2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC trailer

Rear view

Fig. 3 Vehicle rear overview.
Key to ⇒ fig. 3:
(1) Roof antenna
(2) High-mounted brake light
(3) Rear window
– Rear window defroster
– Rear window antenna
(4) Taillights ,
(5) Volkswagen emblem. Area for:
– Luggage compartment release
– Rear Assist camera
(6) Threaded hole for the rear towing eye (behind cover)
(7) Park Distance Control (PDC) sensors (if applicable)
(8) Area for attaching a trailer hitch
(9) Rear license plate bracket
(10) Luggage compartment lid

d Properly fasten your safety belt before driving the vehicle and wear your safety belt properly at all
times while driving. Make sure that all passengers do the same
d Only transport as many passengers as there are seats and safety belts available.
d Never drive if your driving ability has been impaired, for example by medication, alcohol or illegal
drugs.
d Never let passengers or phone calls distract you while driving, and never take your attention off the
road while using vehicle software or adjusting vehicle equipment or accessories.
d Always adapt your speed and driving style to visibility, weather, road, and traffic conditions.
d Always obey traffic laws and speed limits.
d On long trips make frequent rest stops – at least once every 2 hours.
d Secure animals in the vehicle with a system that corresponds to weight and size.
WARNING
Always observe traffic rules and posted speed limits and use common sense. Your good
judgment can mean the difference between arriving safely at your destination and being se-
riously injured in a crash or other kind of accident.
Regular service and maintenance of your vehicle is important both for operational and driving
safety and to help prolong your vehicle's service life. Always follow the scheduled maintenance inter-
vals in the ⇒ Booklet Warranty and Maintenance, especially for changing the brake fluid. Hard use,
frequent stop-and-go driving, driving in very dusty areas, trailer towing, and other factors may make it
necessary to have the vehicle serviced more frequently. Ask an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an
authorized Volkswagen Service Facility for more information.
Driving in other countries

Lights
up Possible cause Proper response

One or more driving lights not working or
Adaptive Front Lighting System (AFS)
malfunction.
Replace burned out bulb, or
If all light bulbs are OK, see an authorized
Volkswagen dealer or authorized
Volkswagen Service Facility.

Fog lights switched on (indicator light on
the headlight switch or the instrument
cluster).



Left or right turn signal.
The indicator light blinks twice as fast if a
turn signal is not working on the vehicle or
the trailer.
Check the turn signals on the vehicle and
the trailer.

Daytime running lights (DRL) on.
$2,

 High beams switched on or headlight
flashers in use.

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.
x Whenever stalled or stopped for repair, move the vehicle a safe distance off the road, stop
the engine, turn on the emergency flashers, and use other warning devices to warn
approaching traffic.
x Never park the vehicle in areas where the hot catalytic converter and exhaust system can
come into contact with dry grass, brush, spilled fuel, oil, or other material that can catch fire.
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.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.
High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights provide bright, uniform lighting to help you see and be
seen. The light comes from an electric arc between two electrodes in the gas-filled bulb. Over time, the
electrodes can wear down and the gap between them will get wider. The HID lamp’s control unit then
increases the voltage to keep the arc’s brightness constant. However, the commonly called “Xenon”
bulbs will also ultimately burn out. Before they burn out, HID lamps can flicker. A message will then
appear in the MFI. This is your reminder to see an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized
Volkswagen Service facility to check the headlights.

