2013 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG crash

d Make sure that the floor mat on the driver side is properly fastened and cannot interfere with the
pedals.
d Assume a proper seating position before the vehicle starts to move and keep this position while
driving. Make sure that all passengers do the same.
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 the animals weight and size.
.WARNING
Always observe posted speed limits and use common sense. Your good judgment can mean
the difference between arriving safely at your destination and being seriously 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

.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.

.WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with improperly adjusted head restraints increases the risk
of serious injuries in a collision.
x Always drive with the head restraints in place and properly adjusted to help minimize the
risk of neck injury in a crash.
x Every person in the vehicle must have a properly adjusted head restraint to minimize the
risk of neck injury in a crash. Each head restraint must be adjusted according to the
occupants' size so that the upper edge is even with the top of the person's head, but no lower
than eye level. Always sit so that the back of your head is as close as possible to the head
restraint.
x Never adjust head restraint while driving.
Removing and reinstalling the head restraints

Fig. 47 Removing the front head restraints.

Fig. 48 Removing the rear head restraints.

Removing the front head restraints
x Sit in the back seat behind the head restraint you want to remove. Pull the head restraint all the
way up ⇒  in Adjusting front and rear head restraints on page 88. Recline the backrest with the
head restraint so that there is enough overhead clearance to remove it.
x Slide a flat object, such as a plastic credit CARd, underneath the right and left hand sides of the
caps on the seat guide rods ⇒ fig. 47 (2) to unlock the head restraint.
x While pressing on both sides with a flat object , have a second person pull the head restraint out
completely.
Installing the front head restraints
x Position head restraint properly over the head restraint guides of the respective seat backrest and
insert the head restraint into the guides.
x Guide the rods of the head restraint into the corresponding guides on the backrest.
x Push the head restraint down while pressing button (1) .
x Adjust the head restraint according to the occupant's size.
Removing the rear head-restraint
x Unlock the rear bench and fold forward.
x Pull the head restraint all the way up ⇒  in Adjusting front and rear head restraints.
x While pressing the button ⇒ fig. 48 (1), pull the head restraint out completely.
x Fold the backrest of the rear bench back so that is locks securely.
Reinstalling the rear-head restraint
x Unlock the rear bench and fold it forward.
x Guide the rods of the head restraint into the corresponding guides on the backrest.
x Push the head restraint down while pressing the button (1).
x Fold the backrest of the rear bench back so that it locks securely.
x Adjust the head restraint according to the occupant’s size.
.WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with improperly adjusted head restraints increases the risk
of serious injuries in a collision.
x Always drive with the head restraints in place and properly adjusted to help minimize the
risk of neck injury in crash.
x Always reinstall head restraints as soon as possible so that vehicle occupants are
properly protected.
.NOTICE
When removing or reinstalling the head restraint, take CARe that the head restraint does not
strike the headliner or the back of the front seat. The headliner or other parts of the vehicle
could otherwise be damaged.

.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.

.WARNING
Damage to safety belts reduces their overall effectiveness and increases the risk of serious
personal injury and death whenever the vehicle is being used.
x Never let safety belts become damaged by being caught in the door or seat hardware.
x Torn or frayed safety belts can tear, and damaged safety belt hardware can break in an
accident.
x Inspect belts regularly for damage. If webbing, bindings, buckles, or retractors are
damaged, have the belts replaced immediately with the correct replacement belts approved
by Volkswagen for your vehicle, model, and model year.
x Safety belts that were subject to stress in an accident and stretched must be replaced with
a correct, new safety belt, preferably by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized
Volkswagen Service Facility.
x Replacement after a crash may be necessary even if a safety belt shows no visible
damage. Anchorages that have been loaded must also be inspected.
x Damaged safety belts must be replaced; they cannot be repaired.
x Never try to repair a damaged safety belt yourself. Never remove or modify the safety belts
in any way.
x Have safety belts, bindings, retractors and buckles replaced by an authorized Volkswagen
dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
x Always keep the belts clean. Dirty belts may not work correctly and can impair the
function of the inertia reel.
Warning light

Fig. 57 Warning light in the instrument cluster.

Lights with LED-technology
You cannot replace the LEDs. Contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized
Volkswagen Service Facility for assistance.
.WARNING
Crashes and other accidents can happen when you cannot see the road ahead and when you
cannot be seen by other motorists.
x Never use daytime running lights (DRL) to see where you are going. (DRL) are not bright
enough to light up the roadway and be seen by other motorists. You will not be able to see far
enough ahead for safety, especially at dusk or when it is dark. Always switch on the low
beam headlights at dusk or when it is dark.
x If automatic headlight control (AUTO) is switched on, the low beam headlights still may not
be switched on in fog or heavy rain. You have to switch on the low beam headlights yourself.
x The taillights do not come on when the daytime running lights are switched on. A vehicle
without taillights on cannot be seen by others in bad weather, at dusk, or when it is dark.
In cool or humid weather, the insides of the headlights, rear lights, and turn signals can
temporarily fog up. This is normal and does not affect the service life of the vehicle's lighting system.
Applicable only in Canada
Lights and vision features