Page 81 of 165

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VEHICLE
 OPERATION 
WARNING continued 
 •
 The permanently engaged allwheel-
drive
 will
 provide
 good
 performance on  relatively wet or slippery
 roads.
 Be
 sure 
to use these features and advantages 
wisely. Do not let the excellent traction 
which your VW
 SYNCRO
 offers lead 
you
 to underestimate the difficulties 
and risks involved in negotiating wet or 
 slippery
 roads. Always drive defen
sively
 and adapt vehicle operation and 
driving speed to road and
 traffic
 condi
tions. 
 Driving Off-Road 
WARNING 
The Vanagon/Transporter
 Syncro
 is not an off-road or all
 terrain
 vehicle. Use of 
this or any other vehicle under off-road 
 conditions
 requires special skills and knowledge. The off-road operation of 
this or any other
 vehicle
 can
 lead
 to per
 sonal
 injury. 
•
 Driver and all
 passengers
 must
 wear 
safety belts at all times. 
•
 Keep your thumbs and fingers on 
the outside of the steering wheel. 
 Potholes
 or rocks can
 jerk
 the
 wheel 
from your grip; it really hurts if a spoke 
 catches
 you on the way around. 
Off-Road
 Driving 
 Driving off-road places extra demands
 on 
your vehicle and on you, the driver.
 If
 under 
exceptional
 circumstances
 you
 judge
 it 
safe
 and
 appropriate
 to
 leave
 the
 paved  highway,
 first
 make sure
 that
 your vehicle 
is
 in top
 mechanical condition. Make cer
tain
 that
 all
 vehicle systems
 are
 function ing normally,
 in
 particular,
 for
 example, 
that
 the engine, especially the cooling
 sys
tem,
 is
 operating properly and
 that
 trans
 mission,
 brakes and steering are function ing normally. Tires must have adequate 
tread,
 be
 free
 of
 damage
 and be 
 adequately inflated. 
Before
 driving over
 difficult
 terrain, such as 
mud,
 sand,
 water, snow
 or
 steep
 slopes, 
we recommend engaging
 the
 differentia  lock*
 at low
 speed.
 Important
 information 
regarding
 the
 differential lock
 is on
 page 
33/34. 
Whenever
 you
 operate your
 car you 
 should
 be
 well
 and fit, but
 your physical 
and
 mental condition
 are
 especially
 im
portant
 when driving
 off
 the road. 
As
 a
 general rule
 you
 should
 go
 only  where others have gone before. 
Always
 obey applicable
 Federal,
 State 
 and
 local regulations
 and
 above
 all re
spect
 and protect the environment. Do
 not 
scar
 the
 land, avoid unnecessary wheel 
spinning and other driving behavior which 
will
 create
 ruts
 and destroy vegetation.
 Be 
careful when parking and when standing 
with
 a hot
 engine. The catalytic converter 
with
 which your vehicle
 is
 equipped devel
ops
 very high temperatures which can set 
dry grass and brush
 on
 fire. Respect
 the 
wildlife, leave animals
 to
 themselves
 and 
do not destroy their areas
 of
 refuge. Above 
 all,
 be
 considerate and operate your vehi
cle
 sensibly and safely. Nature
 is a
 natural 
 resource
 which belongs
 to
 all
 of
 us. 
'where applicable 
 
 
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        Page 82 of 165
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Volkswagen
 Professionals— 
Trained
 to
 Know
 Your
 Car  Volkswagen owners expect quality customer oriented service. Volkswagen dealers understand this.
 They 
 provide factory trained and certified technicians, 
 state
 of the art equipment and genuine  Volkswagen
 parts
 for your car. 
Competent know-how and commitment 
 to
 you and your car, 
that's
 Volkswagen Service. 
 
 
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        Page 83 of 165

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ADVERTISEMENT 
There are only Genuine VW Parts in 
your new VW. 
That's one reason why it  runs like a new VW. 
No one knows your new VW in quite the same way as the people 
who built it. And when it comes to replacement parts, we build them  to the same standards and specifications as the original equipment. 
We've made sure that these genuine replacement parts are built 
with the same enduring quality that you would look for in a new VW. 
To be sure you're getting the best in genuine replacement parts 
for your VW, ask your dealer about the Autobahn line of parts. It's 
a convenient way of choosing from among the most popular main
tenance and replacement parts with the kind of quality that you 
want to put in your automobile. 
Shown on the opposite page are just a few of the genuine re
placement parts available at our parts department. We'll be glad to 
help you select the right ones for your car. 
And they are backed by our Limited Parts Warranty. Even after 
your New Car Warranty has run out and you have a repair per
 formed,
 our Limited Parts Warranty ensures that we will repair or replace every defective Genuine VW Part, used in the repair, for 
6 months or 6,000 miles or 10,000 kilometers, whichever comes first.* 
© 1989 Volkswagen of America, Inc.  * See ouf parts department for 
 
