2012 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG Collision

Odometer displays
The odometer indicates the total distance driven by the vehicle.
The trip odometer (trip) shows the distance driven since the last time the trip odometer was reset. The last digit indicates 1/10 mile (100 meters).
Outside temperature display
At outside temperatures below about +39 °F (+4 °C), a “snowflake symbol” (icy road warning) appears in the display. The symbol flashes at first, then stays on until the outside temperature rises above
+43 °F (+6 °C) ⇒ .
When the vehicle is not moving or when you are driving at very low speeds, the temperature displayed may be slightly higher than the actual outside temperature.
The measurement range is from -40 °F (-40 °C) to +122 °F (+50 °C).
Compass display
When the ignition and navigation system are switched on, the current compass direction is indicated in
the instrument cluster display ⇒  Compass.
Selector lever positions
The selector lever position is shown both on the side of the selector lever and in the instrument cluster display. The respective gear may also be shown in the instrument cluster display in Drive (D) and Sport Drive (S), as well as in Tiptronic® mode.
Speed warning
If you exceed the top speed that has been set, this will be signaled in the instrument cluster display. This feature is useful in various situations, for instance when using winter tires that are not designed for the vehicle's top speed.
The speed warning can be set and switched on and off in the Infotainment System.
x Switch on the ignition.
x Press the CAR Infotainment button.
x Tap the Settings function key on the screen.
x Select Speed warning from the list.
x Place your finger on the touchscreen slider ? and, keeping your finger on the screen, move your finger to slide it to the desired speed setting.
x OR: Tap the - or + function key on the screen to move the slider in steps.
x Tap the Active function key on the screen to switch on the speed warning.
If the check box in the Active function key is checked =, the feature is switched on.
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.
x Park the vehicle at a safe distance from moving traffic and where no part of the hot cata-lytic converter and exhaust system can come into contact with flammable materials under the vehicle, such as dry grass, brush, spilled fuel, etc.
x A broken down vehicle presents a high accident risk for itself and others. Switch on emergency flashers and set up a warning triangle to warn oncoming traffic.

WARNING
Improper use of power locks can result in serious personal injury.
x The power locking button locks all doors. Locking the doors from the inside can help prevent unintended door opening during a collision and can also prevent unwanted entry from the outside. Locked doors can, however, delay assistance to vehicle occupants and rescue from the outside in an accident or other emergency.
x Never leave children or anyone who cannot help themselves behind in the vehicle. All doors can be locked from the inside with the power lock button. This could leave people trapped in the vehicle in an emergency. Depending on the time of year, people trapped in the vehicle can be exposed to very high or very low temperatures.
x A closed vehicle can become very hot or very cold, depending on the season. Particularly in the summer, 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. Temperatures can quickly reach levels that can cause unconsciousness and death, particu-larly to small children.
x Never allow passengers to remain in a locked vehicle. In an emergency any person still inside the vehicle might not be able to get out.
Indicator light in the driver door

Function key: supplementary information
Driver only : Only the driver's door is unlocked when the vehicle is
unlocked with the remote control vehicle key. All doors and (pos-
sibly) the rear hatch open only if the 0 button is pushed a second
time.
= Unlock trunk separately : The rear hatch remains locked when the vehi-
cle is unlocked. Pressing the & button
unlocks the rear hatch. Tap the function key to deactivate the feature.

Locking the vehicle after airbag inflation
If the airbags are activated during a collision, the entire vehicle is unlocked. Depending on the severity of the damage, the vehicle can be locked after a collision when the airbags have deployed as follows:

Function Action
Locking the vehicle
with the power lock-
ing switch:
– Switch the ignition off.
– Open a door once.
– Press power locking switch 1.
Locking the vehicle
with the remote con-
trol vehicle key:
– Switch the ignition off and on again.
OR: Remove the remote control vehicle key from
the ignition.
– Open a door once.
– Lock the vehicle with the remote control vehicle
key.

If the remote control vehicle key buttons ⇒  Remote control vehicle keys or one of the power
locking buttons ⇒  Unlocking and locking the vehicle from the inside are pushed repeatedly in quick succession, the power locking system is switched off for a brief period to help keep it from being overloaded. The vehicle is then unlocked for about 30 seconds. Unless a door or the rear hatch is opened during this time, the vehicle is automatically locked afterwards.

