
 
Indicator lamps which light up in the light switch are described in the chapter Lights Lig
Symbol Meaning 
  Central warning lamp. Observe the additional information on the instrument cluster 
display. 
  Electronic parking brake  Operating the electronic parking brake. 
  Brake system fault   
  Electromechanical steering not functioning  Troubleshooting. 
  Fasten seat belt  Warning lamp. 
  Collision warning from area monitoring system (Front Assist)  Warning levels and 
 
  Depress the brake pedal. 
  Check brake pads  Troubleshooting. 
  Central warning lamp. Observe the additional information on the instrument cluster 
display. 
  Electronic Stability Control (ESC) OR traction control system (TCS)   TCS regulating 
to  
  Traction control system (TCS) switched off   TCS regulating to prevent the wheels 
 
  Fault in anti-lock brake system (ABS)    
  Fault in electronic parking brake  TroubleshootingOR: fault in Hill Start Assist   
 
  Rear fog light switched on  Switching the fog lights on and off. 
  Vehicle lighting is not working    
  Fault in exhaust system   Fault  
  Fault in engine management system  Troubleshooting.  

whether these guidelines will be valid for all situations that could occur. 
The many different types of terrain and the associated risks and dangers make it impossible to 
describe all possible driving situations. The examples are only general guidelines which are intended 
to help you to drive offroad safely. It is crucial that you know what to expect when you drive into 
offroad terrain you are unfamiliar with. This will enable you to assess potential dangers in advance. 
The driver can use 4MOTION Active Control to activate a variety of vehicle settings in an all-wheel 
drive vehicle as required Setting a driving profile 
Checklist 
Before driving offroad for the first time, take the following steps so you can operate and drive the 
vehicle safely offroad: 
Observe the basic safety notes Safety instructions for offroad driving. 
Familiarise yourself with the vehicle controls. 
Check and adjust the seat position Sitting position and fasten the seat belts Seat belts. 
Check distance to steering wheel and adjust Steering wheel. 
Always wear suitable, well-fitting shoes that provide good grip for your feet when operating the 
pedals. 
Safety instructions for offroad driving 
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings
 
WARNING 
The intelligent vehicle technology cannot overcome the laws of physics, and functions only within 
the limits of the system. Despite ABS, instability through locked wheels can occur on adverse terrain 
e.g. if you brake hard when driving on a loose gravel road. The Electronic Stability Control will be 
able to stabilise the vehicle only to a limited extent in these circumstances. 
 
WARNING 
Driving offroad can be dangerous and could cause accidents, serious injury, damage to the vehicle 
and also a vehicle breakdown far from any assistance. 
Never select a dangerous route and never take risks that could endanger you and your passengers. If 
you cannot drive on or if you are in any doubt about the safety of the route, turn round and choose 
another route. 
Even terrain that looks harmless can be difficult and dangerous, and could get you and your 
passengers into difficulties. We recommend inspecting the terrain on foot beforehand.  

 
Switch off the lane keeping system in the following situations: 
Very sporty driving. 
In poor weather conditions and when driving on poor roads. 
In roadworks and before crests in the road. 
Driver intervention prompt 
In the absence of any steering input, the system prompts the driver with acoustic warnings and a 
display on the instrument cluster display to take over active steering. 
If the driver does not respond, the system will give another warning by initiating a quick jolt of the 
brake before switching to passive mode or activating Emergency Assist (with some equipment 
levels). 
Steering wheel vibration 
The following situations can lead to vibration of the steering wheel: 
If the corrective steering intervention is not sufficient to keep the vehicle in its lane. 
If the system can no longer detect a lane during a significant steering intervention. 
 
If there is a system fault, the lane keeping system can deactivate itself automatically. 
Troubleshooting 
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings
No camera visibility, error message, system switches itself off 
Clean the windscreen Caring for and cleaning the vehicle exterior 
Check whether any damage is visible on the windscreen in the camera's field of view. 
The system is not responding as expected 
Regularly clean the camera's field of view, and keep it free from snow and ice. 
Do not cover the camera's field of view. 
Check the area of the windscreen that is in the camera's field of view for damage. 
Do not fit any objects to the steering wheel. 
Traffic Jam Assist 
Traffic Jam Assist helps the driver to keep in lane, and also provides assistance when following other 
vehicles in congestion or slow-moving traffic.  