 
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        Page 84 of 165
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        Page 85 of 165

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ADVERTISEMENT 
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ries to help you make
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Autobahn 
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        Page 86 of 165

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VEHICLE OPERATION 
I'iving
 off-road on Steep Inclines 
I Sidehills 
Before reviewing how to drive up steep 
• s and along sidehills, make note of an  -oortant point. If you don't make it to the 
co.
 or your vehicle is about to slide or roll 
= :eways,
 turn
 off the engine, put it
 into 
I
 '3t
 gear, put on the parking brake and get 
W
 on the uphill side and walk down. An 
 :^nce
 of prevention is
 worth
 a pound of i.re. 
 Steep
 Inclines 
When preparing to climb a steep incline, 
 first
 find out whether you can make it. If 
necessary,
 walk the course. Be sure there 
is
 enough clearance on all sides of the ve
hicle to avoid damage. If you have the 
slightest doubt don't try it! It is always a 
good idea to make a
 trial
 run to get the feel 
of the surface and how much
 effort
 is 
 needed.
 Go straight uphill. When the tires 
begin to
 spin,
 apply a
 little
 extra gas and let 
them dig in slightly. Step on the brakes 
while you shift
 into
 reverse and drive  straight back down. That's
 right
 - in re
verse
 gear, clutch out and driving.
 Abso
 lutely not in neutral and
 trying
 to let your
self down on the brakes. To avoid sideroll  remember never
 turn
 your vehicle
 side
ways on a hill or steep incline. 
 On
 your attempt, give yourself a running 
start. Accelerate to the hill and then,
 just 
as
 you approach the top,
 ease
 off the gas 
to slow down. 
When driving down, keep the vehicle  heading straight downhill in low gear and 
under control. If it begins to slide, don't  lock up the brakes. You can't steer a
 skid
ding wheel. Touch the gas instead to 
straighten your car out. 
 
 
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        Page 87 of 165

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VEHICLE OPERATION 
Sidehills 
 Do
 not
 attempt
 to go across the side of a 
hill as this is extremely hazardous. If it is 
absolutely necessary to drive on a hill 
which is not very steep it should always be 
done
 with
 extreme caution. Whenever 
 possible,
 avoid doing it! And too, when 
you're getting out of your vehicle on a 
 sidehill,
 be sure to always exit on the uphill 
side. 
 Surfaces
 on sidehills are deceptive. What 
may look like solid ground may actually 
make your vehicle slide since most of the 
weight is going to be on the downhill 
wheels.
 When your vehicle starts to slide,  instantly
 turn
 downhill. Take care not to 
lock the wheels which may cause the vehi
cle
 to slide out of control and cause per
 sonal
 injury. 
 Sand 
When driving on
 sand,
 be sure to stay on  top of it. You can do this by driving
 with 
enough speed to maintain momentum. 
When crossing short patches of
 sand, 
 study the situation
 first
 and then proceed 
with
 cautious and steady speed and keep up the momentum. Avoid long stretches of 
dry, loose
 sand.
 If it is absolutely neces
sary
 to drive on dry, loose
 sand,
 it may be 
 necessary
 to partially deflate the tires to in
crease
 traction. To avoid getting stuck,  maintain a steady but slow
 speed. 
WARNING 
Tires
 must
 be
 reinflated
 when
 back
 on 
hard
 ground. Just a
 short
 distance
 of 
driving
 on
 hard
 ground
 or on
 pavement 
with
 underinflated
 tires
 can cause sub
 stantial
 damages
 to
 your
 tires,
 loss of 
vehicle
 control
 and
 personal
 injury. 
 
 
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        Page 88 of 165

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine VEHICLE OPERATION 
iVater 
•
 Exercise
 extreme caution when driving 
T'ough water. Driving
 into
 unfamiliar 
 a:er
 can be dangerous. Always check 
~e
 depth before attempting to make a 
possing. 
7,'ading depth - see page 149). 
Vi nen it is necessary to drive through deep  ater, shift
 into
 low gear and maintain a 
ready
 and slow
 speed.
 Engage differen-
:=] lock* (see page 33). 
Be
 very careful about stopping broadside 
r a stream of running water as the tre-
 -endous
 force of the water against the
 flat 
; de of the vehicle could cause it be swept :ownstream
 with
 the current.  With even only a few inches of water run
ning,
 do not stop if you are on an unpaved 
surface.
 Moving water may wash the
 foot
 ing out from under your tires and make it 
impossible
 for you to get moving again. 
When
 reaching dry ground, your wet 
 brakes
 may have very
 little
 braking power. 
Help
 dry your brakes out by riding your 
brakes
 for a short distance to avoid losing 
control and personal
 injury. 
 
 
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