
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 
CONTROLS
 AND
 EQUIPMENT 
•
 Never shift into Reverse (R) or Park 
(P) when the vehicle is in motion. 
•
 Do not remove the key from the ig
nition steering lock until you have 
parked the vehicle, because removal 
of the key
 will
 lock the steering wheel. 
•
 If the selector lever is unintention
ally moved into Neutral (N)
 while
 driv
ing,
 take
 your foot off the accelerator  pedal and
 wait
 until the engine speed 
has
 dropped to idling before selecting 
a driving position. 
Maneuvering 
•'/hen
 alternating between forward and 
-averse
 - for
 instance,
 while
 maneuvering 
ne
 vehicle
 into a tight parking
 space
 -
 :nly
 shift when the
 vehicle
 has
 come
 to a 
full stop and the
 engine
 is running at idle 
 soeed. 
 Stuck
 in snow, mud or sand 
When
 alternating between forward and 
 reverse
 in an effort to free the
 vehicle, 
depress
 the
 accelerator
 pedal
 slightly 
while
 the
 transmission
 is in
 gear,
 and 
 release
 the
 accelerator
 pedal
 while 
shifting.
 Do not
 race
 the
 engine
 and
 avoid 
spinning
 the
 wheels.
 Do not repeat 
 "rocking"
 back and
 forth
 with
 wheels 
spinning
 at high engine speed and heavy
 throttle,
 as serious damage may 
be caused to the automatic transmis
sion
 and other critical parts. 
Kickdown
 device 
The
 kickdown
 device
 gives
 maximum 
 acceleration
 when the
 accelerator
 pedal
 is 
pressed
 down
 past
 the full throttle
 posi
tion.
 Depending
 on
 road
 speed
 and 
 engine
 speed,
 either the upshift is
 delayed 
(forced
 throttle) or the box
 changes
 down 
into
 the next lower
 gear. 
WARNING 
Be
 careful when using the kickdown on 
slippery
 roads. Rapid acceleration may 
cause
 skidding. 
 Stopping 
•
 When
 stopping briefly, at a traffic light 
for
 example,
 it is not
 necessary
 to
 move 
the
 selector
 lever
 to
 Neutral.
 Simply
 apply 
the
 brakes.
 To start
 again
 release
 brake 
 and
 accelerate. 
•
 The driving
 positions
 must
 never
 be 
used
 for holding the
 vehicle
 at rest
 uphill. 
Always
 use your foot
 brakes
 when 
 stopped
 on
 inclines. 
WARNING 
•
 Never get out of the driver's seat 
when the engine is running and the 
 selector
 lever is not securely locked in 
the P position. 
•
 If you must leave the vehicle move 
the selector lever securely into the P 
 position
 and apply parking brake 
firmly. 
Towing 
To
 tow the
 vehicle
 see instructions 
 "Emergency
 towing" on
 page
 138. 
 
 
 
www.westfaliaT3.info  - a  useful  website  for owners  and enthusiasts  of VW  Westfalia  T25 / T3  Campervans   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 
CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT 
STEERING LOCK/IGNITION/STARTER
 SWITCH 
The
 steering is equipped
 with
 an
 antitheft 
 ignition lock. 
 Switch
 positions 
1 -
 Ignition
 off/steering can be
 locked. 
 •
 Pull
 out the key and
 turn
 steering wheel until it
 locks. 
WARNING 
 • This position
 only
 locks the
 steering 
wheel
 and not the
 shift
 control
 lever. 
 Sudden and
 unexpected
 vehicle
 move
ment
 may occur if the
 shift
 control 
lever
 is
 moved
 out of P
 (Park)
 (automa
tic
 transmission)
 or out of
 gear
 (manual 
transmission)
 and the
 parking
 brake
 is  not
 firmly
 set. 
•
 Never
 remove
 key
 from
 steering
 lock 
or
 turn
 key off
 while
 the
 vehicle
 is  moving. The
 steering
 wheel
 will
 lock, 
causing loss of control. 
2-
 Ignition
 on/steering free.  If it is difficult to
 turn
 the key from po
sition 1 to 2, gently move the steering 
wheel until the key turns freely. 
 3
 - Starter engages. 
Key
 returns to Pos. 2 as soon as it is 
released. 
"Starting procedures" see next 
 pages. 
In position 3, the power supply to 
headlights, windshield wipers, 
blower motor and rear window defog-
ger
 is temporarily interrupted to
 con
serve
 battery power. 
Before
 the starter can be operated again 
the key must be turned back to position 1. 
The
 non-repeat lock in the ignition switch  prevents the starter from being operated 
when engine is running as this could 
damage
 the starter. 
In position 2 and 3 several warning/in
dicator lights will come on.
 Refer
 to 
"Warning/indicator lights" for details. 
Chime If you leave the key in the ignition/steering 
lock, the chime will sound when the 
driver's door is opened. This is your  reminder to remove the key and lock the 
doors. 
 
