VW T4

Volkswagen
VW Transporter (1996-2003)
T4
Manufacturer:	Volkswagen
Sales designation:	Transporter, Caravelle, Multivan, California
Production period:	1990-2003
Previous model:	VW T3
Successor:	VW T5 / T6
Technical specifications
Designs:	Minibus , box truck , flatbed truck
Engines:	Otto engines : 1.8–2.8 liters (49–150 kW) Diesel engines : 1.9–2.5 liters (44–111 kW)
Length:	4707-5107 mm
Width:	1840 mm
Height:	1940-2430 mm
Wheelbase:	2920-3320 mm

The VW T4 is a small van or minibus the brand Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles . With the introduction of the T4 (internal VW model name: Type 70) in August 1990 - a completely new design - the era of the rear-engine and rear-wheel drive came to an end after 34 years at the Volkswagen plant in Hanover (since 1995 the headquarters of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles) . In 2003 the newly designed successor VW T5 came onto the market.

Model history

General

Rear view

The T4 was the first VW van model that was available with two different lengths of body and wheelbase. The new drive concept with a transverse in- line engine (later also VR engines ) and front-wheel drive enabled a continuous loading area. In 1992 the T4 was voted Van of the Year .

The wheels were suspended individually : at the front on double wishbones with torsion bar suspension , at the rear on diagonal arms with coil springs, which enabled a deep load compartment floor. The T4 had rack and pinion steering . A power steering there was from the start with vans with five-cylinder engines in the Caravelle GL and Multivan and from 1995 standard on all models. The four-cylinder models were still equipped with 14 ″ wheels when they were launched. There were drum brakes on the rear axle until the end of 1995. In the models without an anti-lock braking system , the brake system was equipped with a load-dependent brake force regulator , as has been the case since the T2 , in order to avoid overbraking the rear wheels in all load conditions. An automatic transmission was only available with five-cylinder engines and air conditioning was only available with engines with a displacement of 2 liters or more .

In addition to the van as a truck, which was primarily used by companies and authorities, the Multivan was particularly popular because its interior fittings (folding table, bed, individual seats in the second row) offered a lot of comfort for traveling, but still a car -Has similar dimensions and was therefore also handy in everyday life. Only this version was exported to the USA , which is known there as the Eurovan with much better equipment .

The T4 was available with two different wheelbases (2920 mm and 3320 mm); however, the Multivan only has a short wheelbase. The surcharge for the long version was initially 1000 DM.

Unlike the earlier models T2 and T3 with rear-engined engines, the platform truck did not have a lockable “safe” compartment under the loading area. The small storage space in the closed body between the engine and driver's cab was also available in a smaller version in the double cab of the T3 and was offered by some accessory suppliers for retrofitting of the T4.

The Bundeswehr used this model from 1995 as the successor to the T3 platform and procured around 5610 vehicles.

• 

  T4 police emergency vehicle
  (GP 1996-2003, short wheelbase)

• 

  T4 ambulance (ÖRK)
  (GP 1996-2003, long wheelbase, high roof as custom-made)

• 

  T4 Transporter box
  (GP 1996-2003, long wheelbase)

• 

  T4 Caravelle
  (GP 1996-2003, short wheelbase, long front end)

Equipment variants

The T4 was offered in the following versions:

