The essentials
Oil Fig. 61
Engine oil dipstick. Fig. 62
In the engine compartment: Engine
oil fi
ller cap. The level is measured using the dipstick loca-
t
ed in the en
gine c
ompartment
››› page 270.
The oil should leave a mark between zones A and
C . It should never exceed zone
A .
● Zone A : Do not add oil.
● Zone B : You can add oil but keep the level
in th at
zone. ●
Zone C : Add oil up to zone
B .
T op
pin
g up engine oil
● Unscrew cap from oil filler opening.
● Add oil slowly.
● At the same time, check the level to ensure
you do not a
dd too much. ●
When the oil l
evel reaches at least zone B ,
u n
s
crew the engine oil filler cap carefully.
Engine oil additives
No type of additive should be mixed with the
engine oil. The deterioration caused by these
additives is not covered by the warranty. » 59
The essentials
Engine oil specificationsService intervalEngine typeSpecification
Petrol engines with Set Service Intervals (dependent on
time/distance travelled)1.4l CNG / 1.4l 110kW without ACTVW 502 00
1.0l / 1.2l / 1.4l 92kW / 1.4l 110kW with ACT / 1.8l / 2.0lVW 504 00
1.2l / 1.4l 110kW without ACT / 1.6l / 1.8l / 2.0lVW 502 00 a)
Petrol engines with Flexible Service Intervals (LongLife)1.0l / 1.2l / 1.4lVW 508 00 / VW 504 00 b)
1.8l / 2.0lVW 504 00
Diesel engines with Set Service and Flexible Service In-
tervalsc)With particulate filter (DPF)VW 507 00
Diesel engines with Set Service IntervalsWithout particulate filter (DPF)VW 505 01 a)
/ VW 506 01 a)
a)
If the quality of the fuel available in the country does not fulfil the EN 228 (for petrol) and EN 590 (for diesel) standards.
b) 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.
c) Only use recommended oils, otherwise you may damage the engine.
››› in Changing engine oil on page 274
››› page 272 Coolant
Fig. 63
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. 60
Emergencies
they should be changed if they are damaged,
or c l
e
aned if they are dirty ››› .
Dam ag
ed w
iper blades should be replaced
immediately. These are available from quali-
fied workshops. WARNING
Worn or dirty windscreen wiper blades reduce
vi s
ibility and increase the risk of accident
and serious injury.
● Always replace damaged or worn wind-
scr
een wiper blades or blades that no longer
clean the windscreen properly. CAUTION
● Damag ed or dir
ty windscreen wipers could
scratch the glass.
● If products containing solvents, rough
spong
es or sharp objects are used to clean
the blades, the graphite layer will be dam-
aged.
● Never use fuel, nail varnish remover, paint
thinner or simil
ar products to clean the win-
dows.
● In icy conditions, always check that the
wiper bl
ades are not frozen to the glass be-
fore using the wipers. In cold weather, it may
help to leave the vehicle parked with the wip-
ers in service position ›››
page 72. CAUTION
● To pr ev
ent damage to the bonnet and the
wiper arms, only leave them in the service
position.
● Before driving, always lower the wiper
arms. Towing or tow-starting
Genera l
information Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 69.
Tow-starting means starting the engine of
the vehicle while another pulls it.
Towing means one vehicle pulling another
that is not roadworthy.
If the vehicle comes with the Keyless Access
system, towing is only allowed with the igni-
tion on!
The vehicle battery drains if the vehicle is
towed with the engine switched off and the
ignition connected. Depending on the battery
charge status, the drop in voltage may be so
large, even after just a few minutes, that no
electrical device in the vehicle may work e.g.
the hazard warning lights. In vehicles with
the Keyless Access system, the steering
wheel could lock up. WARNING
If the vehicle has no electrical power, the
brak e light
s, turn signals and all other lights
will no longer function. Do not have the vehi-
cle towed away. Failure to follow this instruc-
tion could result in an accident. WARNING
The risk of accidents is high when tow-start-
ing, f or e
xample, the towed vehicle can easily
be driven into the towing vehicle. CAUTION
If there is no oil in the gearbox or no lubricant
in the autom atic
transmission the car may
only be towed with the driven wheels lifted
clear of the road, or transported on a special
car transporter or trailer. CAUTION
Do not tow a vehicle for more than 50 m in at-
tempt t
o start it. There is risk of damage to
the catalytic converter. Note
● Ple a
se observe related legal requirements.
