brake fluid VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER 1990 T4 / 4.G Owners Manual

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1
INSTRUMENT PANEL
Illustration instruments and controls
Warning and indicator light symbols
CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT

Keys,
central locking system .... 7, 8
Doors 9
Rear lid 11
Windows, mirrors 12, 13 Safety belts, head restraints . . . .14,19
Seats 20 Luggage compartment, pedals . 28,29
Brakes, Transmission 29, 32 Differential lock 33
Automatic-transmission 35 Steering lock/ignition/starter switch . 38
Starting procedures 39 Instrument cluster 40
Warning/indicator lights 43 Switches 46 Emergency flasher 46
Light switch, turn signals .... 46,48
Cruise control 49
Windshield wipers 50 Ventilation/Heating 51
Air conditioning 54
Heater 57
Sliding roof 62
Roof-rack 68 VEHICLE OPERATION
Break-in period - and afterwards . . 69
Operate your vehicle safety 70
Operate your vehicle economically
and minimize pollution 72
Trailer towing 73 Driving with the all-wheel drive ... 75
VEHICLE CARE
Fuel tank, fuel supply 85,86
Vehicle care (exterior/interior) . . 90, 93 Maintenance, inspection intervals . . 95 Engine compartment lid,
engine compartment 97 Lubricants, engine oil 98,99
Engine oil filter 101
Transmission oil 102
Power steering 103
Cooling system 104 Brake fluid 108
Battery 109
Windshield washers/wipers . . . 112,113
Tires/wheels 114 Difficult operating conditions .... 120
Winter driving 121
Accessories 122
DO-IT-YOURSELF SERVICE
Jack and tools 123 Spare wheel 124
Changing a wheel 125 Fuses, bulbs 128, 130 Adjusting headlights
134

Installing,
replacing the radio . . . . 135
Emergency starting 136
Emergency towing 138
Lifting vehicle . . 140
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION
Engine, transmission 142

Steering,
suspension, brakes,
body, chassis 143 Emission-control-system 144
TECHNICAL DATA
Engine, spark plugs .
V-belts capacities . . Dimensions
Weights
Vehicle identification 146
147
148
150 151
CONSUMER INFORMATION
Service manuals 152
GAS STATION INFORMATION
Location of servicing points 156
ALPHABETICAL INDEX 158


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^EDALS
BRAKES CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
WARNING • The movement of the pedals must
never be obstructed by a floor mat or
any other object.
• In case one of the two brake circuits

fails,
increased brake pedal travel is required to bring your vehicle to a full
stop.
• It should always be possible to
depress the clutch and accelerator pedals fully.
• All pedals must be able to return
freely to their normal positions.
Only use floor mats which leave the pedal area free and can be secured with
floor mat fasteners. Functioning of brake system
Your vehicle is equipped with a power assisted hydraulic dual circuit brake
system with disc brakes at the front and
self-adjusting drum brakes at the rear. Both circuits function independently.
One brake circuit operates the front
wheels and the other the rear wheels. In the unlikely event of hydraulic failure of
one circuit, push the brake pedal down
firmly and hold it in that position. A mechanical linkage activates the second
circuit, and you will be able to bring the
vehicle to a stop.
WARNING Failure of one brake circuit will impair
the braking capability resulting in an increased stopping distance. If one brake circuit fails, the other will still
operate. However, you will notice an increased pedal travel when you step on
the brake. Should you encounter such experience, bring your vehicle safely to a
full stop.
Avoid driving the vehicle and have it
towed to the nearest Volkswagen dealer or qualified workshop.
Brake operation and brake
warning light
Make it a habit to check the operation of
your brakes before driving. The brake
warning light will light up while the engine is cranking and the parking brake is pulled
and/or the brake fluid level is too low. For more details see "Brake warning light" on
page 43.
Keep in mind that the braking distance
increases very rapidly as the speed increa­

ses.
At 60 mph or at 100 km/h, for example, it is not twice but four times longer than at 30 mph or at 50 km/h. Tire
traction is also less effective when the roads are wet and slippery. Therefore,
always maintain a safe distance from the
vehicle in front of you.
29



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CONTROLS
AND
EQUIPMENT

Brake
booster
The brake booster works
only
when
the engine is running.