WARNING
Always adjust seat, safety belts and head restraints properly before driving and make sure that all passengers are properly restrained.
x Push the passenger seat as far back as possible. Always be sure that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the front passenger's breastbone and the instrument panel.
x Always adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel so that there are a distance of 10 inches (25 cm) between your breastbone and the center of the steering wheel.
x Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily push the pedals all the way to the floor while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent. The distance to the instrument panel in the knee area must be at least 4 inches (10 cm).
x If these requirements cannot be met for physical reasons, contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility to see whether adaptive equipment is available.
x Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering wheel rim with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of personal injury if the driv-er's airbag inflates.
x Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with your hands at other places inside the steering wheel rim or on the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the wrong way can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms, and head if the driver's airbag in-flates.
x Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the ability of the driver's airbag to help protect you in a collision.
x Never drive with backrests reclined or tilted back farther than necessary to drive comfort-ably. The farther back the backrests are tilted the greater the risk of injury caused by incor-rect positioning of the safety belts and improper seating position.
from the steering wheel and the instrument panel.
x Always sit upright with your back against the backrest with the front seats properly ad-justed. Never lean against or place any part of your body too close to the area where the air-bags are located.
x Rear seat passengers who are not properly seated and restrained are more likely to be seriously injured in a crash.
WARNING
Improper adjustment of the seats can cause accidents and severe injuries.
x Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving. Your seat may move unexpectedly and you could lose control of the vehicle. In addition, you will not be in the correct seating posi-tion while adjusting the seat.
x Adjust the front seat height, angle and longitudinal direction only if the seat adjustment area is clear.
x The adjustment of the front seats must not be restricted by things in the footwell in front of or behind the seats.

For your own safety and to reduce injuries in the event of sudden braking maneuvers or accidents, Volkswagen recommends the following seating positions:
Applies to all vehicle occupants:
x Adjust head restraints so that the upper edge of the head restraint is at least at eye level or higher.
Position the back of your head as close as possible to the head restraint ⇒ fig. 39 and ⇒ fig. 40.
x Push the head restraint completely down for short people, even if the top of the head is then below the upper edge of the head restraint.
x Tall people should pull the head restraint all the way up.
x Adjust the seat backrest angle to an upright position so that your back is in full contact with it when the vehicle is moving.
x Always keep both feet on the floor and in the footwell whenever the vehicle is moving.
x Always adjust and fasten safety belts properly ⇒  Safety belts.
Driver - seat and steering wheel adjustment:
x Adjust the steering wheel so that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the steering wheel
and your breast bone ⇒ fig. 39. When adjusting the proper distance to the steering wheel, grasp the top of the steering wheel with your elbows slightly bent.
x Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering wheel rim with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of personal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.
x Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with your hands at other places inside the steering wheel rim or on the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the wrong way can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms, and head if the driver's airbag inflates.
x Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering wheel cover points at your chest and not at your face. Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the ability of the driver's airbag to help protect you in a collision.
x Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily push the pedals all the way to the floor while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent.
x Adjust the seat height so that the top point of the steering wheel can be reached.
x Always keep both feet in the footwell so that you are in control of the vehicle at all times.
Passenger - front seat adjustment:
x Push the passenger seat as far back as possible in order to ensure optimum protection if the airbag is deployed.

