1990 VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER Rear

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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

CORROSION
PROTECTION

The transmission,
front
and rear axle
assembly
surfaces have been treated at
the factory
with
a wax based coating for protection against corrosion. However, we
recommend to have the and the underside
inspected twice a year for any damage to
the protective coating preferably before and after the winter
season.
Have
neces­

sary
repairs done as soon as possible.
See
your dealer for correct procedures
and materials.

WARNING
Do not
apply
additional
undercoating

or
rustproofing
on or
near
the
exhaust
manifold,
exhaust
pipes,
catalytic

converter
or
heat
shields.
During
driv­
ing, the substance used for
under-

coating
could
overheat
and cause a

fire.

Engine
Compartment
When washing the engine compartment, only use commercially available grease
cutting solvents made especially for this
purpose.
Carefully follow directions
print­

ed
on the container by the manufacturer.
WARNING

Never
use gasoline,
Diesel
fuel
or sol­

vents
which
could
damage
rubber
parts
or
painted
surfaces and could
cause a
fire.

Chassis

The lower body shell of your Volkswagen
is
thoroughly protected against corrosion. However, it is recommended to have the
underside inspected twice a year. Any de­
tected damage to the undercoating, due to road hazards, should be repaired prompt­
ly. Oil based protective sprays must not be

applied.
Only tar or wax based anticorro-

sion
protectors are compatible
with
the
factory applied undercoating. Before ap­ plication, road
dirt,
salt spray deposits and
oily substances must be removed.

Whenever
the lower body
shell,
axle, transmission or engines assemblies have been repaired, the lost anti-corrosion
coating of the affected surfaces should be
reapplied.

Your
Volkswagen dealer has the appro­ priate materials, the necessary equipment
and is familiar
with
the application proce­
dure. Therefore, any additional corrosion protection work should be performed by a

Volkswagen
dealer.
Body
cavity sealing

All
body cavities which could be affecte: by corrosion have been given a thorouc"
protection at the factory.

This
sealing does not require any inspe:
tion
or additional treatments. If any wa should seep out of the cavity when tN
ambient temperature is high, it can M removed
with
a plastic scraper and -.
suitable solvent. Be sure to observe a
safety and environmental regulations.
94


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VEHICLE CARE
Changing the
engine
oil
Have
your engine oil changed regularly,
but at least twice a year (see Maintenance
booklet).

This
is very important because the lubri­ cating properties of oil diminish gradually
during normal operation of the vehicle.
If you drive mostly short distances, or if
you operate the vehicle in dusty
areas,
or under predominantly stop-and-go traffic
conditions, or when temperatures remain below freezing for extended periods, the
engine oil should be changed more fre­
quently.

Due
to the detergent additives in the oil,
the fresh oil will look dark after the engine
has
been running for a short time. This is
normal and there is no reason to change
the oil more often than recommended by
the manufacturer.

Always
heed
WARNINGS
on
page
96
100 and97-
WARNING

•
Drain
the oil
into
a
container
that
is
designed for
this
purpose, one
that
is
large
enough to hold at
least
the oil

filling
of your
engine.

•
Wear
eye
protection.

• To
reduce
the
risk
of burns
from
hot

engine
oil let the
engine
cool
down
to
the touch.
•
When
removing
the oil
drain
plug

with
your fingers,
keep
as far
away
as possible.
Always
keep
your
forearm

parallel
to the ground to
help
prevent
hot oil
from
running
down
your arm.
• Engine oil is poisonous. Keep it
well

out of the
reach
of children. Con­

tinuous
contact
with
used
engine
oil is
harmful
to your skin.
Always
protect

your skin by
washing
thoroughly
with
soap and
water.

•
Always
dispose of used
engine
oil

properly.
Do not
dump
it on
garden
soil,

wooded
areas,
into
open
streams
or

down
sewage
drains.
• Recycle used
engine
oil by
taking
it to
a used
engine
oil collection
facility
in
your
area,
or
contact
a service
station.
• Turn off the engine.
• Remove the oil drain plug (arrow) when
the engine is still warm and allow the oil to
drain.

•
Always
use a new
gasket
when

reinstalling
the plug. Do not
overtighten.

•
Fill
the engine
with
oil. Do not
overfill.

Always
check engine oil level
with
dipstick
as
described on previous page.

Engine
oil capacity is listed under

"Capacities",
page 147.

Local
zoning ordinances or environmental
regulations will tell you how you can

dispose
of used engine oil. Should the dis­ carding of the old oil present a problem to

you,
we suggest you have the oil changed
at your dealer or a service station.


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VEHICLE
CARE
Winter operation During the winter months, battery capacity
tends to decrease as temperatures drop.
Additionally, more power is consumed while starting, and the headlights, heater, rear window defogger, etc., are used more
frequently. Curtail unnecessary power
consumption,
particularly in city traffic or
when travelling short distances only. Let
your
Volkswagen dealer test the battery's
capacity before winter sets in. A well
charged battery will not only prevent

starting
problems but will also live longer.
If
your
vehicle is left standing for several

weeks
at extremely low temperatures, the battery should be removed and stored
where it will not freeze.
This
will prevent it
from being damaged.
When removing the battery, first discon­ nect both cables (see Charging of Bat­

tery),
then unscrew the battery mounting.
WARNING
Always keep the battery well out of the reach of children.
Always heed WARNINGS on page
97.
Charging of battery
WARNING
•
Always shield
your
eyes and avoid

leaning
over
the battery whenever pos­

sible.

