Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 907 2018 Operating Instructions Manual page 117

You can obtain information about this from any
Mercedes-Benz service centre.
Notes on brakes
& WARNING Risk of skidding and of an
accident due to shifting down on slippery
road surfaces
If you shift down on slippery road surfaces to
increase the engine braking effect, the drive
wheels may lose traction.
Do not shift down on slippery road sur‐
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faces to increase the engine braking
effect.
& WARNING Risk of accident due to the
brake system overheating
If you leave your foot on the brake pedal
when driving, the brake system may overheat.
This increases the braking distance and the
brake system may even fail.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest.
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Do not depress the brake pedal and the
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accelerator pedal at the same time
while driving.
Downhill gradients
On long and steep downhill gradients you should:
in vehicles with an automatic transmission,
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shift down to shift ranges 2 or 1 in good time,
so that the engine is running at a medium to
high engine speed (
in vehicles with a manual transmission, shift
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down to a lower gear in good time, so that the
engine is running at a medium to high engine
speed
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You must also change the shift range in good
time when cruise control or the speed limiter
are switched on.
You thereby make use of the braking effect of the
engine and do not have to brake as often to main‐
tain the speed. This relieves the load on the
service brake and prevents the brakes from over‐
heating and wearing too quickly.
Heavy and light loads
& WARNING Risk of accident due to the
brake system overheating
If you leave your foot on the brake pedal
when driving, the brake system may overheat.
page 125)
→
This increases the braking distance and the
brake system may even fail.
Never use the brake pedal as a footrest.
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Do not depress the brake pedal and the
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accelerator pedal at the same time
while driving.
If the brakes have been subjected to a heavy
load, do not stop the vehicle immediately. Drive
on for a short while. The brakes cool down more
quickly in the airflow.
If the brakes have been used only moderately,
you should occasionally test their effectiveness.
To do this, brake more firmly from a higher speed
while paying attention to the traffic conditions.
The brakes will grip better as a result.
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. You must depress the brake pedal
more firmly. Maintain a longer distance to the
vehicle in front.
While paying attention to the traffic conditions,
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 effect on salt-treated roads:
a layer of salt on the brake discs or brake
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pads/linings can increase braking distances
considerably, or braking may happen on only
one side.
maintain an especially great safe distance to
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the vehicle in front.
To remove the layer of salt:
apply the brakes from time to time, paying
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attention to traffic conditions.
carefully depress the brake pedal at the end
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of a journey and after the start of a new jour‐
ney.
New brake discs and brake pads/linings
New brake pads/linings and brake discs only
reach their optimal braking effect after a few
100 km. Until then, compensate for the reduced
braking effect by applying greater pressure to the
brake pedal. For safety reasons, Mercedes-Benz
recommends that you only have brake pads/
115
Driving and parking