2015 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN warning lights

x If the outside temperature or the temperature inside the passenger compartment is +77 °F (+25 °C) or more.

Function Action for seat heating ⇒ fig. 47
Switch on: Press the A or e button. Seat heating is switched on to
maximum.
Adjust the heat-
ing level:
Press the A or e button repeatedly until the desired
heating level is set.
Switch off: Press the A or e button repeatedly until all indicator
lights in the button are off.

Special seat heating features
The seat heating on the front passenger side is switched off every time the ignition is switched off. Seat heating must be switched on again each time the ignition is switched on.
On the front driver side, the seat heating will resume at the setting that was set when the ignition was switched off, as long as the ignition is switched on again within 10 minutes.
People suffering from a low level of perceived pain or a lowered awareness of pain as from medica-
tion, paralysis, or chronic illness (e.g. diabetes) should NEVER use the seat heating feature ⇒ !
The use of seat heating by persons with these conditions could result in burns to the back, buttocks, and legs that may take a long time to heal and may never heal completely. If you have any of these conditions, you should take regular breaks and get out of the vehicle, particularly on long trips. Consult your doctor for advice regarding your specific condition.
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.

Lights
up or
flashes
Possible cause Proper response
i
Driver and front passenger
have not fastened their safety
belts, if front passenger seat
is occupied.
Fasten safety belts.

When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds.
A warning chime also sounds.
The safety belt warning light i comes on for 6 seconds when the ignition is switched on. A warning chime also sounds for up to 6 seconds if the driver's safety belt is not buckled. The chime stops soon-er if the driver buckles his or her safety belt. The warning light and the chime go out when both driver and front passenger have buckled their safety belts.
If the driver and front seat passenger do not both fasten their safety belts within about 24 seconds after the chime stops and the vehicle is moving at a speed of more than about 15 mph (25 km/h), the chime will again sound for about 6 seconds, then go off for about 24 seconds, then sound again for about another 6 seconds. The same thing happens if one of the safety belts is fastened and then unfastened while the vehicle is moving. The safety belt warning light i also flashes. The warning chime continues to sound at 24 second intervals for up to 2 minutes. No chime sounds at speeds of less than about 5 mph (8 km/h).
If the ignition is switched on, the safety belt warning light i stays on until the driver and front passen-ger have both buckled their safety belts.
WARNING
Not wearing a safety belt or wearing an improperly positioned safety belt increases the risk of severe personal injury or death. Safety belts offer optimum protection only when used cor-rectly.
Frontal collisions and laws of physics

Fig. 49 A vehicle with passengers not wearing safety belts approaches a wall.

WARNING
Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text messages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result in a collision and serious personal injury.
x Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.
x Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
x Whenever stalled or stopped for repair, move the vehicle a safe distance off the road, stop the engine, turn on the emergency flashers, and use other warning devices to warn approach-ing traffic.
x Never park the vehicle in areas where the hot catalytic converter and exhaust system can come into contact with dry grass, brush, spilled fuel, oil, or other material that can catch fire.
x A broken down vehicle presents a high accident risk for itself and others. Switch on emergency flashers and set up a warning triangle to warn oncoming traffic.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.
High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlights provide bright, uniform lighting to help you see and be seen. The light comes from an electric arc between two electrodes in the gas-filled bulb. Over time, the electrodes can wear down and the gap between them will get wider. The HID lamp’s control unit then increases the voltage to keep the arc’s brightness constant. However, the commonly called “Xenon” bulbs will also ultimately burn out. Before they burn out, HID lamps can flicker. A message will then appear in the MFD. This is your reminder to see an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service facility to check the headlights.
Turn signal lever and high beam switch

Fig. 74 On the left side of the steering column: Turn signal lever and high beam switch.

Acoustic warning when lights are not switched off
In the following situation, a warning chime will sound if you take the key out of the ignition and open the driver door. This is to remind you that lights are still on.
x Light switch in position .
WARNING
Daytime running lights and parking lights are not bright enough to let you see ahead or be seen by others when it is dark.
x Always switch on the low-beam headlights at dusk or when it is dark and whenever the weather is bad or visibility is poor.
x Never use the daytime running lights to see where you are going. They are not bright enough and will not let you see far enough ahead for safety, especially at dusk or when it is dark. Always switch on the low-beam headlights at dusk or when it is dark.
x The taillights do not come on with the daytime running lights. Unless the taillights are on, a vehicle cannot be seen by others in bad weather, at dusk, or when it is dark.
x Even if automatic headlights (!54/) are switched on, the low-beam headlights may still not come on by themselves in fog or heavy rain. You have to switch on the low-beam headlights manually.
In cool or humid weather, the insides of the headlights, the rear lights, and turn signals can tem-porarily fog up. This is normal and does not affect the service life of the vehicle's lighting system.
Lights and vision features