•
Charge battery in a well ventilated

area.
Keep away from open flame or

electrical
spark. Do not
smoke.
Hydro­ gen gas generated by the battery is ex­plosive.

•
Battery acid that may spill during
charging should be washed off with a solution of warm water and baking

soda
to neutralize the
acid.

•
If you get battery
acid
in
your
eyes or
on
your
skin,
immediately rinse with

cold
water for several minutes and
call

a
doctor.

•
Never charge
a
frozen battery. It may
explode because of gas trapped in the
ice.
Allow a frozen battery to thaw out
first.

•
Never use a fast charger as a boo­
ster to start the engine.
This
will
seri­

ously damage sensitive electronic
components,
such as relays, radio,

etc.,
as well as the battery charger.
•
Fast charging
a
battery
is
dangerous
and should only be attempted by a
competent mechanic with the proper
equipment.
Slow battery charging WARNING
•
Heed all WARNINGS and follow in­
structions that come with
your
battery

•
It is not necessary to remove the bat­

tery
from the engine compartment, and it
is
also not necessary to disconnect the

cables.

•
Make sure the electrolyte level in each

cell
is between the "min" and "max" marks. If the fluid level is below the "min" mark, le:

your
Volkswagen dealer correct the condi­

tion.

•
Connect charger cables.
Charger cables must be connected
POSITIVE
(+) to
POSITIVE
(+) and

NEGATIVE
(-) to
NEGATIVE
(-).
Do not connect or disconnect charger

cables
while charger is operating to re­
duce the danger of exploding.


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VEHICLE CARE
WINDSHIELD / REAR WINDOW WASHER CONTAINER*
The filler cap is iocated at the left side of the driver's footwell.
Vehicles with rear window wiper and washer have an additional container on
the right in the luggage compartment.
The capacities of the containers are: Windshield washer
container 4.3 qt/4.2 liters Rear window washer
container 1.1 qt/1.0 liters
Filling the containers
To fill the container, unsnap cover and un­ screw the filler cap. After filling the
con­

tainer, screw the cap on tightly and close
cover. Since clear water is usually not adequate
for cleaning the glass, add a cleaning
solu­

tion to the water.
Use winterized washer solvent during the
cold season. It helps to keep your
windshield and rear window clean and pre­
vents the fluid from freezing in the winter.
Do not use engine coolant antifreeze or
any other solution that can damage the
vehicle paint.
Follow the directions on the can for the
correct amount to be used.
After filling the container press the cap onto the filler neck. Adjusting washer jets
When vehicle is stationary, the wate- should hit the windshield as illustrated.
The washer jet for the rear window shoulc be adjusted so that the fluid hits the glass
in the center of the wiped area.
The jets can be adjusted with a needle.
The jets for the headlight washer system' can only be adjusted with a special
tool.
If necessary contact your Volkswagen
deal­

er.
112 * where applicable


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VEHICLE CARE

K >i

|B43-155|

Tire rotation If the
rear tires
are
worn more than
front

tires,
we
recommend
that
you
rotate
the
rear tires
with
the
front
tires
as
shown
in

the illustration.
By
doing this,
all
tires will
have
approximately the same service life.

Tires
should always remain on same
side
of vehicle

After rotation adjust
tire
pressure
and
torque wheel bolts/lug nuts diagonally
to
130
ft
lb/180
Nm.
Refer
to
"Changing
a

wheel"
on page 125
for
details.
Tire
wear

The
original tires
on
your vehicle have
built-in wear indicators. They
are
molded
into
the
bottom
of the
tread grooves
and

will appear
as
approximately
V6
inch (12 mm) bands when
the
tire
tread depth

wears
down
to Vie
inches
(1.6 mm).
Depending
on the
tire
manufacturer, there
are
six to
eight wear indicators evenly

spaced
around
the
circumference
of the

tire. Markings on the sides
of
the tires (e.g.
the letters "TWI"
or a
triangle) show
the
locations
of
the wear indicators.
When
the indicators appear in two
or
more
adjacent grooves,
it is
time
to
replace
the

tires.
We
recommend, however,
that
you

do
not let the
tires wear down
to
this
extent. Worn tires cannot grip
the
road

surface
properly, and are even
less
effec­
tive on wet roads.

WARNING
•
Do not drive
with
worn tires or tires

showing
cuts,
bruises
or other damage
because
they may lead to
sudden
defla­
tion
causing
loss
of
vehicle
control
and
personal
injury.

•
Since
worn tires do not grip the road

surface
properly when driving on wet
roads,
the vehicle may tend to aqua­
plane sooner. We strongly urge you to
replace your tires when the remaining
tread depth is .12
inches
(3 mm).

Incorrect
wheel
alignment
Incorrect wheel alignment
causes
exces­

sive
and
uneven
tire
wear impairing
the

safety
of the
vehicle.
If
you notice
exces­

sive
tire
wear, contact your Volkswagen

dealer.

115


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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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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.


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