2013 VOLKSWAGEN EOS parking brake

Lower center console

Fig. 8 Overview of the lower center console.
Key to fig. 8:
(1) Automatic transmission selector lever
(2) Storage compartment:
– with 12 Volt socket
(3) Storage compartment with cup holder in the center console
(4) Switch for opening and closing the CSC roof &
(5) Switch for opening and closing the power sunroof 
(6) Center armrest with storage compartment
– Multimedia jack (MEDIA-IN) ⇒ Booklet Radio or ⇒ Booklet Navigation system
– with AUX-IN jack ⇒ Booklet Radio
(7) Parking brake lever
(8) Buttons for:
– Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) m
– Park Distance Control '

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
transmission is in a drive gear. If you must leave your vehicle while the engine is running,
always set the 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
vehicle 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 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.
Shifting with Tiptronic®

Fig. 123 Selector lever in Tiptronic position.

Driving on hills
The steeper the grade, the lower the gear that must be selected. Lower gears increase the braking
effect of the engine. Never coast downhill in Neutral (N).
x Reduce speed.
x Switch to Tiptronic mode by moving the selector lever from Drive (D) to the right into the Tiptronic
position
x Downshift by pulling the selector lever back briefly (-).
x OR: Downshift using the paddles on the steering wheel
If you stop and start up again when going uphill, you should use Hill Hold as long as the engine is
running.
Vehicles without Hill Hold: If you stop on a hill with the vehicle in gear, you must depress the brake
pedal or engage the parking brake to keep the vehicle from rolling. Do not release the brake pedal or
the parking brake until the vehicle has started to move forward ⇒ .
Kick-down acceleration
The kick-down feature permits maximum acceleration when the selector lever is in the Drive (D), Sport
Drive (S) or Tiptronic mode.
If you push the accelerator all the way down, the vehicle will automatically downshift, depending on
vehicle speed and engine speed (rpm). This feature lets you take advantage of the full acceleration
capacity of the vehicle ⇒ .
With kick-down actuated, the transmission will stay in the current gear longer and not upshift until the
engine reaches maximum rpm.
WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause skidding and loss of traction, especially on slippery roads,
resulting in a loss of vehicle control, collisions, and serious personal injury.
x Only use the kick-down feature or fast acceleration if visibility, weather, road, and traffic
conditions permit and other drivers will not be endangered by your driving and the vehicle's
acceleration.
x Always adapt your driving to the traffic flow.
x Note that the drive wheels can spin and the vehicle can swerve when ASR is switched off,
especially when the road is slippery.
x Once you have accelerated, switch ASR back on again.
NOTICE
x When stopping on hills with the transmission in a drive gear, do not use the accelerator to
help prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards. This can cause the automatic transmission to
overheat and be damaged.
x Never let the vehicle coast or roll down a hill in Neutral (N), especially when the engine is
not running. The transmission will not be lubricated and will be damaged.
Automatic transmission malfunction

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 build-up 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
barrier 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

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.
WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a collision and serious personal injury.
x If the brake warning light BRAKE or h does not go out, or comes on when driving, either the
brake fluid level in the reservoir is too low or there is a fault in the brake system. Stop the
vehicle as soon as you can do so safely and get expert assistance 202, Brake fluid.
x If the brake warning light BRAKE or h comes on at the same time as the ABS warning
light ABS or j, the ABS may not be working properly. This could cause the rear wheels to lock
up relatively quickly during braking. Rear wheel brake lock-up can cause loss of vehicle
control.
x If you believe the vehicle is safe to drive, drive slowly and very carefully to the nearest
authorized Volkswagen dealer, authorized Volkswagen Service Facility, or other qualified
workshop and have the brake system inspected. Avoid sudden hard braking and steering.
x If the ABS indicator light ABS or j does not go out, or if it comes on while driving, the ABS
system is not working properly. The vehicle can then be stopped only with the standard
brakes (without ABS). You will not have the protection ABS provides. Contact your
authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility as soon as
possible.
x If the symbol BRAKE WEAR or i lights up in the instrument cluster display, whether alone or
together with a text message, immediately contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or
authorized Volkswagen Service Facility to have the brake pads checked and, if necessary,
replaced.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.
Parking brake

Fig. 125 Between the front seats: Parking brake.

Setting the parking brake
x Pull the parking brake lever up firmly.
xWhen the ignition is on, the indicator light G or
0!2+ appears in the instrument cluster display to show that the parking brake is engaged
Releasing the parking brake
x Pull the lever up slightly and press the release button ⇒ fig. 125 (arrow).
x While holding the release button down, move the lever all the way down.
WARNING
Improper use of the parking brake can cause accidents and severe injuries.
x Never use the parking brake to slow down the vehicle when it is moving, except in an
emergency. Braking distance is much longer, since only the rear wheels are braked. Always
use the foot brake.
x Never drive with the parking brake partially engaged. This can cause the brake to overheat
and negatively affect the brake system. It will also cause the rear brake pads to wear
prematurely.
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 even if the
parking brake is engaged.
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 firmly setting the parking brake.
A warning signal sounds if you drive faster than about 4 mph (6 km/h) with the parking brake
engaged.
Parking

x Lock the vehicle.
On hills
Before stopping the engine, turn the steering wheel so that, if the vehicle starts to roll, its front wheels
will roll into the curb:
x Facing downhill, turn the front wheels so that they point toward the curb.
x Facing uphill, turn the front wheels so that they point away from the curb.
WARNING
The vehicle exhaust system and the catalytic converter get very hot. They can cause fires and
serious personal injury.
x Never park where the hot exhaust system could ignite flammable materials, such as
brush, leaves, dry grass, spilled fuel, etc.
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
barrier 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).
About the brakes

To help make it more difficult to steal your vehicle, you should always make sure the steering column
is locked before leaving the vehicle.
Electronic steering column lock
Vehicles with Keyless Access: The steering column is locked if the driver door is opened with the
ignition switched off. The vehicle must be standing still and the transmission must be in Park (P) on an
automatic transmission vehicle.
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.
Mechanical steering column lock
Vehicles without Keyless Access: The steering column is locked if the vehicle is stationary and the
vehicle key is removed from the ignition switch.

Engaging the steering column
lock
Disengaging the steering column
lock
Parking the vehicle Turn the steering wheel slightly to
take pressure off the steering
column lock.
Remove the vehicle key. Insert the vehicle key into the
ignition switch.
Turn the steering wheel slightly until
you hear the steering column lock
engage.
Hold the steering wheel in this
position and turn the ignition switch.

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
situation 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.