2017-2020 Volkswagen Golf 4 Door Safety User Manual
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Safety for Your Volkswagen Golf 4 Door Seventh Generation (2017-2020)

Safety  
General information  
Checklist  
Observe the following points before and during every drive for your own safety, the safety of all passengers and others  
Check proper function of lights and turn signals.  
⇒
ꢀ:  
Check tire pressure Important information on tires and wheels and fuel level Refueling.  
Make sure that all windows are clean.  
Make sure that the engine is not covered by blankets or other materials and that the engine air intake is free of obstacles.  
Store items and all luggage safely in the storage compartments, in the luggage compartment and, where applicable, on the roof Storage areas, Transporting.  
Always make sure that nothing keeps the pedals from moving freely.  
Make sure that children are properly secured by a restraint system appropriate for their size and weight Child safety and child restraints.  
Properly adjust front seats, all head restraints and mirrors to the correct height Sitting properly and safely.  
Wear shoes that give your feet a good grip and that give you a feel for the pedals.  
Make sure that the floormat on the driver side is properly fastened and cannot interfere with the pedals.  
Assume a proper seating position before the vehicle starts to move and keep this position while driving. Make sure that all passengers do the same Sitting  
properly and safely.  
Properly fasten your safety belt before driving the vehicle and wear your safety belt properly at all times while driving. Make sure that all passengers do the  
same Safety belts.  
Only transport as many passengers as there are seats and safety belts available.  
Never drive if your driving ability has been impaired, for example, by medication, alcohol, or illegal drugs.  
Never let passengers or phone calls distract you while driving and never take your attention off the road while using vehicle software or adjusting vehicle  
equipment or accessories.  
Always adapt your speed and driving style to visibility, weather, road, and traffic conditions.  
Always obey traffic laws and speed limits.  
On long trips make frequent rest stops – at least once every 2 hours.  
Secure animals in the vehicle with a system that corresponds to their weight and size.  
Checklist  
Some countries have special safety standards and emissions requirements that your vehicle may not meet. Before taking your vehicle to another  
country, Volkswagen therefore recommends that you ask your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility about the  
following issues with regard to the country to which you would like to travel:  
Should the vehicle be technically prepared for the trip abroad, such as masking or adjusting headlights?  
Are maintenance, repair facilities, necessary tools, and testing equipment as well as spare parts readily available for your vehicle?  
Are there authorized Volkswagen dealers and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities in the countries where you will be driving?  
Is fuel with the appropriate rating for your vehicle's engine requirements readily available Fuel?  
Are engine oil (Engine oil) and other operating fluids that meet Volkswagen quality and performance requirements available where you will be driving? For  
more information, please see Warranty and Maintenance.  
Does the factory-installed navigation system work in the countries where you will be driving, and is navigation data available?  
Are special or heavy-duty tires necessary for the kind of driving expected?  
Checklist  
If you are uncertain in any way, have the work done by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Serious personal  
injury may result from improperly performed work. Make sure that you check the following items regularly. The best thing is to check them every time  
you refuel:  
Windshield washer fluid level Windshield washer fluid  
Engine oil level Engine oil  
Engine coolant level Engine coolant  
Brake fluid level Brake fluid  
44  
Tire pressure Important information on tires and wheels  
Vehicle lighting necessary for driving safety Lights:  
Turn signals  
Low beams and high beams  
Taillights  
Brake lights  
License plate lights  
Information about replacing light bulbs ⇒ Replacing light bulbsꢀ.  
WARNING  
Driving under the influence of alcohol, illegal drugs, narcotics and some medications may cause collisions and other accidents, severe personal injuries and  
even death.  
Alcohol, illegal drugs, narcotics and some medications may severely affect perception, reaction times and safe driving, which may result in the loss of  
vehicle control.  
WARNING  
Always observe traffic rules and posted speed limits and use common sense. Your good judgment can mean the difference between arriving safely at your  
destination and being seriously injured in a crash or other kind of accident.  
WARNING  
Disregarding the safety-related checklist may lead to accidents and injuries.  
Please note and follow the points listed in the checklist.  
NOTE  
Volkswagen is not responsible for mechanical damage that may result from substandard fuel or service or the unavailability of Genuine Volkswagen parts.  
Regular service and maintenance of your vehicle is important both for operational and driving safety and to help prolong your vehicle's service life. Always  
follow the scheduled maintenance intervals in the ⇒BookletWarranty and Maintenance,, especially for changing the brake fluid. Hard use, frequent stop-and-  
go driving, driving in very dusty areas, trailer towing, and other factors may make it necessary to have the vehicle serviced more frequently. Ask an authorized  
Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility for more information.  
Sitting properly and safely  
Introduction to the subject  
In this chapter you will find information on the following subjects:  
⇒ Examples of improper seating positions ꢀ  
⇒ Proper seating positionꢀ  
Number of seats  
The vehicle has a total of 5 seating positions: 2 in front and 3 in the rear. Each seating position has a safety belt.  
WARNING  
Improper seating positions increase the risk of severe or fatal injuries in a crash or other accidents, especially when the airbag deploys.  
All occupants must sit properly and be properly restrained at all times.  
Never let more people ride in the vehicle than there are seating positions with safety belts available.  
Always secure children in the vehicle with an approved and suitable restraint system appropriate for their age, weight, and height ⇒ Child safety and child  
restraintsꢀ.  
Always keep your feet on the floor in front of the seat. Never rest them on the seat, instrument panel, out of the window, etc. The airbag system and safety  
belt will not be able to protect you properly and can even increase the risk of injury in a crash.  
WARNING  
Always adjust seat, safety belts, and head restraints properly before driving and make sure that all passengers are properly restrained.  
45  
Push the passenger seat as far back as possible. Always be sure that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the front passenger's breastbone and  
the instrument panel.  
Always adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel so that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between your breastbone and the steering wheel.  
Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily push the pedals all the way to the floor while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent. The distance to the  
instrument panel in the knee area must be at least 4 inches (10 cm).  
If these requirements cannot be met for physical reasons, contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility to see  
whether adaptive equipment is available.  
Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering wheel rim with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of  
personal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.  
Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with your hands at other places inside the steering wheel rim or on the steering wheel hub.  
Holding the steering wheel the wrong way can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms, and head if the driver's airbag inflates.  
Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the ability of the driver's airbag to help protect you in a collision.  
Never drive with backrests reclined or tilted back farther than necessary to drive comfortably. The farther back the backrests are tilted, the greater the risk  
of injury caused by incorrect positioning of the safety belts and improper seating position.  
Never drive with the front seat passenger backrest tilted forward. If the front airbag deploys, the front backrest can be forced backward and injure  
passengers on the rear seat.  
Sit as far back as possible from the steering wheel and the instrument panel.  
Always sit upright with your back against the backrest with the front seats properly adjusted. Never lean against or place any part of your body too close to  
the area where the airbags are located.  
Rear seat passengers who are not properly seated and restrained are more likely to be seriously injured in a crash.  
WARNING  
Improper adjustment of the seats can cause accidents and severe injuries.  
Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving. Your seat may move unexpectedly and you could lose control of the vehicle. In addition, you will not be  
in the correct seating position while adjusting the seats.  
Adjust the front seat height, angle and longitudinal direction only if the seat adjustment area is clear.  
The adjustment of the front seats must not be restricted by things in the footwell in front or behind the seats.  
WARNING  
Improper use of seat covers can lead to an accidental activation of the electrical seat controls and can cause the front seats to move unexpectedly while  
driving. You could lose control of the vehicle, crash, and seriously injure yourself and others. Furthermore, the electrical components of the front seats could  
be damaged.  
Never put seat covers or replacement upholstery on the front seats that have not been approved by Volkswagen for your specific vehicle.  
Never attach seat covers to the electrical seat controls.  
WARNING  
Some kinds of cigarette lighters can be lit unintentionally, or crushed causing a fire that can result in serious burns and vehicle damage.  
Always make sure that there are no lighters in the seat tracks or near other moving parts before adjusting the seats.  
Before closing a storage compartment, always make sure that no cigarette lighter can be activated, crushed, or otherwise damaged.  
Never leave a cigarette lighter in a storage compartment, on the instrument panel, or in other places in the vehicle. Heat buildup in the passenger and  
luggage compartment of a parked vehicle can result in temperatures in the vehicle that are much higher than the outside temperatures, particularly in  
summer. High temperatures could cause the cigarette lighter to catch fire.  
Examples of improper seating positions  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Not wearing or improperly fastening safety belts increases the risk of severe or fatal injuries. Safety belts can work only when they are properly positioned on the  
body. An improper seating position significantly impairs the protection provided by safety belts. This can cause severe or even fatal injuries. Improper seating  
positions also increase the risk of serious injury or death when an airbag deploys and strikes an occupant who is not in the proper seating position. The driver is  
responsible for all passengers and especially children riding in the vehicle.  
The following are only some examples of seating positions that will increase the risk of serious injury or death.  
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is moving:  
46  
Never stand up in the vehicle.  
Never stand on the seats.  
Never kneel on the seats.  
Never ride with the seat backrest reclined.  
Never lean up against the instrument panel.  
Never lie down on the rear seat.  
Never sit on the edge of the seat.  
Never sit sideways.  
Never lean out the window.  
Never put your feet out the window.  
Never put feet on the instrument panel.  
Never rest your feet on the seat cushion or back of the seat.  
Never ride in the footwell.  
Never sit or stand on an armrest.  
Never ride without your safety belt properly fastened.  
Never ride in the luggage compartment.  
WARNING  
Contact with parts of the vehicle interior can cause serious personal injury in a crash.  
Always make sure that all vehicle occupants stay in a proper seating position and are properly restrained whenever the vehicle is moving.  
Improper seating positions increase the risk of serious and fatal injury, especially when an airbag deploys and strikes a passenger in an improper seating  
position.  
