2014 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC maintenance

d W e a r s h o e s t h a t g i v e y o u r f e e t a g o o d g r i p , a n d t h a t g i v e y o u a f e e l f o r t h e p e d a l s .
d M a k e s u r e t h a t t h e f l o o r m a t o n t h e d r i v e r s i d e i s p r o p e r l y f a s t e n e d a n d c a n n o t i n t e r f e r e w i t h t h e pedals.
d A s s u m e a p r o p e r s e a t i n g p o s i t i o n b e f o r e t h e v e h i c l e s t a r t s t o m o v e a n d k e e p t h i s p o s i t i o n w h i l e driving. Make sure that all passengers do the same, Adjusting the seating position.
d P r o p e r l y f a s t e n y o u r s a f e t y b e l t b e f o r e d r i v i n g t h e v e h i c l e a n d w e a r y o u r s a f e t y b e l t p r o p e r l y a t a l l times while driving. Make sure that all passengers do the same, Safety belts.
d O n l y t r a n s p o r t a s m a n y p a s s e n g e r s a s t h e r e a r e s e a t s a n d s a f e t y b e l t s a v a i l a b l e .
d N e v e r d r i v e i f y o u r d r i v i n g a b i l i t y h a s b e e n i m p a i r e d , f o r e x a m p l e b y m e d i c a t i o n , a l c o h o l o r i l l e g a l drugs.
d N e v e r l e t p a s s e n g e r s o r p h o n e c a l l s d i s t r a c t y o u w h i l e d r i v i n g , a n d n e v e r t a k e y o u r a t t e n t i o n o f f t h e road while using vehicle software or adjusting vehicle equipment or accessories.
d A l w a y s a d a p t y o u r s p e e d a n d d r i v i n g s t y l e t o v i s i b i l i t y , w e a t h e r , r o a d , a n d t r a f f i c c o n d i t i o n s .
d A l w a y s o b e y t r a f f i c l a w s a n d s p e e d l i m i t s .
d O n l o n g t r i p s m a k e f r e q u e n t r e s t s t o p s – a t l e a s t o n c e e v e r y 2 h o u r s .
d S e c u r e a n i m a l s i n t h e v e h i c l e w i t h a s y s t e m t h a t c o r r e s p o n d s t o w e i g h t a n d s i z e .
WARNING
Always observe traffic rules and posted speed limits and use common sense. Your good judgment can mean the difference between arriving safely at your destination and being seri-ously 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

Checklist
Some countries have special safety standards and emissions requirements that your vehicle may not meet. Before taking your vehicle to another country, Volkswagen therefore recommends that you ask your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility about the following issues with regard to the country to which you would like to travel:
d S h o u l d t h e v e h i c l e b e t e c h n i c a l l y p r e p a r e d f o r t h e t r i p a b r o a d , s u c h a s m a s k i n g o r a d j u s t i n g h e a d -lights?
d A r e m a i n t e n a n c e , r e p a i r f a c i l i t i e s , n e c e s s a r y t o o l s a n d t e s t i n g e q u i p m e n t a s w e l l a s s p a r e p arts readily available for your vehicle?
d A r e t h e r e a u t h o r i z e d V o l k s w a g e n d e a l e r s a n d a u t h o r i z e d V o l k s w a g e n S e r v i c e F a c i l i t i e s i n t h e countries where you will be driving?
d F o r g a s o l i n e e n g i n e s : I s u n l e a d e d f u e l w i t h t h e r i g h t o c t a n e r a t i n g r e a d i l y a v a i l a b l e ?
d A r e e n g i n e o i l (Engine oil) and other operating fluids that meet Volkswagen quality and perfor-mance requirements available where you will be driving? For more information, please see
⇒ booklet Warranty and Maintenance.
d D o e s t h e f a c t o r y - i n s t a l l e d n a v i g a t i o n s y s t e m w o r k i n t h e c o u n t r i e s w h e r e y o u w i l l b e d r i v i n g , a n d i s navigation data available?
d A r e s p e c i a l o r h e a v y - d u t y t i r e s n e c e s s a r y f o r t h e k i n d o f d r i v i n g e x p e c t e d ?
NOTICE
Volkswagen is not responsible for mechanical damage that may result from substandard fuel or service or the unavailability of Genuine Volkswagen parts.
Driving through water on roads

