2021 VOLKSWAGEN EOS tow

WARNING
Wet brakes or brakes coated with ice or road salt react slower and need longer stopping distances.
x Carefully apply the brakes to test them.
x Always dry brakes and clean off ice and salt coatings with a few cautious brake applications when visibility, weather, road and traffic conditions permit.
WARNING
Driving when the brake booster is not working increases stopping distances and can cause accidents and serious personal injuries.
x Never let the vehicle coast when the engine is switched off.
x If the brake booster is not working (such as when the vehicle is being towed), a lot more pedal force is needed to slow down and stop.
NOTICE
x Never “ride” the brakes by keeping your foot on the brake pedal when you do not want to brake. Constant pressure on the brake pedal can make the brakes overheat. Riding the brakes will substantially reduce braking performance, increase stopping distance, and can cause complete brake system failure.
x 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 possibly fail. Only use the brakes when you need them to slow the vehicle down more or to stop.
When the front brakes are serviced, you should have the rear brake pads inspected at the same time. The wear of all brake pads should be visually checked regularly. The best way to check for brake pad wear is to have your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility visually inspect the pads through the openings in the wheel rims or from underneath the vehicle. If necessary, the wheels can be taken off for a more thorough inspection.
Braking assistance systems

Calm and smooth driving
Consistency is more important than speed. The more smoothly you drive, the less fuel the vehicle consumes.
When driving on the highway or freeway, a constant, moderate speed is more efficient and economical than constantly accelerating and braking. Usually you can reach your destination just as quickly by driving at a moderate, but steady speed.
The cruise control system can assist in maintaining a uniform driving style.
Moderate use of extra electrical loads
Comfort inside the vehicle is nice and important, but it is important to use them in an environmentally conscious manner.
Some devices can increase fuel consumption when activated (examples):
x Climate control system (air conditioner): If the air conditioner has to produce starkly contrasting temperatures, it requires a large amount of energy, which is generated by the engine. The temperature in the vehicle should therefore not be extremely different from that of the outside temperature. It may be helpful to ventilate the vehicle before driving and then to drive a short distance with the windows open. After that, switch on the air conditioner with the windows closed. Keep the windows closed when driving at high speeds. Open windows increase fuel consumption.
x Switch off seat heating once it has served its purpose.
x Switch off the rear window defroster as soon as the windows are free of fog and ice.
Additional factors that increase fuel consumption (examples):
x Malfunctioning engine control.
x Driving in the mountains.
x Towing a trailer.
NOTICE
Never let the vehicle coast or roll down a hill in Neutral (N), especially when the engine is not running. The transmission will not be lubricated and will be damaged.
Fuel-efficient driving

Fig. 135 Fuel consumption in mpg at 2 different outside air temperatures.

Air vents
To help ensure sufficient heating, cooling and ventilation in the passenger compartment, never close
the air vents completely ⇒ fig. 146 (1).
x To open and close the air vents, turn the respective thumbwheel (magnified view) in the desired direction. When the thumbwheel is turned all the way toward the O, the air vent is closed.
x Use the lever on the vent grille to adjust the airflow direction.
Additional, non-adjustable air vents are located in the front door pillars and the instrument panel (2), in the footwells, as well as in the rear area of the passenger compartment.
NOTICE
Do not place food, medications, or other heat-sensitive things in front of the air vents. Food, medications, and other things that are sensitive to heat or cold can be damaged or made unusable by the air flow from the vents.
Air recirculation

x Never clean headlights with a dry cloth or sponge. Always use a wet cloth or sponge. For best results use soapy water.
x When washing or rinsing the vehicle in cold weather, do not let water get into the lock cylinders or point the hose at gaps around the doors, hood, or luggage compartment lid. The water could freeze on the locks and seals and make it difficult to open the vehicle!
x In cold weather, dry the rubber gaskets (rubber seals) and the surfaces they touch with a cloth to make sure they do not freeze shut.
NOTICE
To help prevent vehicle damage in a car wash:
x Close the CSC roof completely.
x Compare the vehicle track width with the dimensions of the guide rails in the car wash to help prevent damage to wheel rims and tires!
x Switch off the rain sensor before driving the vehicle through a car wash, Rain sensor.
x Make sure there is enough clearance for the height and width of the vehicle.
x To help prevent paint damage to the engine hood, place wiper blades against the windshield after they have dried. Do not let them snap back into place.
x Fold the outside mirrors toward the vehicle body. Do not fold power folding mirrors manually!
x Lock the luggage compartment lid to help prevent unintentional opening in the car wash.
Washing with a power washer

