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CONTROLS
 AND
 EQUIPMENT 
WARNING continned  •
 The
 engine compartment
 of any 
motor vehicle
 is a
 potentially hazard
ous
 area.
 Before you check anything  in the engine compartment, stop
 the 
engine and
 let it
 cool down. Always 
exercise extreme caution when work
 ing
 one the
 engine. Heed
 all of the 
WARNINGS on page
 97. 
Reduce the risk
 of
 scalding from
 hot 
coolant by following these steps. 
• If the coolant reservoir cap must be 
removed, wait until
 the
 engine
 has 
cooled down. 
• Protect face, hands
 and
 arms
 by 
covering
 the cap
 with
 a
 large, thick 
 rag
 to
 protect against escaping fluid 
and
 steam. 
• Carefully and slowly
 turn
 cap
 one 
turn
 to
 allow excess pressure
 to es
 cape before completely removing 
cap. 
•
 To
 help avoid being burned,
 do not 
spill
 antifreeze
 or
 coolant
 on the ex
haust system
 or hot
 engine parts. 
 Under
 some conditions, the ethylene 
glycol
 in
 engine coolant
 is
 combusti
 ble. 
 If a
 visual check shows that coolant level 
and V-belt
 are
 normal,
 but the
 warning  light continues to
 flash,
 contact
 your
 near
est dealer
 to
 have
 the
 cause located
 and 
corrected. 
For more details see "Cooling system"
 on 
page 104. 
If the
 coolant gauge needle nears
 the 
upper end
 of
 the scale and the engine ap
pears
 to be
 overheating,
 turn
 off the air 
conditioner. 
Do
 not
 install accessories
 (fog
 lights
 or
 in
sect screens,
 for
 example)
 on top of the 
front
 bumper.
 They
 may
 restrict engine 
 cooling. 
 5
 -
 Fuel gauge 
The needle
 in
 the fuel gauge will indicate  the fuel level
 in the
 tank shortly after
 the 
 ignition is switched on. 
The fuel tank capacity is
 16
 gal/60
 (syncro 
 18.5/70)
 liters. 
When
 the
 needle reaches the
 red
 area
 at 
 the bottom there
 is a
 reserve
 of
 about 2.6 U.S. gal.
 or
 10 liters
 of
 fuel left in the tank. 
Time to refuel. 
 
 
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CONTROLS AND
 EQUIPMENT 
Malfunctions 
if the
 unit
 does not
 operate 
• Outside temperatures may be below 
41° For + 5°C. 
• The air conditioner fuse may have blown. Turn the
 unit
 off and check fuse. 
See
 page 129 for use panel location. 
 General
 hints 
If
 water
 drips
 under
 the
 vehicle 
When outside temperature is high and the 
air very humid, condensed water can drip 
off the evaporator under the vehicle. This 
 is
 normal and does not indicate a leak. 
Payload
 reduction 
The weight of the air conditioner installed  in your vehicle reduces the vehicle's load 
carrying capacity. For weight information, 
see
 sticker on
 left
 doorjamb. 
Maintenance 
The condenser should be checked peri
odically for cleanliness. If clogged
 with 
dirt
 or insects, the condenser should be 
washed down
 with
 water. 
After the winter months and before ex
tended summer
 usage,
 the air conditioner  should be checked and, if necessary, ser
viced by your Volkswagen dealer. 
 
 
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CONTROLS AND EQUIPMENT 
Engine
 running 
Heater
 on -
Turn knob clockwise to position 2. Switch  knob control light will come on. Adjust 
temperature by turning knob between  positions 2 and 3. 
Heater
 off -
Turn switch knob counter-clockwise to  position 0. Switch knob control light will go 
out. 
 Notes 
• Every time the heater is switched off, 
the warm air and combustion air blowers  continue running briefly to cool the heater 
down quicker. 
• To avoid draining the battery, do not 
run the heater repeatedly when the engine 
is
 not running. 
• When the heater is running on the 
clockwork time switch, it must be switched 
off by hand before attempting to start the 
engine at low temperatures so
 that
 the 
full
 battery capacity is available to
 turn
 the 
 engine. 
WARNING 
Never
 start
 the
 heater
 or let the
 engine 
or the
 heater
 run in an enclosed, un-
ventilated
 area.
 Exhaust
 fumes
 from 
the
 engine
 or the
 heater
 contain
 carbon  monoxide,
 which
 is colorless and 
odorless. Carbon monoxide,
 however 
 is a
 very
 harmful
 gas, and may be
 fatal 
if inhaled. 
Due to the
 risk
 of
 fire
 the
 heater
 must 
not be used
 when
 vehicle
 is
 parked
 on 
dry grass, brush or leaves. 
 Maintenance 
During the winter and when driving over 
very poor roads, mud or snow may tend to 
accumulate
 in the exhaust and combus
tion air intake pipes. Have these pipes 
 checked
 for blockage from time to time so 
that
 the heater can continue to work. 
58 
 
