2011 VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER information

Wheels and tyres
Useful information about wheels and tyres
o:::n Introduction
This chapter contains information on the following subjects:
Handling wheels and tyres .............. .
Rims
368
369
New wheels and tyres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370 Tyre pressure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 371
Tread depth and wear indicators 372 Tyre damage 373
Spare wheel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
Tyre lettering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Winter tyres . . . . . . . . . . • . • • . . . . . . . . . . . . 378 Snow chains . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles recommends that work on tyres and wheels is carried out by a qualified workshop. They are familiar with the pro-cedure and have the necessary special tools and spare parts and the proper facilities for disposing of the old tyres. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles recommends using a Volkswagen Commercial Ve-hicles dealership for this purpose.
Additional information and warnings:
• Transporting 125
• Towing a trailer 139
• Braking, stopping and parking 269
• Tyre monitoring system 318
• Cleaning and caring for the vehicle exterior 380
• Consumer information 404
• Vehicle tool kit 416
• Hubcaps 417
• Changing a wheel 420
• Breakdown set 425
A WARNING
New tyres or tyres which are old, worn down or damaged cannot provide full levels of vehi-cle control and braking power.
• Incorrect handling of wheels and tyres can reduce vehicle safety and cause accidents and serious injuries.
A WARNING (Continued)
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tyres of the same type, size (rolling circum-ference) and the same tread.
• New tyres will have to be run In as they will initially have reduced grip and braking ef-fect. Drive particularly carefully for the first 600 km in order to prevent accidents and se-rious injury.
• Check tyre pressures regularly and always keep to the specified tyre pressure value. If the tyre pressure is too low, it Is possible that the tyre temperature will Increase to such an extent when driving that the tread peels off and the tyre bursts.
• Never drive with worn tyres or tyres that are damaged (cuts, cracks or blisters). Driv-Ing with tyres in this condition can result in blown tyres, accidents and serious Injuries. Worn or damaged tyres must be replaced as soon as possible.
• Never exceed the top speed and load per-mitted for the fitted tyres.
• The effectiveness of the driver assist sys-tems and brake support systems depends on the tyre grip.
• If you notice unusual vibration or if the ve-hicle pulls to one side when driving, stop the car immediately and check the wheels and tyres for damage.
• In order to reduce the risk of losing con-trol of the vehicle, and the risk of accident and serious injury, never loosen the bolts on rims with bolted on rim rings.
• Do not use wheels or tyres if you do not know their history. Used wheels and tyres could be damaged, even If the damage is not visible.
• Old tyres (even if never used) can sudden-ly Jose pressure or burst, especially at high speeds. This can cause accidents and seri-ous injuries. Avoid using tyres that are more than six years old. If you have no alternative, drive slowly and with extra care at all times.
m For technical reasons, it is not generally pos-L!.J sible to use the wheels from other vehicles. This can also apply to wheels of the same vehicle .,.
Wheels and tyres I 367

type. Refer to the vehicle documentation and ask a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles dealership if necessary. Handling wheels and tyres
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Fig. 280 How to swap wheels.
.....-r'n First read and observe the introductory L-W! Information and safety warnings & on page 367.
The tyres are the most used and most underesti-mated parts of a vehicle. Tyres are very important as the narrow tyre surfaces are the only contact between the vehicle and the road.
The service life of tyres is dependent on tyre pres-sure, driving style handling and fitting.
The tyres and wheel rims are an essential part of the vehicle's design. The tyres and rims approved by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles are specially matched to the characteristics of the vehicle and make a major contribution to good road holding and safe handling.
Avoiding damage to the tyres
• If you have to drive over a kerb or similar obsta-cle, drive slowly and at a right angle if possible.
• Inspect the tyres regularly for damage such as cuts. cracks or blisters.
• Remove foreign objects that are in the outer tyre tread and have not penetrated the Inner tyre 373.
• Always respond to any warning messages giv-en by the tyre monitoring system=:opage 318.
• Damaged or worn tyres must be replaced im-mediately =:o page 373.
• Regularly check the tyres for hidden damage =:-page 373.
368 Cleaning and maintenance
• Never exceed the top speed and load permitted for the tyres that are fitted =:o page 375.
• Protect the wheels, including the spare wheel, from contact with corrosive substances, including oils, lubricants, fuel and brake fluid =:o &.
• Replace missing dust caps immediately.
