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VEHICLE
 OPERATION 
In the
 driver's
 seat 
 •
 Check operation of horn. 
•
 Adjust seat for easy reach of controls. 
•
 Adjust head restraints to your
 size. 
•
 Adjust inside and outside rear view mir-
brs. 
•
 Use safety belts as directed. 
•
 Assure yourself
 that
 all passengers, 
especially
 children, are properly buckled  up. 
•
 Check operation of
 foot
 and parking 
orakes. 
•
 Check all warning and indicator lights 
v/hen starting the engine. 
•
 Do not leave vehicle idling unattended. 
•
 Lock all doors
 from
 inside to prevent in advertent opening of doors
 from
 inside 
and unwanted
 entry
 from
 outside.  On the
 road 
•
 Always drive defensively. Expect the 
unexpected. 
•
 Observe speed
 limits
 and obey road 
signs. 
•
 Use signals to indicate
 turns
 and lane 
changes. 
•
 Turn on headlights at dusk. 
•
 Always keep a safe distance
 from
 the 
vehicle in
 front
 of you, depending on
 traf
fic, road and weather conditions. 
•
 Reduce speed at
 night
 and during incle
ment weather. 
•
 If you smell gas fumes in the vehicle, 
drive
 with
 the windows open, but keep the  rear lid
 closed.
 Have the cause im
mediately located and corrected. 
•
 Make frequent rest stops, at least
 after 
every two hours of driving. 
•
 When
 tired
 pull off the road, stop and 
take a rest. Turn the engine off. Do not sit in  the vehicle
 with
 engine idling. Engine exhaust is dangerous if inhaled. 
 •
 When stopped or parked, always set 
the parking brake. Move the selector lever 
to "P" (Automatic transmission) or move 
the gearshift lever to reverse or
 first
 gear  (Manual transmission). When parking on 
hills,
 turn
 wheels
 toward
 the curb. 
•
 When stalled or stopped for repairs, 
move the vehicle well off the road. Turn on 
emergency flasher and use other warning 
devices
 to alert other motorists. Do not  park or operate the vehicle in areas where 
the hot exhaust system may come in
 con
tact
 with
 dry
 grass,
 brush, fuel spill or other  material which can cause a fire. 
•
 Make it a habit to have the engine oil 
checked
 with
 every fuel filling. 
 
 
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VEHICLE OPERATION 
OPERATE
 YOUR VEHICLE ECONOMICALLY AND
 MINIMIZE
 POLLUTION 
Your
 personal
 style
 of
 driving
 determines  your operating costs,
 exhaust
 emissions and noise levels. To obtain the best
 possi
ble fuel economy,
 minimize
 pollution
 and 
save
 wear and tear on the engine, brakes 
and tires, observe the following points: 
• Keep a
 light
 foot
 on the accelerator. 
• Drive smoothly, avoid abrupt changes 
in speed as much as possible. 
• Avoid jack rabbit starts and sudden 
stops. 
• Avoid unnecessary idling. Turn the 
engine off. 
• "Warm up" idling wastes gas. Start the 
engine
 just
 before you are ready to drive. 
Accelerate
 slowly and smoothly. 
• Do not drive longer than necessary in 
the lower gears. By upshifting early you 
 can
 economize on fuel consumption.  • Organize your trips to include in several 
errands. 
• Any additional weight carried in the 
vehicle reduces fuel economy. Always  keep cargo to a minimum and remove all 
unnecessary
 items. 
• Remove roof and ski racks when not in 
use. 
• All electrical consumers contribute to 
increased
 fuel consumption. Therefore, 
use
 fan, rear window defogger, etc., only 
when needed. 
• Check your vehicle's fuel consumption 
regularly. Keep a
 written
 tally sheet or use 
the
 trip
 odometer. Fuel consumption will 
vary
 with
 traffic, road and weather condi
tions. 
• Have your vehicle serviced by an 
Volkswagen
 dealer at the specified inter
 vals
 (see page 95 and your Maintenance brochure).  • Air cleaner should be inspected to 
assure
 proper engine "breathing". 
• Battery should be fully charged. 
• Wheels should be properly aligned. 
• Tires should be inflated to correct pres
sures.
 Check
 tire
 pressures regularly - at  least once a month. 
• The published ENVIRONMENTAL-
PROTECTION AGENCY (EPA) and Trans
port
 Canada
 mileage
 estimates
 may not 
agree
 with
 your
 actual
 highway
 mileage 
which
 will
 vary,
 depending
 upon
 vehicle 
 load
 and speed,
 road
 and
 weather
 condi
tions,
 trip
 length,
 etc. 
• Have the engine oil level checked
 with 
every fuel filling. Engine oil consumption 
 is
 normal but tends to be higher when the 
engine is new. The use of quality engine oil 
and a correct engine oil level are essential 
for vehicle performance and economical  operation at all times. 
72 
 
