Date:         Tue, 14 Jan 1997 20:34:27 -0500 (EST)
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         SyncroHead@aol.com
Subject:      Re: 88 Vanagon with "thing" on steering column??

I (SyncroHead) wrote: 

> > I saw an 88 Vanagon GL Camper in a parking lot the other day and looked
>  > inside.
>  > On top of the steering column, between the steering wheel and gages,
 the
>  > usual plastic cover piece was replaced by something I hadn't seen
before.
>  > The cover piece on this van had a large "display" like thing on it.  It
wa
>  > molded into the piece and must have come from the factory.  It protruded

>  > up from the usual slope toward the gages and presented the driver with a
1.25"
>  > tall x 2" wide rectangle that looked like it was dark red plastic.  Sort
 of
>  > like a warning indicator or display of some sort.
>  > 
>  > Many cars now place their emergency flasher switch & light in this
position,
>  > but this van had those in the usual position on the right side of the
>  > instrument binnacle with the defroster switch.
>  > 
>  > Any one have any idea what this is?  I'm not too familiar with the
Camper
>  > models, but have looked them over in the past & haven't noticed anything
like
>  > this.
>  > 
>  > By the way, the van has a manual tranmission and was not a Syncro.

Then Todd Francis writes:
> Was it a roller type switch that is the thermostat setting for a seat
> heater? That is what I have on my '91."

And Joel Walker writes:
> from the info i've seen, that would be the switch for the heated seats.
> i think it has some sort of temperature indicator or adjustment.
> must be nice, eh? :)

And then Chris P.   Seattle writes:
> WAYou dog!  Heated seats?  Is there anyway on earth the rest of us mere
> mortals could aquire such a luxury

I continue:
Sorry, I've seen the little thumwheel style knobs there for heated seats and
this is not anything like a thumwheel.  It looks like a little electronic
display of some sort.

Any other theories????

Thanks,
Jim Davis
87 GL Syncro
88 GL Wolfsburg