● Switch on the hazard warning lights of both
vehicl
es. However, observe any regulations
to the contrary. 98
Fuses and bulbs
is not running, the gearbox oil pump does
not w
ork
and the gearbox is not adequately
lubricated for higher speeds or longer distan-
ces.
If the vehicle has to be towed with a break-
down truck, it must only be suspended at the
front wheels. Reason: the drive shafts are lo-
cated on the front wheels. If the car is towed
with the rear wheels lifted off the road (I.e.
travelling backwards), the drive shafts also
turn backwards. The planetary gears in the
automatic gearbox then turn at such high
speeds that the gearbox will be severely
damaged in a short time. Note
● If it i
s not possible to tow the vehicle in the
normal way, or if it has to be towed further
than 50 km (30 miles), it must be transported
on a special car transporter or trailer.
● Should the power supply to the selector
lever be int
errupted in position P, the selector
lever will be locked. Before the vehicle can be
recovered/manoeuvred you must manually
release the selector lever ›››
page 50. Fuses and bulbs
F u
se
s
Introduction In general, a fuse can be assigned to various
electric
al
components. Likewise, an electrical
component can be protected by several
fuses.
Only replace fuses when the cause of the
problem has been solved. If a newly inserted
fuse blows after a short time, you must have
the electrical system checked by a special-
ised workshop as soon as possible. WARNING
The high voltages in the electrical system can
give seriou s
electrical shocks, causing burns
and even death!
● Never touch the electrical wiring of the igni-
tion syst
em.
● Take care not to cause short circuits in the
electrica
l system. WARNING
Using unsuitable fuses, repairing fuses or
bridging a c urr
ent circuit without fuses can
cause a fire and serious injury. ●
Never u se a f
use with a higher value. Only
replace fuses with a fuse of the same amper-
age (same colour and markings) and size.
● Never repair a fuse.
● Never replace a fuse by a metal strip, staple
or simil
ar. CAUTION
● To pr ev
ent damage to the vehicle's electric
system, before replacing a fuse always turn
off the ignition, the lights and all electrical
elements and remove the key from the igni-
tion.
● If you replace a fuse with higher-rating
fuse,
you could cause damage to another part
of the electrical system.
● Protect the fuse boxes when open to pre-
vent the entr
y of dust or humidity as they can
damage the electrical system. Note
● One component m
ay have more than one
fuse.
● Several components may run on a single
fuse. 101
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Operation
For vehicles with no coolant temperature
g aug
e, a c
ontrol lamp appears for high
coolant temperatures ››› page 274. Please
note ››› .
The c oo
l
ant temperature gauge only works
when the ignition is switched on ››› Fig. 124.
In order to avoid engine damage, please read
the following notes for the different tempera-
ture ranges.
Engine cold
If only the diodes in the lower part of the
scale light up, this indicates that the engine
has not yet reached operating temperature.
Avoid high revs and heavy acceleration and
do not make the engine work hard.
Normal temperature
If in normal operations, the diodes light up
until the central zone, it means that the en-
gine has reached operating temperature. At
high outside temperatures and when making
the engine work hard, the diodes may contin-
ue lighting up and reach the upper zone. This
is no cause for concern, provided the control
lamp does not light up on the instrument
panel digital display.
Heat range
When the diodes light up in the upper area of
the display and the control lamp appears on the instrument panel display, the coolant
temperat
ure is excessive ››› page 274. CAUTION
● To en s
ure a long useful life for the engine,
avoid high revs, driving at high speed and
making the engine work hard for approxi-
mately the first 15 minutes when the engine
is cold. The phase until the engine is warm al-
so depends on the outside temperature. If
necessary, use the engine oil temperature*
››› page 43 as a guide.
● Additional lights and other accessories in
front of
the air inlet reduce the cooling effect
of the coolant. At high outside temperatures
and high engine loads, there is a risk of the
engine overheating.
● The front spoiler also ensures proper distri-
bution of the c
ooling air when the vehicle is
moving. If the spoiler is damaged this can re-
duce the cooling effect, which could cause
the engine to overheat. Seek specialist assis-
tance. Fuel level - Petrol/Diesel
Fig. 125
Instrument panel: petrol/diesel
g aug
e The display
››
› Fig. 125
only works when the
ignition is switched on. When the display rea-
ches the reserve mark, the lower diode lights
up in red and the control lamp appears
››› page 114. When the fuel level is very low,
the lower diode flashes in red.
