1997 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF Owners Manual

The best time to check the engine is warm .
To get a true reading , the be
on
After turning off the engine , wait a few minutes for the to return to the
Reinsert dipstick ; push it
d ipstick out again and read the
Make sure that the dipstick is pushed in
ma rkings. The the goes down to the mark, you must add Do not exceed the marking.
Adding engine
Unscrew the cap from the head
cove r and add a quart with the dips tick, (see lus tration).
The
must never be above the mark. Otherwise
with a burn in the converter and cause age.
which is a fire hazard.
screw the cap back on and dipst ick ou t when the engine is running.

Changing the engine
The mu st be changed according
to the spe cifie d in your Mainte­
nance
This is very important because the in g properties of diminish dur­
ing
you drive short distances , or if you
operate the in dusty areas or under
freezi ng for exte nded periods , the en gine be ch anged more
Detergen t addit ives in the make fresh dark after the engine has been run­
ning for a short time. Th is is and there
is no reason to change the
Drain the into a container that designed for this purpose, one that is enough to at the
the engine down to the touch.
When removing the with your fingers, stay as far away as
from running down your arm.
Engine is poisonous. Keep it
Continuous contact with used engine to your skin.
with soap and water .
Before changing your oil, first make
you know where you can prop­erly dispose of the old oil.
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 .
Because
of the problem of proper dis­posal, along with the special tools and necessary expertise required, we strong­ly recommend that you have your oil changed by an authorized Volkswagen
dealer or a qualified workshop .
131

in the engine
compartment in front of the battery.
The power steering is
No. G
in the reservoir is im por ­
tan t for th e proper functioning of pow er
steering .
in straight-a head position , the
They
are
on the exterior of the reservo ir tion)
on the dipstick, which is attached to the
cap .
The
b e between the and marki ngs. the marking , ha ve the
power steering system inspected by your
autho rized
is not suffi ­
cien t to just add
Note
the func­tions as a serious dam age to the pump and other components of the
system ifthere is in sufficient
Be sure not to confuse brake fluid and the wrong
or if the engine is not running (for ex­
to steer the however , more effort be required.

[
system
The system is and requ ires
sy stem has been at the
f ac tory with a permanent which
does not need to be changed . The
for for Canadian T his mixture
the system from corrosion and and raises the point of the '
Do not reduce the concentrat ion of the wa ter. The additive proportion must be
at but not more than ant ifreeze and
heed on page 126 .
For year-round driving, antifreeze is added at
t h e factory for temperatures down to:
th.e approve d type of antifreeze , from your authorized swagen
Other types of antifreeze can above
of and therefore serious en­gine damage.
Checking the coolant level
The expans ion tank is in the engine compartmen t next to the front -see illustration.
you see or hear or escaping from the engme compartment. Wait

ant level.
134
The coolant level must be between the and marks when the engine is cold
and can be slightly above the mark if
the engine is warm.
The expansion tank in your vehicle is
equipped with an electric coolant level
checking device.
When the coolant level is too low, the
ing light (see page 67) will flash until the
coo lant level has been restored to normal.
Coolant losses may indica te a leak in the
cooling system. event of coolan t
losses , the cooling system should be
spected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer. is not suHicient merely to ad d coolant.
a sealed system , losses can only occu r if
the boiling point of the coolant is excee ded
as a resu lt of overheating.
Always heed
on page 126.
Adding
these steps.
Turn off the engine and it to
cool down. The cooling system is
under pressure.
Protect face, hands and arms by
covering the cap with a large , thick
rag to protect against escaping fluid
and steam.
Turn the cap slowly and very in a counter-clockwise
direction applying light,
downward pressure on the top of the
cap .
in an eme rgency , only water can be ed ,the correct ratio between wate r and
you have lost a considerable amount of
coolant, then you should add cold antifreeze
and cold water only when the engi ne is co ld .

Do not
it must be caught and
Transmission

Brake fluid
The brake fluid reservo ir is located in the en­
gi ne compa rtment o n th e left side .
136
----------------
Checking
The correct fluid level is importa nt for the
proper functioning of the brake system. The
fluid level
in the brake fluid reservoir should
always be between the and markings.
The fluid level may drop slightly
some
time due to the automatic adjustment of the
brake pads. This is no cause for alarm.
mark , the brake warning light come o n. Do not continue to operate the
v ehicle . The comp le te brake system shou ld
be thoroughly checked by an authoriz ed
Volk sw age n dea l
er or any other qualified
workshop and the cause corr ecte d.
The brake warning lamp lights up
to indicate
a low fluid leve l in the reservoir.
Use only 4 brake fluid that meets SAE specification J and conforms to Federal Motor Vehicle
Standard 116.
The brake
fluid must be new .
Do not add or mix
Brake fluid is poisonous. Therefore , it must only be stored in the closed original container out of the reach of children.
J

Changing brake fluid
Brake in the brake is too high, corrosion in the brake system
may after a pe riod of time. The point of the brake decrease
Therefore , the brake must be changed every 2 years.
Remember
that brake to the paint of your
dispo sal of brake fluid along with the
special tools required and the necessary
expertise , we recommend that you have your brake fluid changed by your
is changed in g a Maintenance Service.
on page 126.