• Vans with superstructures in numerous designs ( panel van , station wagon with up to nine seats and simple interior fittings, flatbed with and flatbed without double cab , chassis with cab, etc.)
• Syncro only available from 1993, as the T3 was still produced as syncro before. The all-wheel drive was only available in conjunction with the five-cylinder engines, but for all bodies and equipment variants and optionally with differential locks . The T4 Syncros all come from Hanover and had the same chassis as the front-wheel drive (without lift kit), whichmeantthat the off-road mobility was less than its predecessor.
• MPV Caravelle (additional code such as "C" or "CL" as accounted for at T3). From the outside hardly distinguishable from the Transporter Kombi, but inside with high-quality full paneling and upholstered headlining, with a maximum of nine seats including the driver's seat. Rear wipers and headrests at the back are standard from the start (later on with the Transporter Kombi)
• MPV Caravelle GL : body-color painted bumpers , 15 "wheels and power steering for four-cylinder engines, large wheel covers, heat insulation glazing , electric exterior mirrors , velor seats and cloth face in the side panels are just a few examples of the extensive standard equipment that has been expanded over the model years (for Example around a tachometer ).
• Family and leisure vehicle Multivan (six-seater) Externally, the comparatively sparse basic model could only be distinguished from the Transporter Kombi by details such as the sliding door strip (black instead of blank) and the hubcaps. The four-cylinder versions also always had power steering and 15 ″ wheels. Inside full paneling with insulation and wooden floor with plastic coating in the passenger compartment, fabric floor at the front, rear bench seat with headrests and foldable as a bed, front and center single seats with armrests (front passenger seat rotatable), button-in curtains for all windows, a sliding window, illuminated passenger vanity mirror, second battery and one Cool boxes were standard. Up to model year 1999, the or optionally the two middle individual seats were fixed against the direction of travel (with foldable seat surface), after which they were designed to be rotatable. At the same time, the cool box integrated in the seat was omitted.
• Family and leisure vehicle Multivan Allstar or Classic . With the 1993 model year, the comparatively simple Multivan was supplemented by a seven-seater version, which was well equipped for the time: electric exterior mirrors and front window lifters, rev counter, fog lights, continuous fabric floor, central locking, heat protection glazing, 15 ″ alloy wheels, cassette radio with speakers in front and back, and much more were series. The Allstar had a silver-gray apron all around and seat covers with a light gray / light pink pattern. The choice of exterior colors was limited. The Classic, which was submitted one year later , had a more timeless design than the Caravelle GL with a single-color paintwork including bumpers and seat covers.
• Motorhome California (Coach) with pop- up roof , compact roof or high-nose roof as a simple camper van. Wheel hub caps in rim silver. From autumn 1992 with the name affix Coach, the rear left window pane was omitted. 1994 also as a better equipped special model California Highway .
• California Exclusive motorhome from 1995 as a camping vehicle with a fixed high roof as an alcove , always long wheelbase and high-quality standard equipment.
• Motorhomes from Karmann , models Gipsy and Cheetah built in 1990-96 and above all the very successful Karmann Colorado 580 H built in 1997 - early days. 2004.
• Carthago Malibu motorhome with pop-up roof or high roof in various designs on a short or long wheelbase.
• Kamei ClubVan , a vehicle built by Kamei in Wolfsburg based on the Caravelle. There are only about 100 copies. Typical for him are six individual seats, with the two seats in the third row of seats being electronically adjustable armchairs and two folding tables between them. Until the introduction of the business , it was VW's most expensive vehicle; it was mostly used as a conference car. Well recognizable from the outside on the front spoiler or on the side paneling.
• Caravelle Business from autumn 1997 (as an indirect successor to the “Caravelle Carat” version of the T3) as a noble six-seater with leather upholstery for the wealthy or business travelers who love understatement . Before the introduction of the VW Phaeton, this vehicle was the most expensive car of the Volkswagen brand.

Great product upgrade (1996-2003)

At the end of 1995, the T4 was given a "Great Product Upgrade" (GP), a VW proper name for model updates . The front body of the Multivan, Caravelle and California has been lengthened by eight centimeters. The up to then rectangular radiator grille was given the VW-typical "Happy Face" at that time, while the headlights of the long front end were made more dynamic by a wedge-shaped taper and supplemented with white instead of yellow indicators. VW wanted to differentiate the car versions externally from the van variants, which retained the previous face unchanged until the end of production. Like all T4s, the simple vans also got new, more elastic bumpers, which are now easily recognizable from the rear through two rear fog lights (of which in Germany and in many other countries only the left actually contained a light unit for legal reasons).

The GP also included numerous technical changes. All the wheels had a new design and disc brakes were now also on the rear axles. All diesel-powered variants had an exhaust system with double tailpipes pointing downwards and the variants with a gasoline engine had a tailpipe pointing backwards. In the interior, new switches found their way into the dashboard , and the dials, seat covers and interior trim were changed.

At the same time as the major product upgrade, VW introduced the TDI engine in the T4, a five-cylinder diesel with a displacement of 2.5 l , which had its debut in 1990 in the Audi 100 with 88 kW (120 hp), but in the T4 with 75 kW (102 hp) ) was throttled. With the introduction of the long front section, it was also possible for the first time to install the 2.8-liter VR6 engine with 103 kW (140 PS) - again throttled here compared to the car version. Both new engines were recognizable by TDI and VR6 logos in the radiator grille and at the rear, the VR6 also always had 16 ″ wheels and the grille slats painted in the body color.

