Switching over headlights for driving abroad (travel mode)
If you have to drive a right-hand drive vehicle in a left-hand drive country, or vice versa, the
asymmetric dipped beam headlights may dazzle oncoming traffic. The headlights must therefore be
switched over when you travel to these countries.
With some equipment levels, the headlight alignment can be adjusted in the Infotainment system in
the Vehicle settings menu ⇒ Infotainment system controls and displays .
In vehicles in which the headlights cannot be switched over in the menu, masking stickers should be
applied to certain parts of the headlight lenses, or the headlights should be adjusted by a qualified
workshop. A qualified workshop can provide you with further information. Volkswagen recommends
using a Volkswagen dealership for this purpose.
Travel mode may be used only for a short period. Please contact a qualified workshop for a
permanent conversion. Volkswagen recommends using a Volkswagen dealership for this purpose.
Interior lighting
Instrument and switch lighting
The brightness of the instrument and switch lighting can be adjusted in the Infotainment system in
the Vehicle settings menu ⇒ Infotainment system controls and displays .
The brightness setting is automatically adjusted to the changing light conditions in the vehicle.
When the light switch is in position , a sensor will switch the dipped beam and the lighting in
the instruments and switches on and off automatically depending on the ambient brightness level.
When the light is switched off and the ignition switched on, the instrument and switch lighting
(needles and scales) is switched on. As the ambient light becomes lower, the illumination of the
scales is automatically reduced and may be switched off entirely. This function is intended to remind
the driver to switch on the dipped beam in good time, i.e. when driving through tunnels.
Interior and reading lights
Press the appropriate button or move the switch to the appropriate position:
Switch off the interior light.Switch on the interior lights.The interior lights are switched on
automatically when the vehicle is unlocked, a door is opened or the vehicle key is removed from the
ignition.Switch the reading light on or off.
Stowage compartment and luggage compartment lights
A light will be switched on and off when the stowage compartment on the front passenger side or
the boot lid is opened or closed.
Background lighting
Wipers switched off.
Interval wipe for the windscreen or rain/light sensor mode. The interval wipe for the
windscreen depends on the speed of the vehicle. The wipers will wipe more frequently as the vehicle
moves faster.
Slow wipe.
Fast wipe.
x Flick wipe – brief wiping. Push down and hold the lever for longer to wipe more quickly.
Pulling the lever activates the wash and wipe system for cleaning the windscreen. Climatronic
will switch to air recirculation mode for approximately 30 seconds to prevent the smell of the
washer fluid from entering the vehicle interior.
Switch for interval settings (vehicles without a rain/light sensor) or adjusting the
sensitivity of the rain/light sensor.
Interval wipe for the rear window. The wiper will wipe the window approximately every
six seconds.
Pushing the lever activates the wash and wipe system for cleaning the rear window.
WARNING
Without an adequate amount of anti-freeze, the washer fluid can freeze on the windscreen and
obscure your view.
In winter temperatures, use the windscreen washer system only when adequate anti-freeze has
been added to the washer fluid.
Never use the windscreen washer system at winter temperatures before the windscreen has been
heated by the ventilation system. The anti-freeze mixture may otherwise freeze on the windscreen
and restrict vision.
WARNING
Worn or dirty wiper blades reduce visibility and increase the risk of accidents and serious injuries.
Always change wiper blades if they are damaged or worn and no longer clean the windows properly
⇒ Wiper blades .
NOTICE
Switch off the air recirculation mode when it is no longer required.
WARNING
Stale air can quickly make the driver tired and affect their concentration, which in turn can cause
collisions, accidents and serious injuries.
Never switch off the blower or switch on the air recirculation mode for an extended period as this
prevents fresh air from entering the vehicle interior.
NOTICE
Food, medicine and other items that are sensitive to heat or cold could be either damaged or
rendered useless by the air flowing out of the vents.
Never leave food, medicines or other temperature-sensitive objects in front of the vents.
