Driving Tips - Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Operating Instructions Manual

Driving abroad
Service
An extensive network of Mercedes-Benz Service
Centres is also at your disposal when you are
travelling abroad. Nevertheless, please bear in
mind that service facilities or replacement parts
may not always be immediately available. The
workshop directories are available from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
Fuel
In some countries, only fuels with a lower octane
rating or a higher sulphur content are available.
Mercedes-Benz recommends fitting a fuel filter
with a water separator if the vehicle is mainly
operated in countries with high water content in
the diesel fuel.
Unsuitable fuel can cause engine damage. Infor-
Y
mation on fuel ( page 295).
Dipped-beam headlamps
When driving in countries in which traffic drives
on the opposite side of the road to the country
where the vehicle is registered, the halogen
headlamps must be partially masked. This pre-
vents the dazzling of oncoming traffic and no
longer illuminates the edge of the carriageway
to the same height and distance.
Have the halogen headlamps masked at a quali-
fied specialist workshop before you cross the
border, but as close to it as possible.
When returning from your journey, remove the
adhesive surfaces from your halogen head-
lamps as close to the border as possible. Clean
the glass of the headlamps if necessary.
It is not necessary to adjust Bi-Xenon head-
lamps. Legal requirements are fulfilled without
adjusting the headlamps.
Transport by rail
Transporting your vehicle by rail may be subject
to certain restrictions or require special meas-
ures to be taken in some countries due to vary-
ing tunnel heights and loading standards.
You can obtain information about this from any
Mercedes-Benz Service Centre.
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.
This increases the risk of skidding and having
an accident.
Do not shift down for additional engine brak-
ing on a slippery road surface.
G
WARNING
The braking system can overheat if you leave
your foot on the brake pedal while driving.
This increases the braking distance and could
even cause the braking system to fail. There is
a risk of an accident.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest. Do
not simultaneously depress both the brake
pedal and the accelerator pedal while driving.
! 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:
for automatic transmissions: change down
R
into shift range 2 or 1 in good time
Y
( page 139)
for manual transmissions: change down to a
R
lower gear in good time
i You must also change the shift range in
good time when cruise control or SPEED-
TRONIC is switched on.
You thereby make use of the braking effect of
the engine and do not have to brake as often to
maintain the speed. This relieves the load on the
service brake and prevents the brakes from
overheating and wearing too quickly.

Driving tips

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