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
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
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
Advice
Engine compartment Chec k
in
g levels Fig. 247
Diagram for the location of the various elements. From time to time, the levels of the different
fluid
s
in the
vehicle must be checked. Never
fill with incorrect fluids, otherwise serious
damage to the engine may be caused.
Coolant expansion tank
Engine oil dipstick
Engine oil filler cap
Brake fluid reservoir
Vehicle battery (underneath the cover)
Windscreen washer reservoir
The checking and refilling of service fluids
are carried out on the components men-
tioned above. These operations are descri-
bed in ››› page 270.
1 2
3
4
5
6 Overview
Y
ou w
i
ll find further explanations, instruc-
tions and restrictions on the technical speci-
fications as of ››› page 289.
Working in the engine compartment Read the additional information carefully
›› ›
page 17
Always be aware of the danger of injury and
scalding as well as the risk of accident or fire
when working in the engine compartment
(e.g. when checking and refilling fluids). Al-
ways observe the warnings listed below and
follow all general safety precautions. The en- gine compartment of the vehicle is a poten-
tia
l
ly hazardous area ››› .
WARNING
● Swit c
h the engine off, remove the key from
the ignition and apply the hand brake. If the
vehicle has a manual gearbox, place the lever
in neutral; if it has an automatic gearbox,
place the selector lever in position P. Wait for
the engine to cool down.
● Keep children away from the engine com-
partment
.
● Never spill liquids used for vehicle opera-
tion on the engine comp
artment, as these
may catch fire (e.g. the antifreeze in coolant). 270
Checking and refilling levels
●
Tak e c
are not to cause short circuits in the
electrical system, especially when working
on the battery.
● If working inside the engine compartment,
remember that, ev
en when the ignition is
switched off, the radiator fan may start up au-
tomatically, and therefore there is a risk of in-
jury.
● Never cover the engine with additional in-
sul
ating materials such as a blanket. Risk of
fire!
● Do not unscrew the cap on the coolant ex-
pans
ion tank when the engine is hot. The
cooling system is under pressure.
● Protect face, hands and arms by covering
the cap with a l
arge, thick rag to protect
against escaping coolant and steam.
● If it is necessary to work in the engine com-
partment
while the engine is running, the ro-
tating components (for example, poly-V belt,
alternator, radiator fan) and the high voltage
ignition system are an additional hazard.
● Observe the following additional warnings
if work
on the fuel system or the electrical
system is necessary:
– Always disconnect the battery from the
on-board network.
– Do not smoke.
– Never work near naked flames.
– Always keep an approved fire extinguish-
er immediately available. CAUTION
When topping up fluids make sure the correct
fluid is p
ut into the correct filler opening, oth-
erwise this can cause serious malfunctions or
engine damage. For the sake of the environment
Inspect the ground underneath your vehicle
re gu
larly so that any leaks are detected at an
early stage. If you find spots of oil or other
fluids in the area where it was parked, have
your vehicle inspected at the workshop. Note
In right-hand drive vehicles* some brake flu-
id re ser
voirs are on the other side of the en-
gine compartment ››› Fig. 247. Opening the bonnet
Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 17
The bonnet is released from inside the vehi-
cle.
Check that the windscreen wiper arms are
not unfolded. Otherwise the paint may be
damaged.
The bonnet can only be unlocked when the
driver door is open. WARNING
Never open the bonnet if you see steam or
drips of
coolant being released from the en-
gine compartment. Failure to comply could
result in burns. Wait until no steam or coolant
can be seen before opening the bonnet. Closing the bonnet
–
Slightly lift the bonnet.
– Release the bonnet stay before pressing it
bac k
into its support.
– Carefully close the bonnet.
– Press the bonnet down until it locks into
plac
e.
– Make sure that the bonnet catches onto its
cla
sp. Do not press down too hard ››› .
WARNING
● For s af
ety reasons the bonnet must always
be completely closed when the vehicle is
moving. Therefore, after closing the bonnet,
always check that the locking element is
properly engaged. This is the case if the bon-
net is flush with the adjacent body panels.
● Should you notice that the bonnet is not
safely
secured when the vehicle is moving,
stop the vehicle immediately and close the
bonnet. Failure to follow this instruction
could result in an accident. 271
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety
Advice
Engine oil Gener a
l
notesThe engine comes with a special, multi-grade
oil
th
at can be used all year round.
Because the use of high-quality oil is essen-
tial for the correct operation of the engine
and its long useful life, when topping up or
changing oil, use only those oils that comply
with VW standards.