Proper seating position  
Fig. 25 Proper safety belt positioning and head restraint adjustment. The driver should never sit closer than 10 inches (25 cm) from the steering wheel.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The following describes the proper seating positions for the driver and passengers.  
If you have a physical impairment or condition that prevents you from sitting properly on the driver seat with the safety belt properly fastened and reaching the  
pedals, special modifications to your vehicle may be necessary. Only the proper seating position ensures optimum protection by the safety belt and airbag.  
Contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility or call the Volkswagen Customer CARE Center at 1-800-822-8987 for  
information about possible modifications to your vehicle.  
For your own safety and to reduce injuries in the event of sudden braking maneuvers or accidents, Volkswagen recommends the following seating positions:  
Applies to all vehicle occupants:  
Adjust head restraints so that the upper edge of the head restraint is at least at eye level or higher. Position the back of your head as close as possible to the  
head restraint ⇒ Fig. 25ꢀ (dotted line).  
Push the head restraint completely down for short people, even if the top of the head is then below the upper edge of the head restraint.  
Tall people should pull the head restraint all the way up.  
Adjust the seat backrest angle to an upright position so that your back is in full contact with it when the vehicle is moving.  
Always keep both feet on the floor and in the footwell whenever the vehicle is moving.  
Always adjust and fasten safety belts properly ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ.  
Driver - seat and steering wheel adjustment:  
Adjust the steering wheel so that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the steering wheel and your breast bone ⇒ Fig. 25Ⓐꢀ, ⇒ Steering wheelꢀ. When  
47  
adjusting the proper distance to the steering wheel, grasp the top of the steering wheel with your elbows slightly bent.  
Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering wheel rim with your hands at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of  
personal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.  
Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with your hands at other places inside the steering wheel rim or on the steering wheel hub. Holding  
the steering wheel the wrong way can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms, and head if the driver's airbag inflates.  
Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering wheel cover points at your chest and not at your face. Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases  
the ability of the driver's airbag to help protect you in a collision.  
Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily push the pedals all the way to the floor while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent. The distance to the instrument  
panel in the knee area must be at least 4 inches (10 cm) ⇒ Fig. 25Ⓑꢀ.  
Adjust the seat height so that the top point of the steering wheel can be reached.  
Always keep both feet in the footwell so that you are in control of the vehicle at all times.  
Passenger - front seat adjustment:  
Push the passenger seat as far back as possible in order to ensure optimum protection if the airbag is deployed.  
Safety belts  
Introduction to the subject  
In this chapter you will find information on the following subjects:  
⇒ Warning lightꢀ  
⇒ Frontal collisions and laws of physicsꢀ  
⇒ What happens to passengers not wearing a safety belt ꢀ  
⇒ Safety belts protectꢀ  
⇒ Using safety beltsꢀ  
⇒ Fastening and unfastening safety beltsꢀ  
⇒ Safety belt positionꢀ  
⇒ Safety belt height adjustersꢀ  
⇒ Safety belt extenderꢀ  
⇒ Safety belt retractor, pretensioner, load limiter ꢀ  
⇒ Service and disposal of belt pretensioners ꢀ  
Properly worn safety belts are the single most effective means of reducing the risk of serious injury and death in a collision or other accident.  
Damage to safety belts reduces their overall effectiveness and increases the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever the vehicle is being used.  
Check the condition of all safety belts regularly.  
If a safety belt shows damage to webbing, bindings, retractors or buckles, have the safety belt replaced by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized  
Volkswagen Service Facility ⇒ ꢀ.  
WARNING  
Not wearing a safety belt or wearing an improperly positioned safety belt increases the risk of severe personal injury or death. Safety belts offer optimum  
protection only when they are used properly.  
Properly worn safety belts are the single most effective means of reducing the risk of serious injury and death in a collision or other accident. For this  
reason, always wear your safety belt properly and make sure all passengers wear their safety belts properly as well whenever the vehicle is moving.  
The driver must always make sure that every person in the vehicle is properly seated on a seat of his or her own, properly fastens the safety belts  
belonging to that seat before the vehicle starts to move, and keeps the belts properly fastened while riding in the vehicle. This applies even when just  
driving around town. Therefore, always wear your safety belts and make sure that everybody in your vehicle is properly restrained.  
Always secure children in the vehicle with a restraint system appropriate for their age, weight and height ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ.  
Always fasten safety belts correctly before driving off and make sure that all passengers are properly restrained.  
Never attach the safety belt to the buckle of another seat. Attaching the safety belt to the wrong buckle will reduce safety belt effectiveness and can cause  
serious personal injury.  
48  
Never let any objects or liquids get into the safety belt latch and prevent it from working properly.  
Never remove a safety belt while the vehicle is moving. Doing so will increase your risk of being injured or killed.  
Never strap more than one person, including small children, into any single safety belt.  
Never let children or babies ride sitting on your lap, and never place a safety belt over a child sitting on your lap.  
Never wear belts over rigid or breakable objects in or on your clothing, such as eyeglasses, pens, keys, etc., as these may cause injury.  
Several layers of heavy clothing (such as a coat worn over top of a sports jacket) may interfere with proper positioning of the safety belt and reduce the  
overall effectiveness of the system.  
Never use comfort clips or devices that create slack in the shoulder belt. However, special clips may be required for the correct use of some child restraint  
systems.  
Safety belts offer optimum protection only when the seat backrest is upright and belts are correctly positioned on the body.  
WARNING  
Damage to safety belts reduces their overall effectiveness and increases the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever the vehicle is being used.  
Never let safety belts become damaged by being caught in the door or seat hardware.  
Torn or frayed safety belts can tear, and damaged safety belt hardware can break in an accident.  
Inspect belts regularly for damage. If webbing, bindings, buckles, or retractors are damaged, have the belts replaced immediately with the correct  
replacement belts approved by Volkswagen for your vehicle, model, and model year.  
Safety belts that were subject to stress in an accident and stretched must be replaced with a correct, new safety belt, preferably by an authorized  
Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Replacement after a crash may be necessary even if a safety belt shows no visible damage. Anchorages that have been loaded must also be inspected.  
Damaged safety belts must be replaced; they cannot be repaired.  
Never try to repair a damaged safety belt yourself. Never remove or modify the safety belts in any way.  
Have safety belts, bindings, retractors and buckles replaced by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Always keep the belts clean. Dirty belts may not work correctly and can impair the function of the inertia reel.  
Warning light  
Fig. 26 Warning light in the instrument cluster.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Lights up or flashes  
Possible cause  
Driver and/or front passenger have not fastened their safety belts, if front  
passenger seat is occupied.  
Proper response  
Fasten safety belts.  
When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds.  
A warning chime also sounds.  
The safety belt warning light comes on for 6 seconds when the ignition is switched on. A warning chime also sounds for up to 6 seconds if the driver's safety belt  
is not buckled. The chime stops sooner if the driver buckles his or her safety belt. The warning light and the chime go out when both driver and front passenger hav  
buckled their safety belts.  
If the driver and front seat passenger do not both fasten their safety belts within about 24 seconds after the chime stops and the vehicle is moving at a speed of  
more than about 15 mph (25 km/h), the chime will again sound for about 6 seconds, then go off for about 24 seconds, then sound again for about another  
6 seconds. The same thing happens if one of the safety belts is fastened and then unfastened while the vehicle is moving. The safety belt warning light also  
flashes. The warning chime continues to sound at 24 second intervals for up to 2 minutes. No chime sounds at speeds of less than about 5 mph (8 km/h).  
If the ignition is switched on, the safety belt warning light  
stays on until the driver and front passenger have both buckled their safety belts.  
49  
WARNING  
Not wearing a safety belt or wearing an improperly positioned safety belt increases the risk of severe personal injury or death. Safety belts offer optimum  
protection only when used correctly.  
Frontal collisions and laws of physics  
Fig. 27 A vehicle with passengers not wearing safety belts approaches a wall.  
Fig. 28 A vehicle with passengers not wearing safety belts hits a wall.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The physical principles of a frontal collision are simple. Both the moving vehicle and the passenger possess energy ⇒ Fig. 27ꢀ, which varies with vehicle speed an  
body weight. Engineers call this energy kinetic energy.  
The higher the speed of the vehicle and the greater the vehicle's weight, the more energy has to be absorbed in a crash.  
Vehicle speed is the most significant factor. If your speed doubles (for example, from 15 mph to 30 mph – 25 km/h to 50 km/h), the energy increases 4 times!  
Because the occupants of the vehicle in the above example are not using safety belts, they are not attached to the vehicle. In a frontal collision, they will keep  
moving at the same speed the vehicle was moving just before the crash, until something stops them - here, the inside of the passenger compartment. Because the  
occupants of the vehicle in the example are not wearing safety belts, their entire kinetic energy will be absorbed by impact with the wall ⇒ Fig. 28ꢀ.  
The same principles apply to people in a vehicle that is in a frontal collision on the highway. Even at city speeds of 20–30 mph (30–50 km/h), the forces acting on th  
body can reach one ton (2,000 lbs or 1,000 kg) or more. At greater speeds, these forces are even higher.  
Of course, the laws of physics don't apply just to frontal collisions; they determine what happens in all kinds of accidents and collisions.  
What happens to passengers not wearing a safety belt  
Fig. 29 The unbelted driver is thrown forward.  
Fig. 30 Unbelted passengers in the rear seats are thrown forward on top of the belted driver.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Many people believe that it is possible to resist the forces of an impact by holding tight or bracing themselves. That is simply not true!  
50  
Even at low collision speeds, the forces acting on the body are too much for the body to be held in the seat with the arms and hands. In a frontal collision,  
unrestrained occupants will slam violently into the steering wheel, instrument panel, windshield or anything else in the way ⇒ Fig. 29ꢀ.  
