2014 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG fuel consumption

Menu Function
Hybrid Shows the current energy flow for hybrid vehicles ⇒ page 460.
Tire pressure Display of current tire pressures in vehicles with direct Tire Pressure Monitoring System
Display since start
Display and storage of the driving and fuel consumption data compiled from the time the ignition is switched on to the time it is switched off. If the journey is continued within two hours after the ignition is switched off, the information from the new leg of the journey is counted as well. The memory is automatically cleared if the vehicle is not driven for more than two hours.
Display since refuel Display and storage of driving and fuel consumption data. The memory is automatically cleared when the vehicle is fueled again.
Display long-term Display and storage of the accumulated driving and fuel consumption data of any number of single trips up to a total driving time of either 19 hours and 59 minutes or 99 hours and 59 minutes, and up to a total distance of either 1,999.9 miles (1,999.9 km) or 9,999 miles (9,999 km), depending on the instrument cluster version. If one of the stored values is exceeded, then the memory is automatically cleared and starts again from 0.
Digital speed Switch the digital speed on or off. Shows the current vehicle speed in digital form.
Back The display switches back to the main menu.
Possible displays

Submenu Function
Travel time Driving time in hours (h) and minutes (min) corresponding to trip memories 1 and 2 (toggle).
Current consumption Current fuel consumption in miles per gallon (l/100 km) while driving. When units are set to miles, dashes appear instead of a number when the engine is running and the vehicle is standing still. When units are set to kilometers, the display shows liters consumed per hour when the engine is running and the vehicle is standing still.
Average consumption Average fuel consumption in miles per gallon (l/100 km) on trips per trip memories 1 and 2 (toggle) is displayed once the vehicle has been driven about 330 feet (100 m). Until then, dashes appear instead of a number. The value displayed is updated every 5 seconds.
Range Estimated distance in miles (km) that the vehicle can go with the fuel left in the tank the way you are currently driving. Takes account of the current fuel consumption, among other things.
Distance Distance driven in miles (km) from the time the ignition was switched on.
Average speed The average speed is displayed after the ignition is switched on and the vehicle has been driven about 300 feet (100 m). Up to this point, dashes appear instead of a number. The value displayed is updated every 5 seconds.

WARNING
Certain medical conditions, such as paralysis and diabetes, and certain medications can increase the risk of serious burns when the seat heating feature is switched on.
x Vehicle occupants who have a low level of perceived pain or a lowered awareness of pain can receive serious burns to the back, buttocks, and legs that take a long time to heal or may never heal completely.
x Never use the seat heating feature if you or your passengers are at risk of being burned because of a medical condition. Take regular breaks and get out of the vehicle, particularly on long trips. Consult your doctor for advice regarding your specific condition.
x Never let exposed skin remain in contact with the seat upholstery when the seat heating is being used.
WARNING
x A wet seat can cause the seat heating to malfunction and increase the risk of serious burns.
x Always make sure the seats are dry before using the seat heating.
x Never sit on the seat with wet clothes.
x Never put damp or wet things including clothes on the seat.
x Never spill liquids on the seats.
NOTICE
x To help prevent damage to electrical and other parts in the seat, do not kneel on the front seats or apply concentrated pressure to a small area of the seat or backrest.
x Liquids, sharp objects and things that do not let the heat in the seat escape into the air, including, for example, a child restraint, a blanket or seat covers on the seat can damage seat heating.
x If you smell an odor, immediately shut off seat heating and have it checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
x Never install leather upholstery on a vehicle with seat heating that originally had cloth upholstery. The seat heating elements for seats with cloth seats will overheat if the cloth upholstery is replaced with leather upholstery.
Switch off seat heating when it is not needed to help reduce unnecessary fuel consumption.
Memory seats

Fig. 58 Memory buttons in the upper part of the driver and front passenger doors.

