1990 VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER Owners Manual

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
VEHICLE CARE

Tire
care
Inspect your tires at least every 2,000
miles (3,000 km) for wear and damage.

WARNING
• Avoid
damaging
tires
and
wheel

rims.
If you
must
drive
over
a
curb
or

other
obstacle,
drive
slowly
and at an
angle.
Frequently
check
tires
for un­

even
wear
and
damage.

•
Remove
imbedded
material.

•
Replace
worn
or
damaged
tires

immediately.

•
Replace
missing
valve
dust
caps.
• Keep oil,
fuel,
brake
fluid,
etc.
away

from
tires.

• Keep
tires
inflated
correctly.

• Mark tires before removing them.
Remount tires on the same vehicle side

because
the rotation direction should stay
the same.
• Store removed tires in a
cool,
dry and
preferably dark place. Tires which are not
on wheels should be stored standing up.

Tires
age even if they are not being
used.

Tires
which are older than 6 years should only be used cautiously in an emergency.
Wheels
and
tire
replacement

Wheels
and tires approved by the manu­
facturer have been specially matched to
your vehicle and contribute largely to the road-holding and driving characteristics of
the vehicle.
• Fitting and repairing tires requires
expert knowledge and special tools. This
work should only be performed by a
spe­
cialist.
• For safety reasons, tires should be

replaced
in pairs and not individually. The
tires
with
the deepest tread should always be mounted on the
front
wheels.
• In the interest of maximum safety and
best all-around vehicle handling, always
buy replacement radial tires
that
have the

same
specifications
with
regard to
tire

size,
design, load carrying capacity, tread pattern, tread depth etc. This also applies
to Volkswagen recommended alternate replacement tires.
• Never mount used tires if you are not
sure of their previous history.
• Whenever replacing a tubeless tire,
always install a new valve stem. Tire repair
should only be performed by a specialist.
WARNING

•
Never
mix
tires
of
different
design
such as
steel
belted
radials
with
radial
bias
belted
or
bias
ply
tires
etc.
Mixing

tire
types
will
adversely
affect
road
holding
and can
lead
to loss of
vehicle

control
and
personal
injury.

• New
tires
do not possess
maximum

traction.
They
tend
to be
slippery.
Break
new
tires
in by
driving
cautiously

at
moderate
speed for the
first
100

miles
(160
kilometers).

Applies
additionally
to the Syncro:

All
four wheels on the vehicle must always have tires of the same
size,
construction
and tread type so
that
the viscous coupling

does
not abnormally activate the
front

wheel drive. Different tires on the
front
or rear wheels exert additional stress on the
drive
train
components, causing increa­

sed
tire
wear and impair vehicle control.


www.westfaliaT3.info - a useful website for owners and enthusiasts of VW Westfalia T25 / T3 Campervans

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
VEHICLE
CARE
General notes

The original equipment tires
and
wheel
rims
on
your
vehicle comply with
all

applicable
Federal Motor Vehicle Safety

Standards.

If you
wish
to
equip
your
vehicle with tires
or wheels other than those installed
at the

factory, please note
the
following:

•
If
you plan
to
install other than the
ori­

ginal
equipment tires
and
wheel rims,

ask
your
Volkswagen dealer.

•
For
technical reasons
it is not
possi­

ble
in
every
case
to use
wheels from
other vehicles
-
under certain condi­
tions
not
even wheels from
the
same
vehicle
model.

•
Wheel rims
and
wheel bolts
or lug

nuts are matched to fit
your
Volkswagen.

•
When installing different wheels
(for

example,
wheels with winter tires),
the

correct wheel bolts
or
lug nuts with
the
proper length
and
conical shape must
be used. The secure fit of the wheels and
the proper functioning
of the
brake system are dependent upon this.
•
Using tires and/or wheels which have
not been approved
by
the manufacturer
for
your
vehicle
type
can be detrimental
to vehicle safety.

•
If
wheel trim discs
or a
front
spoiler
are

installed,
make
sure the airflow for cooling
the brakes
is not
obstructed.