Never rely on airbags alone for protection. Even when they deploy, airbags provide only additional protection. Airbags are not supposed to deploy in all kinds of  
accidents. Even if your vehicle is equipped with airbags, all vehicle occupants, including the driver, must wear safety belts correctly in order to minimize the risk of  
severe injury or death in a crash, regardless of whether a seating position has an airbag or not.  
An airbag will deploy only once. Safety belts are always there to offer protection in those accidents in which airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have  
already deployed. Unbelted occupants can also be thrown out of the vehicle, causing even more severe injuries or death.  
It is also important for occupants in the rear seats to wear their safety belts properly since they can be thrown violently forward through the vehicle in the event of an  
accident. Unbelted passengers in the rear seats endanger not only themselves but also the driver and other passengers in the vehicle ⇒ Fig. 30ꢀ.  
Safety belts protect  
Fig. 31 Belted driver secured by the correctly worn safety belt in the event of a sudden braking maneuver.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Used properly, safety belts can make a big difference. Safety belts help to keep passengers in their seats, gradually reduce energy levels applied to the body in a  
collision, and help prevent the uncontrolled movement that can cause serious injuries. In addition, safety belts reduce the danger of being thrown out of the vehicle  
⇒ Fig. 31ꢀ.  
Safety belts attach passengers to the car and give them the benefit of being slowed down more gently or softly through the give in the safety belts, crumple zones,  
and other safety features (such as airbags) engineered into today's vehicles. The front crumple zones and other passive safety features (such as the airbag system  
are also designed to absorb kinetic energy. By absorbing the kinetic energy over a longer period of time, the forces on the body become more tolerable and less  
likely to cause injury.  
Although these examples are based on a frontal collision, safety belts can also substantially reduce the risk of injury in other kinds of crashes. So, whether you're o  
a long trip or just going to the corner store, always buckle up and make sure that others do, too.  
Accident statistics show that vehicle occupants properly wearing safety belts have a lower risk of being injured and a much better chance of surviving a collision.  
Properly using safety belts also greatly increases the ability of the supplemental airbags to do their job in a collision. For this reason, wearing a safety belt is  
required by law in most countries including the United States and Canada.  
Although your Volkswagen is equipped with airbags, you still have to wear the safety belts provided. Front airbags, for example, are activated only in some frontal  
collisions. The front airbags are not activated in all frontal collisions, in side and rear collisions, in rollovers, or in cases when the conditions for deployment stored in  
the electronic control unit are not met. The same goes for the other airbag systems on your Volkswagen.  
So always wear your safety belt and make sure that everybody in your vehicle is properly restrained!  
Using safety belts  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Checklist  
Using safety belts ⇒  
ꢀ
Damage to safety belts reduces their overall effectiveness and increases the risk of serious personal injury and death whenever the vehicle is being used.  
Check the condition of all safety belts regularly.  
Keep safety belts clean.  
Keep objects and liquids away from safety belt webbing, the safety belt buckle tongue, and the safety belt buckle latch and opening.  
Do not pinch or damage the safety belt or buckle tongue (for instance, when closing a door).  
Never modify, disassemble or try to repair safety belts and safety belt anchorages.  
Always fasten your safety belt properly before driving and keep it fastened whenever the vehicle is moving.  
51  
Twisted safety belt  
If it is difficult to pull the safety belt out of the belt guide, the belt may be twisted inside the side trim because the belt retracted too quickly when it was taken off.  
Hold the safety belt tongue, slowly and carefully pull safety belt all the way out.  
Untwist the safety belt and slowly return the belt by hand.  
If you cannot untwist the safety belt, wear it anyway. Make sure that the safety belt is twisted in a spot where it does not come in direct contact with your body. Have  
the safety belt untwisted immediately by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Lockable safety belt  
The retractors for the rear seat safety belts and the front passenger safety belt have a switchable locking feature for child restraints in addition to the emergency  
locking feature. Whenever a child restraint is installed with a safety belt, the safety belt must be locked so that the safety belt webbing cannot unreel. The switchabl  
locking feature lets you lock the belt so that a child restraint can be properly installed and, for example, so that it can't tip to the side when the vehicle goes around a  
corner ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ.  
To see whether a safety belt is lockable, pull the safety belt all the way out of the safety belt retractor. You should then hear a clicking sound as the belt winds back  
into the retractor reel. Test the switchable locking feature by pulling on the belt. When the switchable locking feature is active, you should no longer be able to pull  
the belt out of the retractor.  
The locking feature must be deactivated when a vehicle occupant uses the safety belt.  
WARNING  
Improper use and care of safety belts increases the risk of severe personal injury or death.  
Regularly check safety belts and related parts for damage.  
Damaged safety belts must be replaced; they cannot be repaired.  
Always keep safety belts clean.  
Never catch, damage or chafe safety belt webbing on sharp edges.  
Always keep objects and liquids away from the belt buckle and buckle opening.  
Fastening and unfastening safety belts  
Fig. 32 Inserting the buckle tongue into the belt buckle.  
Fig. 33 Releasing the buckle tongue from the belt buckle.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Properly worn safety belts help to hold occupants in their seats and provide optimum protection during braking or in a collision or other accident  
⇒
ꢀ.  
The switchable locking feature makes a clicking sound when the safety belt is winding back onto the safety belt retractor wheel after being pulled all the way out.  
Whenever a child restraint is installed with a safety belt, the safety belt must be locked so that the safety belt webbing cannot unreel ⇒ Child safety and child  
restraintsꢀ. If active, deactivate the locking feature before using the safety belt to restrain a person without a child restraint system.  
Fastening safety belts  
Always buckle your safety belt before driving.  
Adjust the front seat and head restraint correctly ⇒ Seats and head restraintsꢀ.  
Make sure the seat backrest of the rear seat bench is in an upright position and securely latched in place before using the safety belt  
⇒
ꢀ.  
Hold the safety belt by the tongue and pull it slowly and evenly across the chest and pelvis. Do not twist the safety belt webbing ⇒ ꢀ.  
52  
Insert the tongue into the correct buckle for your seat until you hear it latch securely ⇒ Fig. 32ꢀ.  
Pull on the safety belt to make sure that it is securely latched in the buckle.  
Unfastening safety belts  
Unfasten safety belts only when the vehicle is not moving ⇒ ꢀ.  
Press the red button on the buckle ⇒ Fig. 33ꢀ. The buckle tongue is ejected.  
Let the belt wind up on the retractor as you guide the belt tongue to its stowed position to help prevent the safety belt from twisting and to help avoid damage  
to the interior trim.  
WARNING  
Improperly positioned safety belts can cause serious personal injury or death in an accident.  
Safety belts offer optimum protection only when the seat backrest is upright and belts are correctly positioned on the body.  
A person who is not properly restrained can be seriously injured by the safety belt itself if it slips from the stronger parts of the body into sensitive areas like  
the abdomen.  
Unfastening safety belts while the vehicle is in motion can cause severe personal injury or death in the event of an accident or braking maneuver!  
Safety belt position  
Fig. 34 Proper safety belt positioning and head restraint adjustment.  
Fig. 35 Proper safety belt positioning for expectant mothers.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Wearing safety belts improperly can cause serious injury or death. Safety belts can only work when they are correctly positioned on the body. A properly worn safet  
belt also helps to position the occupant so that an airbag can provide maximum protection when deployed. Therefore, always fasten your safety belt and make sure  
that it is properly positioned over your body.  
Improper seating positions reduce the effectiveness of safety belts and even increase the risk of injury or death by moving the safety belt to critical areas of the  
body. Improper seating positions also increase the risk of severe injury or death when an airbag deploys and strikes an occupant who is not seated properly  
⇒ Sitting properly and safelyꢀ.  
Proper safety belt position  
The shoulder portion of the safety belt must always run over the center of the shoulder and never over the throat, over the arm, under the arm or behind the  
back.  
The lap portion of the safety belt must always run as low as possible over the pelvis and never over the abdomen.  
Always wear the safety belt flat and snug against the body. Pull on the safety belt to tighten if necessary.  
Expectant mothers must always wear the lap portion of the safety belt as low as possible across the pelvis and below the rounding of the abdomen – throughout  
the pregnancy. The safety belt must lie flat against the body to avoid pressure against the abdomen ⇒ Fig. 35ꢀ.  
Adjusting safety belt height  
The safety belt position can be adjusted using the following features:  
Safety belt height adjusters for the front seats.  
Front seats with height adjustment.  
53  
WARNING  
Improperly positioned safety belts can cause serious personal injury in an accident or a sudden braking maneuver.  
Always make sure that all vehicle occupants are correctly restrained and stay in a correct seating position whenever the vehicle is being used.  
Safety belts offer optimum protection only when the seat backrest is upright and belts are correctly positioned on the body.  
A loose-fitting safety belt can cause serious injuries by shifting its position on your body from the strong bones to more vulnerable soft tissue and cause  
serious injury.  
The shoulder belt portion of the safety belt must be positioned over the middle of the occupant's shoulder and never across the neck or throat.  
The safety belt must lie flat and snug on the occupant's upper body.  
Never wear the shoulder part of the safety belt under your arm or otherwise out of position.  
The lap portion of the safety belt must be positioned as low as possible across the pelvis and never over the abdomen. Make sure the belt lies flat and snug  
against the pelvis. Pull on the safety belt to tighten if necessary.  
Expectant mothers must always wear the lap portion of the safety belt as low as possible across the pelvis and below the rounding of the abdomen.  
Do not twist the belt when attaching it. If you cannot untwist a twisted safety belt, wear it anyway, but make sure the twisted part is not in contact with your  
body. Have the problem corrected right away by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Never hold the safety belt away from your body with your hand.  
Never wear belts over rigid or breakable objects, such as eyeglasses, pens or keys.  
Never modify the position of the belt using comfort clips, loops or similar devices.  