x A short time has passed.
x OR: The vehicle is unlocked using the 0 button in the remote control vehicle key.
x OR: The luggage compartment lid is opened.
x OR: The vehicle is mechanically unlocked with the emergency key.
Convenience features
The settings in the Settings – Convenience menu, Volkswagen Information System determine which doors open when the door handle unlocking surface is grasped.
CAUTION
If a valid vehicle key is within range of the luggage compartment lid, the Easy Open feature can deploy unintentionally in some cases and open the luggage compartment lid: for example, when sweeping the ground or floor below the rear bumper, if there is a strong stream of water or steam, or when carrying out maintenance or repairs around the rear bumper. If the luggage compartment lid opens unintentionally, it can injure anyone or damage anything in its way.
x Never leave a valid vehicle key within range of the luggage compartment lid unattended.
x Always turn off the Easy Open feature through the Volkswagen Information System
⇒ page 24, Volkswagen Information System in the following situations:
– Before carrying out any maintenance or repairs on the vehicle.
– Before washing the vehicle.
– Before mounting a bicycle rack or connecting a trailer hitch to the vehicle.
NOTICE
The door handle sensor surfaces can be activated by a strong stream of water or steam if a valid vehicle key is within range of the vehicle.
The door may not open if the outside and inside door handles are used at the same time.
If the vehicle battery or the battery in the remote control vehicle key is weak or dead, it might not be possible to unlock and lock the vehicle using Keyless Access. The vehicle can still be manually locked or unlocked with the key bit , Emergency closing and opening.
The driver message Key not in range appears in the instrument cluster display if there is no remote control vehicle key inside the vehicle or if the system does not recognize the remote control vehicle key. The key may not be recognized, for example, if it is covered by something that interferes with the signal (such as a briefcase), or if the remote control vehicle key battery is weak. Electronic devices such as mobile phones can also interfere with the signal.
Dirt on the door handles that contains a lot of salt (especially in winter) can affect the way the door handle sensors work. Cleaning the door handles can help with this problem, Exterior care and cleaning.
If the automatic transmission is not in Park (P) position, the electronic steering column lock will not lock and the vehicle will not lock via sensors in the front door handles or the remote control vehicle key.

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 (1000 km), Parts, accessories, repairs, and modifications.
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.

WARNING
x An improperly installed or incorrect trailer hitch can cause a trailer to separate from the tow vehicle and cause serious personal injuries.
x If you don't have to tow a trailer any more, remove the entire trailer hitch. Always seal all bolt holes to prevent water and deadly exhaust fumes from getting into the vehicle.
NOTICE
x If the trailer lights are not connected properly, the vehicle's electronics may be damaged.
x If the trailer uses too much electricity, the vehicle's electronics may be damaged.
x Never connect the electrical system for the trailer directly to the electrical connections for the rear lights or to any other unsuitable power sources. Use only a suitable connector to provide power to the trailer.
If you tow a trailer frequently, Volkswagen recommends having the vehicle serviced between the regular maintenance and inspection intervals because of the extra load it has to pull.
Hitching up and connecting a trailer

Tire pressure display screen
Meaning
(3) Benchmark pressure, front tires ⇒fig. 112
(4) Current tire pressure, front right tire.
(5) No data received, right rear tire.
(6) Benchmark pressure, rear tires
If the tire pressure is too low, the relevant tires and the respective readings are highlighted in yellow.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly underinflated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly underinflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Under-inflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle's handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver's responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even if under-inflation has not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Spare wheel or compact spare wheel
The spare wheel or compact spare wheel has no tire pressure sensor. When the spare or compact spare wheel is mounted on the vehicle, the Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) indicator light will flash in the instrument cluster display. The TPMS continues to monitor the other 3 wheels.
Tire storage
If the tires do not move for an extended period of time, the sensors will not transmit tire pressures to the system. This saves sensor battery life. When the ignition is switched on, the sensors transmit signals to the Tire Pressure Monitoring System.

