2013 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG towing

Front view

Fig. 2 Vehicle front overview.
Key to fig. 2:
(1) Sensor on mirror base for:
– Rain sensor
– Low-light sensor
– Dynamic high beam control
(2) Front windshield
(3) Windshield wipers
(4) Engine Hood
(5) Engine hood release
(6) Headlights
(7) Headlight washers
(8) Front license plate bracket
(9) Sensors for front Park Distance Control
(10) Front towing eye mount behind a cover
(11) Fog lights/static cornering lights

Rear view

Fig. 3 Vehicle rear overview.
Key to fig. 3:
(1) Roof antenna for:
– Cell phone
– Navigation
(2) High-mounted brake light
(3) Rear window
– Rear window defroster
(4) Rear window wiper
(5) Taillights
(6) Area of:
– Button to open the rear hatch
– Camera of the Rear Assist
– License plate lighting
(7) Rear license plate bracket
(8) Sensors for rear Park Distance Control
(9) Rear towing eye mount behind a cover
(10) Receiver for the trailer hitch

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
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehicle handles and increase stopping distances.
Heavy loads that are not properly stowed or secured can cause loss of control and serious
injury.
x Secure the load properly to keep it from shifting.
x Always remember when transporting heavy objects that a change in the center of gravity
also changes the way your vehicle handles:
– Always distribute the load as evenly as possible.
– Secure heavy objects properly as far forward in the luggage compartment as possible.
– Always tie down heavy items securely with suitable straps using the tie-downs in the
luggage compartment.
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 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 Drive especially carefully and accelerate gently.
x Always accelerate and avoid sudden braking and driving maneuvers.
x Always brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a loaded vehicle.
Stowing luggage

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 (1,000 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.

Loading the trailer
The weight distribution in the vehicle and trailer must be balanced. Use the maximum permissible
tongue weight and make sure that the load in the trailer is evenly distributed and that it is not front-
heavy or tail-heavy:
x Distribute the load in the trailer so that heavy objects are directly above the axle or as close as
possible to the axle.
x Secure loads properly on the trailer.
Tire pressure
Always follow the trailer manufacturer's tire pressure recommendations for the trailer tires.
When towing, inflate the towing vehicle's tires to the maximum permissible pressure listed on the tire
pressure label.
.WARNING
Exceeding the gross weight ratings for axle, tongue, vehicle, trailer or combined weight can
cause accidents and serious personal injury.
x Never exceed the specified values.
x Never let the actual weights at the front and rear axles exceed the Gross Axle Weight
Ratings. Never let the combined front and rear weights exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight
Rating.
.WARNING
Trailer loads that are not properly secured can shift when the vehicle is moving or braking
and suddenly change the way the vehicle handles, causing accidents and severe injuries.
x Always load the trailer properly.
x Always secure the load properly with suitable, undamaged straps that can be tightened so
that the load cannot shift.
Driving with a trailer

x Weight distribution is especially bad if the towing vehicle is empty and the trailer is loaded. If you
absolutely must drive with this combination, drive with extra CARe and at a reduced speed.
Starting off with a trailer on hills
Depending on how steep the hill is and the combined towing weight, a parked vehicle with trailer can
roll backwards when you first start moving.
When starting off with a trailer on a hill:
x Depress and hold the brake pedal.
x Pull and hold the G button to use the electronic parking brake to keep the vehicle and trailer from
rolling backwards.
x Put the transmission in Drive (D).
x Release the brake pedal.
x Drive ahead slowly at first.
x Do not release the G button until the engine has enough driving power for the vehicle to start
moving.
x Drive ahead slowly
.WARNING
Improper trailer towing can cause loss of vehicle control and serious personal injury.
x Driving with a trailer and CARrying heavy or bulky items changes the way the vehicle
handles and increases the distance it needs to stop safely.
x Always watch what is happening up ahead and around you. Brake earlier than you would
if you were not towing a trailer.
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 Drive especially CARefully and accelerate gently. Always avoid sudden maneuvers and
hard braking.
x Be especially CAReful when passing other vehicles.
x Reduce speed immediately if the trailer shows even the slightest sign of swaying.
x Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
x Always obey speed limits. In some areas speed limits for vehicles towing trailers are lower
than for vehicles without trailers.