Changing the vehicle's suspension system can change the way that the airbag system works in a crash. For example, using tire-rim combinations not approved by Volkswagen, lowering the vehicle, changing the stiffness of the suspension, including the springs, suspension struts, shock absorbers etc. can change the forces that are measured by the airbag sensors and sent to the electronic control unit. Some suspension changes can, for example, increase the force levels measured by the airbag sensors and sent to the electronic control unit and make the airbag system deploy in crashes in which it would not deploy if the changes had not been made. Other kinds of changes may reduce the force levels measured by the sensors and prevent the airbag from deploying when it should.
Never install leather upholstery on a vehicle that originally had cloth upholstery. Never install cloth upholstery on a vehicle that originally had leather upholstery. The weight-sensing mat for the Advanced Airbag system will not work properly if different upholstery is installed on the passenger seat than the upholstery originally installed on the vehicle when it was originally manufactured.
WARNING
Changing the vehicle's suspension including use of unapproved tire-rim combinations can change airbag performance and increase the risk of serious personal injury in a crash.
x Never install suspension components that do not have the same performance characteristics as the components originally installed on your vehicle.
x Never use tire-rim combinations that have not been approved by Volkswagen.
WARNING
Leaving the optional safety belt extender attached to the safety belt buckle on the front passenger seat when the safety belt is not being used will prevent the Advanced Airbag System from working properly and can increase the risk of serious personal injury in a collision.
x Leaving the extender attached to the safety belt buckle when the front seat is occupied and the safety belt is not being used will signal to the airbag control unit that the front passenger seat is occupied and that the safety belt is being used. The electronic control unit for the airbag system will then receive incorrect information that will
– cause the safety belt pretensioner to deploy unnecessarily in collisions and
– cause the front passenger airbag to deploy later in collisions in which the front airbag would otherwise be triggered earlier to help protect an unrestrained front seat passenger.
x Always remove the safety belt extender when it is not needed and stow it safely.
x Never use the safety belt extender to secure a child restraint.
WARNING
Items stored between the safety belt buckle and the center console can cause safety belt buckle to send the wrong information to the airbag control unit and prevent the Advanced Airbag System from working properly.
x Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the safety belt buckles and that they are not obstructed.

409
Description Possible causes, among others Possible remedy
Fuel consumption higher than indicated. – Short hauls. – “Jumpy” accelerator pedal. – Avoid short distance driving. – Drive defensively. – Accelerate smoothly.
Electrical loads switched on. Switch off unnecessary loads.
Engine control malfunction. Have the malfunction corrected
Tire pressure too low. Adjust tire pressure
Driving in the mountains. No direct corrective action possible.
Towing a trailer. – Check use. – Remove if not in use.
Driving with heavy payload. No direct corrective action possible.
Driving at high engine speed. Select a higher gear.

x After emergency roof closing is complete, continue to hold the lever and switch to close all windows.
x OR: After emergency closing, pull switch (1).
x OR: Insert the key in the lock of the driver's door, turn in the closing direction, and hold until all windows are closed.
x Have the vehicle checked immediately by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
Cancel conditions for emergency closing
Emergency closing the CSC roof is canceled if any of the following situations occurs:
x The lever in the center console or the switch in the driver door is released.
x The ignition is switched off.
x Any door is shut.
x The vehicle battery voltage is less than 9 Volts.
x The luggage compartment lid is closed before the roof frames are locked into the mountings on the windshield.
x The vehicle moves at a speed greater than about 0.6 mph (1 km/h).
x The outside temperature is below +5° F (- 15° C).
Emergency closing using the lever-switch combination is possible only if the CSC control unit has detected a malfunction that is caused by one of the listed feasible problems, Possible situations for emergency closing.
Do not interrupt the emergency CSC roof closing process once you have initiated it unless this is absolutely necessary.
If the CSC roof gets stuck while opening or closing, it may be possible to close it using the emergency process before it lowers itself automatically.
Stowing the Automatic Rollover Support System®

Fig. 174 Deployed rollover protection support behind the rear seat backrest.

Volkswagen recommends having the work performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Do not attempt to push the deployed rollover supports back down unless this is absolutely necessary. When the CSC roof is down, the deployed rollover supports push against the CSC roof and are under considerable tension. For this reason, a lot of strength is required to push and hold the supports down, and you must assume a very uncomfortable position while doing so:
x Push the release lever ⇒ fig. 174 (1) in the direction of the arrow (2) and hold it in this position.
x Then, push down the top part of the rollover support down about 11.8 inches (30 cm) (3) and let go of the release lever (1).
x Make sure that nobody touches the release lever when the support is pushed down the rest of the way.
x Push the support down completely until it locks into place.
WARNING
Stowing the deployed rollover supports can be dangerous and can lead to serious injury.
x Do not try to push the rollover support back down if there is any object in its channel. A foreign object can keep the rollover support system from working or locking properly or cause it to deploy unexpectedly.
x The rollover protection supports must properly lock into place after being stowed. Otherwise, they can deploy unexpectedly.
Emergency release for the selector lever lock

Fig. 175 Removing the selector gate cover.