The fuel range is displayed on the instrument
panel ››› Fig. 122 3 .
The c ap
ac
ity of the fuel tank of your vehicle is
given in the Technical data section
››› page 58. CAUTION
Never run the fuel tank completely dry. An ir-
re gu
lar fuel supply could cause misfiring. In
this way the unburned fuel can reach the ex-
haust system, which could cause the catalytic
converter to overheat resulting in damage. 118
Operation
Removing the net partition
● Pull the net casing out approximately 5 cm
in the op po
s
ite direction to the arrow
››› Fig. 173 2 .
● Remove the casing from the rails by pulling
in the op po
s
ite direction to the arrows
››› Fig. 173 1 .
● Lift the rear seat backrests. WARNING
During a sudden driving or braking manoeu-
vre, or in the ev ent
of an accident, objects
could be flung though the interior and cause
serious or fatal injuries.
● Always secure objects, even when the net
partition i
s properly assembled.
● There should be nobody behind the assem-
bled p
artition when the vehicle is moving. WARNING
The rear seat backrests should only be lifted
again onc e the net
partition has been disas-
sembled. CAUTION
Incorrect handling of the net partition could
cau se d
amage.
● Do not “release” the net partition when
lowerin
g it, as the net and other vehicle parts
could be damaged. Roll down the net parti-
tion by hand. Tailboard for transporting long items*
Fig. 175
On the rear seat backrest: opening
the t ai
l
board. Fig. 176
In the luggage compartment: open-
in g the t
ai
lboard. On the rear seat, behind the central armrest,
ther
e i
s
a tailboard for transporting long
items in the interior, such as skis. To avoid soiling the interior, dirty objects
should be wr
apped (e.g. in a blanket) before
they are inserted through the tailboard.
When the armrest is down, nobody may trav-
el in the centre rear seat.
Opening the tailboard
● Lower the centre armrest.
● Pull the release lever in the direction of the
arrow and p
ush the tailboard cover
››› Fig. 175 1 down and forwards.
● Open the rear lid.
● Insert the long objects through the gap
fr om the lug
g
age compartment.
● Secure the objects with the seatbelt.
● Close the rear lid.
Clos
ing the tailboard
● Lift the tailboard cover until it engages. The
red mark
on the luggage compartment side
should never be visible.
● Close the rear lid.
● Lift the centre armrest if necessary. Note
The tailboard can also be opened from the
lugg ag
e compartment. To do so, press the re-
lease lever down, in the direction of the ar-
row, and the cover upwards ››› Fig. 176.166
Driving
WARNING
● Never ru n the en
gine in confined spaces, as
the exhaust gases are poisonous. CAUTION
Avoid high engine speeds, full throttle and
extr eme lo
ad conditions until the engine has
reached its normal operating temperature,
otherwise this can damage the engine. For the sake of the environment
Do not warm up the engine by idling it. You
shoul d driv
e off as soon as you start the en-
gine. This will help avoid unnecessary ex-
haust emissions. Note
● If it i
s difficult to turn the ignition key to
the position 1 , move the steering wheel to
both side s
to release the steering lock.
● When starting from cold, the engine may be
a little noisy
for the first few seconds until oil
pressure has built up in the hydraulic valve
lifters. This is quite normal, and no cause for
concern.
● If the vehicle battery is disconnected and
reconnect
ed, the key must remain in the posi-
tion 1 for around 5 seconds before starting
up.
● Vehic
les with automatic gearbox without
electronic
brake, depending on the country:
after switching off the ignition, you can only remove the ignition key if the selector lever is
in pos
ition “P” (p
arking lock). Next, the se-
lector lever is locked. Switching off the engine with the key
Switching off the engine
– Stop the vehicle.
– Turn the ignition key to position
›› ›
Fig. 191 1 .
Eng agin
g the steering wheel lock
In vehicles with automatic gearbox, the igni-
tion key can only be removed when the selec-
tor lever is in position P.
– Remove the key from the ignition in posi-
tion ›››
Fig. 191 1
› ›
› .
– Turn the steering wheel until you hear it en-
gag
e.
P
ossible vehicle theft is prevented with the
steering lock engaged. WARNING
● Never sw it
ch the engine off until the vehi-
cle is stationary. The brake servo and power
steering functions will not be completely cov-
ered under warranty. More force may also be
needed to turn the steering wheel or to brake.