 
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VEHICLE OPERATION 
After driving over
 difficult
 terrain,
 espe
 cially through water or mud, the following 
is
 important: 
• Disengage the differential lock*. 
• After long drives through deep mud, the 
brakes must be checked and cleaned if 
they are
 dirty.
 This will prevent damage to 
the brakes and premature wear. 
• After driving through deep water, take 
out oil dipstick and check to see whether 
there are drops of water on the dipstick or  if the oil level has risen. In
 that
 case,
 the oil 
must be changed immediately. 
• If during an off-road drive the vehicle 
has
 become stuck (dug its way
 into
 the 
ground) or the underside was stuck by 
 rocks
 or similar, check undercarriage, 
brake lines and oil pan for damage.  • The engine compartment and vehicle 
underbody must be cleaned if they are 
very
 dirty
 so
 that
 the function of all mova ble and electrical/electronic parts is main
tained. 
•
 Clean
 heavy soil from wheels and tires, 
check
 tires for damage or foreign objects  in treads. 
•
 Clean
 turn
 signals, lights and license 
plate. 
• Dry brake system by driving a short dis
tance
 with
 brake pedal slightly depressed. 
This
 will help regaining normal braking ac
 tion
 and help prevent the possibility of the 
vehicle pulling to one side while braking. 
 Performance
 testing 
If the
 Vanagon/Transporter
 Syncro re
quires
 testing
 on a
 dynamometer
 (en
gine
 output
 analysis and
 brake
 test)
 the 
transaxle
 drive
 shaft
 must
 be discon nected. 
The
 differential
 lock
 must
 not be en gaged. 
84 "where applicable 
 
 
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AINTENANCE 
VEHICLE CARE 
Ibur
 vehicle has been designed to help  «eep maintenance requirements to a mini--jm. However, a certain amount of regu
lar maintenance is still necessary to as s-re your vehicle's safety, economy and re- ability. 
Maintenance
 Service is
 required
 every 
12
 months
 or
 every
 15,000
 miles
 (24,000 
kilometers),
 whichever occurs
 first. 
I addition, it is necessary to perform an oil 
nange
 6 months after each Maintenance 
Service,
 or after each 7,500 miles (12,000 
•: (ometers) whichever occurs
 first. 
"he
 first
 oil change must be performed 6  ~ionths after the delivery of the vehicle or 
after 7,500 miles (12,000 kilometers). 
 Under
 difficult
 operating
 conditions, for 
example
 at extreme low outside tempera
tures or in very dusty regions, etc., some 
 service
 work should be performed bet
ween the intervals specified. 
This
 applies particularly to:  • oil changes, and 
• cleaning or replacing the air
 filter. 
The
 maintenance work should be per formed by Volkswagen dealers because 
they have the expertise, the workshop  facilities and the special tools required.  It is important
 that
 this work is per
formed according to the manufacturer's  instructions. 
Proof
 of servicing in accordance
 with
 the 
maintenance schedule may be a condition 
for upholding a possible warranty claim 
 made
 within the warranty period. 
 Safety
 and
 environmental
 concerns 
place
 very strict limits on the nature of re
pairs
 and adjustment on engine and trans
 mission
 parts which an owner can per
form.
 Tampering
 with
 safety-related
 parts 
 can
 endanger
 you as
 well
 as
 other 
motorists. 
Always
 observe environmental regula tions when disposing of old engine oil, 
 used
 brake fluid,
 dirty
 engine coolant, 
spent batteries or worn out tires. 
95 
 
