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Safety
Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Inspecting and replenishingEngine compartmentBonnet remote releaseBonnet remote release – Pull the unlocking lever below the
dash panel on the driver's side
⇒
fig. 148
.
The bonnet jumps out of its lock as a result of the spring force.
Note
Ensure that the windscreen wiper arms
are not folded out before opening the
bonnet otherwise damage coul
d occur to the paintwork.
Opening and closing the bonnet.Opening the bonnet – Unlock the bonnet
⇒
fig. 148
.
– Grip with the hand under the radiat
or grille and lift up the bonnet.
– Press the locking lever in direction of arrow
⇒
fig. 149
and lift up the
bonnet.
Fig. 148 Bonnet release lever
Fig. 149 Radiator grille: Locking leverFig. 150 Securing the bonnet with the bonnet support
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Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
remove any jewellery beforehand, tie up your hair and wear tight fitting clothing.
•
Please also comply with the warnin
g instructions stated below when
carrying out any essential work on the
fuel system or on
the electrical
system:
− Always separate the car batter
y from the electrical system.
− Do not smoke. − Never carry out any work close to naked flames. − Always keep a working fire extinguisher at hand.Caution
When replenishing fluids in the engine, al
ways ensure that the fluids are on no
account mixed up. This may result in ma
jor operating problems and also vehicle
damage!
Overview of the engine compartment The main inspection points.Fig. 151 1.6 ltr./75 kW petrol engine1.6 ltr./75 kW petrol engine
⇒fig. 151
Coolant expansion bottle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Reservoir for hydraulic liquid of power steering Windshield washer fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engine oil filler opening . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brake fluid reservoir . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Battery (below a cover) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Note
The location of the inspection points in
the engine compartment of petrol and
diesel engines is practically identical.
WARNING (continued)
A1
165
A2A3
172
A4
163
A5
163
A6
167
A7
168
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Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Check engine oil level The dipstick indicates the level of oil in the engine.Checking the oil level – Ensure that the vehicle is positioned on a level surface. – Switch the engine off.– Open the bonnet
⇒
in “Working in the engine compartment” on
page 160.
– Wait a few minutes and pull out the oil dipstick . – Wipe off the dipstick with a clea
n cloth and insert it again fully.
– Then withdraw the dipstick ag
ain and read off the oil level.
Oil level within range – You must
not
top up the oil.
Oil level within range – You
may
top up the oil. It is possible that the oil level may then be
within range after doing this.
Oil level within range –You
must
top up the oil
⇒
page 163. It is sufficient, once this is done,
to keep the oil level within range .
It is normal for the engine to consume oi
l. The oil consumption may be as much as
0.5 l/1 000 km depending on your style of driving and the conditions under which you operate your vehicle. The oil consumpt
ion may be slightly higher than this
during the first 5 000 kilometres. One should therefore check the oil level at regular intervals, preferably every time after the fuel tank is filled or after driving for long stretches. We recommend maintaining the oil level within the range if the engine has been operating at high loads, for example during a lengthy motorway trip during the summer months, towing a trailer or
negotiating a high mountain pass,
but not
above this
.
The warning light in the instrument cluster
will indicate whether the oil level is too
low
⇒page 31. In this case, check the oil level
as soon as possible. Top up with an
appropriate quantity of oil.
Caution
•
The oil level must on no account ex
tend beyond the range . Danger of
damaging the cata
lytic converter.
•
Do not continue your journey
if for some reason it is not possible under the
conditions prev
ailing to top up with oil.
Switch the engine off
and obtain profes-
sional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe engine damage.Replenishing engine oil– Inspecting the engine oil level
⇒
page 163.
– Unscrew the cap of the engine oil filler opening
⇒
fig. 152
.
– Pour in a suitable grade of oil in portions of 0.5 litres
⇒
page 162,
“Engine oil specifications”.
