VOLKSWAGEN CARAVELLE 1992 T4 / 4.G Owner's Guide

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CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT

3edals
• e ~ cvement of the pedals must not be re-
:: :~is reason, do not put articles in the
—•".•.ell which could roll or slide underneath

—-E-
zedals.

•Vr^-d the pedal area there should not be •r. -;otmatsorotheradditionalfloorcover- •: -aterials:
• In the
case
of defects on the brake sys-
r~
3 greater pedal travel may be
necess-

• : should always be possible to depress
~3
: _tch and accelerator pedals fully.
• - pedals must be able to return, unhin-
z-z'^z.
to their rest positions,
""•e'efore, the only
foot
mats which may be
are those which leave the pedal area
::—oletely free and which are prevented . " slipping. Brakes
The following points are of particular import­
ance
to the safe operation of the brakes.
• New brake linings must also be run in and do not have the optimum
friction
prop­
erties during the
first
200 km. The slightly reduced braking effect can be compen­
sated for by more pressure on the brake

pedal.
This also applies when new linings have been fitted.
• If the brake pedal travel increases suddenly, it may be
that
one of the two
brake circuits has failed. You can still drive
on to the next Volkswagen dealer but be prepared to use more pressure on the pedal
and allow for longer braking distances on
the way.
• The brake
fluid
level must be checked regularly-see page 105.
The brake warning lamp
will
come on to indi­ cate
that
the brake
fluid
level is too low (see

also
page 48).
• Brake lining wear depends to a large ex­
tent
on the operating conditions and style of driving. On vehicles which are used mainly in
town
traffic
and stop/start conditions or
are driven hard it may be necessary to have
the thickness of the brake linings checked by a Volkswagen dealer in between the in­
tervals given in the Service Schedule.
• Change down in good time when driving downhill, in orderto make use of the engine braking effect. This relieves strain on the
brake system. When the brakes are applied do not keep them on con::rjc_s , =" .
and release alternately.
• Under certain operating conditions, *c example after driving through water, a^e' heavy rain or after washing the vehicle the
braking effect may be retarded by wet, or in
winter iced-up brake discs and linings - the brakes must be dried out
first
by applying
the footbrake.
The
full
braking effect may also be delayed when vehicle has been driven for some time
on heavily salted roads
without
using the
brakes,
because the layer of salt on discs
and pads has to be removed
first.

Attention
If a
front
spoiler,
full
size
wheel

trims
etc., is
retrofitted,
it is necessary to
ensure
that
the
flow

of air to the
front
brakes
is not re­

stricted
-
otherwise
the
brakes

can
overheat.
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CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT

Brake servo Attention
The servo
is
operated
by
vacuum which
is
only generated when
en­

gine
is
running.
For
this reason
the vehicle should
not be
allowed
to roll with
the
engine switched off.
When
the
brake servo
is not

working because,
for
example,
the vehicle
is
being towed
or be­
cause
a
defect
has
occurred
on

the brake servo itself,
the
brake pedal must
be
pressed consider­
ably harder
to
compensate
for

the absence
of
servo assistance. Anti-locking brake system
*
The ABS plays a major part in increasing the
active safety of the vehicle. The big advan­
tage when compared with a conventional brake system is that even when braking
hard on a slippery road surface the best
possible steerability is retained for the road
condition because the wheels do not lock.
However, one must not expect the ABS sys­
tem to shorten the braking distance in all conditions. When driving on gravel or on
fresh snow covering a slippery surface, i.e.
when one should be driving very carefully in
any case, the stopping distance may even be slightly longer.

How
the ABS
system works

When the turning speed of a wheel reaches
a level which is too lowforthe vehicle speed
and it tends to lock, the brake pressure to
this wheel is reduced. On the front axle the brake pressure is regulated for each wheel
individually, whereas on the rear axle, the
pressure is regulated for both wheels at the
same time. As a result the braking effect is
the same for both rear wheels and the driv­ ing stability is retained as far as possible.
This regulating process makes itself known by movement of the brake pedal and is ac­
companied by noises. This is done deliber­
ately as a warning to the driver that a wheel
or the wheels are in the locking range. So
that the ABS can regulate effectively in this range the brake pedal must remain de­ pressed - on no account should it be

pumped!

Attention However
the ABS
system cannot
overcome
the
physical limits.
This must
be
borne
in
mind par­
ticularly
on
slippery
or wet
roads.
When
the ABS
comes into
the
control range
the
speed must
im­
mediately
be
adapted
to the
road
and traffic conditions.
The in­

creased amount
of
safety avail­
able must
not
tempt
one
into tak­ ing risks.

If a defect occurs on the ABS it is indicated
by a warning lamp - see page 49.
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CONTROLS
AND EQUIPMENT

-andbrake

~: ;:dy the handbrake pull lever up
firmly.