WARNING

When the vehicle is moving while the engine is not running, more force on
the brake pedal is required to bring the
vehicle to
a
stop. Conditions affecting braking
efficiency
Moisture or road salt

WARNING
•
Under
certain
climatic
and
operating
conditions such as passing
through

water, driving in
heavy
rain or after
washing the vehicle the effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced. In
winter
ice
can accumulate on the brake pads,
linings, discs and drums. Cautiously
apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry,
ice
coatings will be cleaned off after a
few cautious brake applications.
• Driving for an extended period of

time
on salt covered roads
without
using
your
brakes can also affect brak­
ing
efficiency. The accumulated salt

coating
must be cleaned off the brake

discs
and brake pads be
a
few cautious brake applications.
• Do not "ride the brakes" by resting

your
foot
on the pedal
when
not in­
tending to brake.
This
may cause the brakes to overheat, premature wear
and increased stopping distance. • Before descending
a
steep grade, re­
duce speed and shift transmission into

a
lower
gear or
lower
driving position to control speed. 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.
New brake pads or linings • New brake pads and linings do not have
optimum friction properties and must be
"broken in" during the initial 100 to 150
miles
(150 to 200 kilometers) of normal
city driving. You can compensate for this by applying more pressure on the brake

pedal.
This
also applies later
when
new
pads or linings are installed.

Brake
fluid level • If the brake fluid level is too low,
malfunctions or
even
a failure in the brake
system could result.
Therefore,
it is important to check
your
brake fluid level
regularly. See page 108 for more details.
Low brake fluid is indicated by the brake
warning light (see page 43).



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I CONTROLSAND EQUIPMENT
WARNING If the brake warning
light
does not go
out
with
the engine running and the parking brake released or lights up
while driving, the fluid level
in
the brake
fluid reservoir may
be
too low.
This might be
due
to
a
leak in one of the two independently functioning brake circuits.
If the brake pedal travel has increased,
one of the brake circuits may have

failed.
Avoid driving the vehicle and have it towed to the nearest Volkswa­
gen dealer or qualified workshop for re­ pair.
If brake pedal travel has not increased

and
braking performance remains un­
impaired,
proceed carefully to
your

nearest Volkswagen dealer or qualified
workshop to have the braking system inspected and corrected.

For detailed information see
"Brakes" on

page 29. 2-
Safety belt
|
A
FASTEN
BELTS

Refer
to
"Safety belts"
on
page
14 for

details.

3
-
Turn
signals E^

Refer
to
"Turn
signal/headlight dimmer
switch lever" on page 49 for details.
4
- Alternator

This
light comes
on
when
the
ignition
is
turned on and goes out after the engine
is
started.
If the
light does
not go out
after

starting
and
revving-up
the
engine
momentarily
or
lights
up
while driving,
there may be a malfunction
in
the electrical system
or
the V-belt
to
the alternator may be loose
or
broken.

In
this
case,
turn
the engine off and

contact
your
Volkswagen dealer.

5
- For additional
light

6
- For additional
light
7
- Engine Oil pressure

When
the
ignition
is
turned
on, the oil
pressure warning light comes on for a bulb

check.
It
should
go out
after
the
engine
has
started.

If the
warning light does
not go out or

flashes
while driving
(above
2000
engine rpm a buzzer
will
sound simultaneously),
it

indicates,
that the oil pressure is too low.

Stop the engine immediately, check the
engine
oil
level
and add
oil, if necessary.
If engine oil level is normal, but the
light

continues to flash, do not continue to
operate the vehicle. This could damage
the engine.

Turn
the engine off and contact the nearest Volkswagen dealer for assistance.