Recalling passenger side mirror settings
x Turn the adjusting knob for the side mirrors to the R position.
x Shift the transmission into reverse gear with the ignition switched on.
x The mirror moves back to the regular position when the vehicle moves forwards faster than about 10 mph (15 km/h) or the adjusting knob is turned to the O or L position.
WARNING
Improper use of the folding outside mirrors can cause personal injury.
x Always make sure that nobody is in the way when folding the mirrors in or out.
x Make sure that you do not get your finger caught between the mirror and the mirror base when moving the mirrors.
WARNING
Incorrectly estimating distances with the right outside mirror can cause collisions and serious injury.
x The right outside mirror has a convex (curved) surface. This widens your field of vision. But vehicles or other objects seen in a convex mirror will look smaller and farther away than they really are.
x If you use the right outside mirror to judge distances from vehicles behind you when changing lanes, you could estimate incorrectly and cause a crash and serious injuries.
x Whenever possible, use the inside mirror to more accurately judge distance and size of vehicles or other objects seen in the convex mirror.
x Always make sure you have a clear view to the rear of the vehicle.
NOTICE
x Always fold in the outside mirrors when taking the vehicle through an automatic car wash.
x Never fold power mirrors in manually because doing so could damage the electrical drive.
To reduce fuel consumption, use outside mirror heating only when needed.
When first switched on, outside mirror heating works with maximum heat for about 2 minutes.
If power mirror adjustment does not work, the outside mirrors can be adjusted by hand by pressing on the edges of the mirror surface.

If a roof rack is installed, fuel consumption increases due to increased air resistance.
Attaching the roof rack base carrier and roof rack

Fig. 109 Attachment points for the base carrier and roof rack.

x Driving without valve caps, with the wrong valve caps, or with valve caps that are not properly screwed on can damage the tire valves and the sensors on the Tire Pressure Monitoring System. To help prevent damage, always use valve stem caps like those originally installed at the factory. The caps must be screwed on tightly. Do not use metal valve caps or “comfort” valve stem caps.
Underinflation increases fuel consumption.
Pressures measured with a gauge when inflating the tires may be different from the pressures read by the tire pressure sensors. The electronic TPMS is more accurate.
When the TPMS warns that the pressure in at least one tire is too low, check the tire pressure in all 4 tires with an accurate tire pressure gauge. Low tire pressure usually cannot be spotted by looking
at the tire. This is especially true for low-profile tires. When checking the tire pressures, refer to ⇒ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
Tire inflation pressure in cold tires

All-wheel drive (4MOTION)
Vehicles with all-wheel drive and standard road wheels have good forward motion and traction even under wintery road conditions. However, Volkswagen recommends installing snow tires or all season tires on all 4 wheels to improve handling as well as braking performance.
If you use snow chains, please read and heed information and directions ⇒ Snow chains.
WARNING
Driving faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires on your vehicle were designed can cause sudden tire failure including a blowout and sudden deflation, loss of control, crashes and serious personal injuries.
x Winter tires have a maximum speed rating that may be lower than your vehicle's maximum speed.
x Never drive faster than the maximum speed for which the winter tires installed on your vehicle are rated because tires that are driven faster than their rated speed can fail suddenly.
x Never exceed the maximum load rating for the winter tires installed on your vehicle.
Install summer tires promptly in the spring. Summer tires offer better handling characteristics for temperatures above +45 °F (+7 °C). They are quieter, do not wear as quickly, and reduce fuel consumption.
If factory-installed wheels and/or tires are replaced when installing winter tires, make sure that the wheels are equipped with sensors that are compatible with the factory-installed Tire Pressure
Monitoring System and that the tires are also compatible with the system ⇒ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS). If new tires are not identical to those that were removed and require different cold tire inflation pressure, the tire inflation pressure values must be reprogrammed for the TPMS. Please see
your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility ⇒ Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).
If necessary, ask your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility about permissible winter tire dimensions.
Snow chains

