Page 194 of 578

 
  WARNING 
Unsecured or incorrectly stowed items can fly through the ve-
hicle, causing serious personal injury during hard braking or 
sharp steering or in an accident. Loose items can also be 
struck and thrown through the passenger compartment by the 
front airbags if they inflate. To help reduce the risk of serious 
personal injury: 
  Always stow all objects securely in the vehicle. Always put 
luggage and heavy items in the luggage compartment. 
  Always secure objects in the passenger compartment proper-
ly with suitable straps so that they cannot move into the de-
ployment zone of a side or front airbag during sudden braking, 
in a sudden maneuver, or in a collision. 
  Always keep storage compartments closed while driving. 
  Never stow hard, heavy, or sharp objects in the vehicle's 
open storage compartments, on the shelf behind the rear seat 
bench, or on the top of the instrument panel. 
  Always remove hard, heavy, or sharp objects from clothing 
and bags in the vehicle interior and stow them securely in the 
luggage compartment.   
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 195 of 578

 
  WARNING 
Transporting heavy objects causes the handling characteristics 
of the vehicle to change and increases braking distances. 
Heavy loads which are not properly stowed or secured in the 
vehicle can lead to a loss of vehicle control and cause serious 
personal injury. 
  Transporting heavy items causes the handling characteris-
tics of the vehicle to change by shifting the vehicle's center of 
gravity. 
  Always distribute luggage evenly and as low as possible 
within the vehicle. The vehicle capacity weight figures apply 
when the load is distributed evenly in the vehicle (passengers 
and luggage). 
  Always stow luggage and heavy items in the luggage com-
partment as far forward of the rear axle as possible and secure 
them with appropriate straps to the tie-downs provided. 
  Never exceed the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or 
Gross Axle Weight Ratings, which are printed on the Safety 
Compliance Certification Label located on the door jamb of the 
driver door. Exceeding the permissible weight can cause the 
vehicle to skid and behave differently. 
  Always adapt your speed and driving style to accommodate 
your payload and its weight distribution within your vehicle. 
  Be especially cautious and gentle when stepping on the ac-
celerator pedal and avoid sudden braking and other maneu-
vers. 
  Brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a loaded 
vehicle.  
  NOTICE 
The defroster heating wires or antenna in the rear window can 
be damaged by objects that rub against them. 
  The ventilation slots between the rear window and the shelf be-
hind the rear seat backrest must not be blocked so that stale air can 
escape from the vehicle.  
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 202 of 578

 
  WARNING 
Elastic straps have to be stretched when being attached to the 
tie-downs in the luggage compartment. Hooks on these straps 
can cause serious personal injury if not handled properly and 
attached securely. 
  Always protect eyes and face from injury from the hooks 
when attaching them to the tie-downs in the luggage compart-
ment. 
  Always hold the hooks on elastic straps firmly when attach-
ing to the vehicle and do not let them snap back and hit you. 
  First attach the hooks on the straps to the tie-downs at the 
rear seat backrest in the luggage compartment and then to the 
tie-downs near the loading edge of the luggage compartment. 
This way, if one of the hooks on the elastic straps snaps back, 
it will move away from you, decreasing the risk of personal in-
jury. 
  The maximum load for the tie-downs is about 785 lbs. (356 kg). 
  For suitable straps and luggage stowage systems, please see an 
authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service 
Facility. 
Shopping bag hooks 
 
Fig. 105 In the luggage compartment: Shopping bag hooks.  
         
        
        
     
        
        Page 204 of 578