NOTICE
If the air conditioning system is not working, switch the air conditioning system off immediately and
have it checked by a qualified workshop. This can help to prevent secondary damage.
Some settings can be stored in the user accounts of the personalisation function and therefore
change automatically when the user account changes ⇒ Personalisation .
Front controls
Fig. 91 In the upper part of the centre console: air conditioning block for the manual air conditioning
system and heating and fresh air system.
Press the button in the air conditioning block to switch the auxiliary heater on and off when the
ignition is switched off ⇒ .
Touch the function button in the Infotainment system air conditioning settings to access the
Auxiliary heater menu ⇒ Auxiliary heater and ventilation .
The auxiliary heater provides additional heating when the ignition is switched on.
– Blower
Turn the middle rotary control.
When Climatronic is in automatic mode, no blower speed is displayed in the rotary control.
– Air recirculation mode
Press the button.
Air distribution
– air distribution to the upper body via the vents in the dash panel.
– air distribution to footwell.
– air distribution to the upper body and the footwell.
– air distribution to the windscreen and the footwell.
– air distribution to the windscreen.
| – Defrost function
Manual air conditioning system: turn the right rotary knob to position ⇒ Fig. 91 .
Climatronic: press the button ⇒ Fig. 92 .
Manual air conditioning system: in the defrost function, the air recirculation mode switches off
and the air conditioning compressor for the cooling system switches on in order to dehumidify the
air. When the defrost function is switched on, it is not possible to switch the air recirculation mode
on or the air conditioning compressor off1).
– Rear window heating
Press to switch the rear window heating on or off while the engine is running.
The rear window heating will switch off after 10 minutes at the latest.
Recommended settings for manual air conditioning system
Switch off air recirculation mode.
Set blower to setting or .
Set the temperature selector to the middle position.
Open and position all vents on the dash panel.
Turn the air distribution regulator to the desired position.
Press the button in the air conditioning block to switch the cooling system on.
Recommended settings for Climatronic
Press the button.
Set the temperature to +22°C (+72°F).
Open and position vents on the dash panel.
NOTICE
To prevent damage to the rear window heating, do not put stickers over the heating elements on
the inside of the window.
1) The air conditioning compressor can be switched off in some countries.
Air recirculation mode
First read and observe the introductoryinformation and safety warnings⇒Introduction
In air recirculation mode, no fresh air enters the vehicle interior.
Manual air recirculation mode
Press the button in the air conditioning block to switch manual air recirculation mode on or
off.
OR: touch the function button in the air conditioning settings in the Infotainment system.
Automatic air recirculation mode of Climatronic
In the automatic air recirculation mode, fresh air will enter the vehicle interior. The air recirculation
mode will switch on automatically if the system detects an increase in the concentration of noxious
substances in the outside air. The air recirculation mode will switch off as soon as the level of
noxious substances has returned to normal. The system cannot detect unpleasant odours.
Open the air conditioning settings in the Infotainment system.
Touch the function button.
Touch the Automatic air recirculation function button.
When is air recirculation mode deactivated?
Air recirculation mode is deactivated in the following situations ⇒ :
If the button or function button is pressed.
Eco driving profile ⇒ Driving profile selection and 4MOTION Active Control .
Avoid driving at full throttle
Never drive the vehicle at its top speed. The drag coefficient increases at excessively high speeds.
This in turn increases the force needed to move the vehicle.
Reduce idling
Pull away immediately with low engine speeds. If you are stopped for a long period, do not allow the
engine to idle but switch it off, e.g. when in a traffic jam or at a railway crossing.
In vehicles with an activated start/stop system, the engine can switch off automatically when the
vehicle is stopping and when the vehicle is stationary ⇒ Start/stop system .
Refuel moderately
A full fuel tank increases the weight of the vehicle. A fuel tank that is half or two thirds of the way
full is sufficient for journeys in urban traffic in particular.
Avoid short journeys
A cold engine has very high fuel consumption. The optimum operating temperature is reached only
after driving a few kilometres. The fuel consumption is above average at very low ambient
temperatures, e.g. in winter ⇒ Fig. 97 . Plan journeys economically and combine short journeys.