•
Before
you
plan
on
exchanging steel
wheels, light alloy wheels,
or
snow tires
already mounted on wheel rims, consult

your
Volkswagen dealer. He has the tech­
nical
information necessary
to
advise
you which wheel rims and wheel bolts
or
lug
nuts are compatible with the original
factory installations.
WARNING
•
The
use of the wheel rims and wheel
bolts
or
lug nuts that do not meet
speci­

fications
of the
original factory
install­

ed equipment will affect the safe oper­
ation
of
your
vehicle and may cause an
accident and personal
injury.
Tire specifications

Tire
specifications
are
imprinted
on the
sidewall
of
the tires.
If in
doubt, check with

your
Volkswagen dealer.

All
passenger car and some light trucks tires must conform
to
Federal Safety
Requirements
in
addition
to
these
grades.

Treadwear

The treadwear grade
is a
comparative
rating
based
on the
wear rate
of the
tire
when tested
on a
government test course. For example,
a
tire graded
150
would wear
one
and a
half
(IV2)
times
as
well
as a
tire
graded 100.
The
relative performance
of

tires depends
on
actual conditions
of use,
however,
and may
depart significantly
from
the
norm
due to
variations
in
driving
habits,
service practices
and
differences
in road characteristics and
climate.

Traction A, B, C

The traction grades, from highest
to
lowest,
are A, B and C and
represent
the

tire's ability
to
stop
on wet
pavement
as
measured
on
government test surfaces
of

asphalt
and concrete. Atire marked
C
may
have poor traction performance.


www.westfaliaT3.info - a useful website for owners and enthusiasts of VW Westfalia T25 / T3 Campervans

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
VEHICLE CARE

WARNING

The
traction
grade
is based on
brak­
ing
(straightahead)
traction
tests
and
does not
include
cornering
(turning)

traction.

Temperature
A, B, C
The temperature grades A (the highest), B and C, represent the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat. Sustained high tem­peratures can reduce
tire
life, and lead to
sudden
tire
failure. Grade C corresponds
to a performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor

Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades
B
and A represent higher levels than the minimum required by law.

WARNING

The
temperature
grade
for
this
tire
is
established
for a
tire
that
is
properly
inflated
and not
overloaded.
Excessive
speed,
underinflation,
or excessive loading,
either
separately
or in combi­

nation,
can cause
heat
buildup,
possi­
ble
tire
failure,
loss of
control
and
per­

sonal
injury.
Snow
tires

The tires for your vehicle were selected for optimal performance under normal driving
conditions.

For
winter driving, the roadability of your
vehicle can be improved by installing all
season
tires or radial snow tires (M + S)

with
or
without
studs1).
That applies also to the Syncro - see page 78.
When installing snow tires, please note the following:
• Only radial ply snow tires must be

installed.
Ask your Volkswagen dealer for
the recommended
tire
size.

• Snow tires should be mounted on all
four wheels.
• The
tire
pressures for snow tires are the

same
as for summer tires. However, do not

exceed
the maximum
tire
pressure listed
on the sidewalk
• Snow tires should have the same load
capacity as original equipment tires and
should be mounted on all four wheels. • Snow tires do not
fulfill
their purpose, if
the tread depth is
less
than
%2
in (4 mm).

WARNING
•
Tires
with
badly
worn
treads
and
studs are
very
dangerous.
Make
sure

they
are
replaced
immediately.

•
Never
mix
tires
of
different
design
such as
steel
belted
radials
with
radial
bias
belted
or
bias
ply
tires
etc.
Mixing

tire
types
will
adversely
affect
road
holding
and can
lead
to loss of
vehicle

control
and
personal
injury.

• Snow tires
with
studs should be run at
moderate speeds when new in order to
give the studs time to settle.

Do
not drive a vehicle equipped
with
snow
tires at prolonged high
speed.
Snow tires
do not have the same degree of traction on
dry, wet or snowfree roads as a normal tire. Furthermore, snow tires wear rapidly
under these conditions.
• Where snow tires are compulsory on
certain roads, this also applies to vehicles

with
all-wheel-drive.
118 1)
Check
with
your local Motor Vehicle Bureau for

possible
restrictions.


www.westfaliaT3.info - a useful website for owners and enthusiasts of VW Westfalia T25 / T3 Campervans

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
VEHICLE CARE

Snow
chains

Snow
chains
can be used on the rear ./heels only.