WARNING
Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can cause sudden tire failure, loss of control, collision, serious personal injury or even death.
x When the warning symbol appears in the instrument cluster, stop and inspect the tires.
x Incorrect tire pressure and/or underinflation can cause increased tire wear and can affect the handling of the vehicle and stopping ability.
x Incorrect tire pressures and/or underinflation can also lead to sudden tire failure, including a blowout and sudden deflation, causing loss of vehicle control.
x The driver is responsible for the correct tire pressures for all tires on the vehicle. The
recommended tire pressure values are listed on a sticker on the driver door ⇒ Tires and wheels.
x The TPMS can only work correctly when all tires on the vehicle are filled to the correct cold tire pressure specified for the tires installed on the vehicle.
x Using incorrect tire pressure values can cause accidents or other damage. Always inflate the tires to the correct specified cold tire pressure values for the tires installed on the vehicle.
x Always maintain correct cold tire inflation pressure so that TPMS can do its job.
x Always inflate tires to the recommended and correct tire pressure before driving off.
x Driving with underinflated tires causes them to flex (bend) more, letting them get too hot, resulting in tread separation, sudden tire failure, and loss of control.
x Excessive speed and/overloading can cause heat build-up, sudden tire failure and loss of control.
x If the tire pressure is too low or too high, the tires will wear prematurely and the vehicle will not handle well.
x If the tire is not “flat” and you do not have to change a wheel immediately, drive carefully and at reduced speed to the nearest service station to check the tire pressure and add air as required.
x When replacing tires or wheel rims on vehicles equipped with TPMS always read and heed
the information and all WARNINGS regarding Tires and wheels ⇒ Tires and wheels.
NOTICE
x The wheel electronics are attached to special aluminum valves on the wheels. These valves are screwed on rigidly. Never bend the valves “into position” when checking and adjusting tire pressure.
x Missing valve stem caps can cause damage to the valves as well as to the TPMS sensors. To help prevent damage, always use valve stem caps like those originally installed at the factory. The caps must be screwed on tightly. Do not use metal valve stem caps.
x Do not use “comfort valve caps”. They do not seal properly and can damage the sensors.
x When switching to different tires, make certain the valves and sensors are not damaged.
x When replacing the valve cores, use only nickel-plated replacement cores.
x The batteries in the wheel electronics have a life of up to 10 years. It is not possible to replace the batteries. The entire device must be replaced.
Underinflation increases fuel consumption and tire wear.
Dispose of the wheel electronics and the old batteries in an environmentally responsible manner. Batteries of the type used in the wheel electronics may contain Perchlorate Material. Special handling

Defensive driving and “flowing” with traffic
Frequent braking and acceleration increases fuel consumption significantly. Just by driving defensively and keeping a sufficiently large distance away from the vehicle in front of you can make up for the speed fluctuations caused by taking your foot off the accelerator. Active braking and accelerating is then not necessarily required.
Calm and smooth driving
Consistency is more important than speed. The more smoothly you drive, the less fuel the vehicle consumes.
When driving on the highway or freeway, a constant, moderate speed is more efficient and economical than constantly accelerating and braking. Usually you can reach your destination just as quickly by driving at a moderate, but steady speed.
The cruise control system can assist in maintaining a uniform driving style.
Moderate use of extra electrical loads
Comfort inside the vehicle is nice and important, but it is important to use them in an environmentally conscious manner.
Some devices can increase fuel consumption when activated (examples):
x Climate control system (air conditioner): If the climate control system has to produce starkly contrasting temperatures, it requires a large amount of energy, which is generated by the engine. The temperature in the vehicle should therefore not be extremely different from that of the outside temperature. It may be helpful to ventilate the vehicle before driving and then to drive a short distance with the windows open. After that, switch on the air conditioner with the windows closed. Keep the windows closed when driving at high speeds. Open windows increase fuel consumption.
x Switch off seat heating once it has served its purpose.
x Switch off the windshield and rear window defroster as soon as the windows are free of fog and ice.
Additional factors that increase fuel consumption (examples):
x Malfunctioning engine control.
x Driving in the mountains.
x Towing a trailer.
NOTICE
Never let the vehicle coast or roll down a hill in Neutral (N), especially when the engine is not running. The transmission will not be lubricated and will be damaged.
for additional tips on using your hybrid drive to help reduce fuel consumption.