
The essentials
Engine oil specificationsEngine typeFlexible service (LongLife)Set Service (dependent on time/distance travel- led)
Petrol enginesVW 508 00
VW 504 00 a)VW 504 00
VW 502 00 b)
Engines with Particulate filter (DPF) c)VW 507 00VW 507 00
a)
Use of engine oil compliant with the VW 504 00 specification instead of VW 508 00 may have a slight negative effect on the vehicle’s exhaust gas values.
b) If the quality of the fuel available in the country does not fulfil the EN 228 (for petrol) and EN 590 (for diesel) standards.
c) Only use recommended oils, otherwise you may damage the engine.
››› in Changing engine oil on page 273
››› page 270 Coolant
Fig. 66
Engine compartment: coolant expan-
s ion t
ank
cap. The coolant tank is located in the engine
c
omp
ar
tment ›››
page 270.
When the engine is cold, replace the coolant
when the level is below .
Coolant specifications
The engine cooling system is supplied from
the factory with a specially treated mixture of
water and at least 40 % of the additive G13
(TL-VW 774 J), purple. This mixture gives the
necessary frost protection down to -25°C
(-13°F) and protects the light alloy parts of
the engine cooling system against corrosion.
It also prevents scaling and considerably rai-
ses the boiling point of the coolant.
To protect the cooling system, the percentage
of additive must always be at least 40 %,
even in warm climates where anti-freeze pro-
tection is not required. If for weather reasons further protection is
neces
sary, the proportion of additive may be
increased, but only up to 60 %; otherwise an-
tifreeze protection will diminish and this will
worsen cooling.
When the coolant is topped up, use a mixture
of distilled water and at least 40 % of the
G13 or G12 plus-plus (TL-VW 774 G) additive
(both are purple) to obtain an optimum anti-
corrosion protection ››› in Topping up cool-
ant on p ag
e 275
. The mixture of G13 with
G12 plus (TL-VW 774 F), G12 (red) or G11
(green-blue) engine coolants will significant-
ly reduce anti-corrosion protection and
should therefore be avoided ››› in Topping
up c oo
l
ant on page 275.
››› in Topping up coolant on page 274
››› page 273 56

Driving
a great extent on the conditions under which
the v
ehic
le is operated and the way the vehi-
cle is driven. If you often drive in town, drive
short distances or have a sporty driving style,
we recommend that you have the thickness
of your brake pads checked by technical serv-
ices more frequently than recommended in
the Maintenance Programme.
If you drive with wet brakes, for example, af-
ter crossing areas of water, on days of heavy
rainfall or even after washing the car, the ef-
fect of the brakes is reduced as the brake
discs are wet or even frozen (in winter): in
this case, the brakes should be “dried” by
pressing the brake pedal several times. WARNING
Longer braking distances and faults in the
brak e sy
stem increase the risk of accidents.
● New brake pads must be run in and do not
have the c
orrect friction during the first
200 km. This reduced braking capacity may
be compensated for by pressing on the brake
pedal a little harder, which also applies when
the brake pads have to be changed further
on.
● If brakes are wet or frozen, or if you are
driving on r
oads which have been salted,
braking power may be lower than normal.
● On steep slopes, if brakes are excessively
used, they w
ill overheat. Before driving down
a long steep slope, it is advisable to reduce
speed and change down into a lower gear or range (depending on the type of transmis-
sion).
Thu
s, make use of engine braking and
relieve the brakes.
● Never let the brakes “drag” by applying
light pre
ssure. Continuous braking will cause
the brakes to overheat and the braking dis-
tance will increase. Apply and then release
the brakes alternately.
● Never let the vehicle run with the engine
switc
hed off. The braking distance is in-
creased considerably when the brake servo is
not active.
● If the brake fluid loses its viscosity and is
subj
ected to heavy use, vapour bubbles can
form in the brake system. This reduces the ef-
ficiency of the brakes.
● Non-standard or damaged front spoilers
coul
d restrict the airflow to the brakes and
cause them to overheat. Before purchasing
accessories please observe the relevant in-
structions ››› page 255, Modifications.
● If a brake system circuit fails, the braking
dist
ance will be increased considerably. Con-
tact a specialised workshop immediately and
avoid unnecessary journeys. Control lamp
Situations in which the warning lamp lights
up *
●
the brake fluid level is too low
› ›
›
page 275. ●
there is
a fault in the brake system.
This warning lamp can light up together with
the ABS system warning lamp. WARNING
● If the br ak
e warning lamp does not go out
or if it lights up when driving, the brake fluid
level in the reservoir is too low so there is a
risk of an accident ››› page 275, Brake fluid.
Stop the vehicle and do not drive on. Obtain
technical assistance.
● If the brake warning lamp lights up to-
gether w
ith the ABS lamp this could be
due to an ABS fault. This could cause the rear
wheels to lock quickly when you brake. This
could cause the rear to break away. Risk of
skidding. Stop the vehicle and seek technical
assistance. Handbrake
Fig. 176
Handbrake between the front seats. » 175
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety

Advice
Tyre useful life Fig. 239
Tyre tread wear indicators. Fig. 240
Diagram for changing wheels. The useful life of tyres is dependent on tyre
pr
e
s
sure, driving style and fitting.
Wear indicators
The original tyres on your vehicle have
1.6 mm high “tread wear indicators”
››› Fig. 239, running across the tread. De- pending on the make, there will be 6 to 8 of
them evenly
spaced around the tyre. Mark-
ings on the tyre sidewall (for instance the let-
ters “TWI” or other symbols) indicate the po-
sitions of the tread wear indicators. The mini-
mum tread depth required by law is 1.6 mm
(measured in the tread grooves next to the
tread wear indicators). Worn tyres must be re-
placed. Different figures may apply in export
countries ››› .
T y
r
e pressure
Incorrect tyre pressure causes premature
wear and could cause tyre blow-out. For this
reason, the tyre pressure should be checked
at least once per month ››› page 279.
Driving style
Fast cornering, heavy acceleration and hard
braking all increase tyre wear.
Changing wheels around
If the front tyres are worn considerably more
than the rear ones it is advisable to change
them around as shown ››› Fig. 240. The use-
ful life of all the tyres will then be about the
same time.
Wheel balance
The wheels on new vehicles are balanced.
However, various factors encountered in nor-
mal driving can cause them to become unbal-
anced, which results in steering vibration. Unbalanced wheels should be rebalanced, as
they otherw
ise cause excessive wear on
steering, suspension and tyres. A wheel must
also be rebalanced when a new tyre is fitted.
Incorrect wheel alignment
Incorrect running gear alignment causes ex-
cessive tyre wear, impairing the safety of the
vehicle. If tyres show excessive wear, you
should have the wheel alignment checked by
a Technical Service. WARNING
There is a serious danger of accidents if a tyre
bur s
ts during driving!
● The tyres must be replaced at the latest
when the trea
d wear indicators are worn
››› page 280. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in an accident. Worn tyres do not
grip well at high speeds on wet roads. There
is also a greater risk of “aquaplaning”.
● At continuously high speeds, a tyre with in-
sufficient
pressure flexes more. This causes it
to overheat. This can cause tread separation
and tyre blow-out. Risk of accident. Always
observe the recommended tyre pressures.
● If tyres show excessive wear, you should
have the ru
nning gear checked by a Technical
Service.
● Keep chemicals such as oil, fuel and brake
fluid awa
y from tyres.
● Damaged wheels and tyres must be re-
plac
ed immediately! 280

Advice
extra care. Refit the normal road wheel as
soon as
po
ssible. Wheel bolts
The design of wheel bolts is matched to the
rims. If diff
er
ent wheel rims are fitted, the
correct wheel bolts with the right length and
correctly shaped bolt heads must be used.
This ensures that wheels are fitted securely
and that the brake system functions correctly.
In certain circumstances, you should not use
wheel bolts from a different vehicle, even if it
is the same model ››› page 255. WARNING
If the wheel bolts are not tightened correctly,
the wheel c ou
ld become loose while driving.
Risk of accident.
● The wheel bolts must be clean and turn
eas
ily. Never apply grease or oil to them.
● Use only wheel bolts which belong to the
wheel.
● If the pr
escribed torque of the wheel bolts
is t
oo low, they could loosen whilst the vehi-
cle is in motion. Risk of accident! If the tight-
ening torque is too high, the wheel bolts and
threads can be damaged. CAUTION
The prescribed tightening torque for wheel
bolt s
for steel and alloy wheels is 120 Nm. Tyre monitoring indicator*
Fig. 241
Centre console: tyre monitoring sys-
t em b
utt
on. The tyre monitoring system compares wheel
r
ev
o
lutions alongside the wheel diameter of
each wheel, with help from the ESC. If the di-
ameter of a wheel changes, the tyre monitor-
ing indicator lights up . The wheel diame-
ter changes when:
● Tyre pressure is insufficient.
● The tyre structure is damaged.
● The vehicle is unbalanced because of a
load. ●
The wheel
s of
one axle are under more
pressure (for example, driving with a trailer or
on steep slopes).
● The vehicle is fitted with snow chains.
● The temporary spare wheel is fitted.
● The wheel on one axle is changed.
Tyr
e pressure adjustment
After modifying tyre pressure or changing any
wheels, the new tyre pressure must be stored
in the Easy Connect system with the but-
t on and the S
ET
TINGS function button
› ›
›
page 33.
You can also press and hold down the
››› Fig. 241 button with the ignition on, until
an acoustic signal is heard.
If the wheels are under excessive load (for ex-
ample, driving with a trailer or heavy load),
the tyre pressure must be increased to the
recommended value for a full load (see the
sticker on the back of the left front door
frame). If the tyre monitor system button is
pressed down, the new tyre pressures are
confirmed.
The tyre pressure control lamp lights up
If the tyre pressure of a wheel is much lower
than the value set by the driver, then the tyre
pressure control lamp ››› will light up.
282