1996 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF brakes

AND
case one of the two brake circuits fails,
increased brake pedal travel is required to
bring the vehicle
to a
You shoul d always be able to depress
the acce lerato r and the clutch pedals the
way down to the
use floor mats which the
The parking brake is located between
t he front seats.
up
tion is on, the brake warning light light up.
Depress brake pedal and whil e leasing parking brake. To release the ing brake , pull the lever slightly up, depress the release button (a rrow) , and then push the lever the way down . When the ing brake is released , the brake warning
light go out.
WARN ING
overheat
the rear brakes , reduce their effective ness an d cause excessiv e
wear .
(Automatic transmi ssion) or move the gearshift lever to or ( man ual transmission) . also turn the
w hee ls t oward th e curb.

Braking
General notes
automobiles are
still subject to wear depending largely on op­
erating conditions and driving habits. ve­hicles which are driven mostly in stop-and ­
go city traffic or which are driven hard, the brake linings should be checked by your au­
thorized authorized dealer
more often than specified in the Mainte­
nance booklet.
steep slopes you should use the
b raking effect of th e engine. T his way , you pr event wearing d ow n the brake s ystem . yo u must use your brakes , do not hold the brakes down contin uous ly. Pump the brakes in intervals.
Under certain conditions , for example,
when driving through water or a very heavy
rain , or even after washing your vehicle, the braking effect can be reduced due to the wet
brake pads or pads which are iced-up in the
winter. A few cautious brake applications
should dry off the brake pads or remove ice
coatings.
The effectiveness of the brakes can be reduced when the vehicle is driven on a salt ­
covered road and the brakes are not used.
Clean off accumulated
or if you sure the air
brake circuit impair the braking capability
resulting in an increased stopping distance .
Avoid driving the vehicle and have it towed to the nearest authorized
Volkswagen dealer or qualified
workshop.
Brake booster
WARNING
to a stop with
the engine shut off.
the brake booster is not working, for example when towing your vehicle, or because the brake booster
has somehow been damaged, the
brake pedal
must be pressed harder to make up for the missing effect of the brake booster.
Always heed

The contributes effectively to vehicle
control since it prevent s th e wheels from
locking when the brakes are applied. This
means
that the vehicle remains steerable and is less inclined to skid.
Note
You
don' t have to the brake . Just hold the brake pedal down.
How ever,
do not expect that the
stances. When driving on gravel or on newly
fallen snow on top of icy surfaces, braking
distance may be even longer, therefore,
portant that you drive slowly and with great
care.
How the system works
An automatic check is made when a speed
of approx. 4 mph (6 km/h) is reached. When
this happens a pumping noise can be heard.
an individual wheel begins to rotate too
s lowly in rela tion to vehicle speed and tend to lock, the aut omatically reduces
brake pressure to prevent that wheel from
l ocking. This
autom
atic adj ustment process will cause a slight vibration of the brake al and some noises to alert you that

Conditions affecting braking
efficiency
Moisture or road salt
WARNING
dry and ice coatings
Driving for an extended period of time on salt-covered roads without using your brakes can also affect
braking efficiency. Clean off accumulated salt coating from brake discs and pads with a few cautious
brake applications. Overheating
the brak es
WARNING
the brakes " by resting your foot on the pedal when you do not intend to brake. This may cause
the brakes to overheat , premature
wear and increased stopping distance .
Before descending a steep grade,
reduce speed and shift transmission into a lower gear or lower driving position. 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 .

you that your car
economy and performance.
towing not
hitch
Use a weight-carrying hitch conforming to
the gross
for your and se­to the body . mount check with the hitch manufac­
turer to make sure that you are using the cor­
rect hitch.
Do
not use a bumper hi tch.
The hitch must be installed in such a way
that it does not interfere with the impact-ab­
so rbing bum per system. No modif icat ions
fastened.
When you are not towing a
hitch
been do ne at
the factory. Otherwise , overheating may oc­
cur when the engine is working very hard
(mountain driving, high outside tempera­
ture). Ask your authorized authorized
swagen
brakes
your is equipped with a braki ng sys­
tem, check to be sur e that it conforms to
connected to the
use safety chains bet ween yo ur ve­an d
Trailer
must meet Do not co nnect th e
Mir rors
Check whether both sides of your can
be seen from the driver's seat.

Automatic car wash
The
paint is so that the can be was hed without
extent
on the design of the facility , the of the
wash water, the type of wash and care
etc. appearance
necessary use a ferent car wash.
Notes
ing the windows and power roof. The
moved .
you have ries on the
be removed.
Washing the by hand
In the interest of the environment , the vehicle should only be washed in special wash bays.
Firs t so ften the dirt with of water and
rin se off as
using a ferent sponge if possible.
After washing the
rinse thoroughly
with water and wipe it off.
Notes
Do not wash the
is rinsed with a ho se, do not
direct wa te r into th e
Moisture and ice on brakes may affect braking efficiency. Test the brakes carefully after each vehicle wash.
115

To preserve the decorative appearance of
the light aluminium cast, some special care
is necessary.
addition to road dirt and on
too b rake dust can cause pitting. Wash
the wheels with a spon ge or hose brush ev­
ery othe r week . Road should be re­
moved weekly with an acid free cleani ng
so lution . Eve ry thr ee months
(after reg ular
cleaning) the wheels should be coate d with
petroleum
remember
that moisture , lee and road on
brakes may affect braking efficiency.
Test the brakes
118
Care of interior
Use the same cleaning agents as for exteri­
or and polish dry.
Fabric
Use a vacuum or a soft bristle brush
to remove dust and dirt from carpeting,
up hol ster y, headliner and other trim. Dirt
stains can
be removed with a luke­
warm soapy water or clea ner
s olution , or a dry foam cleane r. For greasy,
a nd other stub born stains, use a spot re­
mover. Do not pour the liquid on the fabric.
Dampen a
and rub starting at the edge and working inward.
Use a damp or sponge to re­
move dust. For other use a lukewarm purpose cleaning solution or a saddle
soap for trim. Remo ve water spots and
soap traces with a clean , damp
soft to rub dry.
Grease , tar or
stain s can be remo ved with
a or sponge soaked with pur­
pose
age nt.
or leath ­
er preservative to retai n the mate rial's lu ster and pli ab ility.
and care of