Get Off-road driving situations -> Driving through still or flowing water Guide for Volkswagen Atlas SUV First Generation (2018-2023)

Fill up the fuel tank. Fuel consumption is signiﬁcantly higher off-road than it is on developed roads.

Check if the tire proﬁle and the type of all the tires is sufﬁcient for the planned off-road trip.

Check and adjust the tire pressure on all tires.

Check the engine oil level and add engine oil if necessary. When the vehicle is on sloping ground, the engine will only supplied with engine oil if the engine o

level is sufﬁcient.

Fill the windshield washer ﬂuid reservoir completely with water and windshield washer ﬂuid.

Stow any luggage as low as possible in the vehicle and distributed evenly. Secure all loose objects safely.

General rules and driving instructions

Refer to ⇒

and Safety precautions for driving off-road.

Volkswagen recommends to never drive off-road alone. At least two off-roading vehicles should drive together off-road. An unexpected situation could occur at

any time. Therefore, it is especially wise to have equipment that can be used to call for emergency assistance.

Stop and explore the path on foot, especially before critical passages.

Drive over bumps slowly so that the vehicle does not lift up, which could cause damage and prevent you from maneuvering the vehicle.

Drive slowly through difﬁcult sections of the route. Upshift on slippery ground and always keep the vehicle in motion.

There is usually a lot of soft ground on off-road terrain, where the tires could sink into the ground. This reduces the ground clearance and the wading depth.

Whenever possible, drive on level and solid ground.

Even at low speeds, always maintain a safe distance to other vehicles. If the ﬁrst vehicle suddenly becomes stuck, the vehicle following it would be able to stop

in time without also getting stuck.

NOTICE

Always make sure there is enough ground clearance under the vehicle. Severe damage to the underbody can occur if the vehicle hits the ground. This

damage can cause vehicle breakdowns and make it impossible to continue driving.

Shifting gears correctly

Refer to ⇒

and Safety precautions for driving off-road.

Correct gear selection depends on the terrain.

Before driving on a difﬁcult stretch of the route, it may be helpful to stop and consider which gear to select. After several off-roading trips, you can learn which gear

in conjunction with gear reduction is best suited for certain areas of terrain.

When the correct gear is selected, the vehicle must normally be braked less with the brake pedal because the engine braking effect will be sufﬁcient in the

majority of cases.

Only accelerate as much as is necessary. Too much acceleration can cause the wheels to spin and thus loss of control of the vehicle.

Use the D selector lever position on normal, level stretches of off-road land.

Adjust your speed when driving on soft or slippery ground and drive at the highest possible gear in tiptronic mode.

Drive using tiptronic in gear 1 when on steep hills or on a steep incline.

Drive using tiptronic in gears 3 or 2 when on mud, sand, water, or hilly areas ⇒ Automatic transmission: selecting the selector lever position.

Use the off-road display ⇒ Offroad display.

Driving over brush and rock

Refer to ⇒

and Safety precautions for driving off-road.

1. Select a suitable driving mode ⇒ Selecting the driving mode and drive no faster than walking speeds over rocky ground.

2. If you are unable to drive around a stone, drive carefully onto the stone with one of the front wheels and then drive slowly over it

⇒

Even objects that are lower than the available ground clearance can come into contact with the vehicle underbody and cause vehicle damage and malfunctions.

This is especially true if there is a depression or soft ground in front of or behind the object. This is also true if the vehicle drives too fast over an object and then the

suspension compresses.

NOTICE

Never drive over a very large object such as boulders or tree trunks if it is under the vehicle or on one side. Objects that are higher than the ground clearance

will damage vehicle components when driven over and could cause vehicle malfunctions.

Driving through still or ﬂowing water

Refer to ⇒

and Safety precautions for driving off-road.

Driving through ﬂooded terrain or bodies of water could cause vehicle damage.

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You can carefully drive through water that comes up to the lower edge of the vehicle body.

1. Note the maximum wading depth of the vehicle.

2. Only drive through water in an area where the ground is solid underneath it remains lower than the maximum permissible wading depth.

3. Note the additional information for driving through water on paved roads ⇒ Driving through water on roads.

Before driving through water

Stop, get out and assess the situation ⇒

1. Measure the depth of the water all the way over to the other side. Make sure that the ground is ﬁrm enough and identify any dips and obstacles

2. Make sure that it is possible to safely enter and exit the water.

⇒

3. Check the ramp angle and ﬁrmness of the banks.

4. Select a suitable driving mode ⇒ Selecting the driving mode.

Driving through still or slow-ﬂowing water

As long as the ground is ﬁrm enough, you can drive your vehicle through still or slow-ﬂowing water

⇒

1. Drive into the water slowly and in the direction of the current. Never exceed the ramp or tilt angle.

2. Drive at a constant speed all the way to the opposite bank.

Driving at a constant speed prevents engine damage caused by the ingress of water. It also allows an air pocket to form in front of the engine, which fuels the

engine with the oxygen it requires. If you drive into the water too fast or drive through the water too fast, you will create a bow wave in front of the vehicle. Water fro

this bow wave may ﬁnd its way into the engine's air intake port and seriously damage the engine.

Driving through fast-ﬂowing water

The strength and speed of the current and the depth of the water can be dangerous and unpredictable

⇒

. Vehicles can be swept away by the current. Even

vehicles with generous ground clearance can get stuck if the ground beneath their tires is swept away. Flowing water backs up against one side of the vehicle,

making the water deeper on that side.

Do not take any risks. Look for a shallower place to cross the water or turn back.

After driving through water

1. Check the vehicle for damage.

2. Gently apply your brakes to dry them off.

WARNING

Flowing water can generate enormous power and can carry a vehicle away. This can lead to extremely dangerous situations, which could cause accidents and

serious or fatal injuries.

Never let the vehicle stop in water.

Soft ground, obstacles under the water, shallows, or water in the engine compartment can cause accidents and vehicle malfunctions in the water. This

can then lead to critical situations.

NOTICE

If you drive through water, vehicle components such as the engine, drivetrain, suspension, or vehicle electrical system could become severely damaged.

Never drive over salt, salt-covered surfaces such as salt ﬂats, or through salty water. Salt can cause corrosion. Using fresh water, immediately rinse any

parts of the vehicle that may have come into contact with salt or salty water.

NOTICE

Objects in the water can enter the openings of the extended spray nozzles of the headlight washer system. The spray nozzles then cannot move back to their

basic position.

Do not use the headlight washer system when you are driving through water.

Driving in sand and mud

Refer to ⇒

and Safety precautions for driving off-road.

The ESC and ASR must be turned on ⇒ Braking assistance systems.

1. Select a suitable driving mode ⇒ Selecting the driving mode.

2. Select a suitable gear and stay in that gear until solid ground is reached ⇒ Shifting gears correctly.

3. Always drive at a consistent speed through sand or mud, do not shift manually, and do not stop.

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Off-road driving situations -> Driving through still or flowing water for Your Volkswagen Atlas SUV First Generation (2018-2023)

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