If you have a physical impairment or condition that prevents you from sitting properly on the seat with the safety belt properly fastened, special modifications  
to your vehicle may be necessary. Contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility or call the Volkswagen Customer  
CARE Center at 1-800-822-8987 for information about possible modifications to your vehicle.  
Safety belt height adjusters  
Fig. 36 Next to the front seats: Safety belt height adjuster.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Safety belt height adjusters for the front seats can be used to adjust the height of the shoulder portion of the safety belt so that it is positioned correctly:  
Pinch the safety belt attachment together as indicated by the arrows and hold ⇒ Fig. 36ꢀ.  
Slide the belt and upper attachment up or down until the safety belt is positioned over the center of the shoulder ⇒ Safety belt positionꢀ.  
Release the safety belt attachment.  
Pull on the safety belt to make sure that the upper attachment is securely locked in place.  
WARNING  
Never adjust the height of the safety belt while driving.  
Safety belt extender  
54  
Fig. 37 A safety belt extender properly attached to the factory-installed safety belt.  
Fig. 38 Positioning of the safety belt extender.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
If a safety belt is too short to correctly fit you or one of your passengers, even when the safety belt is pulled out all the way, you can use a safety belt extender.  
Never use the safety belt extender for any other purpose – including the attachment of a child restraint.  
The extender adds about 8 inches (20 cm) to the safety belt. Always remove the safety belt extender when it is not needed and stow it safely. Contact an authorized  
Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility if you believe you may need an extender.  
Key to⇒ Fig. 37ꢀ:  
Vehicle safety belt buckle.  
Buckle tongue on the safety belt extender.  
Safety belt buckle on the safety belt extender.  
Safety belt buckle tongue on the factory-installed safety belt.  
Key to⇒ Fig. 38ꢀ:  
Safety belt buckle on the safety belt extender.  
Distance between the safety belt buckle on the safety belt extender and the centerline of the person using the safety belt extender. The distance must be  
more than 6 inches (15 cm)!  
Centerline of the person using the safety belt extender.  
Using a safety belt extender  
Adjust both the seat and the head restraint properly ⇒ Seats and head restraintsꢀ.  
Insert the buckle tongue on the safety belt extender ⇒ Fig. 37②ꢀ into the vehicle belt buckle for the seat where the safety belt extender is being used  
⇒ Fig. 37①ꢀ.  
Fastening or unfastening the vehicle safety belt ⇒ Fastening and unfastening safety belts ꢀ.  
Pull the belt to make sure that the tongues are securely locked in the buckles.  
Make sure that the safety belt is positioned properly ⇒ Safety belt positionꢀ.  
Properly using safety belt extenders:  
Use a safety belt extender only when the factory installed safety belt is too short when worn properly by a person in proper seating position.  
Only use one safety belt extender per seat and vehicle safety belt.  
Always remove the safety belt extender when it is not needed.  
Never leave a safety belt extender attached to the vehicle safety belt buckle when the extender is not needed and being used with the safety belt. Otherwise,  
the airbag control module will receive an incorrect signal from the safety belt buckle and this will prevent the airbag from working properly for a person who is  
not using the safety belt. 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 the airbag control unit during a collision 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 and the front passenger airbag to  
deploy later in collisions that would normally trigger the front airbag earlier in the collision to help protect an unrestrained front seat occupant. The airbag will  
not be able to provide enough protection for an occupant not wearing a safety belt.  
Only use the safety belt extender approved by Volkswagen for your vehicle.  
WARNING  
Improper use or positioning of a safety belt extender increases the risk of serious personal injury and death.  
A driver or passenger who is not properly restrained can be seriously injured by striking the interior of the passenger compartment or by the safety belt  
itself, which can be displaced from stronger parts of the body into sensitive areas like the abdomen.  
Safety belt extenders offer optimum protection only when they are properly used.  
55  
Only use the extender when the belt is not long enough to be worn low and snug and the person is in the correct seating position. Remove and stow  
extender safely when not needed.  
Always make sure the safety belt tongue of the safety belt extender is securely inserted into the buckle for the seating position that belongs to the seat  
where the safety belt extender is being used. Attaching the safety belt to the wrong buckle will reduce safety belt effectiveness and can cause serious  
personal injury.  
Never use the safety belt extender if you can properly attach the safety belt without it. Using a safety belt extender when not needed can increase the risk  
of injury, especially in a collision.  
Never use a safety belt extender if the distance (B) between the front edge of the safety belt extender buckle (A) and the centerline of the person using the  
safety belt extender ⇒ Fig. 38Ⓒꢀ is less than 6 inches (15 cm).  
Never leave a safety belt extender attached to the vehicle safety belt buckle when the extender is not needed and being used with the safety belt.  
Otherwise, the airbag control module will receive an incorrect signal from the safety belt buckle and this will prevent the airbag from working properly for a  
person who is not using the safety belt.  
Never use more than one extender with a safety belt. Using more than one extender can change the way the safety belt passes over the body and can  
cause serious injury.  
Never use the safety belt extender to secure a child restraint.  
Never use a safety belt extender on your Volkswagen that you got from another automobile manufacturer or from an automotive parts store.  
Never use the safety belt extender you got for your vehicle for any other vehicle, regardless of make, model, or model year.  
NOTE  
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.  
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.  
A pretensioner that has deployed cannot be repaired. The entire safety belt must be replaced.  
NOTE  
If the safety belt extender is left attached to the safety belt buckle, the safety belt warning system will sense that the safety belt for that seat is being used. The  
warning light will not come on and the warning chime will not sound even though the seat is occupied and the safety belt is not being used.  
Safety belt retractor, pretensioner, load limiter  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The safety belts in the vehicle are part of the vehicle's safety concept ⇒ Airbags and how they workꢀ and consist of the following important features:  
Automatic safety belt retractors  
Every safety belt is equipped with an automatic safety belt retractor on the shoulder belt. As long as the safety belt is pulled out slowly, the shoulder belt will extend  
to let you move freely under normal driving conditions. The automatic safety belt retractor locks the belt when the belt is pulled out fast, during hard braking and in a  
collision. The belt may also lock when you drive up or down a steep hill or through a sharp curve.  
Safety belt pretensioner  
The safety belt retractors for the driver and front seat passenger have a pretensioner that helps take the slack out of the safety belt and tighten it when the  
pretensioner is activated.  
The pretensioners are activated by the electronic control unit for the airbag system in front, side, and rear collisions. By tightening the safety belt, the pretensioner  
helps to reduce the occupant's forward movement. The belt pretensioner works together with the airbag system; its function is monitored by the airbag system  
indicator light. The belt pretensioner will not deploy in a rollover if the side airbags are not activated.  
A fine dust may be released upon activation. This is normal and is not caused by a fire in the vehicle.  
Safety belt load limiter  
The front and rear outboard safety belts also have load limiters to help reduce the forces applied to the body in a crash.  
Heed all safety regulations if the vehicle or individual components of the system have to be scrapped. Your authorized Volkswagen dealer and authorized  
Volkswagen Service Facility are familiar with these regulations ⇒ Service and disposal of belt pretensionersꢀ.  
56  
Service and disposal of belt pretensioners  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The pretensioners are part of the safety belts installed at the front seats in your vehicle. Installing, removing, servicing, or repairing of safety belt pretensioners can  
damage the safety belt system and prevent it from working correctly in a collision. The pretensioners themselves may then also not work in the event of an accident  
or not work properly.  
There are some important things you have to know to make sure that the effectiveness of the system will not be impaired and that discarded components do not  
cause injury or pollute the environment. Undeployed safety belt pretensioners and airbag modules contain explosive materials that can cause serious injuries to the  
general public and to people who work at dealerships and workshops, scrap yards, and recycling facilities. For this reason, the systems must be properly handled  
when they or the vehicles they are installed in are scrapped.  
Undeployed safety belt pretensioners and airbag modules can also pollute the environment. Never abandon vehicles or vehicle parts. If your vehicle must be  
scrapped, please make sure that it is done safely, responsibly, and in compliance with all applicable environmental regulations. Take it to a licensed facility that has  
the knowledge and experience to properly dispose of the vehicle and its safety belt system. Your authorized Volkswagen dealer and authorized Volkswagen Service  
Facility are familiar with these regulations.  
WARNING  
Improper handling, care, servicing, and repair procedures can increase the risk of personal injury and death by preventing a belt pretensioner from activating  
when needed or by causing it to activate unexpectedly.  
The pretensioner can be activated only once. If a pretensioner has been activated, the safety belt must be replaced.  
Safety belt systems including the pretensioners cannot be repaired. Special procedures are required to remove, install, and dispose of this system.  
Never repair, adjust, or change pretensioners or any other part of the safety belt system yourself. We strongly recommend that you have any work on the  
safety belt system performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. They have the necessary technical  
information, training, and special equipment ⇒ Parts, accessories, repairs, and modificationsꢀ.  
WARNING  
Undeployed safety belt pretensioners and airbag modules contain explosive materials that can cause serious personal injuries if they are not properly handled  
when they or the vehicles they are installed in are scrapped.  
Never abandon vehicles or vehicle parts.  
Always scrap vehicles and vehicle parts, especially those containing undeployed airbag modules and undeployed safety belt pretensioners, at a licensed  
facility that has the knowledge and experience to properly dispose of the vehicle and its safety belt and airbag systems.  
Undeployed airbag modules and safety belt pretensioners are classified as Perchlorate Material. Special handling may apply – see  
. Obey all applicable legal requirements regarding handling and disposal of the vehicle or parts of its  
restraint system, including airbag modules and safety belts with pretensioners. Authorized Volkswagen dealers and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities  
are familiar with the requirements, and we recommend that you have them perform this service for you.  
