2015 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT fire ext

WARNING
Driving with a fuel tank that is almost empty can lead to stalling in traffic, a collision, and serious personal injuries.
x When the fuel tank is almost empty, fuel supply to the engine can be interrupted, especial-ly when driving over bumps, across slopes, and up and down hills.
x Steering and braking assistance as well as ESC and related systems will not work if the engine “sputters” or stalls due to lack of fuel.
x Always refuel when the tank is 1/4 full to reduce the risk of running out of fuel and stalling in traffic.
NOTICE
x Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.
x Never drive until the fuel tank is completely empty. The irregular fuel supply can cause the engine to misfire. This allows unburned fuel to get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic converter or the diesel particulate filter.
The small arrow next to the gas pump symbol in the fuel gauge ⇒ fig. 175 shows the side of the vehicle with the fuel filler flap.
Refueling

Fig. 176 Right rear side of vehicle: Opening the fuel filler flap.

WARNING
The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a potentially dangerous area and can cause serious personal injury.
x Always use extreme caution when doing any work in the engine compartment. Always follow commonly accepted safety practices and use common sense. Never risk personal injury.
x Never perform any work in the engine compartment unless you know exactly how to carry out the job and have the correct technical information and the correct tools.
x If you are uncertain about what to do, have the work performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer, an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility, or another qualified work-shop. Serious personal injury may result from improperly performed work.
x We strongly recommend that you always have HID – High Intensity Discharge (Xenon) headlights and H7 bulbs replaced by a qualified technician. Serious personal injury may re-sult from improperly performed work.
x Never open or close the engine hood if steam or coolant is escaping. Hot steam or coolant can cause serious burns. Always wait until you no longer see or hear steam or coolant escap-ing from the engine.
x Always let the engine cool down completely before carefully opening the hood.
x Hot parts of the engine and the exhaust system will burn skin on contact.
x When the engine has cooled down and you are ready to open the hood:
– Firmly apply the parking brake and shift the transmission into Park (P) (automatic) or Neutral (manual only).
– Take the vehicle key out of the ignition.
– On vehicles with Keyless Access, make sure that the remote control vehicle key is out of range of the vehicle and that the vehicle cannot be started by depressing the starter
button ⇒  Starter button.
– Always keep children and others away from the engine compartment and never leave them unsupervised.
x The engine coolant system is under pressure when the engine is hot. Never unscrew the coolant expansion tank cap when the engine is hot. Hot coolant can spray out and cause severe burns and other serious injuries.
– Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counterclockwise direction while applying light downward pressure on the top of the cap.
– Always protect your face, hands, and arms from hot escaping coolant or steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
x Never spill fluids on the engine or exhaust system when refilling. Spilling fluids onto hot parts of the engine or exhaust system can cause a fire.

WARNING
High voltage systems in the engine compartment can cause electrical shocks or even elec-trocution, severe burns, other serious injuries, and even death!
x Never short-circuit the electrical system. Be especially careful when using jumper cables. The vehicle's battery could explode!
x To reduce the risk of electrical shock and personal injury while the engine is running or being started:
– Never touch ignition cables. Never touch other components of the high voltage elec-tronic ignition system.
– Never touch the wiring of the HID – High Intensity Discharge (Xenon) headlights.
x Read and heed the important information and warnings on cleaning the engine compart-
ment ⇒ page 328
WARNING
Moving parts in the engine compartment can cause serious personal injury on contact.
x Never reach into the area around or touch the radiator fan. Contact with the blades can cause serious personal injury. Always remember that the radiator fan is temperature-controlled and can come on suddenly even when the engine has been switched off for a while and the key has been removed from the ignition.
x If you have to perform a check or repair when the engine is running, there are more risks from the rotating parts, such as the drive belts, alternator, radiator fan, etc., and from the high-voltage ignition system. Always use extreme care.
– Always make sure that jewelry, loose clothing and long hair do not get caught in rotat-ing engine parts. Before starting any work remove your jewelry, take off your necktie, tie back and cover your hair, and do not wear clothing that can hang down and get caught in moving engine parts.
– Always use extreme caution if the accelerator pedal has to be depressed to perform a check. The vehicle will start to move even if the parking brake is on.
x Never leave any objects in the engine compartment, for example cleaning rags and tools. Objects left behind can cause malfunctions, engine damage, and even fires.
WARNING
Additional materials in the engine compartment such as blankets can interfere with the oper-ation of the engine and can cause fires which can lead to serious injuries.
x Never cover the engine with blankets or other materials.

