2012 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG ignition

WARNING
Never stop the engine before the vehicle has come to a complete stop. You can lose control of the vehicle, crash, and be seriously injured.
x The airbags and safety belt pretensioners will not work when the ignition is switched off.
x The brake booster does not work when the engine is not running. More brake pedal pres-sure will be needed to stop the vehicle.
x The power steering system does not work when the engine is not running, and you will need more force to steer the vehicle.
x When the key is removed from the ignition switch, the steering will lock and you will not be able to steer the vehicle.
NOTICE
If the vehicle has been driven hard for a long time, the engine could overheat when it is stopped. To reduce the risk of engine damage, let the engine idle in Neutral for about 2 minutes before you switch off the ignition.
If the ignition is switched on or the engine is running and the driver door is opened, a chime sounds. The chime is also a reminder to switch off the engine and turn off the ignition before leaving and locking the vehicle from the outside.
The vehicle key can be removed from the ignition only when the transmission is in Park (P).
After the engine has been switched off, the radiator fan in the engine compartment may keep running for several minutes, or may start running after the vehicle has been parked for a while, even if the ignition is switched off and the vehicle key has been removed. The radiator fan shuts off automati-cally when the engine has cooled down enough.
Electronic immobilizer

WARNING
Moving the selector lever to the wrong position can cause loss of vehicle control, a collision, and serious personal injury.
x Never accelerate when moving the selector lever.
x When the engine is running and a drive position is engaged, the vehicle will start to move as soon as the brake pedal is released.
x Never shift into Reverse or Park when the vehicle is moving.
WARNING
Unintended vehicle movement can cause serious personal injury.
x Never get out of the driver's seat while the engine is running, especially when the trans-mission is in a drive gear. If you must leave your vehicle while the engine is running, always set the electronic parking brake and shift the transmission into Park (P).
x Never leave the vehicle in Neutral (N). It will roll down hills, whether the engine is running or not.
x When the engine is running and a drive gear - Drive (D), Sport Drive (S), or Reverse (R) - has been selected, press and hold the brake pedal to keep the vehicle from moving. The ve-hicle may “creep” and move forward or backward even if the engine is idling slowly.
x Never shift into Reverse (R) or Park (P) when the vehicle is moving.
NOTICE
Even though the transmission is in Park (P), the vehicle may move a couple of inches (a few centimeters) forwards or backwards if you take your foot off the brake pedal after stopping the vehicle without first setting the electronic parking brake.
If the selector lever is moved into Neutral (N) by mistake when the vehicle is moving, take your foot off the accelerator pedal. Wait until the engine speed has dropped to idle speed before moving the selector lever into a drive gear.
Leaving the selector lever for a long period of time in any position other than Park (P) when the ignition is switched off can drain the vehicle battery.

WARNING
Parking improperly can cause serious personal injury.
x Never remove the key from the ignition switch while the vehicle is moving or rolling to a stop. The steering wheel will lock and you will not be able to steer or control the vehicle.
x Never park the vehicle where the hot exhaust system or catalytic converter could ignite flammable materials, such as brush, leaves, dry grass, spilled fuel, etc.
x Always apply the parking brake when parking your vehicle.
x Improper use of the parking brake can seriously injure you and your passengers.
x Never use the parking brake to slow down the vehicle when it is moving, except in an emergency. The stopping distance is much longer because only the rear wheels are braked. Always use the foot brake to stop the vehicle.
x Never activate the throttle manually from the engine compartment when the engine is running and the automatic transmission is in gear. The vehicle will start to move as soon as the engine speed increases even if the parking brake is on.
x Never leave children or anyone who cannot help themselves behind in the vehicle. They could release the parking brake and move the gear selector lever or gear shift, which could cause the vehicle to start moving. This can lead to a crash and serious personal injuries.
x Always take the key with you when you leave the vehicle. The engine can be started and vehicle systems such as the power windows can be operated, leading to serious personal injury.
x Never leave children, disabled persons, or anyone who cannot help themselves in the vehicle. The doors can be locked with the remote control vehicle key, trapping passengers in the vehicle in an emergency. For example, depending on the time of year, people trapped in the vehicle can be exposed to very high or very low temperatures.
x Heat buildup in the passenger and luggage compartment of a parked vehicle can result in temperatures in the vehicle that are much higher than the outside temperatures, particularly in summer. Temperatures can quickly reach levels that can cause unconsciousness and death, particularly to small children.
NOTICE
x Always be careful when you park in areas with parking barriers or high curbs. These vary in height and could damage your bumper and related parts if the front of your vehicle hits a barri-er or curb that is too high while you are getting into or out of a parking spot. To help prevent damage, stop before the tires of your vehicle touch a parking barrier or curb.
x Always be careful when you enter a driveway or drive up or down steep ramps or over curbs or other obstacles. Parts of the vehicle close to the ground may be damaged (such as bumper covers, spoilers, and parts of the engine, suspension, and exhaust systems).
Warning and indicator lights

Flashes Possible cause Proper response
locked/unlocked. switch it on again. Heed any
messages shown in the instru-
ment cluster display, if applica-
ble.
On vehicles with Keyless Ac-
cess, press the starter button
briefly twice in a row without
depressing the brake or clutch
pedal. Do not drive any farther
if the steering column remains
locked after you switch on the
ignition. Contact your authorized
Volkswagen dealer or an author-
ized Volkswagen Service Facility
for assistance.