Installing the front head restraints
x Position head restraint properly over the head restraint guides of the respective seat backrest and insert the head restraint into the guides until it clicks.
x Guide the rods of the head restraint into the corresponding guides on the backrest.
x Push the head restraint down while pressing button (1).
x Adjust the head restraint according to the occupant's size ⇒  Adjusting front and rear head re-straints.
Removing the rear head restraints
x Unlock the rear bench and fold forward ⇒  Luggage compartment.
x Pull the head restraint all the way up ⇒  in Adjusting front and rear head restraints on page 86.
x Slide a flat object, such as a plastic credit card, underneath the right side of the cap on the right-
hand seat guide rod ⇒ fig. 48 (2) to unlock the head restraint.
x At the same time press button (1) while a second person pulls out the head restraint completely.
x Fold the backrest of the rear seat bench back so that it locks securely.
Installing the rear head restraints
x Unlock the backrest of the rear seat bench and fold it forward ⇒  Luggage compartment.
x Position head restraint properly over the head restraint guides of the respective seat backrest and insert the head restraint into the guides.
x Push the head restraint down while pressing the button (1).
x Fold the backrest of the rear bench back so that it locks securely.
x Adjust the head restraint according to the occupant’s size ⇒  Adjusting front and rear head re-straints.
WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with improperly adjusted head restraints increases the risk of serious injuries in a collision.
x Always drive with the head restraints in place and properly adjusted to help minimize the risk of neck injury in crash.
x Always reinstall head restraints as soon as possible so that vehicle occupants are proper-ly protected.
NOTICE
When removing or reinstalling the head restraint, take care that the head restraint does not strike the headliner or the back of the front seat. The headliner or other parts of the vehicle could otherwise be damaged.

WARNING
Not wearing a safety belt or wearing an improperly positioned safety belt increases the risk of severe personal injury or death. Safety belts offer optimum protection only when they are used properly.
x Properly worn safety belts are the single most effective means of reducing the risk of serious injury and death in a collision or other accident. For this reason, always wear your safety belt properly and make sure all passengers wear their safety belts properly as well whenever the vehicle is moving.
x The driver must always make sure that every person in the vehicle is properly seated on a seat of his or her own, properly fastens the safety belts belonging to that seat before the vehicle starts to move, and keeps the belts properly fastened while riding in the vehicle. This applies even when just driving around town. Therefore, always wear your safety belts and make sure that everybody in your vehicle is properly restrained.
x Always secure children in the vehicle with a restraint system appropriate for their age, weight and height
x Always fasten safety belts correctly before driving off and make sure that all passengers are properly restrained.
x Never attach the safety belt to the buckle of another seat. Attaching the safety belt to the wrong buckle will reduce safety belt effectiveness and can cause serious personal injury.
x Never let any objects or liquids get into the safety belt latch and prevent it from working properly.
x Never remove a safety belt while the vehicle is moving. Doing so will increase your risk of being injured or killed.
x Never strap more than one person, including small children, into any single safety belt.
x Never let children or babies ride sitting on your lap, and never place a safety belt over a child sitting on your lap.
x Never wear belts over rigid or breakable objects in or on your clothing, such as eye glass-es, pens, keys, etc., as these may cause injury.
x Several layers of heavy clothing (such as a coat worn over top of a sports jacket) may interfere with proper positioning of the belt and reduce the overall effectiveness of the sys-tem.
x Never use comfort clips or devices that create slack in the shoulder belt. However, special clips may be required for the correct use of some child restraint systems.
x Safety belts offer optimum protection only when the seat backrest is upright and belts are correctly positioned on the body.

Lights
up or
flashes
Possible cause Proper response
Heavy items on the front pas-
senger seat.
Remove items from front pas-
senger seat and stow them safe-
ly.

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.
A warning chime also sounds.
The safety belt warning light i comes on for 6 seconds when the ignition is switched on. A warning chime also sounds for up to six seconds if the driver's safety belt is not buckled. The chime stops sooner if the driver buckles his or her safety belt. The warning light and the chime also go out when both driver and front passenger have bucked their safety belts.
If the driver and front seat passenger do not both fasten their safety belts within about 24 seconds after the chime stops and the vehicle is moving at a speed of more than about 15 mph (25 km/h), the chime will again sound for about 6 seconds, then go off for about 24 seconds, then sound again for about another 6 seconds. The same thing happens if one of the safety belts is first fastened and then unfastened while the vehicle is moving. The safety belt warning light also flashes i. The warning chime continues to sound at 24 second intervals for up to 2 minutes. No chime sounds at speeds of less than about 5 mph (8 km/h).
If the ignition is switched on, the safety belt warning light i stays on until the driver and front passen-ger have both buckled their safety belts.
WARNING
Not wearing a safety belt or wearing an improperly positioned safety belt increases the risk of severe personal injury or death. Safety belts offer optimum protection only when used cor-rectly.
Frontal collisions and laws of physics

Fig. 58 A vehicle with passengers not wearing safety belts approaches a wall.