Carry out regular maintenance
Regular maintenance is an essential prerequisite for economical driving and increases the service life
of the vehicle.
Observe the tyre pressures
Low tyre pressures does not just mean greater wear, but also increase the rolling resistance of the
tyres and thus the fuel consumption. Use optimised rolling resistance tyres.
Adjust the tyre pressure according to the load. Observe the information on the tyre pressure sticker
⇒ Useful information about wheels and tyres
Tyre Pressure Loss Indicator or Tyre Pressure Monitoring System ⇒ Tyre monitoring system .
Use low viscosity engine oils
Fully synthetic engine oils with a low viscosity decrease frictional resistance in the engine and are
distributed better and more quickly, especially during cold starts.
Do not drive with unnecessary loads in the vehicle
You can reduce fuel consumption by clearing out the luggage compartment before setting off, for
example by removing empty drink crates or unused child seats.
To keep the vehicle's air resistance as low as possible, remove any add-on parts and equipment such
as ski racks, bicycle racks and roof carriers once you have finished using them.
Save electrical energy
WARNING
New brake pads will not have the optimal braking effect when first fitted.
New brake pads cannot generate the full braking effect during the first 300 km and must first be run
in. A reduced braking effect can be increased by applying more pressure to the brake pedal.
In order to reduce the risk of accidents, serious injuries and the loss of control over the vehicle, you
must drive particularly carefully when driving with new brake pads.
Never drive too close to other vehicles during the run-in time for the new brake pads and never
create a driving situation that will place a heavy load on the brakes.
WARNING
Overheated brakes reduce the braking effect and considerably increase the braking distance.
When driving downhill, the brakes are placed under particular strain and become hot very quickly.
Before driving down a long, steep gradient, reduce speed and change to a lower gear (with manual
gearboxes or in Tiptronic mode with the automatic gearbox). This will make use of the engine
braking effect and relieve the load on the brakes.
Non-standard or damaged front spoilers could restrict the airflow to the brakes and cause them to
overheat.
WARNING
Wet brakes or brakes coated with ice or road salt react more slowly and require longer braking
distances.
Carefully apply the brakes to test them.
Always dry brakes and clean off any coating of ice and salt with a few cautious applications of the
brake when visibility, weather, road and traffic conditions permit.
WARNING
Driving without the brake servo can considerably increase the braking distance and thus cause
accidents and serious injuries.
Never switch the engine or ignition off while the vehicle is in motion.
If the brake servo does not function or the vehicle is being towed, the brake pedal will have to be
depressed more forcefully as the braking distance will be increased due to the lack of assistance for
the brake system.
Start/stop system
Fig. 102 In the upper part of the centre console: button for the start/stop system.
The start/stop system automatically switches the engine off when the vehicle is coming to a stop
and when stationary. When required, the engine restarts automatically.
Switching on the start/stop system
The function is automatically activated every time the ignition is switched on. The instrument cluster
display will show information about the current status.
Further information on start/stop mode can be accessed in the Infotainment system using the
button or function button and the Vehicle, Selection, Vehicle status function buttons. This
information also applies to coasting.
Always switch off the start/stop system manually when driving through water.
Indicator lamps
If the indicator lamp lights up, the start/stop system is available and automatic engine stop is
active.
If the indicator lamp lights up, the start/stop system is not available or the start/stop system has
started the engine automatically ⇒ Conditions for an automatic restart .
The display on the instrument cluster may show the status of the start/stop system.
In addition, start/stop information on the current status of the start/stop system can be displayed as
required in Infotainment systems with a navigation function. Touch the i in the start/stop
information to obtain further information on the status.
Vehicles with a manual gearbox
Disengage the gear and release the clutch pedal when the vehicle is coming to a stop, or when it is
stationary. The engine is stopped.
Depress the clutch pedal to restart the engine.
Important preconditions for automatic engine switch-off
The driver is wearing their seat belt.
The driver door is closed.