
Belt retractor, belt tensioner, belt tension limiter
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒
Introduction
The seat belts in the vehicle are part of the vehicle safety concept ⇒ Airbag system and include the
following important functions:
Automatic belt retractor
Every seat belt is equipped with an automatic belt retractor on the shoulder part of the belt. Full
freedom of movement is made possible when the shoulder belt is pulled slowly or when the vehicle
is travelling at normal speeds. However, if the belt is pulled out quickly or during sudden braking,
during travel in mountains or bends and during acceleration, the automatic belt retractor is locked.
Fastened seat belts on the front seats may be tensioned automatically by the proactive occupant
protection system in critical situations, for example during emergency braking or as a result of
oversteering or understeering. Both seat belts are slackened if the accident does not happen, or
when the critical situation has passed. The proactive occupant protection system is ready to be
triggered again ⇒ Proactive occupant protection system.
Belt tensioners
The seat belts for the front seat vehicle occupants, and in some cases those on the outer rear
seats, are equipped with belt tensioners.
The belt tensioners are activated by sensors during severe frontal, side and rear collisions. They
tighten the seat belts against the direction in which they are pulled. Any slack in the seat belt is
retracted, which can reduce the passenger's movement forwards or in the direction of the impact.
The belt tensioner works together with the airbag system. If the vehicle rolls over, the belt
tensioners will not be activated if the side airbags are not triggered.
A fine dust may be produced when the airbags are triggered. This is quite normal and does not
mean that there is a fire in the vehicle.
Reversible belt tensioning (proactive occupant protection systemyf
Reversible belt tensioning may trigger in certain driving situations. For example:
•Heavy braking,
•Oversteer or understeer,
•Minor collisions.
⇒ Proactive occupant protection system
Belt tension limiter
The belt tension limiter reduces the pressure exerted by the seat belt on the body during an
accident.
All safety requirements must be observed when the vehicle or components of the system are
scrapped. Qualified workshops are familiar with these requirements ⇒ Service and disposal of belt
tensioners.
Service and disposal of belt tensioners
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒
Introduction
Seat belts may become damaged during any work on the belt tensioners or while removing or
refitting any vehicle parts in conjunction with any other repair work. This damage will not always be
noticeable. The consequence may be that the belt tensioners could function incorrectly, or not
function at all, in the event of an accident.
Regulations must be observed to ensure that the effectiveness of the belt tensioner is not reduced
and that removed parts do not cause any injuries or environmental pollution. Qualified workshops
are familiar with these requirements.
Never adjust the seat belt height when the vehicle is in motion.
WARNING

Description and function of the airbags
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒
Introduction
The airbags can protect vehicle occupants during frontal and side collisions by reducing their
movement in the direction of the collision.
When an airbag is triggered, it is inflated by a gas generator. This causes the airbag covers to
break, and the airbags inflate forcefully to cover their deployment zones within milliseconds. Once a
vehicle occupant wearing a seat belt starts to sink into the inflated airbag, the gas inside the airbag
starts to escape to cushion the occupant and slow down their movement. This can reduce the risk
of severe and fatal injuries. A triggered airbag will not always prevent other injuries from occurring,
such as swelling, bruising, burning and grazing. The deployment of the airbag can also produce
frictional heat.
Airbags provide no protection for the arms or lower body. Exception: in vehicles with a knee airbag,
the knee area of the driver will be protected.
The most important factors for triggering the airbag are the type of accident, the angle of impact,
the vehicle speed and the type of object with which the vehicle collides. Therefore, visible damage
to the vehicle does not always mean that the airbag should have been triggered.
Whether or not the airbag triggers is determined by the vehicle deceleration rate caused by the
collision and registered by the electronic control unit. If this rate is below the reference value
programmed into the control unit, the airbags will not be triggered, even though the vehicle may be
badly damaged as a result of the collision. Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehicle
damage in an accident do not necessarily give an indication of whether an airbag should inflate or
not. It is not possible to define a range of vehicle speeds and reference values, since the
circumstances will vary considerably between one collision and another. It is therefore impossible to
cover every possible kind and angle of impact that would trigger the airbags. Important factors in
the triggering of the airbag include the nature (hard or softyf R I W K H R E M H F W W K D W W K H Y H K L F O H K L W V W K H
angle of impact, and the vehicle speed.