Fig. 152 DipstickA1
AaAb
Aa
Ac
Ab
Aa
Aa
A2
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Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Check hydraulic oil The hydraulic system of the power steering is filled with the hydraulic oil designated in the catalogue as G 002 000. Perform the inspection of the hydraulic oil level when the engine is cold and not running. The hydraulic oil level must be between the “MIN” and “MAX” markings ⇒ page 164, fig. 153
. If the level drops below the mark
ing “MIN”, it is necessary that
the power steering is checked by a specialist
garage. It is not sufficient to solely refill
with hydraulic oil.
Note
If the engine is not running (when towing) or
if the V-ribbed belt is torn, the power
steering does not operate. The vehicle is fully steerable however. There is however increased force required to turn the steering wheel.Cooling systemCoolant The job of the coolant is to cool the engine.The cooling system does not require an
y maintenance under normal operating
conditions. The coolant consists of water
with a concentration of coolant additive
of 40 %. This mixture not only provides
antifreeze protection down to -25°C but
also protects the cooling and heating system from corrosion. It also prevents the formation of scale and significantly increases the boiling point of the coolant. You must therefore not reduce the concentr
ation of antifreeze agent in the coolant
by adding water, also not during the summ
er months or in countries with a warm
climate.
The concentration of coolant additive in the coolant must be at least
40%. You can increase the amount of antifreeze
in the coolant if a higher concentration
of antifreeze is necessary for climatic
reasons but only up to 60% (antifreeze
protection down to approx. -40°C). The an
tifreeze protection tails off above that
concentration.
Vehicles exported to countries with a co
ld climate (e.g. Sweden, Norway, Finland)
are already factory-filled with a coolant which offers antifreeze protection down to about -35°C. In these countries the concentr
ation of coolant additive should be at
least 50 %. Coolant The cooling system is factory-filled with
coolant (purple in colour), which complies
with the specification TL-VW 774 G. We recommend that you use the same c
oolant additive - G12 PLUS-PLUS (purple
in colour) for topping up the system. Please contact a specialist garage if you have any questions regarding the coolant or if you wish to fill up with a different coolant. A specialist garage can also supply
you with the correct coolant additives.
Caution
•
Other coolant additives may cause operational problems which, in partic-
ular, involves significantly reducing the anticorrosion effect.•
Any faults or problems resulting from corrosion may cause a loss of
coolant and, as a consequence of th
is, result in major engine damage.
Inspecting the coolant level
Fig. 154 Engine compart- ment: Coolant expansion bottle
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Technical Data
•
You should also consult a doctor without delay if you have inadvertently
swallowed coolant.
Caution
Do not continue your journey if for some reason it is not possible under the conditions prevailing to top up with coolant. Switch the engine off
and obtain
professional assistance from a specialist garage, otherwise it could lead to severe engine damage.
For the sake of the environment
Do not re-use coolant if it is necessary to
drain the coolant in the system. It should
be collected and disposed of in comp
liance with environmental protection
regulations.Radiator fan The radiator fan may switch on suddenly.The radiator fan is driven by an electr
ic motor and controlled according to the
coolant temperature. The radiator fan may continue running fo
r up to 10 minutes after the engine has
been switched off - even if
the ignition is also off. It
may also switch on suddenly
after a certain time, if•
the coolant temperature has risen beca
use of an accumulation of heat or
•
the warm engine compartment is heated
up additionally by
strong sunlight.
WARNING
You must therefore be aware when work
ing in the engine compartment that
the fan may switch on suddenly - risk of injury!
Brake fluidInspecting the brake fluid levelThe brake fluid reservoir is located on the left of the engine compartment. The brake fluid reservoir on right-hand steering models is positioned on the other side of the engine compartment. – Switch the engine off.– Open the bonnet
⇒
in “Working in the engine compartment” on
page 160.
– Inspect the brake fluid level in the reservoir
⇒
fig. 155
. The level must
be between the “MIN” and “MAX” markings.
A slight drop in the fluid level results when driving due to normal wear-and-tear and automatic adjustment of the br
ake pads, and is perfectly normal.
There may be an indication of a leak in the brake system, however, if the fluid level drops significantly within a short time or if it drops below the “MIN” marking. A situ- ation where the brake fluid level is too low is indicated by the warning light
lighting up in the instrument cluster
⇒page 34. In this case
stop immediately and
do not drive any further! Obtain professional assistance.