Zr - s the
1
st gear or
with
automatic gear- :ne parking lock should also be en-

r'zz^z.
The handbrake should always be

ace
53 so
firmly
that
it is not possible to
zr .9 nadvertently
with
the handbrake on.

~T"
handbrake is applied
with
the ignition
• :_e brake warning lamp comes on.
~: "e ease handbrake, pull lever up slightly,
: r;s locking knob in and push lever
right
Manual
gearbox

Note

When driving you shot z ' z: est .: ~ E~ :
on the gear lever. The press^-e z~ .:„'-="
is
transmitted to the selectc ~z'-~ - ~T
gearbox and can cause pren-a:_"5 .-, ~z' z~
the forks.
Gear
gate

• All forward gears are baulk synchro­
nised.
The synchronising hubs enable easy
noise-free selection of the forward gears.
• Only engage reverse gear when vehicle
is
stationary. When engine is running, de­

press
clutch
fully
and
wait
a few seconds
before moving gear lever, to prevent grating

noises.

When reverse gear is engaged
with
ignition
on,
the reversing lights come on.

3'
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CONTROLS AND
EQUIPMENT

Automatic
gearbox4

The vehicle is equipped with an electroni­ cally controlled 4-speed automatic gear­
box.

The gearbox has a lock-up clutch which eliminates the system-inherent converter
slip in 4th gear, and in certain driving
condi­

tions also in 3rd gear.
This
significantly im­ proves the efficiency of the gearbox in
these two gears and reduces the fuel
con­
sumption.

Depending
on driving style the lock-up
clutch can cause more frequent gear shift­
ing.
This
is normal and no cause for concern.
Programme
switch

The programme switch in the instrument panel can be used to select a sports
pro­

gramme for a sporty type of driving (S -
warning lamp lights up) or for normal driving (warning lamp out).
The programme selection can be made by pressing the switch
(arrow)
when vehicle is
stationary or on the move.
Normal
driving

The programme by changing up early and changing down late, makes economical
driving possible.
S -
Sport
programme
For a sporty style of
driving,
this programme
should be selected. By changing up later full use can be made of the engine's power re­
serve. Changing down is effected at higher
engine speeds than in the normal driving range.

Note

The programme which has been selected remains engaged even after the engine has
been switched off.
This
means that a
change of programme can only be effected
by operating the switch.
32
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CONTROLS AND
EQUIPMENT

Emergency
programme
~.~:;ional defects occur in the electronic
. ;:e~ the gearbox can, amongst other ' "is. carry on operating in two emergency
: ::_s~imes:
• Tre gearbox continues to change up and x ••- automatically as before but hard
shift
- 3 are however noticeable. The vehicle •<:- 3 be taken to a Volkswagen dealer.

~e
gearbox no longer changes up and - automatically.
"•= rearbox can then be shifted manually
:- tie selector lever positions "D", "3"
;': 2" only the 3rd gear is available.
- selector lever positions "1" and "R", the =: and reverse gears are available as nor-
-: .vever, the converter must, due to the ab-

;-s~ce
of 2nd gear
work
harder, and under
:e~ain
circumstances this
causes
the con- r~er to overheat. In a
case
such as this the
•eiide should be taken, as soon as
poss-
: e, to a Volkswagen dealer.
Selector
lever
lock

In positions "P" and "N"
with
the ignition
switch on the selector lever is locked. To move the selector lever out of these
posi­

tions the brake pedal must be depressed
and the selector lever
button
pushed-in.

This
prevents a gear being engaged inadver­

tently
and the vehicle unintentionally mov­ ing off.

A
delay circuit prevents the selector lever

from
locking when it is moved quickly past
the "N" position (for instance
from
"R" to
"D").
This enables for example the vehicle
to be "rocked" out of a "bogged down" position. The
shift
lock only locks the
selec­

tor lever if it is
left
in the "N" position for more than about
1
second
without
the brake
pedal being depressed.
At speeds above 5 km/h the selector lever lock is automatically switched-off in
posi­

tion
"N". In the dash panel there is a display tra:

shows
the currently selected selects' eve' position.

Selector
lever
positions

P -
Parking
lock

The driving wheels are locked mechanics .
The parking lock may only be engagec
the vehicle is stationary. Before mov -g :_e lever in or out of the "P" position tre" ::•

button
in the selector lever handle r-_s: re­

pressed.
Before moving the
se!e:::"

out of the "P" position, the ca-e ;e:s must also be depressed when 're z~;z~ ;
switched on.
11 Depending upon the rrc~e ~._e : s; = :;~
also
be
fitted
in the Cc~: e":
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CONTROLS AND
EQUIPMENT

R -
Reverse
gear

The reverse gear should only be engaged
when the vehicle is stationary and
with
the engine idling. Before engaging the position
"R"
from the positions "P" or "N" the brake
pedal must be depressed and the lock
but­

ton in the selector lever handle must also be
pressed.

The reversing lights come on then the
selec­

tor lever is in the " R" position
with
the igni­

tion
switched on.
IM -
Neutral
(idling
position)

To
move the lever out of neutral when
sta­

tionary or at speeds below 5 km/h and
with
ignition switched on depress the brake
pedal and press the lock
button
in the
selec­

tor lever handle.
D -
Normal
driving
position

The four forward gears are shifted up and down automatically depending upon

throttle
opening and programme selected.

Under
certain driving conditions it is advan­
tageous to engage one of the following de­

scribed
selector lever positions. 3 - Position for
hilly
regions

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd gears are shifted up and down depending upon engine load, road

speed
and programme selected. The 4th

gear
is not engaged. This increases the en­
gine braking effect when the accelerator pedal is released.

This
selector position is recommended in situations where the gearbox alternates fre­
quently between 3rd and 4th gears in the
"D"
position.
2 - Position for
steep
hills

This
selector lever position is suitable for long climbs and descents.
The 1st and 2nd gears are shifted up and down automatically depending on engine
load,
road speed and programme selected.

To
prevent unnecessary changing up 3rd
and 4th gears are not engaged. This
further
increases
the engine braking effect on

deceleration.

1 - Position for
very
steep
hills

This
selector lever position is recom­ mended for very steep climbs and de­

scents.
To
engage this gear, the lock
button
in the

selector
lever handle must be pressed in.
The vehicle only moves in
1
st gear. The 2nd, 3rd and 4th gears are not engaged.
Maxi­
mum possible engine braking effect is now

available.

The cruise control * cannot be used in
posi­
tion
"1".

Note

When changing down manually the selector lever can be moved
into
the positions "3",
"2"
and "1", but the gearbox will not

change
down
until
it is no longer possible to
over-rev the engine.

Kick-down
device

The kick-down device gives maximum ac­ celeration. When the accelerator pedal is
pressed
right
down past the
full
throttle

position, depending on road speed and en­
gine
speed,
the box changes down
into
a lower gear. The upshift
into
the next higher

gear
then takes place as soon as the maxi­ mum specified engine speed is reached.
34
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CONTROLS
AND EQUIPMENT
Notes on driving Starting

\
e
engine
can only be started when
selec-
pr
ever
is at
"N"
or
"P".
See
also
"Starting

Br:
re" on
page
37.

Selecting
a driving range When the vehicle is stationary and
the engine is running always de­
press
the foot brake when selecting
i gear.
When the vehicle is stationary do
•ot depress the accelerator when
•electing a gear. f the lever is moved accidentally nto "IM" when driving, release ac­
celerator and let the engine speed
trop to idling before selecting a for­
ward
gear again.

•
Attention
•
When the engine is running it
is
necessary to hold the vehicle

with
the foot brake in all gears.
Because
with
an automatic gear­
box the transfer of power is not
fully interrupted even at idling

speed
- and the vehicle tends to
"creep".
When the vehicle is stationary
and a gear is engaged, the

throttle
must not be opened inad­

vertently
on any account (for in­

stance
by hand from the engine
compartment). Otherwise the ve­hicle
will
move immediately -
even if the handbrake has been
fully applied.
Before working on the vehicle

with
the engine running, apply
the handbrake and put the selec­
tor lever in "P".
Moving off

Select
driving
range
(R, D, 3, 2, 1).
Wait

until
the gearbox has
shifted
and the

power
flow
is made to the
driving

wheels
(light
selection
jerk
perceptible).

Then
one can accelerate.

Stopping

To
stop
vehicle
temporarily
such
as at traffic
lights,
it is only
necessary
to
apply
the

brakes.
It is not
necessary
to
move
selector

lever
to
"N".
The
engine
should
however

only
be running at idling
speed.
Parking

On
level
ground all you
need
do is
engage

the
parking
lock.
On a gradient the
hand­
brake
should
be
applied
firmly first
and
then

the
parking
lock
engaged.
This
will
ensure

that the
locking
mechanism
is not too
heav­
ily
loaded
and
makes
the
lock
easier
to
dis­

engage.

Tow starting
On
vehicles
with
automatic
gearbox
the en­

gine
cannot
be started by towing or
pushing

the
vehicle.
See
page
133.

When
the battery is flat, the
engine
can be
started
from the battery of another
vehicle

by
using
jumper
cables.
See
"Emergency

starting",
page
130.
Towing If the
vehicle
has to be towed at any time,

you
must
read
the instructions in the
sec­

tion
"Towing/tow
starting on
page
132.
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CONTROLS
AND EQUIPMENT
Ignition
lock

Petrol
engines
1 -
Ignition
off/engine
stationary

-
Steering
can be
locked
2
-
Ignition
on
3
-
Starting
engine
Diesel
engines

1 -
Fuel supply
cut
off/engine
sta­
tionary
-
Steering can
be
locked
2
-
Glow
and
drive
position
No
other current consumers should
be

switched
on together with the glow plugs
-

this avoids draining the battery
unnecessar­
ily.
3
-
Starting
engine
For
all
vehicles:

Position
1:

To
lock
the
steering
wheel
withdraw
key
and turn wheel until you hear the locking
pin engage.

Attention
Do
not
withdraw
key
from
lock
until
vehicle
is
stationary!
The

steering lock could
be
uninten­

tionally
engaged.
Position
2: If
the key is difficult to turn in the lock or
can­

not be turned to this position at
all,
the steer­
ing wheel must be rocked
to
and fro slightly
to release the locking pin.
Position
3:
In this position
the
headlights
and
other

heavy
current consumers are switched
off.

Before
the starter can be operated again the

key
must be turned back
to
position 1. The
non-repeat
mechanism
in the
ignition lock

prevents
the
starter from being operated

when
engine
is
running, as this could
dam­

age
the starter.

36
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CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT

Starting
the
engine

General
hints
Attention

When
starting
the
engine
in con­

fined
spaces
there
is a
danger
of poisoning.
• Before starting, move gear lever to neu- ml
(with
automatic gearbox, selector lever -
"P"
or "N" position) and apply handbrake
I 'mly.
• On vehicles
with
a manual gearbox de-
:"9ss
the clutch pedal when operating

=:arter
so
that
starter only has to
turn
en­
gine.

• As soon as engine starts, release the gnition key so
that
starter can disengage.
• After starting a cold engine it may sound
_oisy
for a moment or two because the oil pressure has to build up in the hydraulic
tappets
first.
This is normal and no cause for
a
arm. Do not
warm
engine
up by run-
W>
ning
it
with
vehicle
stationary.
Drive
off
straight
away.

Do
not overrev or use
full
throttle
until the
engine has reached the normal operating
Temperature. • On vehicles
with
a
catalytic
con­

verter
the
engine
must
not be

started
by
towing
the
vehicle
in ex­

cess
of 50 m.
Otherwise
unburnt

fuel
can pass
into
the
converter
and
lead
to
damage.

•
Before
trying
to
start
engine
by
towing,
the
battery
from
another
ve­
hicle
should be used for
starting
if
possible - see
page
130.
Petrol
engines

These
engines are equipped
with
a cer: ~-
jection system
that
automatically s^c; es the correct fuel/air mixture at ail anc e~:
temperatures.

When
engine is cold or at
operating

temperature
do not accelerate before or
during the starting procedure.
Applicable to all engines:
If the engine does not start at once, stop

using
the starter after 10
sees,
wait about
half a minute and then try again. If the engine still does not start, the electric
fuel pump fuse may have blown - see page
122.

When
the engine is
very
hot it may be
necessary
to accelerate slightly after the
engine has started.
37
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CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT

Diesel
engines

Glow plug system

The
engine is
fitted
with
a glow plug
sys­
tem.
The required glow plug warm-up time
is
indicated by a lamp which is controlled by
the coolant temperature - see page 49.
Cold
starting
aid

To
assist cold starting, there is a device (cold starting aid)
fitted
in the injection
pump.

The
cold starting aid is actuated when the knob on the
left
of the steering column is

fully
pulled out.
Starting
a cold
engine

• At ambient temperatures down to -15
degrees
C, pull the cold start knob our

fully
before operating the starter.
At lower temperatures, the knob should not
be
pulled out
until
engine
is
firing
reg­
ularly
- the engine will then start more
readily.
• Turn the key in the ignition lock to
posi­
tion 2 (see page 36) - the glow plug warning lamp comes on. It goes out when the igni­
tion temperature is reached (see page 49).

While
the
glow
plugs are
working
do not
switch
on any
other
heavy
cur­

rent
consumers because
this
would

place an unnecessary load on the

battery.

• When the warning lamp goes out, start the engine immediately.

Do
not depress the accelerator while start­

ing.

If the engine only fires irregularly, continue
to operate the starter a few seconds longer (30 seconds at maximum) until the engine runs under its own power.
If the engine does not start, switch the glow
plugs on again and try starting it again as de­

scribed.
If the engine still does not start the
fuse for the glow plugs may have blown -
page123.
•
Push
the cold start aid knob in fully as

soon
as the engine has reached its normal
operating temperature.

Starting
a
warm
engine

The
glow plug lamp does not come on - the engine can be started straight away. Do not pull the cold start aid knob and do not press
the accelerator pedal.
38
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