
Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine 
CONTROLS
 AND
 EQUIPMENT 
Brake
 booster 
The brake booster works
 only
 when
 the  engine is running. 
WARNING 
When the vehicle is moving while the  engine is not running, more force on 
the brake pedal is required to bring the 
vehicle to
 a
 stop.  Conditions affecting braking 
efficiency 
Moisture or road salt 
WARNING 
•
 Under
 certain
 climatic
 and
 operating 
conditions such as passing
 through 
water, driving in
 heavy
 rain or after 
washing the vehicle the effectiveness  of the brakes can be reduced. In
 winter 
ice
 can accumulate on the brake pads, 
linings, discs and drums. Cautiously 
apply brakes for a test. Brakes will dry, 
 ice
 coatings will be cleaned off after a 
few cautious brake applications. 
• Driving for an extended period of 
time
 on salt covered roads
 without 
 using
 your
 brakes can also affect brak
ing
 efficiency. The accumulated salt 
coating
 must be cleaned off the brake 
discs
 and brake pads be
 a
 few cautious  brake applications. 
• Do not "ride the brakes" by resting 
your
 foot
 on the pedal
 when
 not in
tending to brake.
 This
 may cause the  brakes to overheat, premature wear 
and increased stopping distance.  • Before descending
 a
 steep grade, re
duce speed and shift transmission into 
a
 lower
 gear or
 lower
 driving position to  control speed. Do not
 ride
 the
 brakes or hold the pedal
 down
 too long, or too 
often.
 This
 could cause the brakes to  get hot
 and
 diminish
 braking efficiency. 
New brake pads or linings  • 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 compensate for this  by applying more pressure on the brake 
pedal.
 This
 also applies later
 when
 new 
pads or linings are installed. 
Brake
 fluid level  • If the brake fluid level is too low, 
malfunctions or
 even
 a failure in the brake 
system could result.
 Therefore,
 it is  important to check
 your
 brake fluid level 
regularly. See page 108 for more details. 
Low brake fluid is indicated by the brake 
warning light (see page 43). 
 
 
 
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![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. 
 
 
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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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