The oil pressure warning
light
is not an indicator for low engine oil level. To

check
the oil level, always use dipstick
(see page 99).

Make
it a habit to have the engine oil
level checked
with
every
fuel filling.


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VEHICLE OPERATION

OPERATE
YOUR VEHICLE SAFELY

A
lot has gone
into
the manufacture of your Volkswagen, including advanced engineering techniques, rigid quality
control and demanding inspections.

These
engineering and safety features will be enhanced by you, the safe driver,
• who knows the vehicle and all controls
• who maintains the vehicle properly
• who uses driving skills wisely.

For
your own safety as well as
that
of
those around you - be a responsible
driver. If you
drink,
do not
drive.
The use
of alcohol, drugs and certain medications
will seriously impair perception, reactions and driving ability, substantially increasing
the risk of an accident and personal
injury.
Do not
drive
if you are
tired,
ill or
under

emotional
stress.
The
following
points
are also
important
for
your
safety,
please
observe
them

all.
First
things
first...

• Turn the engine off before performing
any checks or repairs on the vehicle.
• Be sure tires are inflated correctly.

Check
for damage and
tire
wear.
• See
that
wheel bolts or nuts are pro­
perly tightened and not loose or missing.
• Check engine oil level, add if neces­

sary.
Make it a habit to have engine oil

checked
with
every fuel filling.
• Check coolant level to assure sufficient
engine cooling.
• Be sure you have a well charged
battery.
• Check brake fluid level. If too low, have
brake system checked.
• Replenish windshield washer fluid.
• Replace worn or cracked wiper blades.
• See
that
all windows are clear and un­
obstructed.
• Check whether all
light
lenses are

clean.
• Be sure all lights are working and head­
lights are aimed correctly.
• Check under vehicle for leaks.
• Make sure the movement of either

brake,
clutch or accelerator pedal is not hampered in any way.
• Be sure all luggage is stored securely.

You'll
find helpful hints on how to perform most of these checks in this manual. If in
doubt, have these checks performed by
your dealer or any other qualified
mechanic.

Emergency
equipment

It is good practice to carry emergency
equipment in your vehicle. Some of the
things you should have are: emergency
light,
first-aid kit, small shovel, and for the
winter
season,
an ice scraper, snow brush,
a
container or bag of sand or salt, etc.
70


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AINTENANCE
VEHICLE CARE

Ibur
vehicle has been designed to help «eep maintenance requirements to a mini--jm. However, a certain amount of regu­
lar maintenance is still necessary to as­ s-re your vehicle's safety, economy and re- ability.

Maintenance
Service is
required
every

12
months
or
every
15,000
miles
(24,000

kilometers),
whichever occurs
first.

I addition, it is necessary to perform an oil

nange
6 months after each Maintenance

Service,
or after each 7,500 miles (12,000
•: (ometers) whichever occurs
first.

"he
first
oil change must be performed 6 ~ionths after the delivery of the vehicle or
after 7,500 miles (12,000 kilometers).
Under
difficult
operating
conditions, for

example
at extreme low outside tempera­
tures or in very dusty regions, etc., some
service
work should be performed bet­
ween the intervals specified.

This
applies particularly to: • oil changes, and
• cleaning or replacing the air
filter.

The
maintenance work should be per­ formed by Volkswagen dealers because
they have the expertise, the workshop facilities and the special tools required. It is important
that
this work is per­
formed according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Proof
of servicing in accordance
with
the
maintenance schedule may be a condition
for upholding a possible warranty claim
made
within the warranty period.
Safety
and
environmental
concerns

place
very strict limits on the nature of re­

pairs
and adjustment on engine and trans­
mission
parts which an owner can per­
form.
Tampering
with
safety-related
parts
can
endanger
you as
well
as
other

motorists.

Always
observe environmental regula­ tions when disposing of old engine oil,
used
brake fluid,
dirty
engine coolant,
spent batteries or worn out tires.

95


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VEHICLE
CARE

ENGINE
COMPARTMENT LID

mu
have access to the engine compart-

•Mit
lid from inside the luggage compart- -ent.

