Off-Road Driving - Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Operating Instructions Manual

Driving tips
152
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Try to maintain control of the vehicle using
corrective steering.
Drive particularly carefully on slippery roads.
Avoid sudden acceleration, steering and braking
manoeuvres.
You can find further information on winter tyres
and snow chains in the "Winter operation" sec-
Y
tion ( page 273).
Driving off-road
Important safety notes
G
WARNING
If you drive on a steep incline at an angle or
turn on a steep incline, the vehicle could slip
sideways, tip and overturn. There is a risk of
an accident.
When driving on an incline, drive into the line
of fall (upwards or downwards in a straight
line) and do not turn.
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 danger 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 surfa-
ces, check the underside of the vehicle and
the wheels and tyres at regular intervals. In
particular, remove any trapped foreign
objects, e.g. stones and branches.
Such foreign objects may:
damage the chassis, the fuel tank or the
R
brake system
cause imbalances and thus vibrations
R
be flung out when you continue driving
R
If there is any damage, inform a qualified spe-
cialist workshop.
! If there are steep gradients while driving off-
road, a sufficient filling level in the AdBlue
tank must be ensured. Make sure for this rea-
son that there is a minimum fill level of ten
litres before driving off-road.
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 conditions. 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 and do not
disengage the clutch. 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.
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