2007 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF PLUS tow

Driving a
first read and note the introductory informat io n and heed the WARNINGS on page 137.
F
or good h andli ng w he n driving a loa ded ve hicl e,
please observe the following:
Secure ly stow page 138.
Dr ive especially caref ully and acce le rate gently.
Avoid sudd en braking and driv ing man eu ve rs.
Brake earlier than you wou ld if yo u were not
drivi ng a loa ded vehicle.
page 152.
If applicabl e, observe information rega rdin g driv in g w ith roof page 149.
Weights and
firs t read and no te the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS o n page 137.
The gross weight of any vehicle depends on its en gin e, basic equipment, an y factory- in stalled
optional equipment for the given model, and any retrofitted accessories. T he gross vehicle weig ht
rat ing
catio n Label loca ted on the door pillar of the dri ver
door.
The gross vehicl e we ight rating includ es the
weight of the ve hicle itself w ith of its tank of gaso line, the
Before driving
lo ads can ch ange the way your vehicle
h andles and incre ase stop ping dista nces. loads that are not properly sto wed or secured can shift suddenly, causing loss of co ntrol and serio us injury.
the load prope rly to keep it from
shifting.
A lways remember w hen tra nsp o rtin g
h eavy obje cts th at th ey vehicle's cente r of gravity and also the way it handles.
- Always dis
tribute the load as eve nly as
possible. -h eavy obj ec ts as far forward in
th e luggage compartment as poss ible. -If your ve hicle has tie-downs in the
Always tie down heavy items securely wit h
s uitable straps.
Secure ly latch th e rear backrest in the upright position .
Never excee d th e Gross Axle Weight Ratin g
o r the Gross Weight Ratin g on the safe ty compliance sti cker on the left door jamb. Exceeding permissi b le weight ca n ca use the
ve hicl e to skid and ha ndl e diff erently.
Always adapt speed and drivi ng to th e
h ea vie r load and th e we ight di stribution in the vehicle.
Always accelerate gently and avo id
s udd en braking an d drivin g maneuvers.
Always brake ea rlier than yo u wo uld if you were not drivin g a loaded ve hicle .
engine oil and coola nt, lbs/68 kg per seatin g position ) and ca rgo .
T
he gross axle weig ht ra tin gs sp ec ify th e imum allowab le load for ax le.
The cargo payload may not be increased by using
a roof rack without commen surat ely reducing th e
we ig ht from vehicle Dete rmin ing
th e gross vehicle weight page 276.
pay load cons is ts of th e co mbin ed w eight of th e following:
Passe ngers.
Tota l luggage and othe r ca rgo .
Roof load including the roof rack system.
Tong ue weig ht for trailer towing.

Luggage compartment
Introduction
In this section you'll fin d info rmation on the lowi ng:
Folding the backrest of the rear seat forward and back into place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 143
Luggage compartment cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Luggage compartment pass-through . . . . . . . . . . 145
. . . . . . . . . 146
bag hooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 7
Luggage ne t . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . 148
A lways stow h eavy objects in the luggage ment and mak e sure tha t th e rear se at back res ts
a re sec urely la tc h ed in their u pright positio n. strap s with the ric- dow n h ooks.
Never ove rload the ve hicle . Remember th at the hi cle load, well it is di str ibu te d , ca n
More info rmation:
A irbag pag e
page
page 137
Trail er page 152
Tires and pa ge 276
An open or unlocked luggage compartment poses sp eci al risks for children. C lose and lock the rear hatch and all doors when the vehicle is not in use. First, make certain that n o one is left insid e. Neve r leave your vehi cle unattende d or l et
childre n play around the ve hicl e, especi ally with the rear h atch left open. A child could crawl into the ve hicl e and pull the hatc h shut, b ecoming trapped and unable to ge t out. Thi s could cause severe or fatal injuries. A clo sed vehicl e can becom e very ho t or very cold, dependin g on the season. tures can quickly re ac h l eve ls that can cau se unconscio usness or death, particul arl y to sm all childr en . N eve r le t childr en play in or around the
veh icle .
Neve r let anyone ride in the lu ggag e partment.
Before driving
Unsecured or incorrec tl y stowe d item s can through the ve hicle, causing seriou s personal injury during hard brakin g or sh arp steering or in an acci dent. Loose item s can als o be s truck
and thrown throug h th e pa sse nger
Always sto w all objec ts sec ure ly in the
Always secu re objec ts prope rly w ith suit abl e
rop e or tightening s traps so that th ey cannot move into the deploy ment zo ne of the side o r
front airbag during a sudden braking or other driving maneu ve r.
Always kee p storage co mpartm ents clo sed
while driving.
Do not sto w hard , h eavy or sh arp objec ts
loo se in the vehicl e in open storage ments or o n to p of the dashboard.
A lways re m ove hard, heavy, or sharp objects
fr o m clothing and ba gs in the vehicl e int erio r
a nd sto w them secure ly in the lu ggage ment.
Tra nsportin g heavy objects causes the handling
c h arac teris tics of th e vehicl e to change and creases braking dista nces. Heavy loads wh ic h are n o t properly stowed or secured in tl1e vehicl e
can l ead to a loss of ve hicle control and cau se ri ous person injury.
T ra nsporting heavy item s ca uses the d ling characteris tic s of the vehicle to change by
s hiftin g the veh icle 's cen te r of g rav ity .
Alwa ys distribute ca rgo eve nly and as lo w as possibl e within the ve hicl e. The vehicl e capacity
we ig ht figures appl y w hen the load is distribute d
even ly in th e ve hicl e (p asse ngers and lugg age).
Alwa ys sto w lugg age and h eavy it e m s in the
lu ggage compartment as far fo n va rd of tl1e rear
axl e as poss ible and secure th em with priate strap s u sin g th e tic- dow n h ooks provided .

