2011 VOLKSWAGEN CC warning light

WARNING
Improper trailer towing can cause loss of vehicle control and
serious personal injury.
Driving with a trailer and carrying heavy or large things can
change the way the vehicle handles, increase the distance it
needs to stop safely, and cause accidents.
Always secure the load properly with suitable and undam-
aged straps so that the load will not shift.
Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and
the weight distribution in the vehicle. Take road, weather, traf-
fic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
Reduce your speed even more than you otherwise would
when going downhill and under unfavorable load, weather, or
wind conditions.
Trailers with a high center of gravity tip more easily than
trailers with a low center of gravity.
Always avoid sudden maneuvers and hard braking.
Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
Reduce speed immediately if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Always obey speed limits. In some areas, the speed limits for
vehicles towing trailers are lower than for vehicles without
trailers. Never drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h; under excep-
tional circumstances 60 mph - 100 km/h) when towing a trailer.
This applies even if the local speed limit is higher.
If you are driving a new vehicle or a vehicle with a new or rebuilt
engine, do not tow a trailer during the break-in period, about
600 miles (1000 km) ⇒  Parts, accessories, repairs, and modifica-
tions.
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need maintenance more
often because of the extra load it has to move.
When you are not towing, remove the trailer hitch ball. This helps
keep the trailer hitch from causing damage to your vehicle and to oth-
ers if your vehicle is hit from behind.

Trailer taillights
Trailer lights must meet all regulations ⇒ Hitching up and connecting
a trailer.
Never connect the trailer lights directly to the electrical system of your
vehicle.
Outside mirrors
If you cannot see the traffic behind you using the regular outside mir-
rors, then you must install extended mirrors. Extended mirrors may
also be required by law in some countries/states/provinces. Always
adjust the outside mirrors before driving. It's vital that you always
have a clear view to the rear of the vehicle.
Maximum power consumption for the trailer
Do not exceed the power ratings listed in the chart below.

Electrical load Maximum power
Brake lights total 108 watts
Turn signals per side 54 watts
Side marker lights total 100 watts
Taillights total 54 watts

WARNING
An improperly installed or incorrect trailer hitch can cause a
trailer to separate from the tow vehicle and cause serious per-
sonal injuries.
If you don't have to tow a trailer any more, remove the entire
trailer hitch. Always seal all bolt holes to prevent water and
deadly exhaust fumes from getting into the vehicle.
NOTICE
If the trailer lights are not connected properly, the vehicle's
electronics may be damaged.

WARNING
Improper trailer towing can cause loss of vehicle control and
serious personal injury.
Driving with a trailer and carrying heavy or bulky items
changes the way the vehicle handles and increases the dis-
tance it needs to stop safely.
Always watch what is happening up ahead and around you.
Brake earlier than you would if you were not towing a trailer.
Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and
the weight distribution in the vehicle. Take road, weather, traf-
fic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
Reduce your speed even more than you otherwise would
when going downhill and under unfavorable load, weather, or
wind conditions.
Drive especially carefully and accelerate gently. Always avoid
sudden maneuvers and hard braking.
Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
Reduce speed immediately if the trailer shows even the
slightest sign of swaying.
Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Always obey speed limits. In some areas speed limits for ve-
hicles towing trailers are lower than for vehicles without trail-
ers.
Ball mount

Fig. 108 Dimensions of the ball mount support.

from the center of the hitch ball to the surface of the road ⇒ fig. 109
(D) be less than the specified minimum. This minimum height must be
present even when the vehicle is fully loaded and subject to the max-
imum tongue weight.
Distance dimensions ⇒ fig. 109:
(A) Attachment points.
(B) 46 inches (1170 mm)
(C) at least 3 inches (79 mm)
(D) 14–16 inches (350 – 420 mm)
(E) 10 inches (251 mm)
(F) 21 inches (546 mm)
(G) 41 inches (1031 mm)
(H) 41 inches (1036 mm)
WARNING
Improper or incorrect connections to the vehicle electrical sys-
tem can cause malfunctions that affect the entire vehicle elec-
trical system and cause accidents and serious personal injury.
Never connect the electrical system of the trailer directly to
the electrical connections of the rear lights or other unsuitable
power sources. Use only a suitable connector to provide power
to the trailer.
Have any trailer hitch retrofit or other work on a trailer hitch
done by a qualified workshop.
WARNING
An improperly installed or unsuitable trailer hitch can cause the
trailer to separate from the towing vehicle and result in a major
accident with serious personal injuries.
Maximum permissible trailer weight