WARNING (continued)
Fig. 155 Engine compart- ment: Brake fluid reservoir
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Technical Data
WARNING
•
The battery acid is strongly corros
ive and must, therefore, be handled
with the greatest of care. Always we
ar protective gloves, eye and skin
protection when handling batteries. Corrosive fumes in the air irritate the air passages and lead to conjunctivitis
and inflammation of the air passages
in the lungs. Battery acid corrodes
dental enamel and creates deep wounds
after contact with the skin which take a long time to heal. Repeated contact with diluted acids causes skin diseases (inflammations, ulcers, slin cracks). Acids coming into contact with water are diluted accompanied by significant development of heat.•
Do not tilt the battery otherwise battery electrolyte may flow out of the
battery vent openings. Prot
ect the eyes with safety glasses or a shield! There
is the danger of suffering blindness! If
any battery electrol
yte gets into your
eye, rinse out your eye immediately
with clear water for several minutes.
Contact a doctor without delay.•
Splashes of acid on your skin or clothes should be neutralised as soon as
possible using soap suds and then rinsed with plenty of water. Contact a doctor immediately if you swallow battery electrolyte.•
Keep batteries out of the reach of children.
•
Hydrogen is released when you char
ge a battery and a highly explosive
gas mixture is produced. An explosion
can be caused through sparkling over
during unclamping or loosening of the cable plug while the ignition is on.•
Bridging of the poles will create a short circuit (e.g. through metal
objects, cables). Possible consequences of a short circuit: Melting of lead struts, explosion and burning of the battery, jets of acid spurting out.•
It is prohibited to work with a naked flame and light, to smoke or to carry
out any activities which produce sparks. Avoid creating sparks when working with cables and electrical device
s. Strong sparking represents a risk
of injury.•
Before carrying out any work on the electrical system, switch off the
engine, the ignition as well as all electrical components and disconnect the negative cable (-) on the battery. If you wish to replace a bulb it is sufficient to switch off the appropriate light.
•
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic
burns! Replace a frozen battery.•
Never use a battery which is damaged
- risk of explosion! Immediately
replace a damaged battery.
Caution
•
You must only disconnect the battery if the ignition is switched off, otherwise
the electrical system (electronic components) of the vehicle may be damaged. When disconnecting the battery from the el
ectrical system of the vehicle, first
disconnect the negative terminal (-) of th
e battery. Then disconnect the positive
terminal (+).•
When reconnecting the battery, first conne
ct the positive terminal (+) and only
then the negative terminal (-) of the batt
ery. You must on no account connect the
cables wrongly - risk of a cable fire.•
Ensure that battery acid does not come
into contact with the vehicle body
otherwise damage could
occur to the paintwork.
•
Do not place the battery in direct dayl
ight in order to protect the battery
housing from the effects of ultra-violet light.
For the sake of the environment
A removed battery is a special type of waste which is harmful to the environment - contact your specialist garage regarding disposing of the battery.
Note
Please also refer to the guidelines
⇒page 171, “Disconnecting and reconnecting
the battery”, also after connecting the battery.
WARNING (continued)
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Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
– Only for “quick-charging”: Disconnect
both battery cables (first of all
“negative”, then “positive”).
– Carefully attach the terminal clam
ps of the charger to the battery
terminals (red = “positive”, black = “negative”).
– You can now plug the mains cable of the charger into the power socket
and switch on the charger.
– When charging is completed: switch the charger off and unplug the
mains cable from the power socket.
– Only then should you disconnect the terminal clamps of the charger. – Reconnect the cables to the battery
(first of all “positive”, then “nega-
tive”).
It is not normally necessary
to disconnect the cables of the battery if you recharge
the battery using low ampera
ges (as for example from a
mini-charger
). Please also
refer to the instructions from the charger manufacturer. A charging current of 0.1 of the total batter
y capacity (or lower) is that which should
be used until full charging is achieved. It is, however, necessary to disconnect both
cables before charging the battery with
high amperages, so-called “
quick-charging
”.