In 1998 the most powerful diesel engine appeared , a more powerful version of the TDI engine with 111 kW (151 PS), externally recognizable by a red "I" in the lettering, 16 "wheels and only available with a long front end. At the same time, a lower-powered version was also available of the TDI with 65 kW (88 PS), then with a blue "I" in the lettering. The 1.9-l four-cylinder turbodiesel, on the other hand, remained a conventional swirl chamber engine until the end of production , recognizable for example by the manual cold start pull in the driver's seat the 2.4-liter five-cylinder naturally aspirated diesel was not converted to SDI technology, but remained slightly reduced to 55 kW (75 hp) and equipped with an oxidation catalytic converter. The last new release in 2000 was a more powerful version of the VR6 engine with 150 kW (204 PS) the predecessor engine, identified by the lettering V6 with red "6".

• 

  T4 GP, ambulance vehicle
  (GP, long front end)

• 

  T4 GP, ambulance vehicle, rear view

• 

  T4 GP, Caravelle
  personnel carrier (GP, long front car)

• 

  T4 GP
  Multivan
  (GP, long front end)

Engine variants

General

During its construction period, the T4 was delivered with different engine versions. The petrol engines were all free-aspirating and had intake manifold injection or carburettors ex works . The diesel engines had swirl chamber injection and were available with or without an exhaust gas turbocharger. Later there were also turbo-charged diesel engines with direct injection (TDI).

Petrol engines

At the start of construction, the gasoline engines were available in different displacement variants - as four-cylinder with 1.8 or 2.0 liter displacement and as 2.5-liter five-cylinder engine. The version with 1.8 liters and 49 kW was the only one that was equipped with a carburetor, all other petrol engines had injection. The carburettor engine was offered as engine code PD from 1990 to 1992 . During this period, VW also manufactured the T3 model, in addition to the T4. The engine was installed in a total of 2020 vehicles, making it the least common engine variant.

The 2.0-liter gasoline engine with manifold injection, on the other hand, was installed in practically unchanged form from the start of production in 1990 until the end of production in 2003 (engine code AAC with 62 kW), with around 110,000 units being produced, which is more than 50 times as many vehicles.

The five-cylinder engine, however, had an output of 81 kW, and from August 1996 the output of these engines was increased to 85 kW. There were a total of six different versions of these engines, three with 81 kW and three with 85 kW. The latter engines were only available in the facelift version, as these were introduced a few months after the facelift.

Also with the facelift of 1996, the 2.8-liter VR6 engine with 103 kW was introduced in the T4. From 2000 this engine was offered in a more powerful version with 150 kW engine power. This most powerful T4 engine could only be ordered with an automatic transmission .

Swirl chamber diesel engines

Until 1996 the diesel variants of the VW T4 were only available with swirl chamber diesel engines. The weakest engine was a 1.9-liter diesel engine with 44 kW, which was installed in 144,720 vehicles. It was taken out of the range for the facelift in December 1995.

The turbo-charged version of this engine, offered since 1992 (engine code: ABL), had an output of 50 kW. With the discontinuation of the 1X engine until the end of production, it was the smallest diesel engine in the T4 series, similar to the AAC in the Otto engine.

As a five-cylinder, the swirl chamber diesel in the T4 had a displacement of 2.4 liters. The engines are considered to be the most durable in the VW T4. It was available in two versions: The 57 kW engine with the code letter AAB, built up to September 1998, was installed in 432,060 vehicles, making it the most common T4 engine. In the last few months of production, this engine could only be ordered in combination with all-wheel drive. Its successor, the AJA, had an output of 55 kW, was equipped with an oxidation catalyst ex works , rolled off the production line 74,460 times and was available until the end of production in June 2003.

In contrast to other models from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles (VW LT and Caddy ), the T4 was never available with an SDI engine (direct injection without turbocharger).

Diesel direct injection (TDI)

From 1995 the popular turbodiesel direct injection engines (TDI) from VW were also installed in the T4. The TDI was only available as a 2.5 TDI in the T4. It had the same displacement of 2461 cm ³ as the five-cylinder petrol engines in the T4.

In 1998 a reduced-power version with 65 kW power and the engine code AJT came onto the market. In contrast to all other TDI engines in the VW T4, this variant was not equipped with an intercooler. In the model lettering of these vehicles, the TDI lettering had a blue "I". Another variant of this engine was marketed under the engine code AYY from 2001, both of which remained on offer until production was stopped.

The "standard version" of the T4 TDI had a completely silver TDI logo and an engine output of 75 kW. The most popular of these TDI engines (engine code ACV) was manufactured in a number of 391,850. In addition, there are 22,080 TDIs with the engine code AUF, which were installed exclusively with automatic transmissions and mostly in official versions, and from 2001 4780 TDI engines with the engine code AYC.