 
www.westfaliaT3.info  - a  useful  website  for owners  and enthusiasts  of VW  Westfalia  T25 / T3  Campervans   

Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 
CONTROLS
 AND
 EQUIPMENT 
STARTING
 PROCEDURES 
WARNING 
•
 Fasten safety belts before driving. 
•
 Never
 start or let the engine run in a 
confined or enclosed, unventilated 
area.
 Exhaust fumes from the engine 
contain carbon monoxide, which is a 
colorless
 and odorless gas. Carbon  monoxide can be
 fatal
 if inhaled. 
•
 Never
 leave engine idling unatten
ded.
 An unattended vehicle with a run
 ning
 engine is potentially hazardous. 
•
 Do not park or operate the vehicle in 
areas
 where the hot exhaust system  may come in contact with dry grass, 
brush,
 fuel
 spill
 or other
 material, 
which can cause a fire. 
•
 Do not leave engine unattended at 
idle.
 When starting engine, be ready to 
drive off immediately. Maintain moder
 ate
 speed until the engine is
 com
pletely warm. Remember that
 your
 en
gine performs best at operating
 tem
 perature. 
 Automatic
 Transmission 
Engine will only start with selector lever in 
Neutral or Park. 
Manual
 Transmission 
Start with gearshift lever in Neutral, clutch 
pedal
 depressed, so that the starter only 
has
 to crank the engine. 
Starting
 engine 
 •
 Do not depress accelerator pedal 
when starting. At extrem low temperatures 
the engine will probably start better, if you  depress accelerator pedal slighly. 
•
 As soon as the engine starts, release 
the ignition key. 
•
 If the engine does not start the first time 
or
 stalls,
 turn
 the ignition off and restart.  Depress the accelerator pedal slowly 
during the second starting attempt. 
•
 Operate the starter for no more than 
10
 seconds. 
•
 Allow about 30 seconds between each 
starting
 attempt. 
 STOPPING
 ENGINE 
Do not stop engine immediately after 
hard or extended driving. Keep engine 
running for about two minutes to pre
vent
 excessive heat build-up. 
WARNING 
•
 Before you check anything in the 
engine compartment, stop the engine  and let it cool down. Hot components 
can
 burn skin on contact. 
•
 The radiator fan switches on auto
matically
 when the coolant reaches a cer
tain
 temperature and will continue to run 
 (even
 with ignition off) until the coolant 
temperature drops. 
39 
 
 
 