"lb
open the
lid,
roll the floor covering out of
~9
way and
turn
both lock handles to the
Tb close the lid, reverse the above proce- ;jre.
ENGINE
COMPARTMENT
Always exercise extreme caution when
working on the engine. WARNING
•
Before you check anything in the en­
gine compartment, stop the engine,
fully set the parking brake and remove
the ignition key.

•
Do not work on
your
car if you are
tired or ill, under emotional stress or under influence of drugs, medication
or alcohol.

•
Always let the engine cool down. Hot
components will burn skin on contact.

•
Do not spill engine oil, ATF, brake

fluid,
antifreeze and washer solvent on hot engine components, especially not
on the exhaust system.
These
fluids
are
flammable.

•
Always disconnect the battery
ground strap if you must work on the

fuel
system or the electrical system.
Never
smoke or work near heaters or
other fire hazards if you must work
around
fuel.
Always keep an approved
fire extinguisher immediately
avail­
able.
Be
especially careful if engine is run­

ning:

•
If work must be done with the engine
running, always fully set the parking

brake,
and make sure the shift lever is
in Neutral (Manual transmission) or

Park
(Automatic transmission).

•
Always be alert and extremely
cau­

tious around the engine at
all
times par­
ticularly when the engine is running.

•
Always exercise extreme caution to

prevent
neckties,
jewelry,
long hair or
loose clothing from getting caught in
the fan blades, the V-belts, or any other
moving
engine parts.

•
To avoid electrical shock and per­

sonal
injury
never
touch ignition ca­
bles
or components of the high voltage
electronic ignition system while the en­
gine is running or even when starter is

cranked.

97


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VEHICLE CARE
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID / MANUAL TRANSMISSION OIL
Automatic Transmission Fluid
The torque converter and the transmis­
sion are lubricated with Automatic Trans­ mission Fluid (ATF).
The final drive requires hypoid oil SAE 90,
which does not have to be changed.
Checking the ATF level
The ATF has to be checked at frequent intervals, for instance, when the engine
oil is being checked or at least at the intervals specified in your Maintenance
booklet.
Always heed WARNINGS on page 97. A correct ATF level is very important for
transmission operation.
To obtain an accurate reading, the
vehicle must be on level ground, and the
fluid must have reached operating
tem­

perature. Normally, after a cold-start the
fluid will reach operating temperature when the vehicle has been driven for ab­
out 6 miles or 10 km. If the ATF is too cool
or too hot, the fluid level reading will be inaccurate.
WARNING Before checking the ATF, the selector
lever must be securely locked in the Park position and the parking brake ap­
plied firmly.
Checking the ATF level is potentially hazardous because the hot engine has
to be running during the check. Do not
attempt to check the ATF before read­ ing all WARNINGS on page 97.
The ATF filler neck is in the engine com- partement on the left hand side. The dip­
stick is attached to the
plug.
Pull it out
and wipe clean first before inserting it to
take a reading. The Automatic transmission may be da­
maged by even a tiny speck of dirt.
Only use lint free rags to wipe the dip­
stick.
To get a true reading, the ATF must be at operating temperature.
You have enough ATF if the fluid level is between the two marks on the dipstick. I:
should never be above or below these marks. If level is too high or too low do not
just add or drain ATF. Have your dealer check and correct the cause as soon as possible.
For correct ATF specifications, see "Lub­
ricants" on page 85.
Changing the ATF
The ATF has to be changed at the inter­ vals specified in your Maintenance boo­klet.
Do not tow the vehicle or run the engine
without ATF in the transmission.
Manual Transmisson Oil Both transmission and final drive are
combined in one housing. The lubrican: used is hypoid oil which does not have tc
be checked or changed. If you shoulc
suspect a leak, contact your VW dealer.