WARNING
Operating fluids and some materials in the engine compartment can catch fire easily, causing burns and other serious personal injuries!
x Do not smoke.
x Never work next to open flames or sparks.
x Never pour or spill operating fluids or other flammable liquids on the engine. These fluids can ignite on hot engine parts and cause injuries.
x If work on the fuel system or the electrical system is necessary:
– Always disconnect the 12 Volt vehicle battery. Make sure the vehicle is unlocked when you disconnect the battery, or the alarm will go off. Never touch the electrical wiring of the ignition system.
– Never work near heaters, water heaters, or other open flames.
x Always have a functional, approved fire extinguisher nearby.
NOTICE
When changing or topping off fluids, make sure that you pour the fluids into the correct reser-voirs. Adding the wrong type of operating fluids will cause serious malfunctions and engine damage.
Fluid leaks and spills are harmful to the environment. Regularly check the ground underneath your vehicle for this reason. If you find spots of oil or other fluids, have your vehicle checked by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Dispose of leaked operating fluids properly.
Warning light

Adding engine coolant
x Always protect face, hands and arms from hot escaping coolant or steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
x Carefully unscrew the cap ⇒ .
x Add only new engine coolant according to Volkswagen specifications (⇒ Engine coolant specifica-
tions ) ⇒ .
x The engine coolant level must be inside the marks on the side of the reservoir ⇒ fig. 186. Do not
fill above the top edge of the filling range! ⇒ 
x Screw the lid tightly.
x Even in an emergency, do not use any other kind of coolant additive if engine coolant meeting
Volkswagen specifications (⇒ Engine coolant specifications) is unavailable! Instead, add distilled
water only ⇒ . As soon as possible, have the correct coolant ratio restored using engine coolant
that meets Volkswagen specifications ⇒  Engine coolant specifications.
WARNING
Hot steam and hot engine coolant can cause serious burns.
x Never open the hood if you see steam or coolant escaping from the engine compartment. Always wait until you no longer see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine.
x Always let the engine cool down completely before carefully opening the hood. Hot com-ponents will burn skin on contact.
x When the engine has cooled down and you are ready to open the hood:
– Firmly apply the parking brake and shift the transmission into Park (P) (automatic) or Neutral (manual only).
– Take the vehicle key out of the ignition.
– On vehicles with Keyless Access, make sure that the remote control vehicle key is out of range of the vehicle and that the vehicle cannot be started by depressing the starter
button ⇒  Starter button.
– Always keep children and others away from the engine compartment and never leave them unsupervised.
x The engine coolant system is under pressure when the engine is hot. Never unscrew the coolant expansion tank cap when the engine is hot. Hot coolant can spray out and cause severe burns and other serious injuries.
– Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counterclockwise direction while applying light downward pressure on the top of the cap.
– Always protect your face, hands, and arms from hot escaping coolant or steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
x Never spill fluids on the engine or exhaust system when refilling. Spilling fluids onto hot parts of the engine or exhaust system can cause a fire. Under some conditions, the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire.
NOTICE
x Use distilled water only when adding coolant! All other types of water contain chemical compounds that can cause extensive corrosion damage to the engine. This can even lead to engine failure. If you have added non-distilled water, take the vehicle immediately to an author-ized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility to have the coolant system drained, flushed, and refilled completely with the proper coolant.

More information:
x ⇒ Booklet Warranty and Maintenance
x Preparations for working in the engine compartment
x Parts, accessories, repairs and modifications
WARNING
Working on the batteries or the electrical system in your vehicle can cause serious acid burns, fires, explosions, or electrical shocks. Always read and heed the following WARNINGS and safety precautions before working on the batteries or the electrical system.
x Before working on the electrical system, always switch off the ignition and all electrical consumers and disconnect the negative (-) cable from the standard 12 Volt battery.
x When you change a light bulb, always switch off the light first.
x Always keep children away from battery acid and vehicle batteries in general.
x Always wear eye protection. Never let battery acid or lead particles come into contact with your eyes, skin, or clothing.
x Sulfuric battery acid is very corrosive. It can burn unprotected skin and cause blindness. Always wear protective gloves and eye protection. To reduce your risk of injury, never tilt the batteries, as this could spill acid through the vents and burn you.
x If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immediately rinse with cold water for several minutes and then get immediate medical attention. If you swallow any battery acid, get medical attention immediately.
x When disconnecting the batteries from the vehicle electrical system, always disconnect the negative cable (-) first and then the positive cable (+).
x Always switch off all electrical consumers before reconnecting 12 Volt batteries. Recon-nect the plus cable (+) first and then the negative cable (-). Never reverse the polarity of the connections. This could cause a fire.
x A highly explosive mixture of gases is given off when the battery is being charged.
x Do not smoke and avoid fires, sparks, and open flames when working. Never create sparks or electrostatic charges when handling cables and electrical equipment. Never short circuit the battery terminals. High-energy sparks can cause serious personal injury.
x Never use or attempt to charge a damaged or frozen battery, or a battery that was frozen but has thawed. Charging a frozen or thawed battery could cause explosions and chemical burns! Replace damaged or frozen vehicle batteries immediately. A dead battery can freeze at temperatures around +32 °F (0 °C).
x If the battery has a vent line or tube, make sure that it is properly connected to the battery.
x Always make sure that the vent line is securely attached to a vehicle battery that is located in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning
x Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain lead and lead components, chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Wash your hands after handling.
NOTICE
x Do not expose the vehicle battery to direct sunlight for an extended period of time as ultra-violet rays may damage the battery housing.

