1990 VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER four wheel drive

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VEHICLE
OPERATION

IVING
YOUR
SYNCRO

me Vanagon/Transporter Syncro is
quipped
with
a new type of four-wheel :'>/e system, very much
different
from

rcnventional systems
that
have to be man- -=i!y engaged when needed. The
Vol­

kswagen all wheel drive system is always

e-gaged.
Only the amount of power being
-ansmitted to the
front
and rear wheels
:~anges
according to requirements.

Cue
to this extraordinary drive concept,

:~e
Syncro is a very efficient road vehicle I
nich
has a wide variety of
uses
and appli-
:ations. It has proved its virtues in poor Bather and road conditions and
posses­

ses
limited off-road capabilities.
This
chapter is provided to help you to
sen­

sibly and safely use the superior driving
characteristics of the Vanagon Syncro to
their best advantage. It also contains tech­
nical
information and operating instruc­
tions to the extent
that
these vary
from

those applicable to the conventional
Vana­

gon or Transporter.

Be
sure to carefully read this chapter be­
fore starting to drive your Syncro so
that

you
will
become thoroughly familiar
with
its features and be able to operate it cor­
rectly and safely. Always heed the warn­
ings and other instructions contained in
this chapter and in your Owner's
Manual.
Because
the Vanagon/Transporter Syncro

is
not an off-road or all terrain vehicle, this
chapter does not contain all of the informa­

tion
required to operate such a vehicle under all types of off-road or weather
con­

ditions.

Above
all use common
sense.
Do not let the excellent traction of your Vanagon/
Transporter Syncro lead you to under­ estimate the difficulties and risks involved in driving on wet, slippery and rough road

surfaces.
Always drive defensively and
adapt vehicle operation and driving speed
to road,
traffic
and weather conditions.


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VEHICLE
OPERATION

The
function
of the
all-wheel
drive
and how it
works

In contrast to conventional four wheel
drive systems
that
require transmissions
to be manually engaged when needed,
the Vanagon/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 automatic distribution of power is
accomplished
through a
fluid
shear
cou­

pling (viscous coupling)
that
is
part
of the

front
axle. The design of the viscous
cou­
pling keeps driving force losses to a mini­
mum while distributing the forward
thrust

to all four wheels when needed. When the going gets rough, especially
when wet, slippery or snow covered roads

cause
the rear or
front
wheels to slip, the

viscous
coupling automatically transfers driving force to the other wheels to help
you keep moving.
The distribution of drive forces allows the
Syncro
to adapt to changing road surfaces
and provide increased traction automati­

cally.
The Syncro driver is therefore able to

fully
concentrate on the road and
traffic

conditions.
This
extraordinary drivetrain concep:

makes
the Vanagon/Transporter Syncrc
an extremely efficient road vehicle suit­
able for a wide variety of uses and applica­
tions. While it has proved is ability to han­
dle poor weather and road conditions anc
has
limited off-road capabilities, re­
member your Vanagon/Transporter
Syn­

cro is not an off-road or all-terrain vehicle.
76


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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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-
VEHICLE
OPERATION

Driving on dry roads

Attention

"his
is an
all-wheel drive multipurpose
rassenger
vehicle which
will
handle
and

maneuver
differently
from
an ordinary
pas­

senger
car in driving conditions which may

occur
on
streets
and
highways
and off-

'oad.
As
with
other vehicles
of
this type,
if

you make sharp turns
or
abrupt maneu­

vers,
the
vehicle
may
roll over
or
may
go
kit
of
control and
crash.
You should read
:he driving guidelines
and
instructions
in

the Owner's
Manual.
The
driver
and all
oassengers
should wear safety belts
at all

times.

Do
not
engage
the
differential lock on nor­
mal
dry
roads
as it
will
not
provide any ad­
vantage. Under these circumstances,
an
engaged differential lock
will
impair the ve-
nicle's
maneuverability and
will
cause
ex­

cessive
tire
wear.
Driving on wet, slippery roads

Due
to the
all-wheel drive,
the
engine
power
is
transmitted evenly
to a
moder­
ately slippery road surface.
On
wet surface

As
with
any
other vehicle, excessive driv­ ing speed on very wet roads can cause hy­
droplaning
and
loss
of
vehicle control.
Therefore, slow down.
The
differential lock* must
not be
engaged.

Important
instructions
on
the
differential

locks
are to be found on page
33/34.

