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VEHICLE
 CARE 
EXTERIOR 
Washing
 and
 waxing 
The
 paint on your Volkswagen is very dura ble but must be protected
 from
 losing its 
luster due to outside influences. There
fore, wash and wax your Volkswagen 
often. The longer the
 dirt
 is
 left
 on the  paint, the greater the risk of damaging the 
glossy
 finish, either by scratching if the
 dirt 
 is
 rubbed
 into
 the paint, or simply by the 
chemical
 effect
 dirt
 particles have on the  paint surface. 
Do not
 wash
 or wax in
 direct
 sunlight,
 or 
when
 the
 sheet
 metal
 is hot. Do not use  hot
 water.
 Lukewarm
 to cool
 water
 is 
kinder
 to the
 paint. 
WARNING 
•
 Do not
 wash,
 wax or dry the
 vehicle 
with
 the
 engine
 running. 
•
 Do not
 clean
 the
 underside
 of chas
sis,
 fenders,
 wheel
 covers, etc.,
 without 
 protecting
 your
 hands
 and
 arms.
 You 
may cut
 yourself
 on
 sharp-edged
 metal 
parts. 
•
 Moisture,
 ice and
 road
 salt
 on
 brakes 
may
 affect
 braking
 efficiency.
 Test
 the 
brakes
 carefully
 after
 each
 vehicle 
wash. 
 Do
 not aim the water jet directly at door, 
hatch or rear lid locks. Tape the key holes 
to prevent water
 from
 seeping
 into
 the lock 
cylinders.
 Water in lock cylinders should  be removed
 with
 compressed air. To pre
vent locks
 from
 freezing in the winter,  squirt glycerine or lock de-icer
 into
 the lock 
cylinders.
 Do not use any
 solution
 that 
 can
 damage
 the
 body
 paint. 
Use
 plenty of water, a car-wash and wax 
solution and a soft sponge or hose brush. 
 Begin
 by spraying water over the dry sur
face
 to remove all loose
 dirt
 before apply ing the car-wash and wax solution. Use 
plenty of water to rinse the vehicle off. 
Wipe
 everything dry
 with
 a chamois to  avoid water spots. 
When
 having your vehicle washed at an  automatic car
 wash,
 be sure to observe all 
the precautions suggested by the
 esta
 blishment. 
 The
 underside of the vehicle picks up d ~ 
and road salt. To guard against corrosic it is important to remove mud, debris a": 
road salt
 from
 the underside
 with
 i 
powerful jet of water. Be sure to include t" 
wheel housings, bumpers, muffler, tailp :- and brackets. This should be done twice 
year
 and is best accomplished after the \ hide has been driven through a hea 
rain.
 Let engine and exhaust cool do," 
before washing. 
Waxing
 is not really needed when y:. 
 have
 used a car-wash and wax solution 
you do not use a car-wash liquid
 with
 wa^  apply wax to preserve the natural shine : 
the body paint. To obtain a long last-: 
 finish,
 apply hard wax. Wax again whe 
water remains on the surface in lar:-
patches
 instead of forming beads a": rolling off. 
This
 will
 make
 dirt
 easier to remove e : 
 will
 prevent the paint
 from
 being damage: 
from
 industrial dust, tree sap or bird drz~-
pings. 
Use
 a polish when it becomes evident tha: 
waxing no longer accomplishes the jot 
the polish you are using does not conta 
wax, apply hard wax after polishing. 
 
 
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VEHICLE
 CARE 
Weatherstrips 
 Keep silicone sprays
 off the
 windshield 
to avoid wiper smear
 in
 rain. 
To seal properly, weatherstrips around 
 hood,
 hatch, windows, doors,
 etc.,
 must 
be pliable. Spray with silicone
 or
 coat with 
talcum powder
 or
 glycerine
 to
 retain 
flexibility
 of the
 rubber
 and to
 protect  against freezing
 in the
 winter. 
Sliding roof quide rails 
To assure that
 the
 sliding roof* function  properly, clean
 the
 guide rails
 and
 lubri
cate with silicone spray
 at
 least once
 a 
year.
 See
 your Volkswagen dealer
 for
 cor rect procedures
 and
 lubricant. 
 Dull finishes and plastics 
Plastic parts, such
 as
 light bulb lenses, 
decorative stripes, panels, bumpers,
 etc., 
will come clean with regular washing.  Should additional cleaning
 or
 spot
 re
moval
 be
 necessary,
 use a
 soft brush
 or 
cloth soaked with
 a
 mild detergent
 solu
tion.
 Then rinse thoroughly
 and im
 mediately with clear water. 
Do not use anything which could mar the 
plastic
 or
 dull finished surface, such
 as 
wax, polish, abrasive detergents
 or 
 chemical cleaning solvents. 
Sliding door 
The sliding door mounting points,
 the 
 guide tracks
 and the
 roller guides should be lubricated regularly
 and as
 often
 as 
necessary. 
Bright metal trim 
Bright
 or
 black anodized trim will come 
clean with regular washing.
 To
 protect  metal
 trim,
 use car
 wax. Remove spots
 or 
dirt from chrome
 and
 stainless steel with
 a 
chrome cleaner. Apply
 a
 chrome polish
 for 
continued luster and protection. 
 Steel wheels 
Always include
 the hub
 caps
 and
 whee  rims when washing your vehicle
 to
 remove 
road dirt, salt sprays and brake dust.
 If
 nec 
essary,
 use a
 commercial wheel cleaner
 t: 
 remove accumulated brake dust. Pain: 
scratches should
 be
 touched
 up to
 prever 
corrosion. 
Light alloy wheels 
To preserve
 the
 decorative appearance
 c-
 the light aluminium cast, some specie 
care
 is
 necessary.
 In
 addition
 to
 road
 dr 
and salt sprays, brake metal dust
 is
 alsc 
corrosive.
 If
 left
 on too
 long,
 brake meta 
dust
 can
 cause pitting. Wash
 the
 wheels 
with
 a
 sponge
 or
 hose brush every othe-
week. Road salt should
 be
 remove: 
weekly with
 an
 acid free cleaning solutior  Every three months (after regular clear
ing)
 the
 wheels should
 be
 coated
 wit-
 petroleum jelly
 or car
 wax.
 Rub it in
 firml. 
with
 a
 soft cloth. Never
 use
 abrasive
 c 
 metal polishing cleaning agents. 
Remember that moisture,
 ice and
 roac 
salt
 on
 brakes
 may
 affect braking
 eff 
ciency. Test
 the
 brakes carefully afte' 
each washing. Heed warning
 on
 page 
 29. 
92
 *
 where applicable 
 
 
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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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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. 
 
 
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