Ski and snowboard sack
Please first rea d and no te the introdu ctory informatio n and heed th e on pag e 142.
Long objects ca n b e tran sported with
out s oiling
t h e vehicl e int erior u sin g th e ski sno wboard
sack.
Loading and sec uring the ski and snowboord sock
the rea r hatch.
the pass -thro ugh
Unfold the ski and snowboard sack.
Put lo ng item s in from th e lugg age ment.
snowboard
s ack into th e center safety belt buck le.
Tighten th e s trap on its loose
Tie-down hooks
Fig. the luggage comportment: Tie-down hooks.
Please first rea d and note th e in trodu ctory informat io n and heed the on pag e 142.
There are tie-d o w n h ook s in the front and rear o f
the l u ggage compartm ent , wh ic h you can use to se cure lu gga ge or other fig. (arrows).
S
ome tie-d own hook s m ay have to b e fold ed open
f o r u se.
Befo re driving
Loose objects be thrown through the
Always tighten the safety of th e ski and snowboard sack after loading.
The ski snowboard sack is de signed only
fori
Note
Mo ld mildew can grow quickly wh en th e ski and snowboard sack is damp. T o he lp prevent mold and mildew, use wipe th e ski sack clean and let it dry completely before fo lding and storing
it.
baggage or oth er item s arc secured to th e down hooks with unsuitabl e or damaged
ries.
Always usc s uit able , undamaged tic-dow n ropes and
Securely fas ten tic-down ropes and ratch e t
stmps to th e tic -dow n hooks.
Loo se o bjec ts in th e lug gage compartm ent
ca n slide about suddenly a nd alter the ve hicl e's
handling.
A ls o secure and lig ht obj ec ts .
Never exceed the maximum load ra tin g o f
th e
Never secure a c hild seat to th e tic-down
h ooks.
The maximum weig ht fo rce for th e tie-down hook s is about3.5 k N (3.57 kp) .
sui table rat ch e t stmp s and luggage stowage syste m s, please sec a n authorized d ealer or authori zed Volksw agen

Securing a
first r ead and note the introdu ctory information and heed the on pag e 149.
It is no t pos sibl e secure a load unless the roof rack sys te m has bee n pro perly
Maximum permissible roof load
Th e ma ximum permi ssibl e roof load is l65lb s. (75 kg). Th e roof load is the combined weight of
the roo f ra ck and the item s bein g carri ed on th e
Transporting
Checking the mountings
Afte r the base carrier and rook rack have been in­
s talled, check all bolt s and faste n ers after drivin g a
s h ort time and at regular int erva ls th ereaft er.
If the maximum permissible roof load is ex­
ceeded, accidents and substantial vehicle damage may occur.
Never exceed the specified roof load, the maximum gross axle weight rating, or the gross
veh icle weight rating .
Always make sure that loads are evenly dis­
tributed and that heavier it ems are, as far as pos­
sible, toward the front.
Loose
or improperly secured item s can fall off the roof rack and cause accid ents and injuri es.
Always use suitabl e, undamaged tie-down
ropes and ratchet straps.
the load
151

