2015 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE CONVERTIBLE warning

Changing the vehicle's suspension system can change the way that the airbag system works in a crash. For example, using tire-rim combinations not approved by Volkswagen, lowering the vehicle, changing the stiffness of the suspension, including the springs, suspension struts, shock absorbers etc. can change the forces that are measured by the airbag sensors and sent to the electronic control unit. Some suspension changes can, for example, increase the force levels measured by the airbag sensors and sent to the electronic control unit and make the airbag system deploy in crashes in which it would not deploy if the changes had not been made. Other kinds of changes may reduce the force levels measured by the sensors and prevent the airbag from deploying when it should.
Never install leather upholstery on a vehicle that originally had cloth upholstery. Never install cloth upholstery on a vehicle that originally had leather upholstery. The capacitive passenger detection system for the Advanced Airbag system will not work properly if different upholstery is installed on the passenger seat than the upholstery originally installed on the vehicle when it was originally manufactured.
WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including use of unapproved tire-rim combinations can change airbag performance and increase the risk of serious personal injury in a crash.
x Never install suspension components that do not have the same performance characteristics as the components originally installed on your vehicle.
x Never use tire-rim combinations that have not been approved by Volkswagen.
WARNING
Leaving the optional safety belt extender attached to the safety belt buckle on the front passenger seat when the safety belt is not being used will prevent the Advanced Airbag System from working properly and can increase the risk of serious personal injury in a collision.
x Leaving the extender attached to the safety belt buckle when the front seat is occupied and the safety belt is not being used will signal to the airbag control unit that the front passenger seat is occupied and that the safety belt is being used. The electronic control unit for the airbag system will then receive incorrect information that will
– cause the safety belt pretensioner to deploy unnecessarily in collisions and
– cause the front passenger airbag to deploy later in collisions in which the front airbag would otherwise be triggered earlier to help protect an unrestrained front seat passenger.
x Always remove the safety belt extender when it is not needed and stow it safely.
x Never use the safety belt extender to secure a child restraint.
WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt buckle and the center console can cause safety belt buckle to send the wrong information to the airbag control unit and prevent the Advanced Airbag System from working properly.
x Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the safety belt buckles and that they are not obstructed.

WARNING
Improper care and servicing, and improper modification and repair work, can increase the risk of personal injury and death by preventing an airbag from deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly:
x Never repair, adjust, or change any parts of the airbag system.
x All work on the airbag system, steering wheel, instrument panel, front seats or electrical system (including the installation of audio equipment, mobile telephones and CB radios, etc.) should be performed by authorized Volkswagen dealers or authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities. They have the necessary manuals, training, and special equipment.
x The airbag system can be activated only once. After an airbag has inflated, it must be replaced.
x Use only original equipment airbags approved by Volkswagen. Have them installed by a trained technician who has the necessary tools and diagnostic equipment to properly replace any airbag in your vehicle and assure system effectiveness in a crash.
x Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to be installed in your vehicle.
Undeployed airbag modules and safety belt pretensioners are classified as Perchlorate Material. Special handling may apply – see http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. Obey all applicable legal requirements regarding handling and disposal of the vehicle or parts of its restraint system, including airbag modules and safety belts with pretensioners. Authorized Volkswagen dealers and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities are familiar with the requirements, and we recommend that you have them perform this service for you.
Notice about data recorded by the Event Data Recorder and vehicle
control modules

Therefore we strongly recommend that you use your mobile telephone in your vehicle only when it is properly attached to an appropriate cradle mounted on a base plate on the instrument panel.
Because of the large number and variety of mobile telephones on the market and the frequency with which new models are introduced, Volkswagen does not offer cradles for mobile telephones. Please check with the manufacturer of the mobile telephone that you plan to use.
Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth® SIG, Inc.
WARNING
A mobile phone on the seat, instrument panel or in other places can be thrown around the inside of the vehicle during a sudden braking maneuver, a crash or other accident and injure vehicle occupants.
x Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as cup holders, telephone brackets, note pads, navigation systems, large, heavy or bulky objects) on the doors, on the windshield, over or near the area marked “AIRBAG” on the steering wheel, instrument panel, backrests or between these areas and the occupant. Such objects could cause serious injury in a collision, especially if an airbag inflates.
WARNING
Using a mobile phone or CB radio inside the vehicle without a properly installed and separate outside antenna can be dangerous to your health and that of your passengers because the electromagnetic radiation energy that mobile phones and CB radios emit may be above established limits. This also applies if the outside antenna is not installed properly.
x Always keep the mobile phone antenna at least 8 in. (20 cm) away from pacemakers. Heart specialists advise that mobile phones can adversely affect the way pacemakers work.
x Never carry a mobile phone that is switched on in the breast pocket directly over a pacemaker.
x If you suspect there may be interference with a pacemaker or other medical device, switch the mobile phone off immediately.

