2015 VOLKSWAGEN TRANSPORTER pressure tyres

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

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.
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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

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.
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• 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
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• 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).

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. .,..

=>Fig. 284 Tyre lettering (example) I Meaning
JHCO CHWS 2213 Tyre identification number (TINa)-may only be on the inner side of the wheel) and date of manufacture:
® JHCO Identifier of producing plant and specifications of CHWS the tyre manufacturer on size and characteristics
2213 Manufacture date: 22nd week in 2013.
Information for the end user concernmg comparat1ve values for spec1fied bas1c tyres (standardised test procedure) =>page 404·
TREADWEAR 280 Relative life expectancy for the tyre, with reference to a US-specific standard test. Tyres with the specification 280 are used up at a rate of 2.8 times more slowly than standard tyres
@ which have a treadwear value of 100. The performance of tyres is determined by how they are used and can notably de-viate from norm values due to driving style, maintenance, road surface and climatic conditions.
TRACTION AA Wet braking response of the tyre (AA, A, B or C). This is tes-led under controlled conditions on certified testing routes.
® Tyres marked C have a low traction performance. The traction value assigned to the tyres are based on linear traction tests and do not include speed, lateral stability, or aquaplaning and traction under high load.
TEMPERATURE A Temperature stability of the tyre at higher test speeds (A, B or C). A and B tyres exceed legal requirements. The tempera-tu re evaluation is based on tyres with correct pressure and
® does not allow for excess pressure. Excessive speed, incor-reel pressure or excess pressure can cause heat build-up or tyre damage. This applies to one or a combination of these factors.
0 88 H Load capacity index ::.page 377 and speed index ::.page 377.
® Rotation and arrow Denotes direction of rotation ::.page 377.
OR: outside Denotes outside of tyres ::.page 377.
® MAX INFLATION 350 KPA US limitation for the maximum air pressure. (51 psi /3.51 bar)
® M+S or M/S or & Denotes winter tyres (mud and snow tyres) ::.page 378. Studded snow tyres are labelled with an E after the S.
® TWI Indicates the position of the tread wear indicator ::.page 372.
@ Brand name. logo Manufacturer.
@ Made in Germany Country of manufacture.
@> @ Country-specific denotation for China (China Compulsory Certification).
® :r 023 Country-specific denotation for Brazil.
E4 e4 0200477-b Certification of conformity with international regulations. The next number is the code number of the country that granted
® approval. Approved tyres which comply with ECE regulations are denoted with E. tyres which comply with EC regulations are denoted with e. This is followed by the number of the type approval certificate.
@ RADIAL TUBELESS Tubeless radial tyres.
376 I Cleaning and maintenance

z
w y
over 240 km/h (149 mph)
max. 270 kmlh (168 mph)
max. 300 kmlh (186 mph)
Winter tyres
r-f'n First read and observe the introductory L-J,::JJ information and safety warnings & on page 367.
In winter road conditions, winter tyres will consider-ably improve the car's handling. The design of summer tyres (width, rubber compound, tread pat-tern) gives less grip on ice and snow. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles urgently recommends you use winter tyres or all-year tyres on all 4 wheels of the vehicle, particularly if winter conditions are ex-pected on the roads. Winter tyres will also improve the braking response of the vehicle and will help to reduce braking distances in winter weather. Volks-wagen Commercial Vehicles recommends that win-ter tyres be fitted to the vehicle at temperatures un-der+ 7•c (+45°F).
Winter tyres lose their effectiveness when the tread is worn down to a depth of 4 mm. Winter tyres also largely lose their effectiveness through ageing-regardless of the tread depth.
The following applies when using winter tyres:
• Observe any country-specific legal require-ments.
• Use winter tyres on all four wheels at the same time.
• Only use in winter road conditions.
• Only use the sizes of winter tyre that have been approved for the vehicle.
• Winter tyres must have the same type, size (rolling circumference) and the same tread pattern.
• Heed the maximum speed permitted by the speed index => &.
Speed limitation
Winter tyres have a speed limitation depending on the speed index =>page 375.
In some vehicle versions, a speed warning can be set in the menu MFD (multi function display) in the instrument cluster =>page 24.
378 I Cleaning and maintenance
Some tyre manufacturers use the code "ZR" for tyres with a highest permitted speed of over 240 km/h (149 mph).
If you use V-rated tyres the speed limits and re-quired tyre pressure will be determined by the en-gine size. You must ask a Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles dealership about the highest permitted speed and required tyre pressure.
Four-wheel drive (4MOTION)
Thanks to its four-wheel drive, the vehicle will have plenty of traction in winter conditions, even with the standard tyres. Nevertheless, Volkswagen Com-mercial Vehicles still recommends that winter tyres or all-year tyres should be fitted on all four wheels when winter road conditions are expected, mainly because this will give a better braking response.
Please refer to the appropriate information and notes when using snow chains =>page 379.
A WARNING
The Improved winter driving characteristics afforded by the winter tyres should not en-courage you to take any risks.
• Always adapt your speed and driving style to suit visibility, weather, road and traffic con-ditions.
• Never exceed the top speed and load per-mitted for the winter tyres that are fitted.
r:Q;-.. Summer tyres should be fitted in good time at the end of the winter. The vehicle handling is better if summer tyres are fitted at temperatures above +7•c (+45.F). They are quieter, do not wear so quickly and reduce fuel consumption.
m In vehicles with a tyre monitoring system, the l!.J systems have to "re-synchronise" after wheels are changed =>page 318.
m Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles dealer-l!.J ships can provide details on permissible win-
ter tyre sizes.

