iDo no tcover th eradiator ,e.g. wit h awinte r
cover .The measurement sof th eon-boar d
diagnostic system may otherwise return inac-
curat evalues. Some of these values are
legally prescribed and mus ttherefore always
be exact .
Observ eth enote sin th e"Winte roperation "sec -
tion (
Ypage 250).
Slipper yroad surfaces
GWARNING
If you shift down on aslipper yroad surfac ein
an attempt to increase th eengine's braking
effect ,th edrive wheels could los etheir grip.
There is an increase ddanger of skidding and
accidents .
Do no tshift down fo radditional engin ebrak-
in g on aslipper yroad surface.
GWARNING
The outsid etemperature indicator is no t
designed to serve as an ice-warnin gdevic e
and is therefore unsuitable fo rthat purpose.
Indicated temperature sjust abov eth efreez -
in g poin tdo no tguarantee that th eroad sur -
fac eis free of ice. The road may still be icy,
especially in wooded areas or on bridges.
!Vehicles wit hautomatic transmissio nmay
roll only briefly in th eneutral position N.Pro-
136Driving tips
Driving and parking

longed rolling of the wheels, e.g. when being
towed, will result in transmission damage.
If the vehicle threatens to skid or cannot be
stopped when moving at low speed:
XShift the transmission to neutral position N.
XTry to maintain control of the vehicle using
corrective steering.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery roads.
Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and braking
maneuvers. Do not use cruise control.
You can find further information on winter tires
and snow chains in the "Winter operation" sec-
tion (
Ypage 250).
Driving off-road
Important safety notes
GWARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn when driving on an incline, the vehicle
could slip sideways, tip and rollover. There is a risk of an accident.
Always drive on a steep incline in the line of
fall (straight up or down) and do not turn the
vehicle.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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.
GWARNING
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 surfa-
ces, check the underside of the vehicle and
the wheels and tires at regular intervals. In
particular, remove any trapped foreign
objects, e.g. stones and branches.
Such foreign objects may:
Rdamage the chassis, the fuel tank or the
brake system
Rcause imbalances and thus vibrations
Rbe flung out when you continue driving
If there is any damage, inform a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
When driving off-road and on construction sites,
sand, mud and water mixed with oil, for exam-
ple, 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 character-
istics.
Driving off-road or on construction sites increa-
ses 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 c
onditions. Drive carefully. Have
any vehicle damage rectified at a qualified spe-
cialist 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 vehi-
cle with the service brake. If your vehicle cannot
manage an uphill slope, drive back down the
slope in reverse gear.
Driving tips137
Driving and parking
Z

Cruise controlisdeactivated automatically
when:
Ryou apply the brakes
Ryouapply the parking brake and the c
indicator lamp inthe instrument cluster lights
up
Ryou are driving slower than 20 mph (30 km/h)
Ryou shift the automat ictransmission to neu-
tral position Nwhile the vehicle is inmotion
RESP®or ASR intervenes
Rthere isa malfunction inthe ESP®, ASR or ABS
system
Problems with cruise control
ProblemPossible causes/consequences and MSolutions
On vehicleswit h steering
wheel buttons, the
speed cannot beset
when cruise control is
activated.The displ ay shows a high-priority message. Thus a change in speed is
not possible.
XProceed as instructed by the message inthe display.
XDeactivate cruise control
COLLISION PREVENTION ASSIST
General notes
COLL ISION PREVENTION AS SISTcomprises the
dist ance warning function and adaptive Brake
Assist.
Distance warning function
Important safety notes
iNote the section on 'Important safety notes'
(Ypage 54).
GWAR NING
The distance warning function does not react:
Rto people or animals
Rto oncoming veh icles
Rto crossing traff ic
Rwhen cornering
The distance warning function may not give
warnings inall critical situations. There isa
risk of an acc ident.
Alwa ys pay careful attention to the traff icsit-
uation and beready to brake.
Alwa ys adapt your speed to suit the pre vailing
road and traff icconditions.
GWARNING
The distance warning function cannot always
clearly identify objects and co mplex traffic
situations.
In such cases, the distance warning function
may:
Rgive an unnecessary warning
Rnot give a warning
There isa risk of an accident.
Always pay careful attention to the traffic sit-
uation and donot 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. Without
your intervention, the distance warning function
cannot prevent a collision.
The distance warning function willissue a warn-
ing at speeds of around 20 mph (30 km/h)or
more if:
Ryou approach a vehicle ahead of you very
quickly. You will then hear an intermittent
warning tone and the red ·warning lamp
in the instrument cluster flashes.
Driving systems141
Driving and parking
Z