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VEHICLE
CARE
I

AIR CLEANER
A
dirty
filter
element reduces engine
out­
put and increases fuel consumption and

can
cause premature engine wear.
Normally, it is not required to service the
air cleaner more often than recommended in the Maintenance booklet. If the vehicle

is
driven on very dusty roads, the air

cleaner
must be serviced more frequently,

even
daily. We recommend
that
you have
the air cleaner serviced by your
Volks­

wagen dealer or a qualified workshop.
If
your
air
filter
must
be
changed more
frequently,
we
recommend
that
you have
your
Volkswagen dealer show
you the
procedure
before
you
attempt
doing
it

yourself.

The
paper
filter
element must never
be
cleaned
or
soaked
with
gasoline, clean­

ing
solvents or oil. POWER STEERING*
The
fluid
reservoir is located behind the
licence
plate lid.

The
power steering is filled
with
ATF Dexron®.

A
correct
fluid
level in the reservoir is im­
portant
for the proper functioning of
power steering.
With the engine running, the
fluid
level in the power steering system must be
checked
at regular intervals. The
fluid
level
should always be between the "max"
and "min" markings. If the level should go below the "min" marking, have the power
steering system inspected by your
Volks­

wagen dealer. It is not sufficient to
just
add hydraulic fluid.
WARNING

•
Be
sure
not to
confuse brake fluid

and
hydraulic fluid.
If
the wrong fluid
is
used,
the systems may fail.

•
If the
power steering system should

fail,
or if the
engine
is not
running
(for

example
while
being
towed),
you
will
still
be
able
to
steer
the
vehicle, how­
ever, more
effort
will
be required.
Note

Since
the hydraulic
fluid
also functions as

a
lubricant, serious damage to the pump
and to other components of the system
could result if there is insufficient hydraulic

fluid
in the system.

Always
heed WARNINGS on page
97. "where applicable


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VEHICLE CARE
BRAKE FLUID 3 ATT
108 Brake fluid reservoir
The brake fluid reservoir is located under the instrument cluster in the dashboard
panel.

To gain access to the reservoir, grasp the two recesses provided on back of the frame cover and pull up.
When replacing the cover, insert the front edge first, then press the cover down
firmly. Make sure it is correctly seated.
Checking fluid level
The correct fluid level is important for the proper functioning of the brake system.
The fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir should always be between the MAX and MIN markings. Your brake fluid level is automatically monitored by the brake
warning light (see page 43).
The fluid level may drop slightly after some time due to the automatic adjustment of
the brake pads. This is no cause for alarm.
If the brake fluid level falls considerably
below the mark
"MIN",
the brake warning
light will come on. Do not continue to oper­
ate the vehicle. The complete brake sys­
tem should be thoroughly checked by your
Volkswagen dealer and the cause cor­
rected.

WARNING • Brake fluid is poisonous. Brake fluid
is also harmful to the paint of your
vehicle.
When adding or replacing brake fluid, make certain to avoid spilling. Brake
fluid will damage fabric, paint, plastics and metal. Cover the areas sorround-ing the reservoir before removing the
filler cap.
• If brake fluid must be added to the
reservoir, use only new and unused
DOT 4 brake fluid that meets SAE
specification J 1703 and conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard

116.
• Do not use any other brake fluid, or
brake fluid that has absorbed moisture
from the open air, or brake fluid that is
dirty. It may cause premature wear or unreliable braking action.
• Do not add or mix DOT 5 silicone
type brake fluid with the brake fluid in your vehicle as severe component cor­rosion may result. Such corrosion
could lead to brake system failure.
Changing brake fluid Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the at­
mosphere. If the watercontent in the brake
fluid is too high, corrosion in the brake sys­
tem may result after a period of time. The boiling point of the brake fluid will also de­
crease considerably. If the brakes are under constant and extreme use, a vapc
lock may result impairing the effectiveness
of the brakes and the vehicle safety. -e s
Dn seat arc
WARNING
The brake fluid must be replaced every 2 years. Your Volkswagen dealer will perform this service for you.
Always heed WARNINGS on page 97.


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