Tyres with directional tread pattern
Tyres with directional tread pattern have been de-veloped to roll in one direction only. An arrow on the tyre sidewall indicates the direction of rotation on tyres with directional tread =:o page 375. The di-rection of rotation must be adhered to. This is the only guarantee for optimum grip and helps to avoid aquaplaning, excessive noise and wear.
If, however, the tyre is fitted in the opposite direc-tion to the tread pattern, you must take more care when driving as the tyre is now no longer being used according to its designation. This is particu-larly important on wet roads. The tyres must be re-placed as quickly as possible or be fitted with the tread in the correct direction.
Rotating wheels front to rear
Regularly rotating the wheels as shown in the illus-tration =:o Fig. 280 is recommended to help ensure that tyres wear evenly. All the tyres will then last for about the same time.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles recommends having the wheels changed by a qualified work-shop.
Tyres that are older than 6 years
Tyres age through physical and chemical process-es that can impair their function. Tyres that are stored unused for an extended period will harden and become brittle more quickly than tyres which are in constant use.
Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles recommends re-placing tyres that are more than 6 years old with new tyres. This also applies for tyres, including the spare wheel, which appear to still be in good con-dition and whose tread depth has not yet reached the minimum value stipulated by legislation =:o &.
The age of a tyre can be determined from the man-ufacturing date, which Is a component of the tyre identification number (TIN) =:o page 375. .,..

Storing tyres
Mark tyres before you remove them to indicate the direction of rotation. This ensures you will be able to mount them correctly when you replace them (left, right, front, rear). When removed, the wheels or tyres should be stored in a cool, dry and pref-erably dark place. Do not store tyres mounted on the rim vertically.
Any tyres not fitted on rims should be kept in suita-ble sleeves to protect against dirt and should be stored vertically (standing on the tread).
All-terrain tyres
Some vehicles can be fitted at the factory with "all-terrain tyres". These tyres have a deep-tread pro-file that alters the vehicle's driving properties (such as comfort, consumption, braking distance, corner-Ing behaviour, rolling noise)=>&.
A WARNING
Corrosive liquids and other substances can cause visible and Invisible damage to the tyres, which can cause the tyre to burst.
• Always keep chemicals, oils, lubricants, fuel, brake fluid and other corrosive substan-ces away from the tyres.
A WARNING
Old tyres (even if never used) can suddenly lose pressure or burst, especially at high speeds. This can cause accidents and seri-ous injuries.
• Avoid using tyres that are more than six years old. If you have no alternative, drive slowly and with extra care at all times.
Rims
,....-('n First read and observe the Introductory L-J.:.ll information and safety warnings & on page 367.
The design of the wheel bolts is matched to the rims. If different rims are fitted, the correct wheel bolts with the right length and correctly shaped bolt heads must be used. This ensures that wheels are fitted securely and that the brake system works properly =>page 420.
For technical reasons, it is not generally possible to use the wheels from other vehicles. This can al-so apply to wheels of the same vehicle type.
A WARNING
The deep-tread profile of all-terrain tyres can considerably increase the braking distance or cornering behaviour and thus cause acci-dents and serious injuries.
• Always bear the modified vehicle handling in mind, and drive carefully.
CD
Avoid heavy impacts and drive round obstacles whenever possible. Tyres, particularly low-pro-file tyres, can be considerably compressed and deformed by potholes and curb edges especial-ly. This can cause the tyre's webbing reinforce-ment to brake, and cause dents or rips on the side walls or deformations or cracks on the rims.
Old tyres should be disposed of as required !!IS by legislation. The tyres and rims approved by Voikswagen Com-mercial Vehicles are specially matched to the char-acteristics of the vehicle and make a major contri-bution to good road holding and safe handling.
Wheel bolts
Wheel boils must always be tightened with the cor-rect tightening torque =>page 420.
Rims with bolted-on rings
Rims with bolted-on rings consist of several com-ponents. These components are fastened using special bolts and special fastening technology. This ensures that the wheel functions proper1y, does not leak, remains safe and runs true. For this reason, damaged rims should be replaced. They may only .,..
Wheels and tyres I 369

be repaired by a qualified workshop. Volkswagen Commercial Vehides recommends using a Volks-wagen Commercial Vehicles dealership for this purpose => &.
Rims with bolted-on trims
Rims may have removable trims that are attached to the rim with self-locking bolts. Damaged trims may only be repaired by a qualified workshop. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles recommends us-ing a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles dealership for this purpose => &.
