2013 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG Owners Manual

Heating and air conditioning

.WARNING
Poor visibility increases the risk of collisions and other accidents that cause serious
personal injuries.
x Always make sure all windows are clear of ice, snow and condensation for good visibility
to the front, sides, and rear.
x Maximum heating output and fast defrosting will only be possible after the engine has
reached operating temperature. Wait until you have good visibility before driving off.
x Always make sure you know how to properly use the heating and ventilation systems as
well as the rear window defroster that you will need for good visibility.
x Never use air recirculation for long periods of time. When the air conditioner is off and
recirculation mode is on, condensation can quickly form on the windows and greatly reduce
visibility.
x Always switch off recirculation mode when it is not needed.
.WARNING
Stale air causes driver fatigue and reduces driver alertness, which can cause accidents,
collisions and serious personal injury.
x Never switch off the fan for a long period of time and never use air recirculation a long
period of time because no fresh air will come into the passenger compartment.
.NOTICE
x If you think the air conditioner is not working properly or may be damaged, switch it off to
help prevent more damage. Have the air conditioner checked by an authorized Volkswagen
dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
x Air conditioner repair requires specialized knowledge and special tools. Volkswagen
recommends that you see an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen
Service Facility.
x Do not smoke when air recirculation is switched on. Smoke drawn into the ventilation
system can leave residue on the evaporator and on the dust and pollen active CARbon filter,
resulting in permanent odors whenever the air conditioner is switched on.
.If the air conditioner is switched off, the fresh outside air will not be dehumidified. To help keep
the windows from fogging over, Volkswagen recommends leaving the air conditioner (compressor)
switched on. Press the AC .button.
.When it is very hot and humid outside, water condensation can drip from the air conditioner
evaporator and form a puddle under the vehicle. This is normal and does not indicate a leak.
.Keep the air intake slots in front of the windshield free of ice, snow and leaves in order to
maintain proper functioning of the heating and ventilation systems.
.Maximum heating output and defrosting performance are not possible until the engine has
reached operating temperature.
.Emergency starting and starting the engine with a very weak vehicle battery or after the vehicle
battery has been replaced may change or delete system settings (including time, date, personal

convenience settings and programming). Check the settings and correct as necessary once the
vehicle battery has built up a sufficient charge.
Controls

Fig. 272 In the front center console: Climatronic controls.
.

Button/Knob More information. Front Climatronic controls .
OF F Switch off: Press OFF .button or adjust manually to 0. This switches Climatronic off
entirely. /&& lights up in the front Climatronic display.

.WARNING
Stale air causes driver fatigue and reduces alertness, which can cause accidents, collisions
and serious personal injury.
x Never switch off the fan for a long time and never use air recirculation a long period of
time because no fresh air will enter the passenger compartment.
Operation via the Infotainment System

Fig. 273 Infotainment System: Front climate control settings.
.

Function
key More information. Front Climatronic controls ⇒ fig. 273.
AUTO
Automatic temperature, fan, and air distribution control. By tapping the function key
repeatedly, you can select from the air conditioning profiles Low, Medium, and High in
AUTO mode.
Fan switch
Manual fan speed adjustment. Setting 0: fan and Climatronic switched off.

Automatic window fog detection
Automatic window fog detection checks whether the windows are fogged up and if necessary
automatically adjusts the air flow to the windshield and side windows or switches on the windshield
heating. If the fan or the air conditioner AC is turned off, automatic window fog detection cannot work
properly.
Residual heat mode
The residual engine heat can be used for a limited time to heat the passenger compartment when the
ignition is switched off.
x Switch off the ignition.
x Push the REST .button. The feature will appear in the Climatronic display.
x Press the REST .button again to switch the feature off early.
The feature is switched off if it is draining the battery too much, and it does off automatically after 30
minutes. The fan speed is reduced to save energy.
Applying driver settings to all climate zones
The driver-side settings for temperature, fan speed, and air distribution can be applied to all of the
other climate zones.
x Push the SYNC .button. The indicator light in the button lights up and the changes are applied to
all climate zones.
x Push the SYNC .button again to cancel the feature.
The synchronization feature is deactivated if individual settings are entered for one of the other
climate zones using the Climatronic control unit. In this case, the indicator light in the SYNC .button
goes out.
Air conditioner does not work
The air conditioner may not switch on for one the following reasons:
x The engine is not running (or a hybrid vehicle is not ready to drive).
x The fan is turned off.
x The air conditioner fuse has blown.
x The ambient air temperature is colder than +38 °F (+3 °C).
x The air conditioner compressor has been temporarily switched off due to excessive engine coolant
temperature.
x There is another malfunction in the vehicle. Have the air conditioner checked by an authorized
Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
Special considerations
When it is very hot and humid outside, water condensation can drip from the air conditioner
evaporator and form a puddle under the vehicle. This is normal and does not indicate a leak.
The climate control system adjusts the passenger compartment temperature as fast as possible
considering the outside temperature.
Due to residual moisture in the air conditioner, the windshield may fog up after the engine is
started. Switch on the windshield defroster to help evaporate the condensation as quickly as possible.
The air coming out the vents and flow through the passenger compartment and out through the
vents below the rear window. Do not cover these slots with clothing or other objects.

Air vents

Fig. 274 Air vents in the dashboard.
.

Switching air recirculation on and off manually
Switching on: Press the .button repeatedly until the indicator light in the button comes on.
Switching off: Press the .button repeatedly until the indicator light in the button goes out.
Switching air recirculation on and off automatically
x Press the CLIMATE Infotainment button.
x Tap the Extras function key.
x Switch automatic air recirculation on or off by tapping the Automatic air recirculation function key.
If the check box in the function key is checked =,automatic air recirculation is switched on.
What automatic air recirculation does
In automatic air recirculation mode, fresh air will enter the passenger compartment. If the system
detects an increased concentration of pollutants in the outside air, it automatically switches to air
recirculation. As soon as the pollutant level is back in the normal range, air recirculation is switched
off.
Unpleasant odors cannot be detected by the system.
To keep the windows from fogging up, automatic air recirculation is not switched on automatically in
certain circumstances.
.WARNING
Stale air causes driver fatigue and reduces driver alertness, which can cause accidents,
collisions and serious personal injury.
x Never use air recirculation mode over an extended period of time, since no fresh air will
enter the passenger compartment.
x When the air conditioner is off and recirculation mode is on, condensation can quickly
form on the windows and greatly reduce visibility.
x Always switch off recirculation mode when it is not needed.
.NOTICE
Do not smoke when air recirculation is switched on. Smoke drawn into the ventilation system
can leave residue on the evaporator and on the dust and pollen active CARbon filter, resulting
in permanent odors whenever the air conditioner is switched on.
.When backing up and while the automatic wiper/washer is operating, air recirculation is briefly
activated to avoid unpleasant odors in the passenger compartment. This feature only works if
automatic air recirculation is enabled