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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