Rim identification
In some countries, new rims are legally required to contain certain specifications on them. The follow-ing information may appear on the rims (varying from region to region):
• Seal of conformity
• Rim size
• Name of manufacturer or brand name
• Date manufactured (month/year)
• Country of origin
• Production number
New wheels and tyres
r--f'n First read and observe the introductory L-Wl information and safety warnings & on page 367.
New tyres
• Drive particularly carefully for the first 600 km with new tyres as the tyres have to be run in. Tyres that have not been run in have reduced grip=>& and braking effect => &.
• All four wheels must be fitted with radial tyres of the same type, size (rolling circumference) and the same tread.
• The tread depth of new tyres may vary, accord-ing to the type and make of tyre and the tread pat-tern.
370 I Clcanmg and maintenance
• Raw materials batch number
• Product code
A WARNING
The use of unsuitable or damaged rims can impair vehicle safety and cause accidents and serious injury.
• Only use rims that have been approved for the vehicle.
• Check the rims regularly for damage and replace as necessary.
A WARNING
Incorrect loosening and tightening of the bolts on rims with bolted-on rings can cause accidents and serious Injury.
• Never remove the bolts on rims with bot-ted-on rings.
• All work on rims with bolted-on rings must be carried out by a qualified workshop. Volks-wagen Commercial Vehicles recommends us-ing a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles deal-ership for this purpose.
Replacing tyres
• Tyres should be replaced at least in pairs and not individually (i.e. both front tyres or both rear tyres together) => &.
• Old tyres should only be replaced by tyres that have been approved by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles for the vehicle type. Make sure that the tyres used are correct in respect of size, diameter. load-carrying capacity and maximum speed.
• Never use tyres with an effective size that is larger than tyres approved by Volkswagen Com-mercial Vehicles. Larger wheels could rub against the body or other parts of the vehide.
Additional information for vehicles with tyre monitoring system
For vehides with a tyre monitoring system, the sys-tem will have to be "re-synchronised" after any wheel changes, regardless of whether the wheel in question is being fitted in the same or in a different position =>page 318.
Further information about the tyre monitoring sys-tem, how it functions and what you must know
=>page 318. Jl>

A wARNING
New tyres will have to be run in as they will Initially have reduced grip and braking effect.
• Drive particularly carefully for the first 600 km in order to prevent accidents and se-rious injury.
A WARNING
Wheels must have the necessary freedom of operation. If the wheels do not have the nec-essary freedom of operation, the tyre could rub on parts of the running gear, the vehicle body and the brake lines. This can lead to a fault in the brake system and to tread separa-tion and thus to a tyre bursting.
Tyre pressure
r-T'n First read and observe the introductory L-k.U Information and safety warnings & on page 367.
The correct tyre pressure for factory-fitted tyres is shown on the tyre pressure label and applies to all-season, summer and winter tyres. The tyre pres-sure label is located on the lock column on the left front door.
If the tyre pressure is too low or too high, the tyres will wear prematurely and the vehicle will not han-dle well => &. The correct tyre pressure is particu-larly important at high speeds. Incorrect tyre pres-sure causes premature wear and can cause a tyre burst.
The pressure should therefore be checked at least once a month and before starting a journey.
The given tyre pressure applies to cold tyres. Tyre pressure is always higher in warm tyres than it is in cold tyres.
For this reason, never reduce the pressure in warm tyres to adjust the tyre pressure. This would result in low tyre pressures that could potentially cause the tyre to burst suddenly.
Checking tyre pressure
Always check the tyre inflation pressure on "cold" tyres. A "cold" tyre can be defined as one on a ve-hicle that has only been driven a few kilometres (miles) within 3 hours prior to the test and at low speeds.
A WARNING (Continued)
• The actual tyre size must not exceed the tyre dimensions of manufacturers approved by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles and must not rub on any vehicle body parts.
m Despite identical size details, the actual size L!..J of the various tyre makes may vary from these specified dimensions, or the tyre contours may vary considerably.
m Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles-approved L!..J tyres are guaranteed to have the dimensions that are suitable for the vehicle. The salesperson will have to provide a certificate from the tyre man-ufacturer for other tyre makes to prove that the tyre is also suitable for the vehicle. This certificate must be stored in a safe place in the vehicle. • The tyre pressures should be checked regularly and only when the tyres are cold. Always check all the tyres. including the spare if fitted. The tyre pressure should be checked more frequently in colder regions, but only if the vehicle has not been moved beforehand. The tyre pressure tester must function correctly.
