1990 VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER check engine

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CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT
lie heater has a safety switch which is lo- :ated under the dash on the left near the
steering column. If the heater does not
start, or starts and then stops again, wait
3 minutes and then operate the red lever
on the safety switch.
[f the heater still does not work or if the
safety switch stops it again, there is a de-
:ect in the heater which can only be re- :aired by a Volkswagen workshop. Fuses
The auxiliary heater is equipped with two
fuses,
one 16 amp fuse for the entire heater and one 8 amp fuse for the over­
heating switch. Both fuses are located in a
fuse holder behind the fuse panel on the left side under the dashboard. When the
fuse for the overheating switch is blown,
the fan is working however no heat is

delivered.

If the replacement fuse blows again, have
the heater checked by your Volkswagen dealer.
59


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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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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.


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VEHICLE OPERATION

OPERATE
YOUR VEHICLE ECONOMICALLY AND
MINIMIZE
POLLUTION
Your
personal
style
of
driving
determines your operating costs,
exhaust
emissions and noise levels. To obtain the best
possi­

ble fuel economy,
minimize
pollution
and

save
wear and tear on the engine, brakes
and tires, observe the following points:
• Keep a
light
foot
on the accelerator.
• Drive smoothly, avoid abrupt changes
in speed as much as possible.
• Avoid jack rabbit starts and sudden

stops.

• Avoid unnecessary idling. Turn the
engine off.
• "Warm up" idling wastes gas. Start the
engine
just
before you are ready to drive.

Accelerate
slowly and smoothly.
• Do not drive longer than necessary in
the lower gears. By upshifting early you
can
economize on fuel consumption. • Organize your trips to include in several
errands.
• Any additional weight carried in the
vehicle reduces fuel economy. Always keep cargo to a minimum and remove all

unnecessary
items.
• Remove roof and ski racks when not in

use.

• All electrical consumers contribute to

increased
fuel consumption. Therefore,

use
fan, rear window defogger, etc., only
when needed.
• Check your vehicle's fuel consumption
regularly. Keep a
written
tally sheet or use
the
trip
odometer. Fuel consumption will
vary
with
traffic, road and weather condi­
tions.
• Have your vehicle serviced by an

Volkswagen
dealer at the specified inter­
vals
(see page 95 and your Maintenance brochure). • Air cleaner should be inspected to

assure
proper engine "breathing".
• Battery should be fully charged.
• Wheels should be properly aligned.
• Tires should be inflated to correct pres­

sures.
Check
tire
pressures regularly - at least once a month.
• The published ENVIRONMENTAL-
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Trans­

port
Canada
mileage
estimates
may not

agree
with
your
actual
highway
mileage

which
will
vary,
depending
upon
vehicle
load
and speed,
road
and
weather
condi­

tions,
trip
length,
etc.
• Have the engine oil level checked
with

every fuel filling. Engine oil consumption
is
normal but tends to be higher when the
engine is new. The use of quality engine oil
and a correct engine oil level are essential
for vehicle performance and economical operation at all times.
72


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iLER TOWING
VEHICLE OPERATION
phLT .'jlkswagen was primarily designed
pr : assenger transportation. If you plan to
m*
B.
trailer you should be mindful that

MLT
:ar will be performing a service it was
•cr "tended for. The additional load will
Wee durability and economy of per-
m~ ance. • :. :ow a trailer, your Volkswagen may
mc. -9 more frequent maintenance due to
ft* extra
load.

Gc not tow a trailer during the break-in kriod of your vehicle.
Keep an eye on your coolant tempera-
fere gauge. If coolant temperature warn- rc light comes on pull off the road to a sa's place to allow engine to cool down.
Maximum trailer weight
A vailer for your vehicle is limited to a
typi-

ca class I trailer. The maximum gross
Bier weight and the tongue load must not
eoeed the specifications listed in the
[fechnical Information/Data section of this
ranual.

Do not exceed the gross vehicle weight
•rhich is the weight of the driver, passen­ ger, luggage, trailer hitch and tongue
weight of the loaded trailer. Trailer hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to
the gross trailer weight. The hitch must be suitable for your vehicle and trailer and
securely bolted to the body. Always check
with the trailer hitch manufacturer to make
sure that you are using the correct hitch. Do not use a bumper hitch.
The hitch must be installed in a way not to interfere with the impact-absorbing
bumper system. No modifications should
be made to the vehicle exhaust and brake
systems. From time to time check that all hitch mounting bolts remain securely fas­

tened.

If not towing a trailer for a long period of

time,
remove the trailer hitch. This pre­
vents the hitch from causing damage should your vehicle be struck from behind.
When removing the trailer hitch, seal all bolt holes to prevent water and exhaust
fumes from entering the vehicle.
Trailer brakes If your trailer is equipped with a braking

system,
check to be sure that it conforms
to all regulations.
The trailer brake system must not be di­ rectly connected to the vehicle's brake sys­

tem.
Tire pressure
When towing a trailer, inflate the tires of
your vehicle to the cold tire pressure listed on the label on the left front door jamb. In­
flate trailer tires to trailer and tire manufac­
turer's specifications.
Safety chains
Always use safety chains between your car and trailer.
Trailer lights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations. Do not connect the trailer light system directly
to the light system of your vehicle. Be sure
to check with your Volkswagen dealer for
correct wiring, switches and relays.
Before you tow a trailer
Correct and even load distribution. All ob­
jects inside the trailer should be held securely in place to guard against shifting, be it forward, backward or sideways.
Never allow a passenger in a moving
trailer.


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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


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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


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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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