www.westfaliaT3.info  - a  useful  website  for owners  and enthusiasts  of VW  Westfalia  T25 / T3  Campervans   
![VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER 1990 T4 / 4.G Owners Manual Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 
3REAK-IN
 PERIOD 
VEHICLE
 OPERATION] 
DURING AND
 AFTER
 BREAK-IN PERIOD 
Turing
 the first few operating
 hours,
 the 
r-gines
 internal VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER 1990 T4 / 4.G Owners Manual Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 
3REAK-IN
 PERIOD 
VEHICLE
 OPERATION] 
DURING AND
 AFTER
 BREAK-IN PERIOD 
Turing
 the first few operating
 hours,
 the 
r-gines
 internal](/manual-img/18/7415/w960_7415-69.png)
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 
3REAK-IN
 PERIOD 
VEHICLE
 OPERATION] 
DURING AND
 AFTER
 BREAK-IN PERIOD 
Turing
 the first few operating
 hours,
 the 
r-gine's
 internal friction is higher than 
 a:er
 when all the moving parts
 have
 been 
:-oken
 in. How well this break-in
 process 
e
 done
 depends
 to a
 considerable
 extent 
 :n
 the way the
 vehicle
 is driven during the 
-"-3t
 900
 miles
 (1500 kilometers). 
For
 the first 600 miles 
(1000 kilometers): 
•
 Do not use full
 throttle. 
•
 Do not drive faster
 than
 3A of top 
speed. 
•
 Avoid high engine speeds. 
From
 600 to 900 miles 
(1000 to 1500 kilometers): 
The
 speed
 can gradually be
 increased
 to 
 :he
 maximum road
 speed
 or
 engine 
 speed. 
After break-in period 
The maximum permissible engine speed 
 is
 5200
 rpm and should not be exceeded. 
Shift into the higher gear before reaching the red area at the end of the scale of 
the tachometer. See page 41. 
Excessive
 engine
 speeds
 are automati
cally
 reduced. 
 •
 Details
 on how to operate the
 Manual 
and
 Automatic
 transmission
 are outlined 
in
 the
 "Controls
 and
 equipment"
 chapter. 
•
 Avoid full
 throttle
 starts and abrupt 
stops. 
•
 Try to avoid running the engine at 
maximum speed. Shifting up early helps 
to save fuel and reduces noise. 
•
 Do not overstrain engine; select pro
per gear before reaching top speeds. 
•
 Do not let engine labor. Shift down 
when engine no longer runs smoothly. 
•
 All
 revs
 are only
 valid
 when
 engine
 is 
properly
 warm. 
•
 Always
 observe
 local
 and national 
speed
 limits. 
Applies
 in addition to vehicles 
 with
 Automatic
 Transmission: 
Make
 it a habit to
 accelerate
 gradually 
instead
 of
 using
 full throttle. During
 gra
dual
 acceleration
 the
 transmission
 shifts 
earlier
 into the next higher
 gear
 thus 
saving
 fuel. 
 WARNING 
•
 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). 
•
 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 compen sate for this by applying more pressure 
on
 the brake pedal. This also applies 
 later
 when new pads or linings are 
installed. 
 
 
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
 OPERATION 
In the
 driver's
 seat 
 •
 Check operation of horn. 
•
 Adjust seat for easy reach of controls. 
•
 Adjust head restraints to your
 size. 
•
 Adjust inside and outside rear view mir-
brs. 
•
 Use safety belts as directed. 
•
 Assure yourself
 that
 all passengers, 
especially
 children, are properly buckled  up. 
•
 Check operation of
 foot
 and parking 
orakes. 
•
 Check all warning and indicator lights 
v/hen starting the engine. 
•
 Do not leave vehicle idling unattended. 
•
 Lock all doors
 from
 inside to prevent in advertent opening of doors
 from
 inside 
and unwanted
 entry
 from
 outside.  On the
 road 
•
 Always drive defensively. Expect the 
unexpected. 
•
 Observe speed
 limits
 and obey road 
signs. 
•
 Use signals to indicate
 turns
 and lane 
changes. 
•
 Turn on headlights at dusk. 
•
 Always keep a safe distance
 from
 the 
vehicle in
 front
 of you, depending on
 traf
fic, road and weather conditions. 
•
 Reduce speed at
 night
 and during incle
ment weather. 
•
 If you smell gas fumes in the vehicle, 
drive
 with
 the windows open, but keep the  rear lid
 closed.
 Have the cause im
mediately located and corrected. 
•
 Make frequent rest stops, at least
 after 
every two hours of driving. 
•
 When
 tired
 pull off the road, stop and 
take a rest. Turn the engine off. Do not sit in  the vehicle
 with
 engine idling. Engine exhaust is dangerous if inhaled. 
 •
 When stopped or parked, always set 
the parking brake. Move the selector lever 
to "P" (Automatic transmission) or move 
the gearshift lever to reverse or
 first
 gear  (Manual transmission). When parking on 
hills,
 turn
 wheels
 toward
 the curb. 
•
 When stalled or stopped for repairs, 
move the vehicle well off the road. Turn on 
emergency flasher and use other warning 
devices
 to alert other motorists. Do not  park or operate the vehicle in areas where 
the hot exhaust system may come in
 con
tact
 with
 dry
 grass,
 brush, fuel spill or other  material which can cause a fire. 
•
 Make it a habit to have the engine oil 
checked
 with
 every fuel filling. 
 