• The tyre pressures must be adjusted to suit a heavy vehicle load.
• After altering the tyre pressures, please ensure that the valve caps are screwed on and observe any information and instructions on setting the tyre monitoring system =>page 318.
The temporary spare wheel is filled to the highest tyre pressure permissible for the vehicle.
A WARNING
Too high or too low a pressure may cause the tyre to suddenly lose pressure or burst while the vehicle is in motion. This can cause seri-ous accidents and fatal Injuries.
• If the tyre pressure Is too low, it is possi-ble that the tyre temperature will increase to such an extent when driving that the tread peels off and the tyre bursts.
• Fast speeds or overloading of the vehicle can cause overheating, sudden tyre damage including tyre bursts and ripping of the tread surface and thus to a loss of control of the vehicle.
• If the tyre pressure is too low or too high, the tyres will wear prematurely and the vehi-cle will not handle well. .,.
Wheels and tyres 371

A WARNING (Continued)
• Check tyre pressures regularly, at least once a month, and before every long journey.
• All tyres must have the correct tyre pres-sure to suit the vehicle load.
• Never reduce excess pressure when the tyres are warm.
CD
• When attaching the tyre pressure gauge make sure that you do not position it at an an-gle to the valve shaft. This can damage the tyre valve.
Tread depth and wear indicators
Fig. 281 Tread wear indicator.
r-fl1 First read and observe the Introductory L-.lo:::.l.l Information and safety warnings & on page 367.
Tread depth
Difficult driving situations demand the deepest pos-sible tread depth for the tyres and the same tread depth for the tyres on the front and rear axles. This applies in particular for driving in winter weather and cold temperatures and in wet conditions=>&.
In most countries, the minimum tread depth re-quired by law is 1.6 mm (measured in the tread grooves next to the tread wear indicators). Ob-serve any country-specific legal requirements.
Winter tyres lose a large degree of their effective-ness when the tread is worn down to a depth of 4mm.
3721 Cleaning and maintenance
CD
• Missing valve caps, or valve caps that are not suitable or not screwed on properly, can cause damage to the tyre valve. Always use valve caps that comply with the factory-fitted valve cap specifications. Always screw on valve caps fully.
Under-infiated tyres can contribute to an in-I!IS crease in fuel consumption.
m If the tyre monitoring display warns that the W tyre pressure in at least one tyre is too low, check tyre pressures with a functioning tyre pres-sure tester. Low tyre pressure cannot be deter-mined exclusively by looking at the tyre. This also applies to tyres with a low profile.
m Please refer to the special points of the tyre W monitoring system when checking tyre pres-sures =>page 318. The tread depth of new tyres can vary according to type and manufacturer due to construction and tread design.
Tread wear indicator in tyres
The original tyres on your vehicle have 1.6 mm high tread wear indicators running across the tread =>Fig. 281. These wear indicators are positioned at set intervals around the tyre. Markings on the tyre sidewall (for instance the letters "TWI" or other symbols) indicate the positions of the tread wear indicators.
The tread wear indicators show if a tyre is worn down. The tyre must be replaced at the latest when the tread depth is just down to the tread wear indicator.
A WARNING
Worn tyres are a safety risk and can lead to a loss of control of the vehicle and cause seri-ous Injury.
• Tyres must be replaced at the latest when the tread Is worn down to the tread wear Indi-cators.
• Worn tyres have considerably less tread, particularly on wet roads, which can cause the vehicle to glide along the road surface (aquaplaning).

A WARNING (Continued)
• Worn tyres reduce the possibility of con-trolling the vehicle well in normal and difficult driving situations and Increase braking dis-tance and the risk of sliding. Tyre damage
...--m First read and observe the introductory l-.W.I Information and safety warnings&,. on page 367.
Damage to tyres and rims is often not readily visi-ble. Any unusual vibrations or signs that the car is pulling to one side may indicate that one of the tyres is damaged =:. &,..
• Reduce your speed immediately if you suspect that a wheel is damaged.
• Check the tyres and rims for damage.
• If the tyre is damaged, do not drive on. Seek expert assistance.
• If there is no visible damage, drive slowly and cautiously to the next qualified workshop in order to have the vehicle checked.