Lane Keeping Assist does not keep your vehicle
in its lane.
The system may be impaired or may not function
if:
Rif the vehicle is incorrectly loaded
(Ypage 213)
Rthere is poor visibility, e.g. due to insufficient
illumination of the road, or due to snow, rain,
fog or spray
Rthere is glare, e.g. from oncoming traffic, the
sun or reflection from other vehicles (e.g. if
the road surface is wet)
Rthe windshield is dirty, fogged up, damaged or
covered, for instance by a sticker, in the vicin-
ity of the camera
Rno, or several, unclear lane markings are pres-
ent for one lane, e.g. in a construction area
Rthe lane markings are worn away, dark or cov-
ered up, e.g. by dirt or snow
Rthe distance to the vehicle in front is too small
and the lane markings thus cannot be detec-
ted
Rthe lane markings change quickly, e.g. lanes
branch off, cross one another or merge
Rthe road is narrow and winding
Rthere are highly variable shade conditions on
the road
A warning may be given if a front wheel passes
over a lane marking. In addition, a warning tone
sounds and the Ãindicator lamp in the
instrument cluster flashes red.
Activating/deactivating Lane Keeping
Assist
Lane Keeping Assist is automatically activated
when you start the engine.
XTo deactivate: press thejbutton in the
center console (Ypage 37).
On vehicles without steering wheel but-
tons:
OFF
flashes briefly in the display and the Ã
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes yellow and then lights up continu-
ously.
On vehicles with steering wheel buttons:
The Lane
Keep.AssistDeactivatedmes-
sage appears in the display and the Ã
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster
flashes yellow and then lights up continu-
ously. Lane Keeping Assist is deactivated.
XTo activate:
press thejbutton in the
center console again (Ypage 37).
On vehicles without steering wheel but-
tons:
on
flashes briefly in the display and the Ã
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster goes
out. If a lane marking is detected, the Ã
indicator lamp lights up green.
On vehicles with steering wheel buttons:
The Lane Keep. Assist Activated
mes-
sage appears in the display and the Ã
indicator lamp in the instrument cluster goes
out. If a lane marking is detected, the Ã
indicator lamp lights up green.
Lane Keeping Assist is activated.
A Lane Keeping Assist warning is suppressed if:
Ra driving safety system intervenes, such as
ABS, BAS or ESP®.
Ryou have set the turn signal and a lane change is detected. In this case, the warnings are
suppressed for a certain period of time.
Ryou accelerate hard, e.g. kickdown on vehi-
cles with an automatic transmission.
Ryou brake hard.
Ryou steer actively, e.g. swerve to avoid an
obstacle or change lane quickly.
Ryou cut the corner on a sharp bend.
In order that you are warned only when neces-
sary and in good time if you cross the lane mark-
ing, the system recognizes certain conditions
and warns you accordingly.
Lane Keeping Assist warns you earlier if:
Ryou approach the outer lane marking on a
bend.
Rthe road has very wide lanes, e.g. a freeway.
Rthe system recognizes solid lane markings.
Warnings are given later if:
Rthe road has narrow lanes.
Ryou cut the corner on a bend.
All-wheel drive
Important safety notes
!Never tow the vehicle with one axle raised.
This may damage the transfer case. Damage
of this sort is not covered by the Mercedes-
Benz Limited Warranty. All wheels must
146Driving systems
Driving and parking