
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 
1
 INSTRUMENT PANEL 
Illustration instruments and controls 
Warning and indicator light symbols 
CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT 
Keys,
 central locking system .... 7, 8 
Doors 9 
Rear lid 11 
Windows, mirrors 12, 13  Safety belts, head restraints . . . .14,19 
Seats 20 Luggage compartment, pedals . 28,29 
Brakes, Transmission 29, 32  Differential lock 33 
Automatic-transmission 35  Steering lock/ignition/starter switch . 38 
Starting procedures 39 Instrument cluster 40 
Warning/indicator lights 43  Switches 46 Emergency flasher 46 
Light switch, turn signals .... 46,48 
Cruise control 49 
Windshield wipers 50  Ventilation/Heating 51 
Air conditioning 54 
Heater 57 
Sliding roof 62 
Roof-rack 68  VEHICLE OPERATION 
Break-in period - and afterwards . . 69 
Operate your vehicle safety 70 
Operate your vehicle economically 
and minimize pollution 72 
Trailer towing 73  Driving with the all-wheel drive ... 75 
VEHICLE CARE 
Fuel tank, fuel supply 85,86 
Vehicle care (exterior/interior) . . 90, 93  Maintenance, inspection intervals . . 95 Engine compartment lid, 
engine compartment 97  Lubricants, engine oil 98,99 
Engine oil filter 101 
Transmission oil 102 
Power steering 103 
Cooling system 104  Brake fluid 108 
Battery 109 
Windshield washers/wipers . . . 112,113 
Tires/wheels 114  Difficult operating conditions .... 120 
Winter driving 121 
Accessories 122 
DO-IT-YOURSELF SERVICE 
Jack and tools 123  Spare wheel 124 
Changing a wheel 125  Fuses, bulbs 128, 130  Adjusting headlights 
134 
Installing,
 replacing the radio . .  . . 135 
Emergency starting  136 
Emergency towing  138 
Lifting vehicle  . . 140 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION 
Engine, transmission 142 
Steering,
 suspension, brakes, 
body, chassis 143 Emission-control-system 144 
TECHNICAL DATA 
Engine, spark plugs . 
V-belts capacities . .  Dimensions 
Weights 
Vehicle identification  146 
147 
148 
150  151 
CONSUMER INFORMATION 
Service manuals 152 
GAS STATION INFORMATION 
Location of servicing points 156 
ALPHABETICAL INDEX 158 
 
 
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 
Swivel seats* 
The forward or backward adjustment pro cedure outlined for the
 front
 bucket seats 
also
 applies to the swivel seats. 
Before turning the driver's swivel seat: 
•
 Position shift lever in park (automatic 
transmission) or in first gear (manual 
transmission). 
•
 Block wheels if necessary to
 prevent 
vehicle from moving. 
•
 Release parking brake.  WARNING 
Swivel seats must be in forward facing 
position while driving. Do not operate the locking lever of the 
swivel seat while the vehicle is in mo
tion. 
To swivel the seat, move seat slightly for ward or open the door a crack.
 Then
 push 
down the locking lever in
 front
 of the seat. 
The passenger seat can be turned
 180°
 to  the left
 (half
 circle). 
The driver's seat can be turned
 90°
 to the 
 right
 (quarter
 circle). 
The seats will lock automatically at
 every 
 turn. 
22
 "where applicable 
 
 
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 
=ailure
 of one
 brake
 circuit 
 I the brake pedal travel should suddenly 
 icrease,
 one of the brake circuits may 
_ave
 failed. Should this happen, you will 
m able to bring your vehicle safely to a 
s:op,
 however, you will have to push hard
er on the brake pedal and it will take a  onger distance to stop the vehicle.
 Con
tact your Volkswagen dealership for as
 sistance. 
Brake
 wear 
~he brakes on our automobiles are still  subject to wear depending largely on operating conditions and driving habits. On ve
hicles
 which are driven mostly in stop-and-
50 city
 traffic
 or which are driven hard, the 
crake linings should be checked by your 
Volkswagen
 dealer more often than 
 specified
 in the Maintenance brochure. 
Front
 spoiler 
If you
 install
 a
 front
 spoiler on
 your
 vehi
cle, be
 sure
 the air
 flow
 to the
 front 
brakes
 is not
 obstructed,
 otherwise
 the 
brake
 system
 could
 overheat. 
 Parking
 brake
 lever 
The parking brake lever is located  between the
 front
 seats. 
• To set the parking brake, pull the lever 
until
 strong resistance is
 felt.
 The parking 
brake must be pulled up all the way so
 that 
the vehicle cannot be moved. When the ig nition is on, the brake warning
 light
 will 
light
 up. 
• Depress brake pedal and hold while re
leasing
 parking brake. To release the park
ing brake, pull the lever slightly up, de
press
 the release
 button
 (arrow), and then 
push the lever all the way down. When the  parking brake is fully released, the brake 
warning
 light
 will go out. 
 WARNING 
•
 Release
 the
 parking
 brake
 fully.
 A 
partially
 engaged
 brake
 will
 overheat 
the
 rear
 brakes,
 reduce
 their
 effective
 ness and cause excessive
 wear. 
•
 Always
 set the
 parking
 brake
 when 
parking
 your
 vehicle.
 Move
 the
 selector 
 lever
 to "P"
 (Automatic
 transmission) 
or
 move
 the
 gearshift
 lever
 to "R" or  "1"
 (Manual
 transmission).
 On
 hills 
also
 turn
 the
 wheels
 toward
 the curb. 
31 
 