x Unlock the vehicle before disconnecting the battery; otherwise the alarm system will go off.
x First disconnect the negative cable (-) and then the positive cable (+) ⇒ .
Connecting the vehicle battery
x Prior to reconnecting the battery, switch off all electrical systems and devices and the ignition.
x Connect the positive cable (+) first and then the negative cable (-) ⇒ .
After the battery is connected and the ignition is switched on, different indicator lights may come on. They should go out after you drive a short distance at 10–12 mph (15–20 km/h). If the indicator lights do not go out , contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility and have the vehicle checked.
If the battery was disconnected for a long time, the next scheduled service may not be correctly calcu-
lated and displayed ⇒  Instrument cluster The maximum permissible service and maintenance inter-
vals are shown in the ⇒ Booklet Warranty and Maintenance.
Vehicles with Keyless Access
If the ignition will not start after reconnecting the vehicle battery, lock the vehicle from the outside and
unlock it again ⇒  Unlocking and locking vehicles with Keyless Access. Then try to start the ignition again. If the ignition cannot be switched on, contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer, an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility, or another qualified workshop for assistance.
Automatic electrical load deactivation
If the vehicle battery drain is high, the intelligent onboard electrical system management automatically takes steps to help prevent battery drain.
x The idle speed is increased so that the alternator provides more power.
x The power to devices that consume a lot of electricity is cut back or switched off completely.
x When the engine is started, the power supply to the 12 Volt sockets and the cigarette lighter ⇒  Cigarette lighter is temporarily interrupted.
The onboard electrical system management cannot always keep the battery from being drained. For example, the battery will drain if the engine is not running, but the ignition is switched on or the parking lights are left on for a long time when parked.
Battery disconnection in an accident with airbag deployment
In vehicles with a battery in the luggage compartment, the electrical connection to the battery is dis-connected automatically in a collision with airbag deployment. This helps to prevent a short-circuit.
What drains the vehicle battery?
x Long periods when the engine is not running, especially when the ignition is on.
x Using electrical systems or devices when the engine is switched off.
x Leaving the vehicle unlocked for several days when not in use.
x The selector lever is left for a long period of time in any position other than P when the ignition is
switched off ⇒  Automatic transmission: Selector lever.
WARNING
Failure to use the proper battery with proper mounting and connections may cause short circuits, fires, and serious personal injuries.
x Always use only maintenance-free or cycle-free, leak-proof batteries with the same speci-fications and dimensions as the original equipment battery. Specifications are listed on the battery housing.

WARNING
Improper use of jumper cables when jump-starting a vehicle with a dead battery can cause the battery to explode, leading to serious personal injury. To help reduce the risk of battery explosion:
x All work on the batteries or the electrical system in your vehicle can cause serious acid burns, fires, or electrical shocks. Always read and heed the following WARNINGS and safety
precautions before working on the batteries or the electrical system ⇒  Vehicle battery.
x Always make sure that the battery providing starting assistance (the booster battery) has the same voltage as the dead battery (12 V) and about the same amperage capacity (see bat-tery label).
x Never jump-start a vehicle with a thawed or frozen vehicle battery. The battery can ex-plode. A dead battery can freeze at temperatures around +32 °F (0 °C).
x A battery that is frozen or was frozen, but has since thawed, must be replaced.
x When the vehicle battery is jump-started, it gives off hydrogen gas, which is highly explo-sive! Always keep fire, sparks, open flame, and smoking materials far away from vehicle bat-teries. Never use a cellular telephone while connecting or disconnecting jumper cables.
x Jump-start batteries only in well-ventilated areas. Batteries give off highly explosive hy-drogen gas during jump-starting.
x Always route the jumper cables so that they cannot get caught in any moving parts in the engine compartment.
x Never short out the battery terminals by connecting the positive (+) and negative (-) termi-nals with each other.
x Never connect the negative cable from the other vehicle directly to the negative terminal of the dead battery, as this may cause the hydrogen gas given off by the dead battery to ex-plode.
x Never attach the negative cable from the vehicle providing starting assistance to any part of the fuel system or to the brake hoses or brake lines.
x Never allow the non-insulated parts of the battery clamps to touch.
x Never allow the jumper cable attached to the positive battery terminal to contact metal parts of the vehicle.
x Always follow the instructions of the jumper cable manufacturer.
NOTICE
To help prevent extensive damage to the vehicle electrical system, read and heed the follow-ing:
x Connecting jumper cables improperly can cause a short circuit and do expensive damage to the vehicle's electrical system.
x Do not let the vehicles touch each other while the jumper cables are connected. If they do, electrical current may flow between the vehicles when the positive (+) terminals are connected, causing electrical system damage.