.WARNING
When powered by the electric motor, the vehicle makes much less noise, both when idling
and driving, than when it is running on the internal combustion engine. It is much harder or
even impossible for the drivers of other vehicles and above all for cyclists, pedestrians, and
children to hear the vehicle when it is running on electrical power.
x Pedestrians and others can be struck and seriously injured because they cannot hear the
vehicle and tell that it is getting close to them, for instance when you are parking, backing
up, or driving in a low-speed zone where there is likely to be pedestrian traffic.
x Always watch out for pedestrians, especially small children, cyclists, and others who may
not hear the vehicle or realize that it is about to move or will cross their path of travel.
x Always be especially CAReful in residential areas, school zones, and other places where
the speed of motor vehicles is restricted and pedestrians may be at greater risk,
x Make sure the ignition and the hybrid drive system have both been turned off before
leaving the vehicle.
.WARNING
Never leave the vehicle when hybrid drive system indicator lights are still lit. The vehicle can
move if the accelerator is depressed even though the combustion engine has been stopped.
This can cause accidents and severe or lethal injuries.
x Make sure the transmission is in Park (P) before you get out of the vehicle.
.WARNING
Never support the vehicle with cinder blocks, bricks, or other objects to inspect it. The
vehicle could slip or move suddenly and cause an accident with serious personal injury.
.WARNING
Never let the hybrid battery get wet. Liquids and other fluids can cause short circuits,
electrical shock, burns, and explosions.
x Never CARry large amounts of liquids or other fluids in the luggage compartment.
x Always make sure that any containers with liquids and other fluids are properly secured
and tightly closed to prevent leakage during normal driving as well as hard cornering,
braking, and other vehicle maneuvers. Leaking liquids can get into the cover of the high-
voltage battery and the high-voltage cable connections. This can damage the electrical
system and the high-voltage battery.
.Never drive until the fuel tank is completely empty. There may not always be enough charge in
the high-voltage battery to get to the next gas station.
Warning and indicator lights
.WARNING
Unintended vehicle movement during maintenance work can cause serious personal injuries.
x Never work under the vehicle unless you have safely secured the vehicle from moving. If
you must work under the vehicle with the wheels on the ground, always make sure that the
vehicle is on level ground, that all 4 wheels are chocked to keep them from moving, and that
the key is not in the ignition.
x If you must work under a vehicle raised on a floor jack, always make sure that the vehicle
is safely supported on safety stands intended for that purpose that are strong enough to
support the weight of the vehicle. The jack supplied with the vehicle is not strong enough for
this purpose and can collapse causing serious personal injury.
.WARNING
The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a potentially dangerous area and can cause
serious personal injury.
x Always use extreme caution when doing any work in the engine compartment. Always
follow commonly accepted safety practices and use common sense. Never risk personal
injury.
x Never perform any work in the engine compartment unless you know exactly how to
CARry out the job and have the correct technical information and the correct tools.
x If you are uncertain about what to do, have the work performed by an authorized
Volkswagen dealer, an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility, or another qualified
workshop. Serious personal injury may result from improperly performed work.
x We strongly recommend that you always have HID - High Intensity Discharge (Xenon)
lamps and HO7 bulbs replaced by a qualified technician. Serious personal injury may result
from improperly performed work.
x Never open or close the engine hood if steam or coolant is escaping. Hot steam or coolant
can cause serious burns. Always wait until you no longer see or hear steam or coolant
escaping from the engine.
x Always let the engine cool down completely before CARefully opening the hood.
x Hot parts of the engine and the exhaust system will burn skin on contact.
x When the engine has cooled down and you are ready to open the hood:
– Firmly apply the electronic parking brake and shift the transmission into Park (P).
– Take the vehicle key out of the ignition.
– On vehicles with Keyless Access, make sure that the remote control vehicle key is out
of range of the vehicle and that the vehicle cannot be started by depressing the starter
button.
– Always keep children and others away from the engine compartment and never leave
them unsupervised.
x The engine coolant system is under pressure when the engine is hot. Never unscrew the
coolant expansion tank cap when the engine is hot. Hot coolant can spray out and cause
severe burns and other serious injuries.
– Turn the cap slowly and very CARefully in a counterclockwise direction while applying
light downward pressure on the top of the cap.
– Always protect your face, hands, and arms from hot escaping coolant or steam by
covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
x Never spill fluids on the engine or exhaust system when refilling. Spilling fluids onto hot
parts of the engine or exhaust system can cause a fire.