The specifications (VW standards) set out in
the following page should appear on the con-
tainer of the service oil; when the container
displays the specific standards for petrol and
diesel engines together, it means that the oil
can be used for both types of engines.
We recommend that the oil change indicated
in the Maintenance Programme, be per-
formed by a technical service or specialised
workshop.
The correct oil specifications for your engine
are listed in the ›››
page 60, Engine oil
specifications.
Service intervals
Service intervals can be flexible (LongLife
service) or fixed (dependent on time/dis-
tance travelled).
If the PR code that appears on the back of the
Maintenance Programme booklet is PR QI6, this means that your vehicle has the LongLife
serv
ic
e programmed. If it lists the codes QI1,
QI2, QI3, QI4 or QI7, the interval service is
dependent on time/distance travelled.
Flexible service intervals (LongLife service
intervals*)
Special oils and processes have been devel-
oped which, depending on the characteris-
tics and individual driving profiles, enable
the extension of the oil change service (Long-
Life service intervals).
Because this oil is essential for extending the
service intervals, it must only be used ob-
serving the following indications:
● Avoid mixing it with oil for fixed service in-
terv
als.
● Only in exceptional circumstances, if the
engine oil
level is too low ››› page 273 and
LongLife oil is not available, it is permitted to
top up (once) with oil for fixed service inter-
vals ›››
page 60 (up to a maximum of 0.5
litres).
Fixed service intervals*
If your vehicle does not have the “LongLife
service interval” or it has been disabled (by
request), you may use oils for fixed service
intervals, which also appear in
››› page 60, Engine oil specifications
. In
this case, your vehicle must be serviced after
a fixed interval of 1 year/15,000 km (10,000 miles)(whatever comes first)
›››
Booklet
Maintenance Programme.
● In exceptional circumstances, if the engine
oil l
evel is too low ››› page 273 and you can-
not obtain the oil specified for your vehicle,
you can add a small quantity of oil conform-
ing to the specification ACEA A2 or ACEA A3
(petrol engines) or ACEA B3 or ACEA B4 (die-
sel engines) (up to 0.5 l).
Vehicles with diesel particulate filter*
The Maintenance Programme states whether
your vehicle is fitted with a diesel particulate
filter.
Only VW 507 00 engine oil, with reduced ash
formation, may be used in diesel engines
equipped with particulate filter. Using other
types of oil will cause a higher soot concen-
tration and reduce the life of the DPF. There-
fore:
● Avoid mixing this oil with other engine oils.
● Only in exceptional circumstances, if the
engine oil
level is too low ››› page 273,
Checking engine oil level and you cannot ob-
tain the oil specified for your vehicle, you can
use a small quantity of oil (once) conforming
to the VW 506 00, VW 506 01, VW 505 00,
VW 505 01 or ACEA B3/ACEA B4 specification
(up to 0.5 l).
272
Checking and refilling levels
Checking engine oil level Fig. 248
Engine oil dipstick. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 59
The engine oil dipstick indicates the level of
the oil.
Checking oil level
– Park the vehicle in a horizontal position.
– Briefly run the engine at idle speed until
the operating t
emperature is reached and
then stop.
– Wait for about two minutes.
– Pull out the dipstick. Wipe the dipstick with
a cle
an cloth and insert it again, pushing it
in as far as it will go.
– Then pull it out once more and check the oil
level
››› Fig. 248. Top up with engine oil if
necessary. Depending on how you drive and the condi-
tions in whic
h the vehicle is used, oil con-
sumption can be up to 0.5 l/1000 km. Oil
consumption is likely to be higher for the first
5,000 km. For this reason the engine oil level
must be checked at regular intervals, prefera-
bly when filling the tank and before a jour-
ney. WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compart-
ment or on the en gine mu
st be carried out
cautiously.
● When working in the engine compartment,
alwa
ys observe the safety warnings
››› page 270. CAUTION
If the oil level is above area A , do not start
the engine. Thi
s could result in damage to the
engine and catalytic converter. Contact a
Technical Service. Topping up engine oil
Fig. 249
In the engine compartment: Engine
oi l
fi
ller cap. Read the additional information carefully
› ›
›
page 59
Before opening the bonnet, read and observe
the warnings ››› in Working in the engine
c omp
ar
tment on page 270.
The position of the oil filler opening is shown
in the corresponding engine compartment il-
lustration ››› page 270.
Engine oil specification ›››
page 60. WARNING
Oil is highly inflammable! Ensure that no oil
come s
into contact with hot engine compo-
nents when topping up. » 273
Technical data
Advice
Operation
Emergencies
Safety