VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1997 Owners Manual

ant level.
134
The coolant level must be between the and marks when the engine is cold
and can be slightly above the mark if
the engine is warm.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is
equipped with an electric coolant level
checking device.
When the coolant level is too low, the
ing light (see page 67) will flash until the
coo lant level has been restored to normal.
Coolant losses may indica te a leak in the
cooling system. event of coolan t
losses , the cooling system should be
spected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer. is not suHicient merely to ad d coolant.
a sealed system , losses can only occu r if
the boiling point of the coolant is excee ded
as a resu lt of overheating.
Always heed
on page 126.
Adding
these steps.
Turn off the engine and it to
cool down. The cooling system is
under pressure.
Protect face, hands and arms by
covering the cap with a large , thick
rag to protect against escaping fluid
and steam.
Turn the cap slowly and very in a counter-clockwise
direction applying light,
downward pressure on the top of the
cap .
in an eme rgency , only water can be ed ,the correct ratio between wate r and
you have lost a considerable amount of
coolant, then you should add cold antifreeze
and cold water only when the engi ne is co ld .

Do not
it must be caught and
Transmission

Brake fluid
The brake fluid reservo ir is located in the en­
gi ne compa rtment o n th e left side .
136
----------------
Checking
The correct fluid level is importa nt for the
proper functioning of the brake system. The
fluid level
in the brake fluid reservoir should
always be between the and markings.
The fluid level may drop slightly
some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the
brake pads. This is no cause for alarm.
mark , the brake warning light come o n. Do not continue to operate the
v ehicle . The comp le te brake system shou ld
be thoroughly checked by an authoriz ed
Volk sw age n dea l
er or any other qualified
workshop and the cause corr ecte d.
The brake warning lamp lights up
to indicate
a low fluid leve l in the reservoir.
Use only 4 brake fluid that meets SAE specification J and conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle
Standard 116.
The brake
fluid must be new .
Do not add or mix
Brake fluid is poisonous. Therefore , it must only be stored in the closed original container out of the reach of children.
J

Changing brake fluid
Brake in the brake is too high, corrosion in the brake system
may after a pe riod of time. The point of the brake decrease
Therefore , the brake must be changed every 2 years.
Remember
that brake to the paint of your
dispo sal of brake fluid along with the
special tools required and the necessary
expertise , we recommend that you have your brake fluid changed by your
is changed in g a Maintenance Service.
on page 126.

-sparks -flames -smoking.
Flush eyes immediately with
-Get medical help fast.
Always heed on page 126.
138
Sulfuric acid. cause blindness or severe burns.
a
doctor. you should ingest any
battery acid, get a doctor immediately .
Do not expose the battery to
sparks
or an open light. Do not smoke . Do not reverse
polarity .
Before work is done on the
electrical system, disconnect
negative ground cable . the

Battery acid
opera tin g co ndi tions, the bat­
tery your
how ever , to check the at
be
between the and marks in each
the marks correct
th e conditio n.
a doctor.
and cause
starting ,
and the etc., are used more frequently .
traffic or when traveling short d1stances. Let your authorized test the battery 's capac ­
i ty before winter sets in. A charged bat­
tery no t
be removed and stored where it
then
unscrew the battery mounting.
139

CARE
Charging of battery
The battery contains acid.
Therefore , keep battery out of reach of
Charge battery in a area. Keep away from open
rinse with water for minutes and
Never charge a frozen battery. because of gas trapped in the ice. a frozen battery to thaw out first.
Fast charging a battery is dangerous and
Battery acid that may during charging be washed off with a of warm water and baking soda to
Never use a fast charger as a booster to start the engine . This damage sensitive nents, such as units, radio, etc. , as
and instructions that come with your battery charger .
is not necessary to remove the battery
from the engine compartment , and it is
Make sure the in each and marks. ma rk, you r aut horized co rrect
the condition.

Connect charger
Charger must be connected and {-).
Do not connect or disconnect charger charger is operating to re­duce the danger of
Charging rate not over 6 amps.
a battery be charged at no more than 1 percent of its rated capac ity
For be used on a battery rated at 45 Ah. Rated capacity of the battery in your ve­
After charging , turn off cha rger and dis­
connect charger
heed on page 126 .
equipment battery. Specificatio ns are
correctly
and
Because of the problem of proper disposal of a battery , we recommend
that you have your a uthorized Volkswa­
gen dealer change the battery for you.
Batteries contain sulfuric acid and lead
and must always be disposed of properly observing all environmental regulations.

vice.
Maintenance services, the
Engine, spark and the ignition
spa rk
year , we recommend that you
who has the forma tion.
on page 126 .
142
The The
it is not sufficient to
use just any of the same size. For safe
operation, use
specially designed for your The correct can be obtained at your thorized
To prevent serious per sonal injury stay of the you must check
down. Hot components can burn skin on contact.
Never touch the radiator fan. is temperature
Tens ioning and replacing of should be performed by your authorized dealer or a work­
shop.
engine types are equippe d with toothed whic h need to be inspec ted and tensioned , if necessary ,
during a scheduled Maintenance Service.

washer container is side of the engine compartment.
T he container
heed on page 126.
tongue. The container can be
water is add a to the water .
Use winterized
during the is eq uipped with heated * washer jets.
from freezing in the wint er.
Do not use engine coolant anti-freeze or any other solution that can damage the vehicle paint.
the direc tions on the can for the
the container, press the cap ont o
the neck.
Adjusting washer jets
When
Adjus t the jets with a