For good handling when driving a loaded vehicle, please observe the following:
x Securely stow all luggage
x Drive especially carefully and accelerate gently.
x Avoid sudden braking and driving maneuvers.
x Brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a loaded vehicle.
x If applicable, observe information about driving with a trailer
x If applicable, observe information about driving with a roof rack
WARNING
Heavy loads can change the way your vehicle handles and increase stopping distances.
Heavy loads that are not properly stowed or secured can shift suddenly, causing loss of
control and serious injury.
x Secure the load properly to keep it from shifting.
x Always remember when transporting heavy objects that they change the vehicle's center
of gravity and also the way it handles.
– Always distribute the load as evenly as possible.
– Secure heavy objects as far forward in the luggage compartment as possible.
– Use your vehicle's luggage compartment tie-downs with suitable straps.
x Always tie down heavy items securely with suitable straps.
x Securely latch the rear seat backrest in the upright position.
x Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating on the
safety compliance sticker on the left door jamb. Exceeding permissible weight can cause the
vehicle to skid and handle differently.
x Always adapt speed and driving to the heavier load and the weight distribution in the
vehicle. Take road, weather, traffic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
x Always accelerate gently and avoid sudden braking and driving maneuvers.
x Always brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a loaded vehicle.
Weights and axle weights

x Roof load including the roof rack system.
x Factory-installed or retrofitted accessories.
x Hitch weight and tongue weight for trailer towing.
Please refer to the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross front and rear Axle Weight
Ratings (GAWR) for your vehicle, which are printed on the vehicle's Safety Compliance Certification
Label on the driver door jamb.
WARNING
Exceeding maximum permissible weight ratings can result in vehicle damage, accidents, and
serious personal injury.
x Never let the actual weights at the front and rear axles exceed the permissible Gross Axle
Weight Rating. Also, never let the total of these actual weights exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating.
x Always remember that the vehicle's handling and braking will be affected by extra load
and the distribution of this load. Adjust your speed accordingly.
NOTICE
x Always distribute the load evenly and as low as possible in the vehicle. The vehicle capacity
weight figures apply when the load is distributed evenly in the vehicle (passengers and
luggage).
x When transporting a heavy load in the luggage compartment, carry the load as close to the
rear axle (as far forward) as possible so that the vehicle's handling and braking are affected as
little as possible.

Trailer towing

WARNING
Improper use of the trailer hitch can cause accidents and injuries. An improperly installed,
incorrect, or damaged trailer hitch can cause the trailer to separate from the towing vehicle
and cause serious personal injuries.
x Only use an undamaged, properly mounted trailer hitch.
x Never repair or modify the trailer hitch.
x To reduce the risk of injury in rear-end collisions, and the risk to pedestrians and cyclists
when the vehicle is parked, always remove the ball mount when you are not towing a trailer.
x Never install a “weight distributing” or “load equalizing” trailer hitch on your vehicle. The
vehicle was not designed for these kinds of trailer hitches. The trailer hitch attachment can
fail, causing the trailer to tear loose from the vehicle.
WARNING
Improper trailer towing can cause loss of vehicle control and serious personal injury.
x 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.
x Always secure the load properly with suitable and undamaged straps so that the load will
not shift.
x Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and the weight distribution in the
vehicle. Take road, weather, traffic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
x Reduce your speed even more than you otherwise would when going downhill and under
unfavorable load, weather, or wind conditions.
x Trailers with a high center of gravity tip more easily than trailers with a low center of
gravity.
x Always avoid sudden maneuvers and hard braking.
x Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
x Reduce speed immediately if the trailer shows the slightest sign of swaying.
x Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
x 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
exceptional 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)
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 others if your vehicle is hit from behind.
Some models need a trailer hitch to tow or tow-start other vehicles. You may want to always
carry the ball mount in the vehicle after it has been removed. Be sure to stow it securely.

WARNING
x An improperly installed or incorrect trailer hitch can cause a trailer to separate from the
tow vehicle and cause serious personal injuries.
x 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
x If the trailer lights are not connected properly, the vehicle's electronics may be damaged.
x If the trailer uses too much electricity, the vehicle's electronics may be damaged.
x Never connect the electrical system for the trailer directly to the electrical connections for
the rear lights or to any other unsuitable power sources. Use only a suitable connector to
provide power to the trailer.
If you tow a trailer frequently, Volkswagen recommends having the vehicle serviced between the
regular maintenance and inspection intervals because of the extra load it has to pull.
Hitching up and connecting a trailer