busy roads or across several lanes. 
Always pay attention to the area around the vehicle, since cyclists and pedestrians are often not 
reliably detected, for example. 
The Rear Traffic Alert will not always independently bring the vehicle to a complete stop. 
Brake support systems 
Information on brake support systems 
The vehicle is fitted with brake support systems. The systems can support the driver in critical driving 
or braking situations. Brake support systems cannot overcome the limits of physics and cannot 
always keep the vehicle under control in every single critical driving or braking situation. The driver is 
responsible for driving safety  
Driving with brake support systems 
The brake support systems work when the engine is running. They do not need to be operated 
separately. 
The brake pedal may pulsate or noises may occur while the brake support systems are regulating. 
Continue to apply the necessary amount of brake pressure. Apply the necessary pressure to the 
brake pedal consistently. If necessary, steer the vehicle while the brake pedal is depressed. 
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) 
ESC helps to reduce the risk of skidding and to improve driving stability in certain driving situations 
 
ESC is always switched on. 
Traction control system (TCS) 
The TCS reduces the drive output if wheelspin occurs and adapts the drive output to suit road 
surface conditions Troubleshooting 
hills. 
With some equipment levels, the TCS can be switched off in exceptional circumstances Switching 
the TCS on and off 
Anti-lock brake system (ABS) 
The anti-lock brake system can prevent the wheels from locking when the brakes are applied up until 
the point where the vehicle is nearly stationary and assists the driver in steering the vehicle and 
keeping it under control Troubleshooting 
Brake assist system 
The brake assist system can help to reduce the stopping distance. The brake assist system reinforces 
the braking force when the driver depresses the brake pedal quickly in an emergency situation. 
If you reduce the pressure on the brake pedal, the brake assist system will switch off the brake 
servo.  

 
EDL brakes a spinning wheel automatically and distributes the drive force to the other drive wheels. 
The EDL switches off automatically under unusually heavy loads to prevent the brake from 
overheating. The EDL switches back on again automatically as soon as the brake has cooled down. 
XDS improves traction in order to keep the vehicle on its intended course. 
Automatic Post-Collision Braking System 
In the event of a collision, the Automatic Post-Collision Braking System can help the driver to reduce 
the risk of skidding, and the danger of secondary collisions, through automatic braking. 
The Automatic Post-Collision Braking System functions only for collisions that are detected as a 
collision by the airbag control unit. 
The vehicle is braked automatically if the required systems have not been damaged in the collision 
and have remained functional. 
The following actions override automatic braking in the event of a collision: 
When the driver depresses the accelerator. 
When the brake pressure transmitted through the depressed brake pedal is greater than the brake 
pressure provided by the system. 
 
WARNING 
The intelligent technology used in brake support systems cannot overcome the laws of physics, and 
functions only within the limits of the systems. Driving fast on icy, slippery or wet roads can lead to a 
loss of control of the vehicle and could cause serious injury to the driver and passengers. 
Always adapt your speed and driving style to suit visibility, weather, road and traffic conditions. Do 
not let the extra safety afforded by the brake support systems ABS, BAS, EDL, TCS and ESC tempt you 
into taking any risks when driving. 
The brake support systems cannot overcome the laws of physics. Slippery and wet roads will remain 
dangerous, even when the ESC and other systems are active. 
Driving too fast on wet roads can cause the wheels to lose contact with the road surface and 
aquaplane. The vehicle cannot be braked, steered or controlled once it has lost contact with the 
road surface. 
Brake support systems cannot prevent an accident if, for example, you are driving too close to the 
vehicle in front or are driving too fast for the individual situation. 
Although the brake support systems are very effective and can help to control the vehicle in difficult 
driving situations, please always remember that the driving stability of the vehicle depends on the 
tyre grip.  

 
Warning lamp lights up red. 
Seek expert assistance immediately. 
ABS failure or fault. 
Warning lamp lights up yellow. 
Go to a qualified workshop. The vehicle can be braked without the anti-lock brake system. 
TCS regulating to prevent the wheels from spinning. 
Indicator lamp flashes yellow. 
ESC switched off for system-related reasons. 
Indicator lamp lights up yellow. 
Switch the ignition on and off. 
Drive a short distance at a speed of 15 20 km/h (9 12 mph) if necessary. 
If is still lit up, seek expert assistance. 
The brake support systems make noises 
Noises may be heard when the brake support systems are performing control interventions. 
Unexpected reduction in engine power 
Faults can occur in the ESC and TCS systems if the four wheels have different types of tyres. 
Any differences in the rolling radius of the tyres can cause the system to reduce engine power 
unexpectedly. 
 
