2018 VOLKSWAGEN CC engine

Stopping the engine

WARNING
Never stop the engine before the vehicle has come to a com-
plete stop. You can lose control of the vehicle, crash, and be
seriously injured.
The airbags and safety belt pretensioners will not work when
the ignition is switched off.
The brake booster does not work when the engine is not run-
ning. More brake pedal pressure will be needed to stop the ve-
hicle.
The power steering system does not work when the engine is
not running, and you will need more force to steer the vehicle.
When the key is removed from the ignition switch, the steer-
ing will lock and you will not be able to steer the vehicle.
NOTICE
If the vehicle has been driven hard for a long time, the engine
could overheat when it is stopped. To reduce the risk of engine
damage, let the engine idle in Neutral for about 2 minutes before
you switch off the ignition.
If the ignition is switched on or the engine is running and the driv-
er door is opened, a chime sounds. The chime is also a reminder to
switch off the engine and turn off the ignition before leaving and lock-
ing the vehicle from the outside.
On vehicles with automatic transmissions, the vehicle key can
only be removed from the ignition when the transmission is in Park
(P).
After the engine has been switched off, the radiator fan in the
engine compartment may keep running for several minutes, or may
start running after the vehicle has been parked for a while, even if the
ignition is switched off and the vehicle key has been removed. The
radiator fan shuts off automatically when the engine has cooled down
enough.

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.
WARNING
Constant braking causes the brakes to overheat and even to fail
leading to collisions and serious personal injury.
Never “ride” the brakes or apply the brake pedal too often or
too long.
Riding the brakes will substantially reduce braking perfor-
mance, increase stopping distance, and can cause complete
brake system failure.
NOTICE
Never “ride” the brakes by keeping your foot on the brake pe-
dal when you do not want to brake. This will make the brakes
wear faster.
Before driving downhill, especially on hills that are long or
steep, always reduce speed and shift into lower gear (manual or
automatic transmission). This will let the vehicle use engine
braking and reduce the load on the brakes. Otherwise, the brake
system could overheat and even fail. Only use the brakes when
you need them to slow the vehicle down more or to stop.
Warning and indicator lights

WARNING
Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text mes-
sages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result
in a collision and serious personal injury.
Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.
Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
Whenever stalled or stopped for repair, move the vehicle a
safe distance off the road, turn on the emergency flashers, stop
the engine, and use other warning devices to warn approaching
traffic.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in
vehicle damage.
Pedals

Fig. 136 Pedals in vehicles with manual transmission: 1 Accelerator
pedal, 2 Brake pedal, 3 Clutch pedal.

Shifting into reverse
Only shift to the reverse gear when the vehicle is not moving.
Depress the clutch pedal fully and hold ⇒ .
Move the gearshift lever to neutral and press down.
Move the shift lever to the left and then push forward into the re-
verse gear position ⇒ fig. 138 (R) or ⇒ fig. 139 (R).
Release the clutch pedal to engage the gear.
Downshifting
You should always downshift gear by gear when driving, meaning
always into the next lowest gear. Do not downshift when the engine
rpm (revolutions per minute) is too high ⇒ . At fast speeds or high
engine rpm, skipping over one or more gears when downshifting can
cause damage to the clutch and transmission, even if a gear is not
engaged ⇒ .
WARNING
Downshifting to a lower gear incorrectly can result in loss of
vehicle control and can cause accidents and serious personal
injuries.
WARNING
When the engine is running and a gear is engaged, the vehicle
will start to move as soon as the clutch pedal is released, even
when the parking brake is applied. This also applies when the
parking brake is engaged.
Never shift into reverse when the vehicle is moving.
NOTICE
Shifting down to a gear that is too low when driving at fast
speeds or high engine rpm can cause extensive damage to the
clutch and transmission. That is true even if the clutch pedal is
pressed so that the clutch is not engaged.

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).

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.