 
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CONTROLS
 AND
 EQUIPMENT 
ROOF RACK  3REAK-
If a roof rack should be installed, note the 
following: 
• Use only roof racks which attach to the 
rain gutters. 
• Always distribute loads evenly. 
• Never exceed the vehicle's
 total
 load 
carrying capacity. See page 150 for de
tails. 
• When transporting maximum permis
sible
 loads, large or bulky items, or long, 
flat
 shaped objects, bear in mind
 that
 they 
will
 influence the vehicle's aerodynamics, 
center of gravity and overall handling. To 
counterbalance these influences, adjust  steering habits and driving speed accord
ingly. 
• When the roof rack is not in use, 
remove the roof rack to reduce wind 
noise,
 improve on fuel consumption and 
to guard against
 theft. 
68 
 
 
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VEHICLE CARE 
=UELTANK 
|he fuel filler neck is located above the  -gnt
 front
 wheel. Syncro model: above the 
-;nt rear wheel. 
mm key A (see page 7) is used for the lock-
 acle
 tank cap. The syncro model has a separate key for the lockable tank cap. 
capacity of the tank is 16.0 gal/60 
:ers
 (Reserve is 2.5 gal/10 liters of
 total 
rapacity). 
5/ncro model: 18.5 gal/70 liters (Reserve 
2
 5 gal/10 liters of
 total
 capacity).  Trouble-free refueling depends on the cor
rect use of the filler nozzle. 
Always
 insert the nozzle fully
 into
 the fuel  filler neck, to completely open the spring-loaded flap located
 just
 below the filler 
neck opening. Make sure the filler nozzle 
is
 not tilted. 
Do
 not
 fill
 the fuel tank too quickly, other
wise the fuel may foam up and cause the 
 nozzle
 to switch off too
 soon. 
As
 soon as the nozzle switches off auto matically for the
 first
 time, the tank is full. 
Do
 not try to add more fuel, because the 
expansion
 space in the fuel tank will be 
filled - the fuel can then overflow when it 
 becomes
 warm. 
 WARNING 
Never
 carry
 additional
 fuel
 containers 
in
 your
 vehicle.
 Such
 containers,
 full
 or 
empty,
 may
 leak,
 cause an explosion, 
or
 result
 in
 fire
 in case of a collision. 
85 
 
 
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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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Downloaded from www.Manualslib.com manuals search engine VEHICLE CARE 
• Switch on charger. 
• Charging
 rate
 not over 6 Amp. 
Vormally,
 a battery should be charged at 
rc more than 10 percent of its rated
 capa
city. 
For
 example, a charging current of 4.5 
Amp.
 would be used on a battery having 
• Ah. Rated capacity of the battery in  .our vehicle is listed on the battery 
"Dusing. 
• After charging,
 turn
 off charger and dis-
ronnect charger
 cables. 
To
 remove
 battery
 from
 vehicle  • Disconnect negative ground cable. 
• Disconnect positive cable. 
• Unscrew bolt of holding plate with open 
end
 wrench. 
To
 reinstall
 battery
 in vehicle  •
 Place
 battery in vehicle and tighten bolt 
of holding plate. 
• Reconnect positive cable.  • Reconnect negative ground cable. 
WARNING 
Do not
 reverse
 polarity. 
Cleaning
 terminals
 and 
connections 
 WARNING 
• Before
 work
 is done on the
 electrical 
system, disconnect the
 negative 
ground cable. 
•
 When
 working
 on the
 battery,
 be 
sure not to short circuit the
 terminals 
with
 tools or
 other
 metal
 objects. This 
would
 cause the
 battery
 to
 heat
 up
 very 
quickly,
 which
 could
 lead
 to
 damage
 or 
explosion and personal
 injury. 
The
 terminals and connections should be  kept clean and greased with silicone spray 
or
 petroleum jelly. Make sure the ground 
connection
 to the body is
 tight
 and free of 
corrosion. 
With
 a disconnected
 battery
 the
 engine 
 must
 not run because the
 electrical
 sys
tem
 will
 be damaged.  Replacing
 battery 
A
 replacement battery must have the 
 same
 specifications and dimensions as 
the original equipment battery.
 Specifica
tions are listed on the battery housing. 
Make
 sure the replacement battery is in
stalled
 correctly and securely. See "Re moving and reinstalling battery". 
Always heed
 WARNINGS
 on
 page
 97. 
 
 
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