Airbag system  
Introduction to the subject  
In this chapter you will find information on the following subjects:  
⇒ Advanced Airbag System, infants, child restraints, and children on the front seatꢀ  
⇒ Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System ꢀ  
⇒ PASSENGER AIR BAG lightꢀ  
⇒ Airbags and how they workꢀ  
⇒ The dangers of using child restraints on the front seat ꢀ  
⇒ Front airbagsꢀ  
⇒ Advanced Airbag System componentsꢀ  
⇒ How to tell if the front passenger front airbag is on or off ꢀ  
⇒ Side airbagsꢀ  
⇒ Side Curtain Protection® airbagsꢀ  
57  
Your vehicle is equipped with a front airbag for the driver and front seat passenger. The front airbags can provide additional protection for the chest and head of the  
driver and the front seat passenger when seats, safety belts, head restraints and, for the driver, the steering wheel, are properly used and have been properly  
adjusted. Airbags are only supplemental restraints. They are not a substitute for safety belts that must be worn even though the front seating positions are equipped  
with front airbags.  
WARNING  
Never rely on airbags alone for protection.  
Even when they deploy, airbags provide only supplemental protection.  
Airbags work most effectively when used with properly worn safety belts ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ.  
The driver must always make sure that every person in the vehicle is properly seated on a seat of his or her own, properly fastens the safety belts  
belonging to that seat before the vehicle starts to move, and keeps the belts properly fastened while riding in the vehicle. This applies even when just  
driving around town. Therefore, always wear your safety belts and make sure that everybody in your vehicle is properly restrained.  
WARNING  
Sitting too close to the steering wheel or instrument panel will decrease the effectiveness of the airbags and will increase the risk of personal injury in a  
collision.  
Never sit closer than 10 inches (25 cm) to the steering wheel or instrument panel.  
If you cannot sit upright more than 10 inches (25 cm) from the steering wheel and with your back against the backrest, investigate whether adaptive  
equipment may be available to help you reach the pedals and increase your seating distance from the steering wheel.  
If you are unrestrained, leaning forward, sitting sideways or out of position in any way, your risk of injury is much higher.  
You will also receive serious injuries and could even be killed if you are up against the airbag or too close to it when it inflates.  
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag inflates, always wear safety belts properly. See ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ .  
An infant in a rearward-facing child restraint installed on the front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the front airbag inflates.  
Always make certain that children age 12 or younger always ride in the rear seat. If children are not properly restrained, they may be severely injured or  
killed when an airbag inflates.  
Never let children ride unrestrained or improperly restrained in the vehicle.  
Never put your feet on the instrument panel or on the seat. Always keep both feet on the floor in front of the seat to help prevent serious injuries to the  
head, legs and hips if the airbag inflates.  
WARNING  
Objects between you and the airbag will increase the risk of injury in a crash by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds or by being pushed into you as the  
airbag inflates.  
Never hold things in your hands or on your lap when the vehicle is in use.  
Never transport items on or in the area of the front passenger seat. Objects could move into the area of the front airbags during braking or other sudden  
maneuvers and fly dangerously through the passenger compartment when an airbag inflates.  
Always make sure that the airbag deployment zones are clear at all times. Never let any thing or object, a pet, or a person, including an infant or small child,  
be in the space between any vehicle occupant and any airbag at any time.  
WARNING  
An airbag works only once. Airbags that have deployed in a crash must be replaced.  
Deployed airbags and the related system parts must be replaced immediately with new parts approved by Volkswagen for the vehicle model and model  
year.  
Have repairs and vehicle modifications performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Authorized Volkswagen  
dealers and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities have the required tools, diagnostic equipment, repair information, and trained personnel to properly  
replace any airbag in your vehicle and assure system effectiveness in a crash.  
Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to be installed in your vehicle.  
Never modify any components of the airbag system.  
WARNING  
Fine dust released when airbags deploy can irritate the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes as well as cause breathing problems for people who suffer from  
asthma or other respiratory conditions.  
The fine dust can irritate the skin and eye mucous membranes and cause breathing problems for people who suffer from asthma or other breathing  
conditions. To reduce the risk of breathing problems, those with asthma or other respiratory conditions should get fresh air right away by getting out of the  
vehicle or opening windows or doors.  
58  
If you are in a collision in which airbags deploy, wash your hands and face with mild soap and water before eating.  
Be careful not to get the dust into your eyes or into any cuts, scratches, or open wounds.  
If the residue should get into your eyes, flush them with water.  
WARNING  
Using solvents or other improper cleaning products on surfaces where airbags are located can change the way airbags deploy in a crash.  
Products containing solvents will change the properties of the plastics and may cause plastic parts to break and fly around when the airbag deploys in a  
crash, causing injury.  
Never use solvents or cleaners on the steering wheel horn pad or on the instrument panel because they can damage the airbag cover or change the  
stiffness or strength of the material so that the airbag cannot deploy and protect properly.  
When cleaning the horn pad and instrument panel, use only a soft, dry cloth or a cloth moistened with plain water.  
Advanced Airbag System, infants, child restraints, and children on the front seat  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Be sure to read the important information and the WARNINGS for important details about children and Advanced Airbags ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ.  
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has been certified to comply with the requirements of the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard  
(FMVSS) 208, as well as Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manufactured. According to  
requirements, the front Advanced Airbag System on the passenger side has been certified for suppression for infants of about 12 months old and younger and for  
low risk deployment for children aged 3 to 6 years old (as defined in the standard).  
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag System, make certain that all children, especially 12 years and younger, always ride on the back  
seat properly restrained for their age and size. The airbag on the front passenger side makes the front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride. The fron  
seat is not the safest place for a child in a forward-facing child restraint. It is a very dangerous place for an infant or a child in a rearward-facing seat.  
DANGER!  
The front seat of any vehicle can be a dangerous place for a child - even with an Advanced Airbag System.  
If the front airbag inflates, a child or infant who  
is unrestrained on the front seat,  
is in an improperly installed forward-facing child restraint on the front seat, or  
is in any rearward-facing child restraint on the front seat will be seriously injured and can be killed.  
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag System, make certain that all children, especially 12 years and younger, always ride on the  
back seat properly restrained for their age and size.  
Always properly install rearward-facing child restraints or infant carriers and forward-facing child restraints on the rear seat - even with an Advanced Airbag  
System.  
Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The Advanced Airbag System as well as the side airbags and Side Curtain Protection ® airbags with ejection mitigation features (including the electronic control uni  
sensors and system wiring) are all monitored continuously to make sure that they are functioning properly whenever the ignition is on. Every time you turn on the  
ignition, the airbag system indicator light  
will come on for a few seconds (function check).  
The airbag system must be inspected if the airbag indicator light  
does not light up when the ignition is switched on,  
does not go out a few seconds after you have switched on the ignition,  
goes out and then lights up again or blinks after the ignition is switched on,  
or if it lights up or blinks while driving.  
If an airbag system malfunction is detected, the airbag indicator light comes on and stays on to alert the driver to the problem. It also reminds you to have the airbag  
system checked immediately by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. If a malfunction occurs that turns the front airbag  
on the passenger side off, the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light ⇒ PASSENGER AIR BAG  
lightꢀ will come on and stay on whenever the ignition is on.  
WARNING  
59  
An airbag system and safety belt pretensioner that are not working properly cannot provide supplemental protection in a frontal crash.  
If the airbag indicator light comes on, it means that there may be something wrong with the Advanced Airbag System. It is possible that the airbag will  
inflate when it is not supposed to, or will not inflate when it should.  
Have the airbag system inspected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light  
Fig. 39 In the instrument panel: PASSENGER AIR BAG light.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
On  
Location  
Possible cause  
Solution  
See your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized  
Volkswagen Service Facility immediately to have the  
system checked.  
Airbag and safety belt pretensioner system  
malfunction.  
Instrument cluster  
See your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized  
Volkswagen Service Facility immediately to have the  
system checked.  
Airbag system malfunction.  
Instrument panel ⇒ Fig. 39ꢀ  
Front passenger airbag turned off by Advanced  
Airbag System.  
Check if the airbag must stay turned off.  
The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light ⇒ Fig. 39ꢀ will come on and stay on to tell you when the front Advanced Airbag System on the passenger side has been  
turned off by the electronic control unit.  
If the bulb for the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light burns out, the airbag indicator light  
⇒ Monitoring the Advanced Airbag System ꢀ will come on and signal a  
malfunction in the Advanced Airbag System. Although the burned-out bulb will not change the way the front airbag on the passenger side works, it will no longer be  
possible to use the PASSENGER AIR BAG light to make sure that the airbag on/off status is correct for the occupant on the front passenger seat. Have the  
airbag system inspected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light will blink for about 5 seconds when:  
the ignition is switched on and  
the capacitive passenger detection system, which switches the front seat passenger's front Advanced Airbag on and off, detects a change in the status of the  
front passenger seat.  
After the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light stops blinking, always make sure that the airbag status (on or off) as shown by the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
ligh  
is proper for the size, age, and weight (electrical capacitance) of the occupant on the front passenger seat. Always make sure that the safety belt for the front  
passenger seat is properly fastened.  
The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light will show the status of the front seat passenger's front Advanced Airbag System a few seconds after the ignition has been  
switched on and the airbag monitoring light goes off. The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light:  
will stay on if the front passenger seat is not occupied;  
will stay on if the electrical capacitance measured by the capacitive passenger detection system for the front passenger seat equals the combined capacitance  
of an infant up to about 1 year of age and one of the rearward-facing or forward-facing child restraints listed in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 with  
which the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle was certified. For a listing of the child restraints that were used to certify your vehicle's compliance with the  
60  
U.S. Safety Standard ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ;  
will go out if the front passenger seat is occupied by an adult as registered by the capacitive passenger detection system.  