 
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[
 VEHICLE
 CARE 
LUBRICANTS  I 
Climate  Tropical 
 40' 
30-
20- 10-
 0-
10' 
20 
30' 
 Single grade oil 
Multi grade oil 
Gasoline Engines
 |B25-565/21 
Engine 
Your engine was factory filled with an all- season high quality engine oil. If you need 
to add oil between oil changes use any high quality petroleum or synthetic based 
oil with correct specifications. 
The following term must appear on the oil  container singly or in combination with 
other designations: "API Service SF or 
SG". 
Engine oils are graded according to their 
viscosity. The proper grade to be used in  your engine depends on existing climatic 
or seasonal conditions.  Refer to the temperature chart when 
selecting engine oil. As temperature  ranges of the different oil grades overlap, 
brief variations in outside temperatures 
are no cause for alarm. It is also permissi ble to mix oil of different viscosities if you 
find it necessary to add oil. 
When using SAE 10 W or SAE 5 W-20 or  SAE 5 W-30 engine oil, avoid high speed 
long distance driving if outside tempera
ture rises above the indicated limits. 
Engine Oil Identification Symbol 
Select an oil for your vehicle which
 con
forms to the standards of the American Pe
troleum Institute (API). A symbol has been  added to the top of some oil containers to help in selecting the correct oil. 
-l  -l 
/ / SAE '. j  -2 
t—i iow-3o jji  -3 
1B25-
 532 
98  (1) The top portion indicates the oil quality 
by API designations. 
(2) The center portion shows the SAE oil 
viscosity grade. 
(3) The lower portion indicates that the oil 
has fuel saving capabilities.  Transmission 
Manual transmission: Hypoid oil SAE 80 (Mil-L-2105 or 
API/GL4). 
Automatic transmission: 
ATF Dexron® or Dexron II® for torque cor 
verter and hypoid oil SAE 90 (Mil-L-2105
 E 
orAPI/GL5) for final drive. 
Front axle differential (Syncro only) 
Hypoid oil SAE 80 (Mil-L 2105 B M 
API/GL 4) or synthetic transmission oi 
 G50,
 SAE75W-90. 
The lubricant used does not have to be 
 changed. 
Should the need arise to add oil, it shoulc 
only be done with the necessary workshop  equipment. 
Power steering 
ATF Dexron® 
Lubricant additives 
Volkswagen does not recommend the  use of oil additives. It may adversely af
fect your warranty. 
 
 
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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 
ENGINE OIL FILTER 
: he oil
 filter
 should be changed at the inter-
,als
 listed in your Maintenance booklet. 
• Remove old oil
 filter
 element and dis
card. 
• Use
 only
 Oil
 filter
 part
 No.: 
070115561
 as
 otherwise
 engine
 damage 
can occur. 
• Lightly coat seal of new
 filter
 element 
with
 oil.  • Screw on
 filter
 element and hand-
tighten according to manufacturer's  instructions on the carton or on the
 filter 
element. 
• Fill engine
 with
 appropriate amount of 
engine oil. 
• Run engine at various speeds for three 
to five minutes and check for leaks. 
• Check dipstick for correct oil level, top 
up if necessary. 
Always
 heed
 WARNINGS
 on
 page
 96 and 97.  101 
 
 
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VEHICLE CARE 
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID / MANUAL TRANSMISSION OIL 
Automatic Transmission Fluid 
The torque converter and the transmis
sion are lubricated with Automatic Trans mission Fluid (ATF). 
The final drive requires hypoid oil SAE 90, 
which does not have to be changed. 
Checking the ATF level 
The ATF has to be checked at frequent  intervals, for instance, when the engine 
oil is being checked or at least at the  intervals specified in your Maintenance 
booklet. 
Always heed WARNINGS on page 97.  A correct ATF level is very important for 
transmission operation. 
To obtain an accurate reading, the 
vehicle must be on level ground, and the 
fluid must have reached operating
 tem
perature. Normally, after a cold-start the 
fluid will reach operating temperature  when the vehicle has been driven for ab
out 6 miles or 10 km. If the ATF is too cool 
or too hot, the fluid level reading will be inaccurate. 
WARNING Before checking the ATF, the selector 
lever must be securely locked in the  Park position and the parking brake ap
plied firmly. 
Checking the ATF level is potentially  hazardous because the hot engine has 
to be running during the check. Do not 
attempt to check the ATF before read ing all WARNINGS on page 97. 
The ATF filler neck is in the engine com- partement on the left hand side. The dip
stick is attached to the
 plug.
 Pull it out 
and wipe clean first before inserting it to 
take a reading.  The Automatic transmission may be da
maged by even a tiny speck of dirt. 
Only use lint free rags to wipe the dip
stick. 
To get a true reading, the ATF must be at  operating temperature. 
You have enough ATF if the fluid level is  between the two marks on the dipstick. I: 
should never be above or below these  marks. If level is too high or too low do not 
just add or drain ATF. Have your dealer  check and correct the cause as soon as possible. 
For correct ATF specifications, see "Lub
ricants" on page 85. 
Changing the ATF 
The ATF has to be changed at the inter vals specified in your Maintenance booklet. 
Do not tow the vehicle or run the engine 
without ATF in the transmission. 
Manual Transmisson Oil Both transmission and final drive are 
combined in one housing. The lubrican:  used is hypoid oil which does not have tc 
be checked or changed. If you shoulc 
suspect a leak, contact your VW dealer. 
 
 
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