As you cannot steer and brake in the normal manner, there is a greater risk of accidents
and serious
injur
y.
● Never remove the key from the ignition if
the vehic
le is in motion. Otherwise, the steer-
ing could suddenly lock, making it impossible
to steer the vehicle: risk of accident!
● Always take the key with you when you
leav
e the vehicle. This is particularly impor-
tant if there are children in the vehicle, as
they might otherwise be able to start the en-
gine or use power-operated equipment (e.g.
the electric windows), which could cause in-
juries. CAUTION
If the engine has been running under high
loa d f
or a long time, there is a risk of heat
building up in the engine compartment after
it has been switched off; this could cause en-
gine damage. For this reason, you should idle
the engine for approximately 2 minutes be-
fore you switch it off. Note
● Aft er the en
gine is switched off the radiator
fan may run on for up to 10 minutes, even if
the ignition is switched off. It is also possible
that the fan turns itself on once more if the
coolant temperature increases due to the
heat accumulated in the engine compartment
or due to its prolonged exposure to solar ra-
diation. » 179
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Driving
CAUTION
● Never l et
the brakes “drag” by leaving your
foot on the pedal when it is not necessary to
brake. This overheats the brakes, resulting in
longer stopping distances and greater wear.
● Before driving down a long, steep gradient,
it is
advisable to reduce speed and select a
lower gear. This makes use of engine braking
and relieves the brakes. If you still have to
use the brakes, it is better to brake firmly at
intervals than to apply the brakes continu-
ously. Note
● If the br ak
e servo is out of action, for exam-
ple when the car is being towed, you will
have to press the brake pedal considerably
harder than normal to make up for the lack of
servo assistance.
● If you wish to equip the vehicle with acces-
sories s
uch as a front spoiler or wheel covers,
it is important that the flow of air to the front
wheels is not obstructed, otherwise the
brakes can overheat. Braking and stability systems
El ectr
onic
Stability Control (ESC)The ESC helps to improve safety. It reduces
the t
endency
t
o skid and improves the stabil-
ity and roadholding of the vehicle. The ESC detects critical handling situations, such as
vehicl
e understeer or oversteer, or wheelspin
on the driving wheels. It stabilises the vehi-
cle by braking individual wheels or by reduc-
ing the engine torque. The warning lamp will
flash on the instrument panel when the ESC
is intervening .
ESC includes the Anti-lock brake system
(ABS), the brake assist system, the traction
control system (ASR), electronic differential
lock (EDL), electronic self-locking*, selective
torque control* and tractor-trailer sway miti-
gation*. ESC also helps stabilise the vehicle
by changing the torque.
Anti-lock brake system (ABS)
ABS prevents the wheels from locking up un-
der braking until the vehicle has reached a
virtual standstill. You can continue to steer
the vehicle even when the brakes are on full.
Keep your foot on the brake pedal and do not
pump the brakes. You will feel the brake ped-
al pulsate while the ABS is working.
Brake assist system
The brake assist system can reduce the re-
quired braking distance. The braking force is
automatically boosted if you press the brake
pedal quickly in an emergency. You must
keep pressing the brake pedal until the dan-
ger has passed. Traction control system (ASR)
In the event of
wheelspin, the traction control
system reduces the engine torque to match
the amount of grip available. This helps the
car to start moving, accelerate or climb a gra-
dient.
Electronic differential lock (EDL)
When the EDL detects wheelspin, it brakes
the spinning wheel and directs the power to
the other driven wheel. This function is active
up to approximately 100 km/h (62 mph).
To prevent the disc brake of the braked wheel
from overheating, the EDL cuts out automati-
cally if subjected to excessive loads. The ve-
hicle can still be driven. The EDL will switch
on again automatically when the brake has
cooled down.
Tractor-trailer sway mitigation*
If the vehicle is pulling a trailer, it will control
the following: Tractor-trailers tend to sway.
When the swaying of the trailer is felt by the
vehicle and detected by the ESC, it will auto-
matically brake the towing vehicle within the
limits of the system and mitigate the sway.
Tractor-trailer sway mitigation is not available
in all countries.
Electronic torque management (XDS)
When taking a curve, the driveshaft differen-
tial mechanism allows the outer wheel to turn »
187
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety