brake VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1992 User Guide

Operate your
points before you drive off:
Adjust the mirrors
between
the engine hood and the windshield is free of leaves , snow and ice
for changing the
brake see page137.
Your personal
driving style as
Wear your safety belts, even if you are just driving in the city -
see page
passengers are
wearing their safety belts, even those sit­ting in the rear-see page
Passengers not wearing safety endan­
ge r not only themselves in case of an acci­dent, b ut also the driver and other
Adjust your seat so that you can easi­reach
Store luggage and light items prop­
panel -
s ee page 49.
on top of the roof-see page 93.
95

Braking
General notes
automobiles are
still subject to wear depending largely on op­
erating conditions and driving habits. ve­hicles which are driven mostly in stop-and ­
go city traffic or which are driven hard, the brake linings should be checked by your au­
thorized authorized dealer
more often than specified in the Mainte­
nance booklet.
steep slopes you should use the
b raking effect of th e engine. T his way , you pr event wearing d ow n the brake s ystem . yo u must use your brakes , do not hold the brakes down contin uous ly. Pump the brakes in intervals.
Under certain conditions , for example,
when driving through water or a very heavy
rain , or even after washing your vehicle, the braking effect can be reduced due to the wet
brake pads or pads which are iced-up in the
winter. A few cautious brake applications
should dry off the brake pads or remove ice
coatings.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is driven on a salt ­
covered road and the brakes are not used.
Clean off accumulated
or if you sure the air
brake circuit impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance .
Avoid driving the vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized
Volkswagen dealer or qualified
workshop.
Brake booster
WARNING
to a stop with
the engine shut off.
the brake booster is not working, for example when towing your vehicle, or because the brake booster
has somehow been damaged, the
brake pedal
must be pressed harder to make up for the missing effect of the brake booster.
Always heed

The contributes effectively to vehicle
control since it prevent s th e wheels from
locking when the brakes are applied. This
means
that the vehicle remains steerable and is less inclined to skid.
Note
You
don' t have to the brake . Just hold the brake pedal down.
How ever,
do not expect that the
stances. When driving on gravel or on newly
fallen snow on top of icy surfaces, braking
distance may be even longer, therefore,
portant that you drive slowly and with great
care.
How the system works
An automatic check is made when a speed
of approx. 4 mph (6 km/h) is reached. When
this happens a pumping noise can be heard.
an individual wheel begins to rotate too
s lowly in rela tion to vehicle speed and tend to lock, the aut omatically reduces
brake pressure to prevent that wheel from
l ocking. This
autom
atic adj ustment process will cause a slight vibration of the brake al and some noises to alert you that

Conditions affecting braking
efficiency
Moisture or road salt
WARNING
dry and ice coatings
Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads without using your brakes can also affect
braking efficiency. Clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few cautious
brake applications. Overheating
the brak es
WARNING
the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when you do not intend to brake. This may cause
the brakes to overheat , premature
wear and increased stopping distance .
Before descending a steep grade,
reduce speed and shift transmission into a lower gear or lower driving position. Do not ride the brakes or hold the pedal down too long or too often . This could cause the brakes to get hot and diminish braking
efficiency .

you that your car
economy and performance.
towing not
hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to
the gross
for your and se­to the body . mount check with the hitch manufac­
turer to make sure that you are using the cor­
rect hitch.
Do
not use a bumper hi tch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way
that it does not interfere with the impact-ab­
so rbing bum per system. No modif icat ions
fastened.
When you are not towing a
hitch
been do ne at
the factory. Otherwise , overheating may oc­
cur when the engine is working very hard
(mountain driving, high outside tempera­
ture). Ask your authorized authorized
swagen
brakes
your is equipped with a braki ng sys­
tem, check to be sur e that it conforms to
connected to the
use safety chains bet ween yo ur ve­an d
Trailer
must meet Do not co nnect th e
Mir rors
Check whether both sides of your can
be seen from the driver's seat.

Automatic car wash
The
paint is so that the can be was hed without
extent
on the design of the facility , the of the
wash water, the type of wash and care
etc. appearance
necessary use a ferent car wash.
Notes
ing the windows and power roof. The
moved .
you have ries on the
be removed.
Washing the by hand
In the interest of the environment , the vehicle should only be washed in special wash bays.
Firs t so ften the dirt with of water and
rin se off as
using a ferent sponge if possible.
After washing the
rinse thoroughly
with water and wipe it off.
Notes
Do not wash the
is rinsed with a ho se, do not
direct wa te r into th e
Moisture and ice on brakes may affect braking efficiency. Test the brakes carefully after each vehicle wash.
115

To preserve the decorative appearance of
the light aluminium cast, some special care
is necessary.
addition to road dirt and on
too b rake dust can cause pitting. Wash
the wheels with a spon ge or hose brush ev­
ery othe r week . Road should be re­
moved weekly with an acid free cleani ng
so lution . Eve ry thr ee months
(after reg ular
cleaning) the wheels should be coate d with
petroleum
remember
that moisture , lee and road on
brakes may affect braking efficiency.
Test the brakes
118
Care of interior
Use the same cleaning agents as for exteri­
or and polish dry.
Fabric
Use a vacuum or a soft bristle brush
to remove dust and dirt from carpeting,
up hol ster y, headliner and other trim. Dirt
stains can
be removed with a luke­
warm soapy water or clea ner
s olution , or a dry foam cleane r. For greasy,
a nd other stub born stains, use a spot re­
mover. Do not pour the liquid on the fabric.
Dampen a
and rub starting at the edge and working inward.
Use a damp or sponge to re­
move dust. For other use a lukewarm purpose cleaning solution or a saddle
soap for trim. Remo ve water spots and
soap traces with a clean , damp
soft to rub dry.
Grease , tar or
stain s can be remo ved with
a or sponge soaked with pur­
pose
age nt.
or leath ­
er preservative to retai n the mate rial's lu ster and pli ab ility.
and care of

Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Coo lant exp ansion tank ......... 133
4
P ow er stee rin g r eservoi r ...... .. 132
5
Brake r eservo ir ... ......... 136
6
W indshi eld was he r con ta ine r .... 14 3
7
B attery (protected by a co ve r) . .. 13 8
8
Not appl ic a ble
Always exercise extreme caution when working under the engine hood.
126
Switch off engine-remove ignition key.
Always let the engine cool down. Hot components
Never fluids on hot engine
components. These fluids can cause
a fire.
work on the fuel system or the
e lectrical system is necessary:
- Always
disconnect the battery .
- Never smoke
or work near heaters or open flames.
-
Always keep an approved fire extinguisher immediately available.
Be

in the engine
compartment in front of the battery.
The power steering is
No. G
in the reservoir is im por ­
tan t for th e proper functioning of pow er
steering .
in straight-a head position , the
They
are
on the exterior of the reservo ir tion)
on the dipstick, which is attached to the
cap .
The
b e between the and marki ngs. the marking , ha ve the
power steering system inspected by your
autho rized
is not suffi ­
cien t to just add
Note
the func­tions as a serious dam age to the pump and other components of the
system ifthere is in sufficient
Be sure not to confuse brake fluid and the wrong
or if the engine is not running (for ex­
to steer the however , more effort be required.

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