In thi s section lowing:
Techni cal requirem ents ..... ............•. . . . 153
Hitching up and connecting a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . 154
Loading the traile r . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
Dri ving with a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 156
mo unt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
Retrofitting a traile r hitch . . . . . . . .
country -s pecifi c requir em elll s about trailer
towin g and trai ler hit ches.
Your Volkswage n was mainl y designed f o r ca rryin g
passen gers. If yo u plan to tow a trail er, ple ase member your ve hicl e will be perfo rming job for
which it wa s no t primarily in tende d . Th e tion alload will aiTec t durabi lity, handling, fu el
economy, and p e rf ormance , and may re quir e th e
veh icle to be service d mo re ofte n.
T ra
iler towing only place s more str ess on th e
ve hicle , calls for more concentration from the
dri ver. Always follow the o p era ting and dri ving s tru ction s give n, and use common sense.
perm issible bar load
exerted on th e ball moulll should not exceed
More informati on:
ala rm pag e 38
page
Sav ing fuel and h elpin g th e en vir onment 198
S tarti ng ass istanc e page
T ires and page 276
acc essories, repairs and modifica tion s
Riding in a trailer is dangerou s and may be legal.
Before driving
Improper use o f the trailer hitch ca n cause
correct, or damaged trailer hitch ca n cause the
trailer to separate from the towing ve hicl e and cause se rious personal injuri es.
use an undamaged , properly mounted trailer hitch.
Never repair or modify the trailer hitch.
To reduce the risk of injury in rear-end sio ns and th e risk to pedestrians and cyclists when the vehicle is parked, always remove the ball mount when a trailer is not being used.
Neve r in stall a or hitch on you r ve hicle. The hicle was not design ed for these kind s of trailer
hit ch es. The hitch attachment can fail , ca using
th e trailer to tear loose from
Improper trailer towin g can cause loss of vehicle
co ntrol and serio us personal injury.
Driving with a trailer and carry ing heavy
o r large things can change th e way the vehicl e handles, increase the distance it need s to sto p
safely, and ca use accidents.
Always secure the load properl y with suitable and und amaged straps so that th e load will not
s hift .
Alw ays adapt your sp ee d and driv in g to
th e heav ier load and weight distribution in the vehicle. Take road, weather, traffic, and
Reduce your s pe ed even more th an yo u otherw is e would when going downhill and und er
unfavorabl e lo ad, weather, or wind co ndition s.
a lo w center of grav ity.
Always avo id sudd en maneu vers and hard
Be especiall y caref ul when pas sin g other ve hicl es. Reduce sp eed immediately if the traile r
shows the slightest sig n of swaying.

Never drive fa ster than mph mph -
Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
fir st read a nd note the imroductory informatio n and heed the on page
If the ve hicle was fac tory-equipped with a trail er
hi tch, all technical and lega l require m em s fo r
trailer towi ng have already been m et.
use a trai le r hitc h w hich is approve d for the
g ro ss wei ght rating of the trailer yo u want to tow. The hit ch mus t be s uitabl e fo r your vehicle and
tr ailer and be securely bolt ed to the ve hicle's chassis. use a trail er hitc h with a re movable ball mount. Alway s check and follow the trail er
hi tch manufacturer's information. Neve r in stall a o r tra ile r hitch on yo u r vehicle.
D o n
ot use a bumper-mounted trai le r h itch
Never insta
ll a trailer hitch on the bumper o r or on th e bumper mountings. The traile r hit ch mus t not in terfe re wit h the impact-absorbing bumper syste m . D o not make any changes to the ve hicl e exhaust and brake sys te m s. From time to time, check that all hitch m oumin g bolts are securely fas ten ed . W hen not towing. re m ove the trailer hi tch. Thi s help s ke ep the hitch from causin g damage if your ve hicl e is hit from behind.
Eng ine cooling syste m
Tow ing a tra
iler makes the e ngin e
If you arc dri ving a new ve hicle or ave-do not tow
a t railer
mil es
need
load it h as to pull.
When you are not towin g, remove the trailer
models need trail er hit ch to tow or tow -s tart other ve hicl es. may
Trailer brakes
If your trail er has its own brake s, make sure it
meet s all regulati ons. Th e trailer bmke sys te m
mu st never be directly connecte d to the ve hicle's brake system .
Safety c
hain s
A lways u
se safety chains be tween yo ur vehicle and
th e trailer.
Trail er rear lights
Tra
ile r lights must meet all regulation s.
Neve r
connect the tmil er l ights directly to the e lec­
trica l s ys tem of your ve hicl e. Be su re to check wit h
your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volk swagen Faci lit y about correct w iring, sw itches and re lay s.
Outside mirrors
I f
the s ta ndard ou ts id e mirror, addition al outs ide m irrors are needed and required b y law in so me coumrie s I states I provin ces. The o uts id e
mirr o rs mus t b e adjuste d b efore driv in g and g ive good v iew to the rear.
Max im um power consump tio n f or th e trailer
D o no t excee d the power ratin gs liste d in the chart below.
E l
ectrical consumers power con-sumptio n
Taillight s
Turn signals pe r sid e 54 wat ts