Dnly use chains
with
fine pitch links pro­
dding no more than V2 in/15 mm
from
tire

"ead
and side walls, including tensioner.
.'/heels
must
rotate
freely
in all
steering
positions
with
chains mounted
to
prevent
damage
to
body, axle
or
brake compo­
nents.
Drive slowly and follow the chain
manufacturer's instructions.

Remove
chains when roads are free
of

snow. Otherwise, they can
be
damaged
and impair vehicle handling.
Syncro models only

Conventional snow chains may
not be

used
with
205/70
x
14 tires on
5V2
J
x 14

wheels which
are
mounted
on
your

vehicle.
The
use
of
conventional snow
chains
is
only possible
on
smaller tires (e.g. 185
R
14C). Ask your VW dealer.
Where possible, snow chains should
be

fitted
to
all four wheels.
If
only two chains are available, these must be
fitted
to
the rear wheels.

Cable
type chains may also be
fitted
on all
standard tires
and
wheels (including
205/70
x
14 tires on 5Vz
J x
14 wheels), however, they should only be used when
road conditions require them. Always
remove snow chains when road condi­
tions improve. Be sure
to
follow all state and local regulations pertaining to the use
of snow chains.

WARNING

To
prevent personal
injury,
wear
pro­

tective gloves when fitting cable
chains
on your wheels. Always follow
the instructions
of
the manufacturer.


www.westfaliaT3.info - a useful website for owners and enthusiasts of VW Westfalia T25 / T3 Campervans

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
[VEHICLE
CARE

DIFFICULT
OPERATING
CONDITIONS

Driving
under
difficult
conditions

The
vehicle construction and equipment is
designed
for normal operating conditions.

This
also applies to the frequency and the extent of service requirements as stated in
the Maintenance brochure.
If you are planning to drive your vehicle
under
difficult
operating conditions (for

example,
continuous trailer towing, very hot or cold weather, very dusty conditions,
poor fuel quality etc.) you may
want
to
make
special preparations such as chang­
ing to appropriate oil viscosity, having your

car
thoroughly inspected. Furthermore,
the maintenance should be matched to
the operating conditions (see page 95).
Operating
your
vehicle
outside
the

USA
or
Canada

Government
regulations in the United

States
and
Canada
require
that
automo­

biles
meet specific emission regulations

and
safety standards. Therefore, vehicles

built
for the USA and
Canada
differ
from

vehicles
sold in other countries.
If you plan to take your vehicle outside the
continental limits of the United States or
Canada,
there is the possibility
that

• unleaded fuels for vehicles
with
cataly­
tic converter may not be available;
• fuel may have a considerably lower
octane rating. Improper fuel may cause
engine damage;
• service may be inadequate due to lack
of proper service facilities, tools or testing
equipment;
• replacement parts may not be readily

available.

Volkswagen
cannot be responsible for
mechanical
damage
that
could result

because
of inadequate fuel, service or
parts availability.
Certain
Volkswagen models are available
for delivery in Europe under our
tourist
delivery and
return
shipment program.

For
details consult your Volkswagen

dealer
or
write
to:

USA
Volkswagen United States, Inc. Tourist Delivery
P.O.
Box 3951
Troy, MJ 48007-3951

Canada
Volkswagen
Canada,
Inc. Tourist Delivery 1940 Eglinton Avenue
East

Scarborough,
Ontario
M1L2M2

If you bought your vehicle abroad an:

want
to bring it back home, be sure M inquire about shipping and forwardin:
requirements, as well as current impc

and
customs regulations
first.

Make
sure the vehicle meets Unite:

States
emission regulations and safe:

standards.
Otherwise it may prove tc:

costly
or even impossible to add the eqi : ment necessary to bring the vehicle in::

compliance
with
these regulations a-:

standards.