WARNING 
If the brake system warning lamp lights up together with the ABS indicator lamp  , the ABS 
control function may have failed. This can cause the rear wheels to lock quickly when you brake. 
Locked rear wheels can lead to a loss of control of the vehicle. If possible, reduce your speed and 
drive carefully at low speed to the nearest qualified workshop in order to have the brake system 
tested. Avoid sudden braking and driving manoeuvres on the way. 
If the ABS indicator lamp does not go out or comes on while the vehicle is in motion, ABS is not 
working properly. The vehicle can be stopped using the normal brakes only (without the anti-lock 
brake system). The protection provided by the anti-lock brake system is no longer available. Go to a 
qualified workshop as soon as possible. 
Practical equipment 
Stowage areas  

Refill only with distilled water. All other types of water can cause corrosion in the engine due to 
the chemical components contained in the water. This can also lead to engine failure. If any other 
type of water apart from distilled water has been refilled, the fluid in the cooling system should be 
completely replaced immediately by a qualified workshop. 
Fig. 188
be forced out of the cooling system when the engine is hot and could cause damage. 
completely. Heavy coolant loss is an indication of leaks in the cooling system. The cooling system 
should be checked by a qualified workshop as soon as possible. Failure to do so can result in engine 
damage. 
have entered the cooling system. Do not drive on! Seek expert assistance. Failure to do so can result 
in engine damage. 
correct openings. The use of incorrect service fluids could result in serious malfunctions and engine 
damage. 
Brake fluid 
 
Fig. 190 In the engine compartment: cap on the brake fluid reservoir. 
Brake fluid will gradually absorb water from the surrounding air over the course of time. The brake 
system will be damaged if there is too much water in the brake fluid. The boiling point of the brake 
fluid is also considerably reduced by the water content. Heavy use of the brakes and full braking may 
cause a vapour lock in the brake system if the water content is too high. Vapour locks reduce levels 
of braking power, considerably increase braking distance and can even cause the brake system to fail 
completely. Your own safety and that of other road users depends on having a brake system that 
functions properly at all times  
Brake fluid specification 
Volkswagen has developed a brake fluid that has been optimised for the brake system in the vehicle. 
To ensure optimal operation of the brake system, Volkswagen expressly recommends the use of 
brake fluid compliant with VW standard 501 14. 
Before using a particular brake fluid, check that the brake fluid specifications printed on the 
container correspond to the vehicle requirements.  

ator. The 12-volt vehicle battery will not be charged by the alternator while the 
vehicle is in motion. 
Switch off any electrical consumers that are not required. Inform a qualified workshop. Have the 
electrical system checked. 
The start/stop system cannot start the engine Start/stop system 
and vehicle battery (12-volt) 
The central warning lamp lights up yellow and the text message 12 V battery low. Charge by driving. 
is displayed. 
The charge level of the vehicle battery is insufficient. 
Recharge the 12-volt vehicle battery by driving the vehicle for an extended time. 
The start/stop system cannot start the engine Start/stop system 
and vehicle battery (12-volt) 
The central warning lamp lights up red and the text message Replace 12 V battery. Workshop. is 
displayed. 
The vehicle battery condition is not ok. 
Seek expert assistance and have the battery checked and replaced if necessary. 
The start/stop system cannot start the engine Start/stop system 
Wheels and tyres 
Tyre monitoring system 
 Introduction 
This chapter contains information on the followingsubjects: 
Tyre Pressure Loss Indicator
Troub
The tyre monitoring system warns the driver when the tyre pressures are too low. 
The tyre monitoring system monitors various parameters (for example, rolling circumference) of all 
wheels using ABS sensors (indirect measurement). 
 
WARNING 
The intelligent tyre monitoring system technology cannot overcome the laws of physics, and 
functions only within the limits of the system. Incorrect handling of the wheels and tyres can lead to 
a sudden loss of pressure in the tyres, tread separation and even tyre blow-out.