Airbags only serve as a supplement to the three-point seat belt in some accident situations when
the vehicle braking is sufficient to trigger the airbags. Airbags can only be triggered once and only
in certain situations. The seat belts are always there to provide protection in situations in which the
airbags are not triggered or have already been triggered. For example, if the vehicle collides with a
further vehicle following the initial collision, or is hit by another vehicle.
The airbag system is part of the vehicle's overall passive safety concept. The airbag system can
only work effectively when the occupants are wearing their seat belts correctly and have assumed a
proper sitting position ⇒ Sitting position.
Components of the vehicle safety concept
The following vehicle safety equipment makes up the vehicle's safety concept to reduce the risk of
severe and fatal injuries. Some of this equipment may not be fitted in your particular vehicle. It may
not be available at all in some countries.
•Optimised seat belts for all seats.
•Belt tensioners for the driver and front passenger and also on the rear outer seats if in
conjunction with side airbags.
•Belt tension limiter for the driver, front passenger and, if applicable, for the rear outer seats.
•Belt height adjuster for the front seats.
•Warning lamp and belt status display.
•Front airbags for driver and front passenger.
•Side airbags for the driver, front passenger and, if applicable, for the rear outer seats.
•Curtain airbags on the left and right.
•If applicable, knee airbag for the driver.
•Airbag indicator lamp .
•Indicator lamp PASSENGER AIR BAG in the upper section of the centre console.
•Indicator lamp PASSENGER AIR BAG in the upper section of the centre console.
•Control units and sensors.
•Whiplash-optimised and height-adjustable head restraints.
•Adjustable steering column.
•If applicable, anchor points for child seats on the rear outer seats and on the front passenger
seat.
•If applicable, securing points for the top tether for child seats.
Situations when the front, knee, side and curtain airbags will not be
triggered:
•If the ignition is switched off during a collision.
•If the level of deceleration measured by the control unit is too low during a collision at the front
of the vehicle.
•During a minor side collision.
•During rear collisions.

Fig. 122 Gear shift pattern of a 6-speed manual gearbox.
Select a forward gear
The positions of the individual driving gears are shown on the gearshift lever ⇒ Fig. 122.
•Fully depress and hold the clutch pedal.
•Move the gear lever to the required position ⇒.
•Release the clutch to engage.
In some countries, the clutch pedal will have to be depressed fully in order to start the engine.
Selecting reverse gear
•Reverse gear should only be selected when the vehicle is stationary.
•Fully depress and hold the clutch pedal ⇒.
•Move the gear lever to the neutral position and push down.
•Push the gearshift lever fully to the left and then to the front in the reverse gear position
⇒ Fig. 122Ⓡ.
•Release the clutch to engage.
Shifting down
You should always select the next immediate gear when shifting down a gear whilst the vehicle is in
motion. The engine revs should not be too high when doing this ⇒. Damage to the clutch and
the gearbox could occur if at high speeds or high engine revs one or more gears are skipped when
shifting down gear, even if the clutch is not released when doing this ⇒.
Kickdown
On vehicles with speed limiter ⇒ Speed limiter, the kickdown function allows the stored speed limit
to be intentionally exceeded, e.g. when overtaking.
When the accelerator is fully depressed, the speed limiter regulator is temporarily switched off when
the vehicle exceeds the stored speed.
Once the vehicle returns to a speed below the stored speed and the accelerator is no longer fully
depressed, speed limiter regulation becomes active again.
When the Eco driving profile is selected in vehicles with driving profile selection ⇒ Driving profile
selection and 4MOTION Active Control and the accelerator is depressed fully beyond the pressure
point, the engine output is automatically regulated to ensure maximum vehicle acceleration.
Troubleshooting
Clutch does not transmit the entire engine torque. If necessary, remove foot from clutch pedal.
The clutch can overheat, for example if the vehicle pulls off regularly, travels at a crawl for long
periods, or in stop and go traffic. Overheating is indicated by the warning lamp and in some cases
by additional warning lamps and a text message in the instrument cluster display. An acoustic
warning may also be given ⇒.Clutch is defective. Drive on carefully! Seek expert
assistance. Failure to do so could result in considerable damage to the clutch.