When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds.
WARNING
Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text messages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result in a collision and serious personal injury.
x Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.
x 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.
Steering system information

If the driver door is opened before the ignition is switched off, the electronic steering column lock is activated only after the vehicle has been locked with the vehicle key or via the sensor in the door handle.
Power steering
Power steering automatically adjusts to driving speed, steering torque, and the steering angle of the wheels. Power steering works only when the engine is running.
If power steering is reduced or lost completely, it will be much harder to steer and control the vehicle.
Counter-steering assistance
Counter-steering assistance is part of Electronic Stability Control (ESC). This feature makes it easier for the driver to control the vehicle in difficult situations. For example, if you have to brake hard on a surface that provides uneven traction, the vehicle could pull to the right or left. ESC detects this situa-
tion and helps the driver counter-steer with additional steering power ⇒ .
WARNING
The counter-steering assistance in ESC can do no more than help the driver steer in difficult situations. The driver must still control the vehicle. The vehicle does not steer by itself with this feature!
NOTICE
If the ignition is off, the steering column lock will engage and the vehicle cannot be steered. For this reason, you must leave the ignition on when going through an automatic car wash, for example, so that the wheels will still steer.

DANGER
The vehicle's high-voltage electrical system and high-voltage battery are dangerous and can cause burns, other serious personal injuries, electrocution, and death.
x Always assume that high-voltage battery and parts of the high-voltage system are fully charged and energized.
x Never touch or let jewelry or other metal objects contact high-voltage cables or the high-voltage battery and battery poles, especially if the cables, battery, and battery poles have been damaged in any way.
x Never do any work yourself on the high-voltage electrical system, the orange-colored high-voltage wiring, or on the high-voltage battery.
x Never open, service, repair, or disconnect any part of the hybrid electrical system.
x Never damage the orange-colored high-voltage cables. Never remove them and never disconnect them from the high-voltage electrical system.
x Never open or remove the orange-colored cover on the high-voltage battery.
x Always have work on the hybrid electrical system and systems that could be indirectly affected by it done by qualified, trained technicians who have the know-how, experience, documentation, and tools to do the work safely.
x All work on the high-voltage electrical system and the high-voltage battery must be done in compliance with Volkswagen standards and guidelines.
x Vehicle keys must be safely stored a safe distance from vehicle so that the ignition cannot be switched on and energize the electrical system.
x Gases vented or released from the high-voltage battery vapors are potentially poisonous and can burn.
x Physical damage to the vehicle or the high-voltage battery can result in immediate or de-layed release of poisonous gases that can also cause a fire.
x Always avoid contact with leaking fluids and gases escaping from the battery, particularly one that has been damaged.
x Always tell emergency responders that the vehicle has a high-voltage battery.
WARNING
Driver distraction causes accidents and serious personal injury. Using the instrument cluster or accessing Infotainment System menus while driving can take your attention off the road and cause accidents.
x To help reduce the risk of accidents and injuries, never change settings in the instrument cluster display or use Infotainment System functions unless the vehicle is standing still.

WARNING
When powered by the electric motor, the vehicle makes much less noise, both when idling and driving, than when it is running on the internal combustion engine. It is much harder or even impossible for the drivers of other vehicles and above all for cyclists, pedestrians, and children to hear the vehicle when it is running on electrical power.
x Pedestrians and others can be struck and seriously injured because they cannot hear the vehicle and tell that it is getting close to them, for instance when you are parking, backing up, or driving in a low-speed zone where there is likely to be pedestrian traffic.
x Always watch out for pedestrians, especially small children, cyclists, and others who may not hear the vehicle or realize that it is about to move or will cross their path of travel.
x Always be especially careful in residential areas, school zones, and other places where the speed of motor vehicles is restricted and pedestrians may be at greater risk.
x Make sure the ignition and the hybrid drive system have both been turned off before leav-ing the vehicle.
WARNING
Never leave the vehicle when hybrid drive system indicator lights are still lit. The vehicle can move if the accelerator is depressed even though the combustion engine has been stopped. This can cause accidents and severe or fatal injuries.
x Make sure the transmission is in Park (P) before you get out of the vehicle.
WARNING
Never support the vehicle with cinder blocks, bricks, or other objects to inspect it. The vehi-cle could slip or move suddenly and cause an accident with serious personal injury.
WARNING
Never let the hybrid battery get wet. Liquids and other fluids can cause short circuits, electri-cal shock, burns, and explosions.
x Never carry large amounts of liquids or other fluids in the luggage compartment.
x Always make sure that any containers with liquids and other fluids are properly secured and tightly closed to prevent leakage during normal driving as well as hard cornering, brak-ing, and other vehicle maneuvers. Leaking liquids can get into the cover of the high-voltage battery and the high-voltage cable connections. This can damage the electrical system and the high-voltage battery.
Never drive until the fuel tank is completely empty. There may not always be enough charge in the high-voltage battery to get to the next gas station.
When outside temperatures are low, a cold high-voltage battery can affect how the combustion engine starts up and can also reduce the vehicle's range in electric drive.
Warning and indicator lights

Warning messages
When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds.
Warning lights and text messages are shown in the instrument cluster display. Acoustic warnings may also sound at the same time.

Lights
up
Warnings in the in-
strument cluster dis-
play
Proper response
\f
Fault in the hybrid sys-
tem: stop the vehicle at
a safe location!
Stop the vehicle in a safe place as
soon as it is safe to do so.
\f
Fault in the hybrid sys-
tem: Workshop!
See an authorized Volkswagen dealer
or an authorized Volkswagen Service
Facility.
Hybrid battery is charg-
ing, leave engine run-
ning.
While this message appears, do not
stop the engine.
2%!$9 Electric drive is
READY.
Never leave the vehicle parked in the
ready position. Remove the remote
control vehicle key out of the ignition
or for vehicle with Keyless Access
press the starter button ⇒ page 395.
When leaving the vehicle always take
the remote control vehicle key with
you.
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