“Quick-charging” a battery is
dangerous
⇒
in “Working on the battery” on
page 168. It requires a special charger and appropriate knowledge. We therefore recommend that you have your battery qu
ick-charged only by your specialist
garage. A discharged battery may already
freeze
at temperatures just below 0°C
⇒
. We
recommend that you no longer use a ba
ttery which has thawed out because the
casing of the battery may be cracked through the formation of ice and this would allow battery electrolyte to flow out. The vent plugs of the battery should not be opened for charging.
WARNING
Never charge a frozen or thawed battery - risk of explosion and caustic burns. Replace a frozen battery.Disconnecting and reconnecting the batteryOn disconnecting and reconnecting the battery the following functions are initially deactivated or are no longer able to operate fault-free. We recommend having the vehicle checked by
a specialist garage to ensure full
functionality of all electrical systems.Replacing the batteryYou should only replace a battery with a
new battery of the same capacity, voltage
(12 V), amperage and of the same size. Specialist garages have a range of suitable batteries available. We recommend that you only have an old ba
ttery disposed of by a specialist garage
since it does require special disposal.
For the sake of the environment
Batteries contain pois
onous substances such as sulphu
ric acid and lead. They must
be disposed of in accordance with loca
l environmental protection regulations and
on no account as domestic waste.Operation
Operating measure
Electrical power window
(operational faults)
⇒page 46
Enter radio code number
see Radio Operating Instructions
Set hours
⇒page 19
Data in the multi-functional indicator* are deleted.
⇒ page 19
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Wheels and Tyres
173
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Driving Tips
General Maintenance
Breakdown assistance
Technical Data
Wheels and TyresWheelsGeneral information•
New tyres do not offer optimal grip at first and should therefore be run in for
about 500 km at a moderate speed and an
appropriately cautious style of driving.
You will also profit from longer tyre life.•
The tread depth of new tyres may differ
because of design features and the
configuration of the tread (depending on
the type of tyre and the manufacturer).
•
Drive over curbs on the side of the road
and other such obstacles slowly and,
where possible, at a right angle in order to avoid damage to tyres and wheel trims.•
Inspect your tyres from time to time
for damage (punctures, cuts, splits and
bulges). Remove foreign bodies from the tyre profile.•
Damage to tyres and wheels is frequent
ly not visible. Unus
ual vibrations or
pulling of the vehicle to one side
could be a sign of tyre damage.
Please reduce
your speed immediately and stop if
you suspect that a wheel is damaged.
Inspect the tyres for signs of damage (bulges,
splits, etc.). If no
visible damage is
present, please drive at an appropriatel
y slow speed and carefully to the nearest
specialist garage in order to have your vehicle inspected.•
Also protect your tyres from contact with oil, grease and fuel.
•
Immediately replace any dust caps of the valves which have got lost.
•
Mark wheels before removing them so th
at their previous direction of running
can be maintained when mounted them again.•
Always store wheels or tyres which been removed in a cool, dry and, where
possible, dark place. Tyres which are not fixed to a wheel trim should be stored upright.
WARNING
•
New tyres during the first 500 km do not offer optimal grip and should
therefore be run appropriately - risk of accident!•
Never drive with damaged tyres - risk of accident!
Note
Please observe the various differing legal requirements regarding tyres.Tyre lifeThe life of your tyres very much depends on the following points: Tyre pressure The working life of tyres will be shortened considerably if the tyres are insufficiently or over-inflated and this will have an advers
e effect on the handli
ng of your vehicle.
Correctly inflated tyres are of partic
ular importance when travelling at
high speeds
.
It is therefore good to check the pressure at least once a month and also before setting off on a long trip. Please do not
forget the spare wheel* when checking the
tyres. The tyre inflation pressures for
summer tyres
are indicated on the inside of the fuel
filler flap
⇒fig. 159
. The inflation pressures for
winter tyres
are 20 kPa (0.2 bar)
higher than those for summer tyres
⇒page 177.
The tyre pressure should be at the highest
pressure specified for your vehicle at all
times.
Fig. 159 An opened fuel filler flap with a tyre size and tyre inflation pressure table
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