The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light must come on and stay on if the ignition is on and…  
a car bed has been installed on the front passenger seat, or  
a rearward-facing child restraint has been installed on the front passenger seat, or  
a forward-facing child restraint has been installed on the front passenger seat,  
and if the electrical capacitance registered on the front passenger seat is equal to or less than the combined capacitance of a typical 1 year-old infant and one  
of the rearward-facing or forward-facing child restraints listed in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 with which the Advanced Airbag System in your  
vehicle was certified.  
If the front passenger seat is not occupied, the front passenger airbag will not deploy, and the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light will stay on.  
Never install a rearward-facing child restraint on the front passenger seat. The safest place for a child in any kind of child restraint is on the rear seat ⇒ Advance  
Airbag System, infants, child restraints, and children on the front seatꢀ, and ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ.  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes on…  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes on when one of the conditions listed above is met, be sure to check the light regularly to make certain that the  
light stays on continuously whenever the ignition is on. If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not come on and stay on all  
the time, stop as soon as it is safe to do so AND  
reactivate the airbag system by turning the ignition off for more than 4 seconds and then turning it on again;  
remove and reinstall the child restraint. Make sure that the child restraint is properly installed and that the safety belt for the front passenger seat has been  
correctly routed around or through the child restraint as described in the child restraint manufacturer's instructions;  
make sure that the switchable locking feature on the safety belt for the front passenger seat has been activated and that the safety belt has been pulled tight;  
make sure that no electrical device (such as a laptop, CD player, or electronic games device) is placed or used on the front passenger seat if the device is  
connected to the 12 Volt socket ⇒ Power outletsꢀ;  
make sure that no seat heater has been retrofitted or otherwise added to the front passenger seat;  
make sure that nothing can interfere with the safety belt buckles and that they are not obstructed;  
make sure that there are no wet objects (such as a wet towel) and no water or other liquids on the front passenger seat cushion.  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light still does not come on…  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light still does not come on and does not stay on continuously (when the ignition is switched on), take the child restraint off the  
front passenger seat and install it properly at one of the rear seat positions. Have the airbag system inspected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer o  
authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light should NOT come on…  
The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light should NOT come on when the ignition is on and an adult is sitting in a proper seating position on the front passenger seat.  
light comes on and stays on under these circumstances, make sure that:  
the adult on the front passenger seat is properly seated on the center of the seat cushion with his or her back up against the backrest and the backrest is not  
reclined;  
the safety belt is being properly worn and that there is not a lot of slack in the safety belt webbing;  
there are no aftermarket seat covers or cushions or other things (such as blankets) on the front passenger seat that might cause the capacitive passenger  
detection system to miscalculate electrical capacitance.  
the optional safety belt extender has not been left in the safety belt latch for the front passenger seat.  
WARNING  
If the status of the Advanced Airbag System has changed while the vehicle is moving, the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light blinks for about 5 seconds to  
catch the driver's attention. If this happens, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check the steps described above.  
WARNING  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not go off when an adult who is not very small is sitting on the front passenger seat after taking the steps  
described above, make sure the adult is properly seated and restrained at one of the rear seating positions.  
Have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility before transporting anyone on the front  
passenger seat.  
If the capacitive passenger detection system determines that the front passenger seat is empty, the front airbag on the passenger side will be turned off, and  
the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light will stay on.  
61  
If the optional safety belt extender is left in the buckle for the front safety belt, or the front passenger safety belt itself is buckled and the front passenger seat  
is not occupied, the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light will come on and stay on.  
Airbags and how they work  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Front airbags and how they work  
Airbags are only supplemental restraints. They are not a substitute for safety belts that must be worn even though the front seating positions are equipped with fron  
airbags. The front airbags can provide additional protection for the chest and head of the driver and the front seat passenger when seats, safety belts, head  
restraints and, for the driver, the steering wheel, are properly used and have been properly adjusted.  
When the airbag system deploys in a collision, a gas generator fills the airbags that break open the padded covers on the steering wheel and the instrument panel.  
The front airbags inflate between the steering wheel and the driver and between the instrument panel and the front passenger.  
Front airbags in combination with properly worn safety belts slow down and limit the occupant's forward movement. Together they help to prevent the driver and fro  
seat passenger from hitting parts of the vehicle interior, thereby reducing the forces acting on the occupants during a crash. In this way, they help to reduce the risk  
of injury to the head and upper body during a crash. Airbags do not provide protection for the arms and lower body parts. It is important to remember that the  
supplemental airbag system is designed to reduce the likelihood of serious injuries. However, it is possible that a deployed airbag may cause other injuries such as  
swelling, bruising, friction burns, and abrasions.  
Airbags inflate in the blink of an eye, so fast that many people don't even realize that the airbags have deployed. The airbags will deflate immediately after  
deployment so that the front occupants can see through the windshield again without interruption.  
Airbags inflate with a great deal of force. Airbags can cause serious injuries when they inflate and hit those who are sitting too close, are out of position, or are not  
properly restrained. By keeping room between your body and the steering wheel and the front of the passenger compartment, the airbag can inflate fully and  
completely and provide supplemental protection during certain frontal collisions ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ.  
Make sure that nothing is in the way of the airbags when they deploy. For example, things on your lap or on the seat could be pushed into your body or fly  
dangerously through the passenger compartment when the airbag inflates and cause serious personal injury.  
The areas outlined in red (dotted lines) ⇒ Fig. 40ꢀ and ⇒ Fig. 41ꢀ indicate the airbag deployment zone. Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as  
cup holders, telephone brackets, note pads, large, heavy or bulky objects) on the doors, on the windshield, over or near the area marked in red (dotted lines).  
Physical impairments and airbags  
If you have a physical impairment or condition that prevents you from sitting properly on the driver seat with the safety belt properly fastened and reaching the  
pedals, special modifications to your vehicle may be necessary. The safety belt and airbag can only provide optimum protection if you are seated correctly and can  
reach the pedals.  
Contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility or call the Volkswagen Customer CARE Center at 1-800-822-8987 for  
information about possible modifications to your vehicle.  
When airbags deploy  
Deployment of the front airbags and the activation of the safety belt pretensioners depend on the deceleration measured by the crash sensors and registered by the  
electronic control unit. Crash severity depends on speed and deceleration as well as the mass and stiffness of the vehicle or object involved in the crash.  
The front airbags will not inflate in side or rear collisions, in rollovers or if the ignition is switched off. The front airbags will not inflate in all frontal collisions. The  
triggering of the airbag system depends on the vehicle deceleration rate caused by the collision and registered by the electronic control unit. If this rate is below the  
reference value programmed into the control unit, the airbags will not be triggered, even though the vehicle may be badly damaged as a result of the collision.  
Vehicle damage, repair costs or even the lack of vehicle damage is not necessarily an indication of whether an airbag should inflate or not. It is not possible to defin  
a range of vehicle speeds that will cover every possible kind and angle of impact that will always trigger the airbags, since the circumstances will vary considerably  
between one collision and another. Important factors include, for example, the nature (hard or soft) of the object that the vehicle hits, the angle of impact, vehicle  
speed, etc.  
When an airbag deploys, fine dust is released. This is normal and is not caused by a fire in the vehicle. This dust is made up mostly of a powder used to lubricate th  
airbags as they deploy. This dust could irritate skin and eyes and cause breathing problems for people with asthma or other respiratory conditions.  
Always remember: Front airbags only supplement the 3 point safety belts in some frontal collisions only when the vehicle deceleration is high enough to deploy th  
airbags. Airbags only deploy once, and only in certain kinds of collisions. The safety belts are always there to offer protection in situations in which airbags should  
not deploy or when they have already deployed, for example, when your vehicle strikes or is struck by another vehicle after an initial collision.  
This is just one of the reasons why an airbag is a supplementary restraint and is not a substitute for a safety belt. The airbag system works most effectively when  
used with the safety belts. Therefore, always buckle up properly and wear your safety belts.  
The airbags are part of the overall passive vehicle safety system. The airbag system works most efficiently when used with properly worn safety belts and a proper  
seating position ⇒ ꢀ.  
62  
Safety equipment  
Your safety and the safety of your passengers shouldn't be left to chance. Advances in technology have made a number of features available to help reduce the risk  
of injury in a collision. The following are just a few of the safety features for your Volkswagen:  
Sophisticated safety belts for all seating positions.  
Safety belt pretensioners for the driver and front passenger.  
Safety belt load limiters for the front and rear outboard seating positions.  
Safety belt height adjusters for the front seats.  
Safety belt warning light.  
Advanced front airbag system for the driver and front passenger.  
Sensors for the capacitive front seat passenger detection system.  
Side airbags for the driver and front passenger.  
Side Curtain Protection® airbags with ejection mitigation features.  
Airbag indicator light  
.
PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light.  
Electronic control unit and associated sensors.  
Head restraints with height adjustment optimized for rear-end collisions.  
Adjustable steering column.  
LATCH/UCRA lower universal and top tether anchorages for child safety seats at the rear outboard seating positions.  
These individual safety features can work together as a system to help protect you and your passengers in a wide range of collisions. These features can't work as  
a system if they are not always correctly adjusted and properly used!  
How the Advanced Airbag System components work together…  
On the passenger side, regardless of safety belt use, the front passenger front airbag will be turned off if the electrical capacitance measured by the capacitive  
passenger detection system on the front passenger seat is less than the amount programmed in the electronic control unit. The front airbag on the passenger side  
will also be turned off if the capacitance measured by the system for the front passenger seat equals that of an infant of about 1 year of age in one of the child  
restraints that was used to certify the Advanced Airbag System under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes  
on and stays on to tell you when the front Advanced Airbag System on the passenger side has been turned off ⇒ PASSENGER AIR BAG  
lightꢀ.  
WARNING  
Never rely on airbags alone for protection.  
Even when they deploy, airbags provide only supplemental protection.  
Airbags work most effectively when used with properly worn safety belts ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ.  