 
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 OPERATION 
For
 best roadability adjust your load to the 
maximum allowed tongue load. To be sure 
measure
 tongue load of loaded trailer on 
bathroom
 scales. 
Check
 that
 both sides of your trailer can be 
seen
 from the driver's seat. If necessary in
stall extended rear-view mirrors. 
Check
 proper working of vehicle and 
trailer lights. 
Check
 cold
 tire
 pressure of both vehicle 
and
 trailer. 
Be
 sure trailer safety chains are properly 
connected
 from trailer to the hitch on the 
vehicle.
 Leave enough slack in the chains 
to permit turning corners. 
Trailer
 towing
 tips 
 Your
 vehicle handles differently when tow ing a trailer because of the additional 
weight. Safety, performance and economy 
will greatly depend on how carefully you 
 load
 your trailer and operate your "rig." 
 Before
 you actually tow your trailer, prac
tice turning, stopping and reversing in an 
 area
 away from
 traffic
 until
 you learn the 
feel of your vehicle and trailer
 unit. 
Reversing
 is
 difficult
 and requires practice. 
Steering
 while reversing is generally oppo
site of
 that
 when backing your vehicle with
out a trailer. 
Observe
 speed limits. In some areas 
speeds
 for vehicles towing trailers are lower than for regular vehicles. 
Maintain a greater distance between your 
vehicle
 and the one in
 front.
 You will need  more room to stop. 
When
 passing remember
 that
 you cannot 
 accelerate
 as fast as you normally would 
because
 of the added load. Make sure you 
have
 enough room to
 pass.
 After passing 
allow plenty of room for your trailer before 
changing
 lanes again. 
Avoid
 jerky starts or sudden acceleration. 
 Slow
 down in crosswinds and on rougi" 
roads.
 Be especially carefull when
 pas
sing
 other vehicles and trucks. 
When
 parking always block the wheels o:  both vehicle and trailer. Do not park
 with
 a 
trailer on a slope. If it cannot be avoided dc 
 so
 only after the following: 
• Apply brakes. 
• Have someone place wheel blocks 
under both vehicle and trailer wheels. 
• With wheel blocks in place slowly re
lease
 brakes
 until
 wheel blocks absorb the 
load. 
• Apply parking brake. 
•
 Place
 transmission in
 "P"
 for automatic 
or in
 first
 or reverse gear for manual trans
 mission. 
74 
 