Canadian
regulations require
that
any c= not complying to standards has to

shipped
back to the car's country of oric -
at the owner's expense.


www.westfaliaT3.info - a useful website for owners and enthusiasts of VW Westfalia T25 / T3 Campervans

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
t'/INTER
DRIVING

VEHICLE CARE

Remember
the following points when
criving in the
winter:

• Winter weather is particularly hard on
ne battery. We recommend having the cattery
checked,
preferably by a
Volks­

wagen dealer, before the cold weather starts - see page 110.
If the vehicle is
left
standing for several
iveeks
at extremely low temperatures, the

rattery
should be removed - see page 111
=or
further
details. • Have the antifreeze concentration in
the cooling system checked before the cold weather starts - see page 107.
• The engine oil must have the correct
viscosity grade for the outside tempera­
tures to be expected - see page 98.
• The best way to protect the bodywork is
to wash and wax it frequently, especially in
winter - see page 90.
• Always use a windshield washer
fluid

with
antifreeze for the windshield and rear
window washer system in winter - see page 112. • Use a scraper to remove snow and ice

from
the windows - see page 91.
• On winter roads the use of winter tires
or all-weather tires
will
improve handling;
this also applies to vehicles
with
all-wheel
drive - see pages 78 and 118.
• When driving in the mountains in winter
it is best to take along a set of snow chains.

Snow
chains may be compulsory for some
mountain roads, and this restriction also

applies
to vehicles
with
all-wheel drive -

see
pages 78 and 119.
121


www.westfaliaT3.info - a useful website for owners and enthusiasts of VW Westfalia T25 / T3 Campervans

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine
VEHICLE CARE

ADDITIONAL
ACCESSORIES,
MODIFICATIONS
AND PARTS REPLACEMENT JACI
The Volkswagen Vanagon/Transporter incorporates
the
latest safety design fea­
tures ensuring
a
high standard
of
active and passive safety. This safety could
be
impaired
by
any non-approved changes
to

the original new-car condition. Forthis
rea­
son,
please observe
the
following points
when installing additional accessories,
if
parts have
to be
replaced
or if any
modifi­
cations
are
made
to the
vehicle:
•
Always
consult
an
authorized Volks­
wagen dealer
before
purchasing
accesso­
ries and
before
any
modifications
are
car­ried
out.
•
In
your
own
interest,
you are
advised
to
use
only
expressly
approved
Volks­

wagen
accessories
and
genuine
Volks­

wagen
spare
parts.

These
parts
and
accessories
have
been
specially
evaluated
with
respect
to

suitability
for use with the
Volkswagen

Vanagon/Transporter.
• Approved Volkswagen accessories anc
genuine Volkswagen parts
are
available
from authorized Volkswagen dealers

Volkswagen
dealers also have
the
neces­
sary
facilities
to
install
the
parts properly. "he

:hanc

:nedi

Dn
v

s:ore<
122


www.westfaliaT3.info - a useful website for owners and enthusiasts of VW Westfalia T25 / T3 Campervans

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine JACK AND
TOOLS

DO-IT-YOURSELF-SERVICE
The jack and the tools necessary to
Bange
a wheel are in a bag stored under
re driver's seat.
Zn vehicles
with
swivel seats they are
stored under the rear seat bench.

~ne
screwdriver has a reversible blade.
WARNING
• Use
the
jack only
for
changing
a

wheel.
Never
use the jack
to
lift other vehicles or other loads
as
this may lead
to accidents and personal
injury.

• The jack must
never
be
used
as a

support
to
work underneath
the

vehicle.
If
the jack
is
accidentally dis­ lodged, you could be seriously injured.
• Do not
raise
the vehicle using
a
bum­
per
jack.
The bumper system would be

damaged.
Also, the jack may
slip
which
could cause personal
injury.

•
Do not
support
your
car on cinder

blocks,
bricks or other props that may
crumble under continuous
load.

• Do not start
or
run the engine while
the vehicle is supported by the jack.
• When working under
the
vehicle,
always
use
safety stands specifically
designed for this purpose.
123


www.westfaliaT3.info - a useful website for owners and enthusiasts of VW Westfalia T25 / T3 Campervans