On
slippery surfaces

On
slippery surfaces the rear axle differen­

tial
lock may only be engaged when
start­
ing
from
a
standstill
or at
very low
speeds.

When
the
road surface has improved
the
lock should
be
disengaged again. On
snow covered surfaces

On
a
snow covered road, maintain traction by making gradual changes
in
speed
or
di­
rection. Avoid sudden maneuvers. Be alert
to problems other drivers around you may be having which could create
a
hazardous
situation
for
you.
In heavy snow, maintaining reasonable
momentum
is
important
for
safe vehicle
operation. Try
to
keep moving
by
using
the
L-gear and
a
steady accelerator pedal
at

low
speed.

WARNING
•
Always
maintain
a safe driving

speed,
especially
when
road and

weather
conditions are poor.

•
Excessive
driving speed on very wet
roads can cause hydroplaning and

loss
of vehicle control.

•
Always avoid forceful and
abrupt

braking action.
You
could block all four
wheels simultaneously and lose
con­

trol
of the vehicle.

•
The braking capability of your Vana-
gon/Transporter Syncro is
greatly
de­
pendent on the
traction
of your tires.

'where applicable 79


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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

WARNING

The
traction
grade
is based on
brak­
ing
(straightahead)
traction
tests
and
does not
include
cornering
(turning)

traction.

Temperature
A, B, C
The temperature grades A (the highest), B and C, represent the tire's resistance to the
generation of heat. Sustained high tem­peratures can reduce
tire
life, and lead to
sudden
tire
failure. Grade C corresponds
to a performance which all passenger car
tires must meet under the Federal Motor

Vehicle
Safety Standard No. 109.
Grades
B
and A represent higher levels than the minimum required by law.

WARNING

The
temperature
grade
for
this
tire
is
established
for a
tire
that
is
properly
inflated
and not
overloaded.
Excessive
speed,
underinflation,
or excessive loading,
either
separately
or in combi­

nation,
can cause
heat
buildup,
possi­
ble
tire
failure,
loss of
control
and
per­

sonal
injury.
Snow
tires

The tires for your vehicle were selected for optimal performance under normal driving
conditions.

For
winter driving, the roadability of your
vehicle can be improved by installing all
season
tires or radial snow tires (M + S)

with
or
without
studs1).
That applies also to the Syncro - see page 78.
When installing snow tires, please note the following:
• Only radial ply snow tires must be

installed.
Ask your Volkswagen dealer for
the recommended
tire
size.

• Snow tires should be mounted on all
four wheels.
• The
tire
pressures for snow tires are the

same
as for summer tires. However, do not

exceed
the maximum
tire
pressure listed
on the sidewalk
• Snow tires should have the same load
capacity as original equipment tires and
should be mounted on all four wheels. • Snow tires do not
fulfill
their purpose, if
the tread depth is
less
than
%2
in (4 mm).

WARNING
•
Tires
with
badly
worn
treads
and
studs are
very
dangerous.
Make
sure

they
are
replaced
immediately.

•
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.

• Snow tires
with
studs should be run at
moderate speeds when new in order to
give the studs time to settle.

Do
not drive a vehicle equipped
with
snow
tires at prolonged high
speed.
Snow tires
do not have the same degree of traction on
dry, wet or snowfree roads as a normal tire. Furthermore, snow tires wear rapidly
under these conditions.
• Where snow tires are compulsory on
certain roads, this also applies to vehicles

with
all-wheel-drive.
118 1)
Check
with
your local Motor Vehicle Bureau for

possible
restrictions.


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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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GAS
STATION
INFORMATION!

• Attach safety chains on axle platform -
not
around
brake
lines.
Towing clearance: four inches between
tires and road.
Towing speed/distance:
Automatic Transmission - 30 mph/ 30 miles (48 kmh/48 km).

Manual
Transmission - 50 mph/50 miles
(80 kmh/80 km).

|
B25-586

Rear
Hook-up
• Attach wheel
lift
equipment to wheels.
• Attach safety straps to wheels.
• Attach safety chains to trailing arms.
• Towing clearance: 6-12 inches
between tires and ground.
• Towing Speed/Miles: Automatic Transmission -30 mph/30 mi

Manual
Transmission -
50 mph/50 mi.
Vanagon
Syncro

Front
and
Rear
Hook-up

The Vanagon Syncro cannot be towed
with
conventional sling-type towing equip­ment nor
with
wheel
lift
equipment or
wheel dollies to avoid damage to the all-
wheel drive system. Use flat-bed tow truck
only.
139


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