When the engine is running, the vehicle will start to move as soon as a gear is engaged
and the clutch released. This also applies when the electronic park brake has been
switched on.
•Never engage reverse gear while the vehicle is in motion.
WARNING
Shifting gears incorrectly to a lower gear can lead to a loss of control of the vehicle, which
can cause accidents and serious injuries.
WARNING

Fig. 137 Left-hand side of the multifunction steering wheel: buttons for operating the cruise control
system.
Fig. 138 On the instrument cluster display: cruise control system status displays (illustrationyf .
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒
Introduction
Key to ⇒ Fig. 138:
Cruise control system not regulating, stored speed shown small or darkened.
System fault. Go to a qualified workshop.
Cruise control system not regulating, no speed stored.
Cruise control system regulating, stored speed displayed in large figures.
Switching on
•Press the or button.
No speed has been stored and the speed is not yet controlled.
Starting control
•Press the button while driving.
The current speed is stored and controlled. The green indicator lamp .
Setting the speed
You can adjust the stored speed during speed control by the cruise control system:
+ 1 km/h (1 mphyf- 1 km/h (1 mphyf+ 10 km/h (5 mphyf- 10 km/h (5 mphyf
Press and hold the button or to continuously change the stored speed. The vehicle
adapts the current speed by accelerating or closing the throttle. The vehicle does not actively brake.
Interrupting control
•Briefly press the button or . Alternatively, depress the brake pedal.
The speed remains stored in the memory.
Resuming control
•Press the button.
The stored speed is resumed and controlled.
Switching off
•Press and hold the button.
The cruise control system is switched off and the stored speed is deleted.
Changing to the speed limiter
•Press the button.
The cruise control system is switched off.

Troubleshooting
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒
Introduction
Regulation is automatically interrupted.
•You have depressed the brake pedal.
•The selector lever of the DSG dual clutch gearbox is not in the selector lever position D.
•The vehicle has exceeded the stored speed for an extended period.
•If regulation related to driving dynamics is taking place, e.g. by TCS and ESC.
•Malfunction. Switch off the cruise control system and have it checked by a qualified workshop.
Volkswagen recommends using a Volkswagen dealership for this purpose.
Speed limiter
Introduction
This chapter contains information on the followingsubjects:
⇒ Operating the speed limiter with the turn signal and main beam lever
⇒ Operating the speed limiter via the multifunction steering wheel
⇒ Troubleshooting
The speed limiter helps to prevent the
vehicle from exceeding a speed that
you have stored.
Speed range
The speed limiter is available when driving forwards at speeds from around 30 km/h (20 mphyf .
Driving with speed limiter
You can interrupt the speed limiter function at any time by fully depressing the accelerator beyond
the point of resistance. The green warning and indicator lamp flashes as soon as the stored
speed is exceeded. The speed remains stored in the memory.
The speed limiter function is activated again automatically as soon as the speed drops below the
stored speed.
Driving downhill
Driving downhill may cause the set speed to be exceeded. The green warning and indicator lamp
flashes in this case. An acoustic warning may also be given.
Apply the foot brake to slow the vehicle down, and change down a gear as required.
How do I operate the speed limiter?
Depending on the vehicle equipment, you can operate the speed limiter either by means of the turn
signal and main beam lever ⇒ Operating the speed limiter with the turn signal and main beam lever
or via the multifunction steering wheel ⇒ Operating the speed limiter via the multifunction steering
wheel.
The displays on the instrument cluster are identical in both cases ⇒ Fig. 140.
Operating the speed limiter with the turn signal and main beam
lever
®
Always switch off the speed limiter after use to avoid unintentional speed regulation.
•The speed limiter does not relieve the driver of their responsibility for the speed of the
vehicle. Do not drive at full throttle if it is not required.
•Use of the speed limiter in adverse weather conditions is dangerous and can cause
serious injury, e.g. through aquaplaning, snow, ice, or leaves. Only use the speed
limiter when the road and weather conditions allow it to be used safely.
•The speed limiter cannot limit the vehicle speed when travelling downhill. The vehicle
speed can increase under its own weight. Shift down a gear or brake the vehicle using
the foot brake.
WARNING