
mance by applying more pressure to the brake pedal. But, during the break-in period, the stopping distance for hard braking and emergency braking will be longer until the brakes are fully broken in. Avoid hard braking and situations that might require hard braking (such as following other vehicles too closely) – especially during the break-in period.
Brake pad wear depends mostly on operating conditions and the way the vehicle is driven. If you do a lot of city and short-distance driving and/or have a sporty driving style, you should have the brake pads checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility more often than the regular service intervals.
Wet brakes (for example, after driving through water or washing the vehicle or after heavy rainfall) will not brake as well. Stopping distances will be longer when brake discs are wet or, in winter, even icy. Wet or icy brakes must be dried as soon as possible by carefully applying the brakes a couple of times while traveling at a relatively high speed. Make sure nobody is behind you and that you do not endan-
ger yourself or others ⇒ .
Brakes coated with road salt also react slower and need longer stopping distances. If there is salt on the roads and you are not braking regularly, brake carefully and gently from time to time to remove any
salt coating from the brake discs and pads ⇒ .
Brake disc corrosion (rust) and dirt buildup on the brake pads are more likely to occur if the vehicle is not driven much or is driven only for short distances with little braking. If the brakes have not been used and there is some rust on the discs, clean the brake discs and pads once in a while by carefully braking a couple of times while driving at relatively high speed to help clean the brake discs and pads.
Make sure nobody is behind you and that you do not endanger yourself or others ⇒ .
Brake system malfunction
If you brake and find that the vehicle doesn't brake nearly as well as it used to (sudden increase in stopping distance), a brake circuit may have failed. The brake warning light H or " 2 ! + % will light up and a message may appear in the instrument cluster display. If you believe the vehicle is safe to drive, immediately take it to the nearest authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility for repair. Drive slowly and very carefully, allow for the longer stopping distance, and be ready to push longer and harder on the brake pedal to slow the vehicle down.
Electro-mechanical brake booster
The electro-mechanical brake booster works only when the electric motor is activated. It increases the force on the brakes above and beyond the pressure put on the brake pedal by the driver.
If the electro-mechanical brake booster is not working, you will have to push the brake pedal harder to
make up for the lack of booster assistance and the resulting longer stopping distance ⇒ .
WARNING
New brake pads do not provide maximum braking performance.
x New brake pads do not have the best stopping power for the first 185 miles (300 km) and must be “broken in.” You can compensate for the slightly reduced braking force by putting more pressure on the brake pedal.
x Drive with extra care while the new brake pads are being broken in. This reduces the risk of collisions and serious personal injuries due to a loss of control over the vehicle.
x Never follow other vehicles too closely or put yourself into other situations that might require sudden, hard braking, especially when the brake pads have not been broken in.

The ESC, ABS, BAS, ASR, and EDL braking assistance systems work only when the electric motor is activated. These systems can significantly improve active driving safety.
Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle dynamics to help reduce the probability of skidding and loss of vehicle control. It works only when the electric motor is activated. ESC detects certain difficult driving situations, including when the vehicle is beginning to spin (yaw) out of control. ESC then helps you to get the vehicle back under control by selectively braking the wheels and/or reducing electric motor power and by providing steering assistance to help hold the vehicle on the driver's intended course.
ESC has limitations. It is important to remember that ESC cannot overcome the laws of physics. It will not always be able to help out under all conditions you may come up against. For example, ESC may not always be able to help you master situations where there is a sudden change in the coefficient of friction of the road surface. When there is a section of dry road that is suddenly covered with water, slush or snow, ESC cannot perform the same way it would on a dry surface. If the vehicle “hydro-planes” (rides on a cushion of water instead of the road surface), ESC will not be able to help you steer the vehicle because contact with the pavement has been interrupted and the vehicle cannot be braked or steered. During fast cornering, particularly on winding roads, ESC cannot always deal as effectively with difficult driving situations as it can at lower speeds. When towing a trailer, ESC is not able to help you regain control as it would if you were not towing a trailer.
Always adjust your speed and driving style to visibility, road, traffic, and weather conditions. ESC cannot override the vehicle's physical limits, increase the available traction, or keep a vehicle on the road if road departure is a result of driver inattention. Instead, ESC improves the possibility of keeping the vehicle under control and on the road during extreme maneuvers by using the driver's steering inputs to help keep the vehicle going in the intended direction. If you are traveling at a speed that causes you to run off the road before ESC can provide any assistance, you may not experience the benefits of ESC.
ESC includes and/or works together with the ABS, BAS, ASR, EDL, and XDL systems (see below). ESC is switched on all the time. In certain situations when you need less traction or additional traction cannot be achieved, you can switch off ASR in the Infotainment system by pressing the # ! 2 button
followed by the