2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC automatic transmission

Fig. 137 Pedals in vehicles with automatic transmission: 1 Accelera-
tor pedal, 2 Brake pedal.

NOTICE
To help prevent damage and premature wear:
Do not rest your hand on the gearshift lever while driving.
Over time, the pressure will cause premature wear in the trans-
mission.
Make sure that the vehicle has come to a complete stop before
shifting into reverse.
Always depress the clutch pedal all the way when changing
gears.
Do not hold the vehicle on a hill using engine power with the
clutch pedal partially engaged and the engine running.
Automatic transmission: Selector lever

Fig. 140 Side view: Automatic transmission selector lever with shift
lever release button (arrow).

Fig. 141 Automatic transmission selector lever with shift lever release
button (arrow).

Selector
lever
position
Designation Meaning ⇒ 
. Neutral Transmission is in Neutral position. No
power is transmitted to the wheels and no
engine braking is available.
$ Drive
(standard
driving
position)
All forward gears shift up and down auto-
matically. The transmission shifts as need-
ed depending on engine load, individual
driving style, and vehicle speed.
3 Sport Drive
(sport driving
position)
All forward gears automatically upshift later
and downshift earlier than in the D (Drive)
position, to take full advantage of the en-
gine's power reserves. The transmission
shifts as needed depending on engine
load, individual driving style, and vehicle
speed.

Automatic Shift Lock (ASL)
The Automatic Shift Lock (ASL) in Park (P) and Neutral (N) prevents
drive positions from being engaged inadvertently, which would cause
the vehicle to move.
To release the ASL, depress and hold the brake pedal with the igni-
tion switched on. Press the release button on the selector lever at the
same time.
The ASL is not engaged if the selector lever is moved quickly through
Neutral (N) (e.g., when shifting from Reverse (R) to Drive (D)). This
makes it possible to “rock” the vehicle backwards and forwards if it is
stuck in snow or mud. The ASL engages automatically if the brake
pedal is not depressed and the lever is in Neutral (N) for more than
about 1 second and the vehicle is traveling no faster than about
3 mph (5 km/h).
In rare cases, the ASL may not engage on vehicles with DSG® Direct
Shift Gearbox. If this happens, power to the drive wheels will be inter-
rupted to prevent the vehicle from moving unexpectedly. The green

indicator light K will blink and a text message will be displayed. To
engage the Automatic Shift Lock (ASL):
On 6-speed transmissions: Depress and then release the brake
pedal. Try to engage the ASL again.
On 7-speed transmissions: First shift into Park (P) or Neutral (N),
and then shift to a drive position.
WARNING
Moving the selector lever to the wrong position can cause loss
of vehicle control, a collision, and serious personal injury.
Never accelerate when moving the selector lever.
When the engine is running and a drive position is engaged,
the vehicle will start to move as soon as the brake pedal is re-
leased.
Never shift into Reverse or Park when the vehicle is moving.
WARNING
Unintended vehicle movement can cause serious personal inju-
ry.
Never get out of the driver's seat while the engine is running,
especially when the transmission is in a drive gear. If you must
leave your vehicle while the engine is running, always set the
electronic parking brake and shift the transmission into Park
(P).
Never leave the vehicle in Neutral (N). It will roll down hills,
whether the engine is running or not.
When the engine is running and a drive gear - Drive (D), Sport
Drive (S), or Reverse (R) - has been selected, press and hold
the brake pedal to keep the vehicle from moving. The vehicle
may “creep” and move forward or backward even if the engine
is idling slowly.
Never shift into Reverse (R) or Park (P) when the vehicle is
moving.

NOTICE
During acceleration, the transmission will shift automatically
into the next higher gear before reaching maximum engine
speed (rpm).
If you use Tiptronic to shift into a lower gear, the transmission
will downshift only when doing so will not over-rev the engine.
Driving with automatic transmission

With kick-down actuated, the transmission will stay in the current gear
longer and not upshift until the engine reaches maximum rpm.
WARNING
Rapid acceleration can cause skidding and loss of traction, es-
pecially on slippery roads, resulting in a loss of vehicle control,
collisions, and serious personal injury.
Only use the kick-down feature or fast acceleration if visibil-
ity, weather, road, and traffic conditions permit and other driv-
ers will not be endangered by your driving and the vehicle's ac-
celeration.
Always adapt your driving to the traffic flow.
Note that the drive wheels can spin and the vehicle can
swerve when ASR is switched off, especially when the road is
slippery.
Once you have accelerated, switch ASR back on again.
NOTICE
When stopping on hills with the transmission in a drive gear,
do not use the accelerator to help prevent the vehicle from roll-
ing backwards. This can cause the automatic transmission to
overheat and be damaged.
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.
Automatic transmission malfunction

gency shift program lets you drive the vehicle, but at a reduced speed
and without being able to use all of the forward gears.
In some cases, vehicles with a DSG® Direct Shift Gearbox automatic
transmission may not be able to shift into reverse. It is then impos-
sible to drive the vehicle backwards.
In any event, have the automatic transmission checked by an author-
ized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
Overheating of Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG®) automatic
transmission
The DSG® automatic transmission may overheat, for example, due to
frequent starts, extended “creeping,” or stop-and-go traffic. Overheat-
ing is indicated by the warning light