The driver must always make sure that every person in the vehicle is properly seated on a seat of his or her own, properly fastens the safety belts  
belonging to that seat before the vehicle starts to move, and keeps the belts properly fastened while riding in the vehicle. This applies even when just  
driving around town. Therefore, always wear your safety belts and make sure that everybody in your vehicle is properly restrained.  
WARNING  
Sitting too close to the steering wheel or instrument panel will decrease the effectiveness of the airbags and will increase the risk of personal injury in a  
collision.  
Never sit less than 10 inches (25 cm) from the steering wheel or instrument panel.  
If you cannot sit upright more than 10 inches (25 cm) from the steering wheel, investigate whether adaptive equipment may be available to help you reach  
the pedals and increase your seating distance from the steering wheel.  
If you are unrestrained, leaning forward, sitting sideways, or out of position in any way, your risk of injury is much higher.  
You can also be seriously injured and even be killed if you are sitting too close to the airbag when it inflates.  
To reduce the risk of injury when an airbag inflates, always wear safety belts properly.  
An infant in a rearward-facing child restraint installed on the front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the front airbag inflates – even  
with an Advanced Airbag System.  
Always make certain that children age 12 or younger always ride in the rear seat. If children are not properly restrained, they may be severely injured or  
killed when the airbag inflates.  
Never let children ride unrestrained or improperly restrained in the vehicle.  
Adjust the front seats properly.  
Never ride with the backrest reclined.  
63  
Always sit as far as possible from the steering wheel or the instrument panel.  
Always sit upright with your back against the backrest of your seat.  
Never put your feet on the instrument panel or on the seat.  
Always keep both feet on the floor in front of the seat to help prevent serious injuries to the head, legs and hips if the airbag inflates.  
WARNING  
Objects between you and the airbag will increase the risk of injury in a crash by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds and/or by being pushed into you as  
the airbag inflates.  
Never hold things in your hands or on your lap when the vehicle is in use.  
Never place accessories or other objects (such as cup holders, telephone brackets, or things that are large, heavy, or bulky) on the doors or attach them to  
the doors; never place them over or near the area marked AIRBAG on the steering wheel, instrument panel, or seat backrests or between those areas and  
someone in the vehicle. These objects could cause injury in a crash, especially if an airbag inflates.  
Never recline the front passenger seat to transport objects. Items can also move into the deployment area of the side airbags or the front airbag during  
braking or in a sudden maneuver. Objects near the airbags can fly dangerously through the passenger compartment and cause injury, particularly when  
the seat is reclined and the airbags inflate.  
Never place or transport objects on the front passenger seat. Always make sure that there is nothing on the front passenger seat that will cause the  
capacitive sensor in the seat to signal to the airbag system that the seat is occupied by a person when it in fact is not, or that the person on the seat is  
heavier than he or she actually is. The change in electric capacitance because of such objects can cause the passenger front airbag to be turned on when  
it should be off, or can cause the airbag to work in a way that is different from the way it would have worked without objects on the seat.  
Always make sure that the status signaled by the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light is correct for the way that the front passenger seat is being used.  
WARNING  
The fine dust created when airbags deploy can cause breathing problems for people with asthma or other breathing conditions.  
To reduce the risk of breathing problems, those with asthma or other respiratory conditions should get fresh air right away by getting out of the vehicle or  
opening windows or doors.  
If you are in a collision in which airbags deploy, wash your hands and face with mild soap and water before eating.  
Be careful not to get the dust into your eyes, or into any cuts, scratches, or open wounds.  
If the residue should get into your eyes, flush them with water.  
WARNING  
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
front passenger seat and the ignition is switched on.  
light is on and stays on whenever a child restraint is installed on the  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
seating positions.  
light does not stay on, take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install it properly at one of the rear  
Always make sure that the child restraint is correctly registered by the capacitive passenger detection system.  
Have the airbag system inspected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility if the  
PASSENGER AIR BAG  
switched on.  
light does not come on and stay on whenever a child restraint is installed on the front passenger seat and the ignition is  
WARNING  
Airbags that have deployed in a crash must be replaced.  
Use only original equipment airbags approved by Volkswagen and installed by a trained technician who has the necessary tools and diagnostic equipment  
to properly replace any airbag on your vehicle and assure system effectiveness in a crash.  
Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to be installed in your vehicle.  
The dangers of using child restraints on the front seat  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The airbag on the front passenger side makes the front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride, even if the vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airba  
System. The front seat is a very dangerous place for an infant or small child in a rearward facing child restraint. The front seat is also not the safest place for a child  
in a forward-facing child restraint. All children, especially 12 years and younger, must always ride on the back seat and be properly restrained for their age and size  
During a frontal collision, a child restraint or infant carrier on the front seat could be hit and knocked out of position by the inflating front passenger airbag. The airba  
could significantly reduce the effectiveness of the child restraint and even seriously injure a child while deploying.  
64  
Because of this danger, and because children are generally better protected on the rear seat when properly restrained for their age and size, we strongly urge you t  
always make sure that children ride on the rear seat ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ, and ⇒ Advanced Airbag System, infants, child restraints, and children on  
the front seatꢀ.  
DANGER!  
A front seat passenger, especially an infant or small child, will be seriously injured and can even be killed if too close to the airbag when it deploys – even an  
Advanced Airbag.  
All vehicle occupants and especially children must be restrained properly whenever riding in a vehicle. An unrestrained or improperly restrained child could  
be injured by striking the interior or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver or impact. An unrestrained or improperly restrained child is  
also at greater risk of injury or death through contact with an inflating airbag.  
Accident statistics show that children are safer on the rear seat than on the front seat.  
A suitable child restraint properly installed and used at one of the rear seating positions provides the highest degree of protection for infants and small  
children in most accident situations.  
Although the Advanced Airbag System has been designed to switch off when an infant or small child is on the front passenger seat in a child restraint that  
was used during the certification process for the Advanced Airbag System, no one can guarantee with absolute certainty that the airbag will never deploy  
under these particular conditions in all conceivable situations for the duration of your vehicle's use.  
The Advanced Airbag System can deploy in accordance with the low risk option for 3 to 6 year-old children under the U.S. Federal Standard if a child with  
electrical capacitance greater than the combined capacitance of a typical 1 year-old infant restrained in one of the forward facing or rearward-facing child  
restraints with which your vehicle was certified is on the front passenger seat and the other conditions for airbag deployment are met.  
For their own safety, all children, especially 12 years and younger, must always ride on the back seat properly restrained for their age and size.  
When installing a child restraint, always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions.  
DANGER!  
Children on the front seat of any vehicle, even one with Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates.  
A child in a rearward-facing child restraint installed on the front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the front airbag inflates.  
The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or infant carrier with great force and will smash the child restraint and the child against the seat backrest,  
center armrest, door, or roof.  
Always install rearward-facing child restraints on the rear seat.  
Although the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle is designed to turn off the front airbag when a rearward-facing child restraint has been installed on  
the front passenger seat, nobody can absolutely guarantee that deployment is impossible in all conceivable situations that may happen during the useful  
life of your vehicle.  
If you have, in exceptional circumstances, nevertheless decided to install a rearward-facing child restraint on the front passenger seat and the  
PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not come on and stay on whenever the ignition is on, immediately install the rearward-facing seat in a rear seating  
position and have the airbag system inspected immediately by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
WARNING  
Forward-facing child restraints installed on the front passenger seat may interfere with the deployment of the airbag and cause serious personal injury to the  
child.  
If exceptional circumstances require the use of a forward-facing child restraint on the front passenger seat, the following special precautions must be taken  
for the safety and well-being of the child:  
Always make sure that the forward-facing child restraint has been designed and certified for use on a front passenger seat with a front airbag and a  
side airbag.  
Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions provided for the child restraint or infant carrier.  
Never install a child restraint without a properly attached top tether strap if the child restraint manufacturer's instructions require the top tether strap for  
proper installation, or if required by law. For example, the use of a top tether strap for forward-facing child restraints is required by law in Canada.  
Never put the forward-facing child restraint up against or very near the instrument panel.  
Always set the safety belt upper anchorage to the adjustment position that permits proper installation in accordance with the child restraint  
manufacturer's instructions.  
Always move the front passenger seat to the highest position in the up and down adjustment range and move it back to the rearmost position in the  
seat's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the airbag as possible, before installing the forward-facing child restraint.  
Always make sure that the safety belt upper anchorage is behind the child restraint and not next to or in front of the child restraint so that the safety  
belt will be properly positioned.  
65  
Always make sure that nothing is in the way that prevents the front passenger seat from being moved all the way back to the rearmost position in its  
fore and aft adjustment range.  
Always make sure that the backrest is in the upright position.  
Never place additional items on the seat that can influence the electrical capacitance measured by the capacitive passenger detection system.  
Always make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes on and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG light does not come on and stay on, immediately install the forward-facing child restraint in a seating position on  
the rear seat and have the airbag system inspected by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Always buckle the child restraint firmly in place even when no child is sitting in it. A loose child restraint can fly around the vehicle during a sudden stop or  
in a collision.  
Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child restraint in the vehicle: ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ, ⇒ Airbag systemꢀ, and ⇒ Child safety and child  
restraintsꢀ.  
Front airbags  
Fig. 40 Location and deployment zone of the driver front airbag.  
Fig. 41 Location and deployment zone of the front passenger front airbag.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag System in compliance with the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208 or the Canada  
Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 208 applicable at the time your vehicle was manufactured. The airbag for the driver is in the steering wheel hub ⇒ Fig. 40  
and the airbag for the front passenger is in the instrument panel ⇒ Fig. 41ꢀ . The general location of the airbags is marked AIRBAG.  
The safety belts for the front seating positions have safety belt pretensioners which help take up slack in the belts. The airbag control unit also activates the belt  
pretensioners ⇒ Airbags and how they workꢀ.  
The safety belts for the front and rear outboard seating positions also have belt load limiters to reduce the forces acting on a body during an accident.  