WARNING
Obey all applicable legal requirements when cleaning the diesel particulate filter.
x Clean the diesel particulate filter as recommended only when visibility, weather, road, and traffic conditions permit.
x Do not put others at risk.
Under certain engine conditions, you may smell a sulfur odor. This is not an indication of a malfunctioning emission control system. This depends upon the sulfur content of the diesel fuel.

WARNING
Improperly lifting your vehicle with a workshop hoist or a floor jack can cause the vehicle to fall off and cause serious personal injury.
x Always read and heed the operating instructions from the floor jack manufacturer and legal regulations if necessary before using the floor jack to lift the vehicle.
x Never let anyone stay in the vehicle when it is being lifted or when it is off the ground.
x Always lift your vehicle only at the designated lift points shown in the illustrations
⇒ fig. 152 and ⇒ fig. 153. Not using the designated lift points can cause the vehicle to fall off the floor jack when heavy parts such as the engine or transmission are removed.
x Always make sure that the vehicle's lift points lie as flat as possible and centered on the carrier plates of the floor jack.
x Never start the engine when you have raised the vehicle on the floor jack. The engine vibrations and vehicle movements could knock the vehicle off the floor jack.
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.
x Never use the floor jack as a ladder or step ladder.
x Always make sure that the weight of the vehicle is not heavier than the lifting capacity of the floor jack and safety stands being used.
NOTICE
x To help prevent serious vehicle damage, never lift the vehicle by the engine oil pan, transmission housing, or by the front or rear axles or suspension.
x To help prevent damage to the underbody or chassis, always insert a rubber pad between the hoist and the lifting points. In addition make sure the lifting arms have enough clearance.
x The lifting arms should not touch side sills or other parts of the vehicle.

Switch on the emergency flashers when:
x Traffic suddenly slows down or stops in front of you to warn those approaching from behind.
x In any emergency situation.
x If the vehicle breaks down.
x When being towed.
Always obey traffic laws that govern the use of emergency flashers where you are driving.
If the emergency flashers are not working, a different method – as permitted by law – must be used to alert other motorists and cyclists to the breakdown.
WARNING
Disregarding the safety-related checklist may lead to accidents and serious personal injuries.
x Always review and follow the checklist. Follow accepted safety practices and use common sense.
WARNING
The vehicle exhaust system and the catalytic converter or diesel particulate filter get very hot. They can cause fires and serious personal injury.
x Never park where parts of the hot exhaust system or catalytic converter could ignite flammable materials, such as dry grass, brush, leaves, spilled fuel, etc.
NOTICE
To help prevent damage to the vehicle if you should have to push it a short distance by hand, never push against spoilers, lights, body panels, windows, or similar parts. Concentrating force on these parts of the vehicle can cause expensive damage that may not always be obvious right away.
The vehicle battery will be drained if the emergency flashers are on for a long time – even if the ignition is switched off.

WARNING
Before using the emergency procedure to close the convertible top, park the vehicle as far away from moving traffic as possible. If necessary, switch on the emergency flashers and set up a warning triangle. Obey all applicable legal requirements.
NOTICE
If the vehicle's battery fails or the power windows won't work, the door windows are not lowered when the door is opened or closed. Always close and open the door carefully to help prevent damage to the window, the paint, or the rubber seal.
NOTICE
To help prevent vehicle damage, carefully remove and properly reinstall parts after emergency locking or unlocking.
Manually unlocking and locking the driver door

Fig. 155 Door handle on driver door: Concealed lock cylinder.

x Turn the handle counterclockwise to open the convertible top hooks. You may have to push up on the front of the convertible top slightly so the hooks can open all the way.
x Pull the convertible top down using the emergency handle and turn the handle clockwise until the convertible top latches completely and securely. The indicator light goes out.
x Turn the screw in the center of the emergency handle counterclockwise to loosen using the Phillips head end of the screwdriver and remove the handle.
x Reinstall the front cover over the emergency lock opening.
x Put the hexagonal socket wrench, emergency handle, and screwdriver back into the vehicle tool kit
⇒  Vehicle tool kit.
x Drive to an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility to have the convertible top serviced. The bolts that were removed cannot be reused and must be replaced with
new bolts before the top can be opened again ⇒ .
WARNING
The wind generated by driving can open the convertible top if it is not latched. This can cause accidents and serious injuries.
x Never drive if the convertible top is not latched.
CAUTION
To help reduce the risk of personal injury, never touch moving parts when the convertible top is closing.
x Always be careful not to pinch your hands when closing the convertible top manually.
x Always be careful not to pinch yourself or others when pressing the convertible top onto the windshield frame.
NOTICE
To help prevent significant vehicle damage, do not operate the convertible top after performing the emergency closing procedure until the bolts are replaced with correct, new bolts by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
Emergency release for the fuel filler flap