The Tire Pressure Monitoring System may not react at first or may not react at all when you are driving in a sporty manner, or on snow-covered or unpaved roads, when you are driving with snow chains, or in certain other situations. A change in the tread circumference of a tire is signaled by the Tire Pressure Monitoring System indicator in the instrument cluster (telltale).
The tire pressure recommended for the tires originally installed on the vehicle is on a sticker on the driver door jamb, Tires and wheels.
Each tire, including the spare (if provided), should be checked monthly when cold and inflated to the inflation pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label. (If your vehicle has tires of a different size than the size indicated on the vehicle placard or tire inflation pressure label, you should determine the proper tire inflation pressure for those tires.)
As an added safety feature, your vehicle has been equipped with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) that illuminates a low tire pressure telltale when one or more of your tires is significantly underinflated. Accordingly, when the low tire pressure telltale illuminates, you should stop and check your tires as soon as possible, and inflate them to the proper pressure. Driving on a significantly underinflated tire causes the tire to overheat and can lead to tire failure. Underinflation also reduces fuel efficiency and tire tread life, and may affect the vehicle’s handling and stopping ability.
Please note that the TPMS is not a substitute for proper tire maintenance, and it is the driver’s responsibility to maintain correct tire pressure, even if underinflation has not reached the level to trigger illumination of the TPMS low tire pressure telltale.
Your vehicle has also been equipped with a TPMS malfunction indicator to indicate when the system is not operating properly. The TPMS malfunction indicator is combined with the low tire pressure telltale. When the system detects a malfunction, the telltale will flash for approximately one minute and then remain continuously illuminated. This sequence will continue upon subsequent vehicle start-ups as long as the malfunction exists.
When the malfunction indicator is illuminated, the system may not be able to detect or signal low tire pressure as intended. TPMS malfunctions may occur for a variety of reasons, including the installation of replacement or alternate tires or wheels on the vehicle that prevent the TPMS from functioning properly. Always check the TPMS malfunction telltale after replacing one or more tires or wheels on your vehicle to ensure that the replacement or alternate tires and wheels allow the TPMS to continue to function properly.
Resetting and recalibrating the benchmark tire pressure
Resetting the tire pressures in the Multi-function Display (MFI) resets the benchmark tire pressure used by the TPMS to the current tire pressure in the tires based on the circumference of the tires.
To reset the reference tire pressure, switch on the ignition. In the MFI, navigate to the Settings menu and select Tire pressure. Store and confirm the new tire pressures.
The recalibration must be performed each time the tire pressure in one or more tires has been adjusted or after one or more tires has been changed, exchanged, or repaired. The new tire pressures are stored in the system only after at least 20 minutes of normal driving.
If you have reset the benchmark tire pressure when your tires do not have the correct tire pressure, this will prevent the TPMS from working properly. It may then give false warnings or may not give any warning even if the tire pressure is too low.
For this reason, it is vital to make certain that all 4 tires are inflated to the correct pressure when they are cold, before calibrating the system. Cold tire tires are tires that have not been driven more than a couple of miles (kilometers) at low speed within the last 3 hours.
Recalibrate the system to reset the benchmark TPMS pressure in the following situations:
x After installing tires on your vehicle that have recommended cold tire inflation pressures that are different from the tires that were taken off.
x After any tire on your vehicle is removed and then remounted, even if the same tire and wheel rim that were taken off are reinstalled (for instance, after repair).

Brake fluid specifications
Volkswagen has developed a special brake fluid that is optimized for the brake system in your Volkswagen. Volkswagen recommends that you use brake fluid that expressly conforms to quality standard VW Standard 501 14 for optimum performance of the brake system. Check the information on the container for the brake fluid you want to use to make sure it meets the requirements for your vehicle.
Brake fluid that complies with VW Standard 501 14 can be purchased from your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
If this special brake fluid is not available you may – under these circumstances – use another high quality brake fluid that complies with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 116 DOT 4
⇒ .
Please note, however, that not all brake fluids that comply with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 116 DOT 4 have the same chemical composition. Some of these brake fluids can contain chemicals that could, over time, degrade or damage internal parts of the vehicle’s brake system.
Volkswagen therefore recommends that you use brake fluid that expressly complies with VW Standard 501 14 for optimum brake system performance over the long term.
Brake fluid level
The fluid level in the transparent brake fluid reservoir must always be between the MIN and MAX
marking ⇒ .
On some vehicles, engine components block the view of the brake fluid reservoir and make it impossible to see the brake fluid level. If you cannot clearly see the brake fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir, please see an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
The brake fluid level drops slightly when the vehicle is being used as the brake pads wear and the brakes are automatically adjusted.
Changing brake fluid
Brake fluid must be changed according to the service schedule in your ⇒ booklet Warranty and
Maintenance. Have the brake fluid checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Refill only with new brake fluid that meets the standards listed above.
WARNING
Brake failure and reduced brake performance can be caused by not having enough brake fluid in the reservoir or by old or incorrect brake fluid.
x Check the brake system and brake fluid level regularly.
x Always change the brake fluid according to the service schedule in your
⇒ booklet Warranty and Maintenance.
x Hard braking with old brake fluid may cause vapor lock. Vapor lock reduces braking performance, increases stopping distances and can even cause total brake failure.
x Always make sure that only the correct brake fluid is used. Only use brake fluid that expressly conforms to VW Standard 501 14 or, if it is not available, only use a high-quality brake fluid that conforms to U.S. Standard FMVSS 116 DOT 4 requirements.
x Using another brake fluid, or one that is not of high quality, can impair the function of the brake system and reduce its effectiveness. If the container does not say that the brake fluid complies with VW Standard 501 14, or U.S. Standard FMVSS 116 DOT 4, do not use it.
x The brake fluid must be new.