Washing the vehicle
r-f'n First read and observe the introductory Information and safety warnings & on page 380.
The longer substances such as insects, bird drop-pings, resinous tree sap, road dirt, industrial de-posits, tar, soot or road salt and other corrosive materials remain on the vehicle, the more damage they do to the paintwork. High temperatures (for in-stance in strong sunlight) accelerate the corrosion process. The underside of the vehicle should also be cleaned thoroughly and regularly.
Car washes
Please observe the signs on the automatic car wash. Before using an automatic car wash take the usual precautions, such as closing all windows and folding in the exterior mirrors, in order to avoid damage to the vehicle. You must consult the car wash operator if there are special parts on your ve-hicle such as spoilers, roof luggage carrier systems or radio aerials ::.CD.
The paint is so hard-wearing that the car can nor-mally be washed without problems in an automatic car wash. However, the effect on the paint de-pends to a large extent on the design of the car wash. Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles recom-mends the use of car washes without brushes.
To remove any wax residue from the windows and to stop wipers rubbing, please note the following points ::.page 382, Cleaning windows and exterior mirrors.
Washing the car by hand
When washing by hand, first soften the dirt with plenty of water and rinse off as well as possible.
Then clean the vehicle with a soft sponge, a glove or a brush using only light pressure. Start with the roof and work from the top to the bottom. Use a shampoo for very stubborn dirt only.
The sponge or glove should be wrung out thor-oughly at regular intervals.
Clean the wheels, sill panels etc. last. Use a differ-ent sponge for this purpose.
A WARNING
Parts of the vehicle with sharp edges can cause Injury.
• Protect your hands and arms from cuts on sharp parts, for example when cleaning the underbody or the inside of the wheel hous-lngs.
A WARNING
After the car has been washed, the braking effect could set in later than normal and ex-tend the braking distance as the brake discs and brake pads will be wet, or iced up In win-ter.
• You can "dry and de-ice" the brakes by performing careful braking manoeuvres. Make sure that you do not endanger any oth-er road users or violate any legal regulations when doing so.
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• The water should be no warmer than +so•c (+140.FJ.
• Do not wash the vehicle in direct sunlight in order to avoid damage to the vehicle palntwork.
• Never clean with insect sponges, rough kitchen sponges or similar products as these can damage the surface.
• Never clean the headlights with a dry cloth or sponge. Always use a wet cloth or sponge. lt is best to use soapy water.
• Washing the vehicle In cold weather: if the vehicle is rinsed with a hose, do not direct the water at the lock cylinders or the gaps around the doors, boot, or bonnet. The locks and seals could freeze.
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Observe the following guidelines before driving the vehicle into an automatic car wash in order to avoid damage to the vehicle:
• Ensure that the gap between the guide rails In the car wash is sufficient for the vehicle track. If the track is too narrow your wheels and tyres will be damaged.
• Switch off the rain sensor before driving the vehicle Into an automatic car wash.
• Check that the car wash is tall and wide enough for your vehicle.
• Fold In the exterior mirrors. Electrically fold-Ing exterior mirrors must be moved electrically. Do not fold them in and out by hand.
• In order to prevent damage to the palntwork on the bonnet, fold the wipers back onto the windscreen after drying the wiper blades. Do not drop the wipers onto the glass.
• Lock the tailgate to prevent it from opening accidentally In the car wash. Vehicle care and maintenance 381