Electrical consumers Max. power sumption
Brake lights total
An improp erl y in sta ll ed or incorrect t railer hit ch can
trail er any
m ore , remove the entire trailer hitch. Always
sea l all bolt ho les to prevent water and deadly
exhaust fumes from getting int o the ve hicle.
Hitching up and connecting a
Ple a se firs t r ea d and no te the introdu cto ry informati on and heed th e on pag e 152.
n ers witho ut str etc hi ng the c hain s. T he safety
c hain s mu st n ot drag o n th e g ro und, ho wev er.
Trailer electrical socket
The vehicl e m ay be opti onally equipped with a
setup for con nec ting a trailer so cket. Th e ele ctrical connec tio n betwee n th e towing ve hicle and the
trailer is a convent io nal7-pin trailer socke t.
T raile r rear lights
Mak e sure that th e trailer light s work prop erly and
m ee t le gal re quir em ent s. D o no t excee d th e
im um po w er co nsumpti on f or th e trail er 153 .
Before drivin g
Note
If you tow a trailerfrequenll y,
ween th e re gular maintenance and inspecti on
int erva ls because of the extra load it has to pull.
Do not use a trailer with LED (lig ht emitting
di ode) rear lights, as they ca n d amage your ve hicle's ele ctroni cs.
If the uses too much elec tricity, the
ve hicle' s e lectroni cs may be damaged.
Never connect the electric.1.l system for th e
trailer directly to the electrical connection s for
th e rear light s or to any other unsuitabl e powe r
sources. Use onl y a suit abl e connector to provide
po we r to trailer.
In some co untries an additio na l fire extin­gui sh er must be carried if th e tota l w eight of th e trailer exce e d s 5,512lb s.
Improp er connections to the ve hicl e elec trical
sys te m can cause malfunction s that affect the
entire vehicle electrical system, which lead to acciden ts and seriou s pe rso nal injury.
Have any work on the electrical syste m d on e
b y an authorized Volkswage n dealer or autho­
rized Volk sw age n Facility.
Never connect th e e lectrical syste m for the trailer to Ll1e e lectrical connections for
th e rear lights or to any other unsuit abl e power
sources . Usc only a suitabl e con nec tor to vide power to the trail er .
Note
------------------------~ Never attach trailer to the vehicle or leave it taclled to the vehicle when the trail er i s supported
b y a trailer jack or blocks. Various thin gs (sucl1 as c h a ng e in traile r or vehicl e load or a fla t tir e) can lower or raise the ve hicle. Thi s subj ects th e trailer
hit ch and th e trailer to strong fo rces that can d a mag e th e ve hicl e or the trailer.

Any problems with the vehicle's elec trica l system when attached to a trailer should be chec ked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
Loading the trailer
Pleas e first read and note the introductory information and heed the on page 152.
Towing capacity and tongue weight
Towing capac ity is the load that th e vehicle can
159.
The towing capacity and tongue weigh t indicated on the model plate o f the trail er hit ch are only re f­
e ren ce value s. The vehicle-specific values, which are often below these values, can be found in the vehicle document s. Specificat ions in officia l ve­
hicl e documents alwa ys take precedence.
To help en sure optimum handling and driving safe ty, Volkswagen recommends always using the
not handle as well.
Tongue weight increases the load on the rear axle and, in turn, reduces the remaining pay load your ve hicl e can cor­
rect load limit.
Combined towing weight
towing weight is th e we ight of the
l oaded tow in g vehicle plus th e we igh t of th e
l oaded trailer.
In some countries, su ch a s th e States and Ca nada, trailer s are organ ize d in to cla sses. swagen recommend s askin g an authori zed swage n dealer or auth orized Volksw agen Se rvice
Facili ty about suitabl e trailer s.
Thi s
vehicle has not been desig n ed to tow a traile r and must n eve r be retrofitted to tow a II trailer. Always make sure that your vehicl e has been designed to tow the trai le r you want to use and that is is legal to tow the traile r where you be driving.
T ronsporting
Loading the trailer
The weig ht dist ribution in the vehicle and tra iler
mu st be balanced. th e maximum permissible
tongue weight and make sure that the load in the
trail er i s eve nly di stributed and that it is not front­
h eavy or back-heavy:
Distribut e th e load in th e trail er so that heavy objec ts are directly above the axl e or as close as
po ssibl e to the
Secu re load s properly on the trail er.
Tire pressure
Always follow th e trail er manufac turer' s tir e pres­
s ure recommendations fo r the trailer tires.
W h
en towing, inflat e th e towin g vehicl e's tir es to the maximum permissible press ure listed on th e
tir e pressure la bel pag e 276.
Exceeding
the maximum gross axle and tongue weight ratings, as well as the gross vehicle or combined towing weight ratings, can cause acci­dents and serious personal injury.
Never exceed the stated va lues.
Never let the actual weight at the front or rear axle exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating for that
axle. Never let the combined front and rear weights exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
Trailer loads
that are not properl y secured can shift when the vehicl e is moving or braking and suddenly change the way the vehicle handles,
causing accidents and severe injuries.
Always load the trailer properly.
Always secure the load properly with suit­able, undamaged straps that can be tightened so that th e load cannot shift.
154 155