For the Syncro variants, which had a lower emission rating than the usual TDI, a 75 kW engine with the code letter AXL was also offered from 2001. Despite the engine output of 75 kW, these engines were derived versions of the 111 kW engine. The AXL motors were not built into the T4 TDI Syncro throughout, but merely supplemented the motor range. The ACV engine was therefore installed in the T4 TDI in greater numbers than the AXL. As the AXL motors require more space, the AXL Syncros were only installed in T4 versions with a long front section (formerly known as "Caravelle Front").

The most powerful TDI engine with 111 kW was actually only installed in the Caravelle and Multivan versions of the T4. All affected vehicles have a long front end. 18,990 vehicles built between 1998 and 2001 had the engine code AHY, while 28,950 vehicles produced between 2000 and 2003 had the code letter AXG.

On the other hand, there was never a 1.9 TDI in the VW T4, but only in the VW Transporter T5. Vehicles on the used car market that are offered as such are either incorrectly named models with an ABL engine (1.9 TD) or vehicles in which the owners will eventually replace the originally installed engine with 1.9 TDI engines from other VW models to have.

Technical data of the motors

Petrol engines
model	Cylinders / valves per cylinder	Cubic capacity cm³	Maximum power	Max. Torque	Engine identification	Construction period
1.8	4/2	1781	49 kW (67 PS) at 4000 rpm	140 Nm at 2200 rpm	PD	09 / 1990-07 / 1992
2.0	4/2	1984	62 kW (84 PS) at 4300 rpm	159 Nm at 2200 rpm	AAC	09 / 1990-06 / 2003
2.5	5/2	2461	81 kW (110 PS) at 4500 rpm	190 Nm at 2200 rpm	AAF, ACU, AEU	09 / 1990-10 / 1996
2.5	5/2	2461	85 kW (115 PS) at 4500 rpm	200 Nm at 2200 rpm	AET, APL, AVT	08 / 1996-06 / 2003
2.8 VR6	6/2	2792	103 kW (140 PS) at 4500 rpm	240 Nm at 3000-3400 rpm	AES	01 / 1996-05 / 2000
2.8 VR 6	6/4	2792	150 kW (204 hp) at 6200 rpm	245 Nm at 2500-5500 rpm	AMV	05 / 2000-06 / 2003
Diesel engines
model	Cylinders / valves per cylinder	Cubic capacity cm³	Maximum power	Max. Torque	Engine identification	Construction period
1.9 D	4/2	1896	44 kW (60 PS) at 3700 rpm	127 Nm at 1700-2500 rpm	1X	09 / 1990-07 / 1995
1.9 TD	4/2	1896	50 kW (68 PS) at 3700 rpm	140 Nm at 2000-3000 rpm	OJ	08 / 1992-06 / 2003
2.4 D	5/2	2370	57 kW (78 PS) at 3700 rpm	164 Nm at 1800-2200 rpm	AAB	09 / 1990-09 / 1998
2.4 D	5/2	2370	55 kW (75 PS) at 3700 rpm	160 Nm at 1900-2900 rpm	AJA	04 / 1997-06 / 2003
2.5 TD I	5/2	2461	65 kW (88 PS) at 3600 rpm	195 Nm at 1900-2500 rpm	AJT, AYY	05 / 1998-06 / 2003
2.5 TDI	5/2	2461	75 kW (102 PS) at 3500 rpm	250 Nm at 1900-2300 rpm	ACV, UP, AXL, AYC	09 / 1995-06 / 2003
2.5 TD I	5/2	2461	111 kW (151 PS) at 4000 rpm	295 Nm at 1900-3000 rpm	AHY, AXG	05 / 1998-06 / 2003

1. ↑ With carburetor, only for some export countries
2. ↑ ^{a b c d e f} Also available as syncro
3. ↑ Motor ACU: When using Super (95 RON) 195 Nm
4. ↑ ^{a b c} Only available for Caravelle, Multivan and California
5. ↑ For some export countries (e.g. Austria) 45 kW (61 PS)
6. ↑ From 04/1997 to 09/1998 only available as syncro
7. ↑ ^{a b} The TDI lettering is marked with a blue " I " on the 65 kW engine, it is completely silver on the 75 kW engine and a red " I " on the 111 kW engine .

Web links

Commons : VW T4  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

• Official VW commercial vehicles website
• VW bus brochures and price lists (mainly T1, T2, T3 and T4)
• VW bus brochures and price lists (T4 and T5), calendar of meetings and news about VW commercial vehicles

Individual evidence

1. ↑ ^{a b} VW engines http://vag-codes.info/ , July 3, 2011 (English)