 
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
 OPERATION 
The
 function
 of the
 all-wheel 
 drive
 and how it
 works 
In contrast to conventional four wheel 
drive systems
 that
 require transmissions 
to be manually engaged when needed, 
the Vanagon/Transporter Syncro all-wheel 
drive system is always engaged. Only the 
amount of power being transmitted to the 
front
 and rear wheels changes automati
 cally
 as the road surface demands. 
The automatic distribution of power is 
 accomplished
 through a
 fluid
 shear
 cou
pling (viscous coupling)
 that
 is
 part
 of the 
front
 axle. The design of the viscous
 cou
 pling keeps driving force losses to a mini
mum while distributing the forward
 thrust 
to all four wheels when needed.  When the going gets rough, especially 
when wet, slippery or snow covered roads 
cause
 the rear or
 front
 wheels to slip, the 
viscous
 coupling automatically transfers driving force to the other wheels to help 
you keep moving. 
The distribution of drive forces allows the 
 Syncro
 to adapt to changing road surfaces 
and provide increased traction automati
cally.
 The Syncro driver is therefore able to 
fully
 concentrate on the road and
 traffic 
conditions. 
 This
 extraordinary drivetrain concep: 
makes
 the Vanagon/Transporter Syncrc 
an extremely efficient road vehicle suit
able for a wide variety of uses and applica
tions. While it has proved is ability to han
dle poor weather and road conditions anc 
 has
 limited off-road capabilities, re
member your Vanagon/Transporter
 Syn
cro is not an off-road or all-terrain vehicle. 
76 
 
 
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 OPERATION 
Advantages off the all-wheel drive 
The Vanagon/Transporter Syncro
 all-
 wheel drive system
 has the
 following
 ad
vantages over
 a
 two-wheel drive vehicle: 
Driving Power 
Driving Power
 is
 greatly increased
 by the 
continual all-wheel drive especially
 on 
 snow
 and
 slippery surfaces, when starting 
off from
 a
 standstill,
 and
 when driving
 on 
rough roads. 
Within reason, your Vanagon/Transporter  Syncro
 can go
 places where other
 vehi
cles
 may
 likely
 get
 stuck.
 It is
 easier
 to
 stop 
on slippery hills
 and get
 going again. 
Moving Force 
As
 the
 driving force applied
 to the
 road  goes
 to
 four wheels instead
 of two, the 
amount
 of
 slip
 is
 considerably reduced. 
This improves
 the
 traction between tire  and road surface
 and
 thereby,
 the
 drive-
ability
 on
 slippery road surfaces.  On vehicles with two-wheel drive,
 the
 driv
ing wheels
 can
 spin
 on
 slippery surfaces
 if 
too much acceleration
 is
 applied. This 
greatly reduces tire grip
 and can
 result
 in 
 loss
 of
 vehicle control. 
By distributing
 the
 driving forces
 to
 four
 in
stead
 of two
 wheels,
 the
 wheels
 of the
 Va nagon/Transporter Syncro
 are
 less likely 
to spin under
 the
 same conditions. 
Snow tires 
With
 the
 all-wheel drive system
 the
 Vana gon/Transporter Syncro
 is
 good
 for
 winter 
driving even with standard tires. However, 
we recommend
 the use of all
 season tires 
or radial snow tires (M
 +
 S) with
 or
 without 
studs*,
 on all
 wheels,
 for
 better driving, 
cornering
 and
 braking,
 in
 winter weather. 
Details under "Snow tires"
 on
 page
 118 
also apply. 
Snow chains 
Snow chains can improve both road traction 
and braking when driving
 in
 severe winter 
weather. Therefore,
 use
 snow chains
 on 
your all-wheel drive vehicle when required.  For additional information,
 see
 page
 119. 
 Operation 
In contrast
 to
 conventional all-wheel drive 
systems that require transmissions
 to be 
manually engaged when needed,
 the Va
 nagon/Transporter Syncro all-wheel drive 
system
 is
 always engaged. Only
 the 
amount
 of
 power being transmitted
 to the 
front
 and
 rear wheels changes automati cally
 as the
 road surface demands.
 The 
Syncro driver
 is
 therefore able
 to
 fully
 con
centrate
 on the
 road and traffic conditions. 
The differential lock*
 for the
 rear axle must  only
 be
 used when
 the
 vehicle
 is
 stuck
 or 
 in immediate danger
 of
 becoming stuck. For further information
 on the
 differential 
lock,
 see
 page
 33. 
78  "Check with your local Motor Vehicle Bureau
 for 
possible restrictions. 
'where applicable 
 
 
www.westfaliaT3.info  - a  useful  website  for owners  and enthusiasts  of VW  Westfalia  T25 / T3  Campervans