Winter operation
Battery
During the winter
months,
more current
is consumed when starting at very low
temperatures. Lights and the rear
win-
dow defogger are used more often.
Besides, the battery tends to decrease
in capacity as the temperature drops.
Therefore,
it is very important to keep
your battery in the best possible condi-
tion.
See
also Battery" on page 42.
Do not expose battery to open (lame or
electric spark as hydrogen gas gene-
rated by the battery is explosive. Do not
let battery acid come in contact with
skin,
eyes, fabric or painted surfaces.
A really cold battery may not have the
same capacity as a battery at normal
temperature. If you mainly drive short
distances or In city
traffic,
have the
battery checked and.
il
necessary,
charged between regular inspections.
34
Door locks
can freeze in the winter if water gets into
them.
When washing your car in the
winter, do not aim the water jet directly
at the locks. It is a good idea to put tape
over the keyholes to prevent water
from seeping in. Water in the locks must
be removed with compressed air after-
wards.
Squirt
lock
de-icer,
anti-freeze,
or glycerine into the lock cylinders to
prevent the locks from freezing.
To open a frozen lock, warm up the key
before inserting it. It might also help to
warm the lock. Do not use hot water as it
will later freeze in the lock.
Emergency equipment
It is good planning to carry emergency
equipment in your car. Some of the
things you should have are: window
scraper,
snow brush, container or bag
of sand or salt, flares, small shovel, first-
aid kit, etc.
Engine oil
To make starting easier during the cold
winter
months,
we suggest you choose a
thinner grade motor oil. Turn to page 55
for the recommended oil grades.
If you drive mostly short distances and In
city
traffic,
we recommend you have your
engine oil changed at 1500-mile inter-
vals in the winter.
Transmission
oil
SAE 80 W or SAE 80 W/90 (multi-grade)
hypoid oil can generally be used in the
transmission all year.
See also page 55.
Windshield washer
Add anti-freeze to the washer
fluid,
such
as Volkswagen's Windshield Washer
Anti-Freeze &
Solvenl,
to prevent it from
freezing.
Follow the instructions on the
can for the right amount to be used.
Sparks plugs
Make sure the spark plugs are not worn
or have a gap larger than 0.028 in. or
0 7 mm.
For further details see page 51
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