2013 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG airbag

Upper front center console

Fig. 6 Overview of upper front center console.
Key to fig. 6:
(1) Air vent for indirect ventilation
(2) Storage compartment
(3) Air vents z
(4) Radio or Radio & Navigation system (factory installed)
(5) Controls for:
– Climatronic
– Seat heating switch button A
(6) Located here:
– Switch for emergency flashers 
– PASSENGER AIR BAG /&&  light (front airbag for front seat passenger)
– Park Distance Control system button ∗ or ∗

Front passenger side overview

Fig. 9 Overview of the passenger side.
Key to fig. 9:
(1) Air vents z
(2) Passenger front airbag location in the instrument panel (approximate)
(3) Opening handle for the lockable glove compartment

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 locking switch:
– Switch the ignition off.
– Open a door once.
– Press power locking switch 1
Locking the vehicle with the
remote control 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.

Indicator light in the driver door

After the vehicle is locked: Meaning
The red LED light flashes for about 2 seconds in short
intervals, then slower.
The vehicle is locked.
Red LED light lights up continuously for about 30 se-
conds.
Locking system malfunction. See an
authorized Volkswagen dealer or an
authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.

.If the remote control vehicle key buttons or one of the power locking buttons are pushed repeat-
edly 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.
Unlocking and locking the vehicle from the outside

Fig. 23 Buttons in the remote control vehicle key.
.

.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
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 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
comfortably. The farther back the backrests are tilted the greater the risk of injury caused by
incorrect positioning of the safety belts and improper seating position.
x Never drive with the front seat passengers backrest tilted forward. If the front airbag
deploys, 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
adjusted. Never lean against or place any part of your body too close to the area where the
airbags 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
position 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.
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
injuries. Improper seating positions also increase the risk of serious injury or death when an airbag
deploys 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 armrests.
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.

x Tall people should pull the head restraint all the way up.
x Adjust the seat back 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.
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 and the distance to the dashboard in the knee area is at least 4 inches (10
cm).
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.
Electrical controls on the driver and passenger seat

Fig. 41 Driver seat: controls to adjust lumbar support A, side supports B, seat cushion C, and seat back rest
angle D.

.WARNING
Improper use of the steering column adjustment feature can result in serious personal injury
and even death.
x Always pull the lever ⇒ fig. 49 (1) firmly upward after adjusting the steering column so that
the steering wheel does not change position suddenly while the vehicle is moving.
x Never adjust the steering column while the vehicle is moving. If you find that you need to
adjust the steering wheel while driving, stop the vehicle in a safe place and make the proper
adjustment.
x Never adjust the steering wheel so that it points toward your face. Always make sure that
the steering wheel points toward your chest. Otherwise, the airbag system cannot protect
you properly in the event of a crash.
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 serious personal injury if the
driver's airbag inflates.
x Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with your hands anywhere
inside the steering wheel or on the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the wrong
way increases the risk of severe injury to the arms, hands, and head if the driver front airbag
deploys.
Center armrest

Fig. 51 1 part and 2 part front center armrest.

the front seat is occupied and the safety belt is not being used will signal the airbag control unit during
a collision that the front passenger seat is occupied and that the safety belt is being used. The
electronic control unit for the airbag system will then receive incorrect information that will cause the
safety belt pretensioner to deploy unnecessarily and the front passenger airbag to deploy later in
collisions that would normally trigger the front airbag earlier in the collision to help protect an
unrestrained front seat occupant. The airbag will not be able to provide enough protection for an
occupant not wearing a safety belt.
x Only use the safety belt extender approved by Volkswagen for your vehicle.
.WARNING
Improper use or positioning of a safety belt extender increases the risk of serious personal
injury and death.
x A driver or passenger who is not properly restrained can be seriously injured by striking
the interior of the passenger compartment or by the safety belt itself, which can be displaced
from stronger parts of the body into sensitive areas like the abdomen.
x Safety belt extenders offer optimum protection only when they are properly used.
x Only use the extender when the belt is not long enough to be worn low and snug and the
person is in the correct seating position. Remove and stow extender safely when not needed.
x Always make sure the safety belt tongue of the safety belt extender is securely inserted
into the buckle for the seating position that belongs to the seat where the safety belt extender
is being used. Attaching the safety belt to the wrong buckle will reduce safety belt
effectiveness and can cause serious personal injury.
x Never use the safety belt extender if you can properly attach the safety belt without it.
Using a safety belt extender when not needed can increase the risk of injury, especially in a
collision.
x Never use a safety belt extender if the distance ⇒ fig. 69 (B) between the front edge of the
safety belt extender buckle (A) and the centerline of the person using the safety belt extender
(C) is less than about 6 inches (15 cm).
x Never leave a safety belt extender attached to the vehicle safety belt buckle when the
extender is not needed and being used with the safety belt. Otherwise the airbag control
module will receive an incorrect signal from the safety belt buckle and this will prevent the
airbag from working properly for a person who is not using the safety belt.
x Never use more than one extender with a safety belt. Using more than 1 extender can
change the way the safety belt passes over the body and can cause serious injury.
x Never use the safety belt extender to secure a child restraint.
x Never use a safety belt extender on your Volkswagen that you obtained from another
automobile manufacturer or from an automotive parts store.
x Never use the safety belt extender you got for your vehicle for any other vehicle,
regardless of make, model, or model year.
.NOTICE
x Leaving the extender attached to the safety belt buckle when the front seat is occupied and the
safety belt is not being used will signal to the airbag control unit that the front passenger seat is
occupied and that the safety belt is being used. The electronic control unit for the airbag system will
then receive incorrect information that will
– cause the safety belt pretensioner to deploy unnecessarily in collisions and
– cause the front passenger airbag to deploy later in collisions in which the front airbag would
otherwise be triggered earlier to help protect an unrestrained front seat passenger.
x A pretensioner that has deployed cannot be repaired. The entire safety belt must be
replaced.