Foreign bodies in the tyre
• Leave the foreign body in the tyre if it has en-tered the inner tyre. However, foreign bodies that are stuck between the tyre tread blocks can be re-moved.
• For vehicles with a spare wheel: where appro-priate, change the damaged wheel =:>page 420 If required, seek expert assistance when changing the damaged wheel. Volkswagen Commercial Ve-hicles recommends using a Volkswagen Commer-cial Vehicles dealership for this purpose.
• For vehicles with a breakdown set: the tyre can be sealed and pumped up using the tools in the breakdown set =:.page 425. Go to a qualified workshop. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles rec-ommends using a Volkswagen Commercial Vehi-cles dealership for this purpose.
Tyre wear
The tyre wear is affected by several factors, for ex-ample:
• Driving style.
• Unbalanced wheels.
• Running gear setting.
Driving style-fast cornering, heavy acceleration and hard braking all increase tyre wear. The run-ning gear should be checked by a qualified work-shop if the tyres show excessive wear despite a normal driving style.
Unbalanced wheels -the wheels on new vehicles are balanced. However, various factors encoun-tered in normal driving can cause them to become unbalanced, which results in steering vibration. Un-balanced wheels will affect levels of wear on the steering system and the suspension. In this case the wheels should be balanced again. New tyres have to be balanced after fitting.
Running gear setting-incorrect wheel alignment causes excessive tyre wear, impairing the safety of the vehicle. The wheel alignment should be checked by a qualified workshop if tyres show ex-cessive wear.
A WARNING
If you notice unusual vibration or the car pull-Ing to one side while the vehicle is In motion, this may indicate that one of the tyres is dam-aged.
• Reduce speed immediately and park the vehicle without obstructing traffic.
• Check the tyres and rims for damage.
• Never drive on if wheels or tyres are dam-aged. Seek expert assistance Instead.
• If there Is no visible damage, drive slowly and cautiously to the next qualified workshop In order to have the vehicle checked. Wheels and tyres 373

Spare wheel
Fig. 282 Underneath the vehicle: retaining bolt G) and securing bolt® on the spare wheel bracket
r-T'n First read and observe the introductory L.-.lo:.U Information and safety warnings & on page 367.
Removing the spare wheel
These actions must be carried out in the specified order only &.
• Loosen the retaining bolt 282 G) until it is free using the box spanner from the toolkit.
• Unscrew the securing bolt® completely. The spare wheel bracket is now supported by the re-taining bolt.
• Fit the box spanner in the bracket 283.
• Make sure that the box spanner hook is located in the hole in the bracket 283 (close-up). If the box spanner is hooked in correctly, you should not be able to pull it out towards the back of the ve-hicle.
• Hold the box spanner with both hands.
• Lift the box spanner upwards together with the spare wheel bracket and guide the box spanner to the right. The head of the retaining bolt and the re-cess on the spare wheel bracket should be flush.
• Guide the box spanner downwards with the spare wheel bracket.
• Remove the spare wheel.
Storing the removed wheel
• Fit the box spanner in the spare wheel bracket.
• Place the replaced wheel in the spare wheel bracket.
• Lift the box spanner together with the spare wheel bracket in such a way that the head of the retaining bolt is guided through the recess in the spare wheel bracket.
374 I Cleaning and maintenance
Fig. 283 Underneath the vehicle: spare wheel bracket with box spanner inserted
• Move the spare wheel bracket together with the box spanner towards left, and place it on the re-taining bolt.
• Screw in the securing bolt, and tighten it with the box spanner.
• Screw in the retaining bolt, and tighten it with the box spanner.
When the spare wheel is not the same as the
other tyres mounted on the vehicle
If the spare tyre is not the same as the tyres that are mounted on the car-for example with winter tyres -only use the spare tyre for a short period of time and drive with extra care &.
Refit the normal, functional road wheel as soon as possible.
Follow these guidelines:
• Do not drive faster than 80 km/h (50 m ph).
• Avoid full acceleration, sudden braking and fast driving through bends in the road.
• The tyre pressure must be checked as soon as possible after fitting the spare wheel =>page 371.
The tyre pressure of the spare wheel should be checked together with the normal tyres, at least once a month. The spare wheel should have the highest pressure allowed for the vehicle 371.
A WARNING
Incorrect use of the spare wheel can lead to a loss of control over the vehicle, to collisions or other accidents and cause serious injuries.
• Never use a spare tyre if it is damaged or worn down to the tread wear Indicators. .,..