2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT instrument panel

Applicable only in the United States
Instrument overview

Fig. 10 Instrument cluster in the instrument panel.

Applicable only in Canada, Mexico, the AGCC, and South Korea
Instrument overview

Fig. 11 Instrument cluster in the instrument panel.

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 at least 10 inches
(25 cm) between your breastbone and 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.
x Never drive with the front seat passenger backrest tilted forward. If the front airbag de-
ploys, the front backrest can be forced backward and injure passengers on the rear seat.
x Sit as far back as possible 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 seats.
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
or behind the seats.
Examples of improper seating positions

Not wearing or improperly fastening safety belts increases the risk of severe or fatal injuries. Safety
belts can work only when they are properly positioned on the body. An improper seating position
significantly impairs the protection provided by safety belts. This can cause severe or even fatal inju-
ries. Improper seating positions also increase the risk of serious injury or death when an airbag de-
ploys and strikes an occupant who is not in the proper seating position. The driver is responsible for all
passengers and especially children riding in the vehicle.
The following are only some examples of seating positions that will increase the risk of serious injury
or death.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is moving:
x Never stand up in the vehicle.
x Never stand on the seats.
x Never kneel on the seats.
x Never ride with the seat backrest reclined.
x Never lean up against the instrument panel.
x Never lie down on the rear seat.
x Never sit on the edge of the seat.
x Never sit sideways.
x Never lean out the window.
x Never put your feet out the window.
x Never put feet on the instrument panel.
x Never rest your feet on the seat cushion or back of the seat.
x Never ride in the footwell.
x Never sit on the front or rear center armrest.
x Never ride without your safety belt properly fastened.
x Never ride in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
Contact with parts of the vehicle interior can cause serious personal injury in a crash.
x Always make sure that all vehicle occupants stay in a proper seating position and are
properly restrained whenever the vehicle is moving.
x Improper seating positions increase the risk of serious and fatal injury, especially when an
airbag deploys and strikes a passenger in an improper seating position.

“Leaving home” Action
Switch off: – Automatically after preset delay period is over.
– Lock the vehicle.
– Turn the light switch to the / position.
– Switch the ignition on.

The delay period can be adjusted and the function can be switched on and off in the Lights &
Vision menu ⇒ page 17.
If the “Coming home” feature is switched on and the driver door is opened, no warning chime will
sound to alert you that the lights are still on.
Instrument panel lighting

Fig. 98 To the left of the steering wheel: Control for instrument panel lighting.

Driving with an open luggage compartment lid can lead to serious personal injury. If you have to drive
with an open luggage compartment lid, make sure that all objects and the lid itself are properly se-
cured and take appropriate measures to keep toxic exhaust fumes from entering the vehicle.
WARNING
Driving with an unlatched or open luggage compartment lid can lead to serious personal
injury.
x Never transport objects larger than those that fit completely in the luggage compartment,
because the luggage compartment lid cannot be fully closed properly.
x After closing the lid, always pull up on it to make sure that it is properly closed and cannot
open suddenly when the vehicle is moving.
x Always stow all objects securely in the luggage compartment. Loose objects can fall out
of the luggage compartment and injure others on the road behind you.
x Drive carefully; anticipate what other drivers will do.
x Avoid abrupt or sudden acceleration, steering, or braking, because the unlatched luggage
compartment lid can move suddenly.
x Always mark objects sticking out from the luggage compartment clearly for others to see.
Obey all applicable legal requirements.
x Never use the luggage compartment lid to “clamp” or “hold” objects that stick out of the
luggage compartment.
x Always remove any luggage rack or other rack mounted on the luggage compartment lid
(along with any luggage on the rack) before driving with an open luggage compartment lid.
WARNING
Driving with an open luggage compartment lid can cause poisonous carbon monoxide in the
engine exhaust to get into the passenger compartment.
x Carbon monoxide causes drowsiness, inattentiveness, poisoning, and loss of conscious-
ness. It can lead to accidents and severe personal injuries.
x Always keep the luggage compartment lid closed while driving to help keep poisonous
exhaust fumes from being drawn into the vehicle.
x Never transport objects that are too large to fit completely into the luggage area, because
then the luggage compartment lid cannot be fully closed.
x If you absolutely must drive with an open luggage compartment lid, do the following to
reduce the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning:
– Close all windows and the power sunroof.
– Switch off the climate control system's air recirculation feature.
– Open all air vents in the instrument panel.
– Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed.
NOTICE
The open luggage compartment lid changes the vehicle height.
Driving a loaded vehicle

WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly stowed items can fly through the vehicle, causing serious personal
injury during hard braking or sharp steering or in an accident. Loose items can also be struck
and thrown through the passenger compartment by the front airbags if they inflate. To help
reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
x Always stow all objects securely in the vehicle. Always put luggage and heavy items in the
luggage compartment.
x Always secure objects in the passenger compartment properly with suitable straps so that
they cannot move into the deployment zone of a side or front airbag during sudden braking,
in a sudden maneuver, or in a collision.
x Always keep storage compartments closed while driving.
x Never stow hard, heavy, or sharp objects in the vehicle's open storage compartments, on
the shelf behind the rear seat bench, or on the top of the instrument panel.
x Always remove hard, heavy, or sharp objects from clothing and bags in the vehicle interi-
or and stow them securely in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
Transporting heavy objects causes the handling characteristics of the vehicle to change and
increases braking distances. Heavy loads which are not properly stowed or secured in the
vehicle can lead to a loss of vehicle control and cause serious personal injury.
x Transporting heavy items causes the handling characteristics of the vehicle to change by
shifting the vehicle's center of gravity.
x Always distribute luggage evenly and as low as possible within the vehicle. The vehicle
capacity weight figures apply when the load is distributed evenly in the vehicle (passengers
and luggage).
x Always stow luggage and heavy items in the luggage compartment as far forward of the
rear axle as possible and secure them with appropriate straps to the tie-downs provided.
x Never exceed the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or Gross Axle Weight Ratings,
which are printed on the Safety Compliance Certification Label located on the door jamb of
the driver door. Exceeding the permissible weight can cause the vehicle to skid and behave
differently.
x Always adapt your speed and driving style to accommodate your payload and its weight
distribution within your vehicle.
x Be especially cautious and gentle when stepping on the accelerator pedal and avoid sud-
den braking and other maneuvers.
x Brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a loaded vehicle.
NOTICE
The defroster heating wires or antenna in the rear window can be damaged by objects that rub
against them.
The ventilation slots between the rear window and the luggage compartment cover must not be
blocked so that stale air can escape from the vehicle.

Key to ⇒ fig. 123:
(1) Valet parking key in holder.
(2) SET button for Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
(3) Button for Valet Parking feature.
(4) Owner's Manual in Owner's Manual slot.
(5) Holder for pen and notepad.
Opening and closing the glove compartment
If necessary, unlock the glove compartment. It is locked when the key slot is vertical.
To open, pull the handle ⇒ fig. 122.
To close, push the lid up.
Owner's Manual slot
The slot at the top of the glove compartment is designed to hold the Owner's Manual.
The Owner's Manual is in this glove compartment slot ⇒ fig. 123 (4).
Always keep the Owner's Manual in this slot.
Holder for the valet parking key
There is a holder for the valet parking key in the glove compartment.
The holder is on the left side of the glove compartment (1).
You should keep the valet parking key in this holder. Slide the valet key into the holder from above, do
not snap it into the holder from the front.
Holder for pen and notepad
There are holders for a pen and a notepad in the glove compartment cover (5).
Buttons in the glove compartment
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) SET button ⇒ page Error! Bookmark not defined.,
⇒ page Error! Bookmark not defined. (2) and the Valet Parking button ⇒ page 65 (1) are also locat-
ed in the glove compartment.
WARNING
An open glove compartment door can increase the risk of serious injury during sudden brak-
ing or driving maneuvers or in a crash.
x Always keep the glove compartment closed while the vehicle is moving.
NOTICE
In some vehicle models, design considerations have made it necessary to have openings in the
glove compartment behind the Owner's Manual slot, for example. Small items may fall through
these openings and get behind the instrument panel. This can cause unusual noises and dam-
age the vehicle. Never put any small objects in the glove compartment for this reason.