The self-dimming feature can be switched on and off with the switch on the inside mirror (2) A or (2) B. When self-dimming is activated, the indicator light (1) is on.
There are two sensors in the interior mirror housing:
x One sensor on the side facing the interior to measure light from the rear of the vehicle ⇒ fig. 86 A
(3) or ⇒ fig. 86 B (3).
x One sensor on the side facing the windshield to measure light from the front of the vehicle ⇒ fig. 86 C (4).
If the ignition is switched on, the mirror automatically darkens depending on the amount of light shining into the vehicle from the rear.
The self-dimming feature is deactivated when you shift the transmission into reverse or switch on the interior lights or the reading light.
Do not attach external navigation devices to the windshield or in the vicinity of the self-dimming inside
mirror ⇒ .
WARNING
The illuminated display on an external navigation device can cause the self-dimming inside mirror to malfunction, which can result in crashes and serious injuries.
x Malfunctions in the self-dimming function can result in the inside mirror being unable to evaluate the exact distance of vehicles in the rear or other objects.
If the light striking the sensor is filtered or blocked (such as by a sunshade), the self-dimming inside mirror will not work properly or may not work at all.
Outside mirrors

Fig. 88 In the driver door: Adjusting knob for the outside mirrors.

Electrical load Maximum power
Taillights total 54 watts

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

The receiver used requires both a ball mount and a ball that meet special requirements regarding geometry and size. This applies to both the height of the ball above the surface where it attaches
⇒ fig. 103 (A), and the pin-to-ball distance (B).
These dimensions are important because they help determine the way that the forces that arise during towing are applied to the receiver and its attachments to the vehicle. If you buy a ball mount and ball, make sure that they meet the following specifications.
Ball mount dimensions
x The drop height (A) from the center of the ball to the center of the hole for the securing pin on the ball mount must be at least 1 inch (25.4 mm) and at most 27/8 inches (73 mm).
x The pin-to-ball distance (B) from the center of the ball to the center of the hole for the securing pin on the ball mount must be no more than 7 inches (178 mm).
x The ball diameter must be no more than 11/4 inches (32 mm).
A ball mount and ball combination that does not meet these specifications can damage your vehicle
and may even fail in use ⇒ .
Never install a “weight distributing” or “load equalizing” trailer hitch on your vehicle. The vehicle is not
designed for this kind of trailer hitch ⇒ .
WARNING
An improperly installed or unsuitable trailer hitch can cause the trailer to separate from the towing vehicle and result in a major accident with serious personal injuries.
x Have any trailer hitch retrofit or other work on a trailer hitch done by a qualified workshop.
CAUTION
The ball mount sticks out behind the rear bumper and can cause injury to pedestrians and cyclists.
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 carrier when you are not towing a trailer.
NOTICE
x Never use a ball larger than 11/4 inches (32 mm) on your vehicle. The vehicle was not de-signed to tow heavier trailers with a receiver larger than the specified ball. The increased loads can damage the attachment points for the trailer hitch.
x Never use an adapter to increase the size of the trailer hitch receiver from 11/4 inches (32 mm) to 2 inches (50.8 mm) or more to tow a trailer that is heavier than the maximum per-missible trailer weight that your vehicle can tow.
x You can use an adapter if required for the proper installation of a bicycle rack or other similar carrier as long as the maximum weight limits are observed. When using bicycle racks or similar carriers, make sure that the rear lights are not blocked.
x Only use trailer hitches that are approved by the hitch manufacturer for your vehicle and model.

(F) 13.8–16.5 inches (350–420 mm)
(G) 41.1 inches (1043 mm)
(H) 41.3 inches (1048 mm)
WARNING
Improper or incorrect connections to the vehicle electrical system can cause malfunctions that affect the entire vehicle electrical system and cause accidents and serious personal injury.
x Never connect the electrical system of the trailer directly to the electrical connections of the rear lights or other unsuitable power sources. Use only a suitable connector to provide power to the trailer.
x Have any trailer hitch retrofit or other work on a trailer hitch done by a qualified workshop.
WARNING
An improperly installed or unsuitable trailer hitch can cause the trailer to separate from the towing vehicle and result in a major accident with serious personal injuries.
Maximum permissible trailer weight