 
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 
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION* 
p R 
 f 
N  d 
D 
2 
 f 
1  :'B33-395 
Selector lever positions 
WARNING Apply foot brake when engaging Drive or Reverse. 
P - Park 
Engage Park only when the vehicle is
 sta
nnary. Therefore, when parking your  .snide, apply the parking brake first, and 
:nen move the selector lever completely to  cosition P. To do this depress the but
ton in the handle of the selector lever  and push it through R to P. The transmis-s on is then mechanically locked. 
Depending on the model, your vehicle 
~iay be equipped with an Automatic Shift  _ock (ASL). To move the shift lever from 
re
 P-Park
 position to any other position, 
".vhere applicable  you must depress both the brake pedal 
and the button into handle of the selector lever. 
Shift out of the Park position, before re leasing the parking brake. 
When the vehicle is parked on a steep
 hill, 
 shifting out of Park may be a little harder. 
This is due to the vehicle's weight exerted  on the transmission. 
Warning buzzer 
A warning buzzer will sound when you  open the driver's door with the selector lever left in any other but
 P-Park
 position. 
The warning buzzer will go off as soon as  the selector lever is moved to the
 P-Park 
 position. 
R - Reverse 
Reverse should be selected only when the 
vehicle has come to a full stop and the en
gine is running at idle speed. 
Before you move the selector lever to the 
reverse position you have to depress the 
push button in the handle of the selector 
lever. 
N - Neutral 
Shift to this position for standing with 
brakes applied.  Depending on the model, your vehicle 
may be equipped with an Automatic Shift 
Lock (ASL). To move the shift lever from 
the N-Neutral position to any other
 posi
tion at speeds below 3 mph (5 km/h) or  when the vehicle is stationary, you must 
depress both the brake pedal and the button into handle of the selector lever. 
Do not use Neutral for coasting downhill. 
Coasting downhill with the transmission  in Neutral and the engine not operating 
will result in damage to the Automatic 
transmission. 
D - Normal driving position 
Position D is for normal city and highway 
driving.
 It ranges from zero to top speed,  and all three gears shift automatically, 
depending on engine load and driving 
speed. 
2 - Position for hilly stretches 
This position is to be used for mountain  driving or slow driving, and also when you 
want to make use of the engine's braking  effect. In "2", only the first and second 
gears will engage automatically. 
The road speed must not exceed 54 mph  or 87 km/h. Therefore, only shift down into position "2" when vehicle speed is 
below this speed. It is not necessary to let 
up on the accelerator. 35 
 
 
 
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 
1 - Position for steep hills 
This
 position is to be
 used
 for mountain 
 driving
 or
 slow
 driving.
 It
 also
 provides
 for 
maximum
 engine
 braking effect. To 
engage this gear depress the push but
ton in the handle of the selector lever 
first. In "1" the
 transmission
 will
 stay
 in first 
 gear
 and will not upshift. 
The road speed must not exceed 33 mph 
 or
 53 km/h. Only shift down into "1" 
when the speed is below this speeds. 
WARNING 
Do
 not shift to a lower driving position 
until vehicle speed has dropped below 
the specified limits otherwise engine 
 speed
 will
 suddenly increase and may 
cause
 engine damage and
 loss
 of 
vehicle control.  Driving the automatic transmission 
Starting the engine 
The
 selector
 lever
 must be in Neutral or  Park. If one of the driving
 positions
 is 
engaged
 a
 safety
 switch will prevent the 
 engine
 from
 being
 started. 
Emergency
 starting 
Your
 Volkswagen
 with
 Automatic
 Transmis
 sion
 cannot
 be started by
 pushing
 or tow
ing.
 If
 engine
 does
 not start
 because
 of
 dis
charged
 battery, the
 vehicle
 can be started 
with jumper
 cables.
 Refer
 to
 "Emergency 
starting
 with jumper
 cables".
 Should
 the 
engine
 fail to start
 consult
 your
 nearest 
Volkswagen
 dealer. 
 Selecting
 a driving position 
WARNING 
•
 Apply the foot brake before select
ing a driving position when the vehicle 
is
 stationary. 
When the selector lever is in a driving 
 position,
 the vehicle may creep even at 
idle speed. Therefore, do not release 
the parking brake or foot brake until 
you
 are ready to move, because power 
 is
 transmitted to the wheels as soon as 
a driving position is engaged. 
•
 Do not accelerate
 while
 selecting 
a driving position. At this
 time
 the en
gine must run at idle speed so
 that
 no  undue stress
 will
 be placed on the auto
matic clutches in the transmission. 
•
 Never have any position engaged 
when checking in the engine compart ment. Make sure the selector lever is 
securely
 locked into the P position
 with 
the parking brake firmly set. Otherwise,  any increase in engine speed may set 
the vehicle in motion, even
 with
 the parking brake applied. 
 
 
 
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 
•
 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 
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