Damaged wheel rims must be replaced, and you must never take
them apart or try to repair them yourself. Have an authorized
Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility re-
pair them for you ⇒ .
Wheel rims with bolted decorative covers
Light-alloy wheels may have interchangeable decorative covers at-
tached to the rim with self-locking screws. If you want to replace
damaged wheel covers, contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer
or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
WARNING
Using improper or damaged wheel rims can affect driving safe-
ty, cause accidents and severe personal injury.
Use only wheel rims approved for the vehicle.
Regularly check wheel rims for damage and replace them if
necessary.
WARNING
Improper loosening and tightening of the bolts on wheel rims
with bolted rim rings can cause accidents and severe personal
injury.
Never loosen bolted connections on wheel rims with bolted
rim rings.
Have all work on wheel rims with bolted rim rings performed
by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen
Service Facility.
New and replacement tires

sure values stored in your vehicle's TPMS may have to be adjusted
(reprogrammed). This requires professional assistance. For more
information, contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized
Volkswagen Service Facility.
Installing replacement tires with steel cord body plies in the tire side-
wall may cause malfunction of the TPMS, and is not recommended
(cord material information in molded on the tire sidewall).
Always check the TPMS indicator light after replacing one or more
tires on your vehicle. If the indicator light is on, the TPMS is not work-
ing properly. Your replacement tire might be incompatible with the
system, or some component of the TPMS may be damaged.
For detailed information about TPMS, how it works and what you
need to know ⇒ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
WARNING
New tires tend to be slippery and must be broken in.
Always drive with special care for the first 350 miles (560 km)
to help reduce the risk of losing control, a collision, and serious
personal injuries.
WARNING
Tires must have the required clearance. Tires that do not have
enough clearance can rub against parts of the vehicle body,
suspension, and brake system, causing brake system failure,
tread delamination, and sudden blowouts.
Always make sure that new tires are not larger than the tires
approved for your vehicle and that the new tires do not rub
against parts of the vehicle.
NOTICE
When switching to different tires, make certain the valves and
sensors are not damaged.
Never drive without valve stem caps. The valves and sensors
could be damaged.

Speed rating (letter code)
A standardized letter code indicating the maximum speed at which a
tire is designed to be driven for extended periods of time. The ratings
range from 93 mph or 150 km/h (“P”) to 186 mph or (300 km/h) “Y”.
The speed rating letter code, where applicable, is molded on the tire
sidewall. You may not find this information on all tires because it is
not required by law.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System
A system that detects when at least one of a vehicle's tires is underin-
flated and illuminates a low tire-pressure warning light.
Tread
The portion of a tire that normally touches the road.
Tread rib
A tread section running circumferentially around a tire.
Tread separation
Tire failure caused by the tread pulling away from the tire carcass.
Tread wear indicators (TWI)
Raised areas within the main tread grooves that show, visually, when
tires are worn and near the end of their useful life ⇒ page 261.
Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG)
A tire information system developed by the U.S. National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that is designed to help buyers
compare tires. UTQG is not a safety rating, nor is it a guarantee that a
tire will last for a certain number of miles or perform a certain way. It
gives tire buyers more information to compare with factors such as
price, brand loyalty and dealer recommendations. Under UTQG, tires
are graded by the tire manufacturers in 3 areas: tread wear, traction
and temperature resistance. UTQG information is molded into the tire
sidewalls.
U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN)
A tire's serial number. It begins with the letters “DOT” (“Department of
Transportation”) and indicates that the tire meets all federal stand-
ards. The next 2 numbers or letters indicate the plant where the tire

If the tire is not “flat” and you do not have to change the tire
or wheel immediately, drive at reduced speed to the nearest
service station to check the tire pressure and add air as re-
quired.
When replacing tires or wheel rims on vehicles equipped with
TPMS, always read and heed the information and all WARN-
INGS in the section ⇒  Tires and wheels.
WARNING
Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text mes-
sages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result
in a collision and serious personal injury.
Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.
Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in
vehicle damage.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)

Fig. 117 Display screen in the instrument cluster: Current tire pres-
sures in psi.