The areas marked in red (dotted lines) ⇒ Fig. 40ꢀ and ⇒ Fig. 41ꢀ indicate the airbag deployment zone. Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such  
as cup holders, telephone brackets, note pads, navigation systems, large, heavy or bulky objects) on the doors, on the windshield, over or near the area marked in  
red (dotted lines).  
Front airbags will not deploy:  
if the ignition is switched off when a crash occurs,  
in side collisions,  
in rear-end collisions,  
in rollovers,  
when the crash deceleration measured by the airbag system is less than the minimum threshold needed for airbag deployment as registered by the electronic  
control unit.  
The front passenger front airbag will also not deploy:  
when the front passenger seat is not occupied,  
66  
when the electrical capacitance measured by the capacitive passenger detection system for the front passenger seat indicates that the passenger side front  
airbag must be switched off by the electronic control unit (the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes on and stays on ⇒ Airbags and how they workꢀ).  
DANGER!  
Children on the front seat of any vehicle, even one with Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates.  
A child in a rearward-facing child restraint installed on the front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the front airbag inflates.  
The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or infant carrier with great force and will smash the child restraint and the child against the seat backrest,  
center armrest, door, or roof.  
Always install rearward-facing child restraints on the rear seat.  
Although the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle is designed to turn off the front airbag when a rearward-facing child restraint has been installed on  
the front passenger seat, nobody can absolutely guarantee that deployment is impossible in all conceivable situations that may happen during the useful  
life of your vehicle.  
If you have, in exceptional circumstances, nevertheless decided to install a rearward-facing child restraint on the front passenger seat and the  
PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not come on and stay on whenever the ignition is on, immediately install the rearward-facing seat in a rear seating  
position and have the airbag system inspected immediately by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
DANGER!  
A front seat passenger, especially an infant or small child, will be seriously injured and can even be killed if too close to the airbag when it deploys – even an  
Advanced Airbag.  
All vehicle occupants and especially children must be restrained properly whenever riding in a vehicle. An unrestrained or improperly restrained child could  
be injured by striking the interior or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver or impact. An unrestrained or improperly restrained child is  
also at greater risk of injury or death through contact with an inflating airbag.  
Accident statistics show that children are safer on the rear seat than on the front seat.  
A suitable child restraint properly installed and used at one of the rear seating positions provides the highest degree of protection for infants and small  
children in most accident situations.  
An Advanced Airbag System can deploy with the low risk option for 3 to 6 year-old children when a child who is heavier than the combined capacitance of a  
typical 1 year-old child plus child restraint is secured on the passenger seat in a forward-facing or rear-facing child restraint that was used to certify your  
vehicle, and when the other conditions for airbag deployment are met.  
For their own safety, all children, especially those 12 years and younger, must always sit on the back seat, properly restrained for their age and size.  
When installing a child restraint, always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions.  
If the airbag indicator light goes on while driving, have the system inspected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen  
Service Facility. A lit indicator light means the airbags may not work properly if activated in a crash.  
Always make sure that the status signaled by the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light is correct for the way that the front passenger seat is being used.  
WARNING  
Objects between you and the airbag will increase the risk of injury in a crash by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds and/or by being pushed into you as  
the airbag inflates.  
Never hold things in your hands or on your lap when the vehicle is in use.  
Never place accessories or other objects (such as cup holders, telephone brackets, notepads, navigation systems, or things that are large, heavy, or bulky)  
on the doors or attach them to the doors; never place them over or near the area marked AIRBAG on the steering wheel, instrument panel, or seat  
backrests, or between those areas and someone in the vehicle ⇒ Fig. 40ꢀ and ⇒ Fig. 41ꢀ. Such objects could cause serious injury in a collision, especially if  
an airbag inflates.  
Never attach accessories to the windshield above the passenger front airbag, such as GPS navigation units or music players. Such objects could cause  
serious injury in a collision, especially if an airbag inflates.  
Never recline the front passenger seat to transport objects. Items can also move into the deployment area of the side airbags or the front airbag during  
braking or in a sudden maneuver. Objects near the airbags can fly dangerously through the passenger compartment and cause injury, particularly when  
the seat is reclined and the airbags inflate.  
Always make sure that there is nothing on the front passenger seat that will cause the capacitive passenger detection system in the seat to signal to the  
Airbag System that the seat is occupied by a person when it is not, or to signal that it is occupied by someone who is heavier than the person actually  
sitting on the seat. The presence of an object could cause the passenger front airbag to be turned on when it should be off, or could cause the airbag to  
work in a way that is different from the way it would have worked without the object on the seat.  
Always make sure that nothing is on the front passenger seat when the backrest is folded forward.  
Always make sure that the status signaled by the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light is correct for the way that the front passenger seat is being used.  
WARNING  
67  
Holding the steering wheel the wrong way can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms, and head if the driver's airbag inflates.  
Always hold the steering wheel with both hands on the outside of the steering wheel rim at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of  
personal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.  
Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with your hands anywhere inside the steering wheel or on the steering wheel hub. Holding the  
steering wheel the wrong way increases the risk of severe injury to the arms, hands, and head if the driver airbag deploys.  
WARNING  
The fine dust created when airbags deploy can cause breathing problems for people with asthma or other breathing conditions.  
To reduce the risk of breathing problems, those with asthma or other respiratory conditions should get fresh air right away by getting out of the vehicle or  
opening windows or doors.  
If you are in a collision in which airbags deploy, wash your hands and face with mild soap and water before eating.  
Be careful not to get the dust into your eyes, or into any cuts, scratches, or open wounds.  
If the residue should get into your eyes, flush them with water.  
WARNING  
Airbags that have deployed in a crash must be replaced.  
Use only original equipment airbags approved by Volkswagen and installed by a trained technician who has the necessary tools and diagnostic equipment  
to properly replace any airbag on your vehicle and assure system effectiveness in a crash.  
Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to be installed in your vehicle.  
Undeployed airbag modules and safety belt pretensioners are classified as Perchlorate Material. Special handling may apply – see  
. Obey all applicable legal requirements regarding handling and disposal of the vehicle or parts of its  
restraint system, including airbag modules and safety belts with pretensioners. Authorized Volkswagen dealers and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities  
are familiar with the requirements, and we recommend that you have them perform this service for you.  
Advanced Airbag System components  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The front passenger seat in your vehicle has a lot of very important parts of the Advanced Airbag System in it ⇒ Airbags and how they workꢀ. These parts include  
capacitive passenger detection system, wiring, brackets, and more. The control unit monitors the system in the front passenger seat when the ignition is switched o  
and turns the airbag indicator light on when a malfunction in the one of the system components is detected ⇒ PASSENGER AIR BAG  
lightꢀ. Because the fron  
passenger seat contains important parts of the Advanced Airbag System, you must take care to prevent it from being damaged. Damage to the seat may prevent  
the Advanced Airbag System for the front passenger seat from doing its job in a crash.  
The front Advanced Airbag System also includes:  
Crash sensors in the front of the vehicle that measure vehicle acceleration/deceleration to provide information to the Advanced Airbag System about the  
severity of the crash.  
An electronic control unit, with integrated crash sensors for front and side impacts. The control unit decides whether to fire just the front airbags based on the  
information received from the crash sensors. The control unit also decides whether the safety belt pretensioners should be activated.  
An Advanced Airbag with gas generator for the driver inside the steering wheel hub.  
An Advanced Airbag with gas generator inside the instrument panel for the front passenger.  
A capacitive passenger detection system underneath the front passenger seat cover. This system measures the electrical capacitance of the person in the  
seat. The information registered is sent continuously to the electronic control unit to regulate deployment of the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side.  
An airbag system indicator light in the instrument cluster ⇒ Monitoring the Advanced Airbag Systemꢀ .  
The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light in the center of the instrument panel that tells you when the front Advanced Airbag System on the passenger side has  
lightꢀ.  
been turned off ⇒ PASSENGER AIR BAG  
A switch in the safety belt buckle for the driver and for the front seat passenger that senses whether that safety belt is latched or not and transmits this  
information to the electronic control unit.  
WARNING  
An airbag system and safety belt pretensioner that are not working properly cannot provide supplemental protection in a frontal crash.  
If the airbag indicator light comes on, it means that there may be something wrong with the airbag system. It is possible that the airbag will inflate when it is  
not supposed to, or will not inflate when it should.  
Have the airbag system inspected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
68  
Use only original equipment airbags approved by Volkswagen. Have them installed by a trained technician who has the necessary tools and diagnostic  
equipment to properly replace any airbag in your vehicle and assure system effectiveness in a crash.  
Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to be installed in your vehicle.  
WARNING  
Damage to the front passenger seat can prevent the front airbag from working properly.  
Improper repair or disassembly of the front passenger and driver seat can prevent the Advanced Airbag System from working properly.  
Repairs to the front passenger seat should be performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Never remove the front passenger seat or driver seat from the vehicle.  
Never remove the upholstery from the front passenger seat.  
Never disassemble or take parts off the seat or disconnect wires from it.  
Never carry sharp objects in your pockets or put them on the seat. If the capacitive passenger detection system in the front passenger seat is punctured it  
cannot work properly.  
Never carry things on your lap or carry objects on the front passenger seat. Such objects can influence the capacitance registered by the capacitive  
passenger detection system, so that incorrect information is provided to the airbag control unit. These things can also cause serious personal injury if the  
airbag inflates.  
Never store items under the front seats. Parts of the Advanced Airbag System under the front seats could be damaged, preventing them and the airbag  
system from working properly.  
Never put seat covers or replacement upholstery on the front seats that have not been approved by Volkswagen for your specific vehicle.  
Seat covers can prevent the Advanced Airbag System from recognizing child restraints or occupants on the passenger seat and prevent the side airbag in  
the seat backrest from deploying properly.  
Never use cushions, pillows, blankets, or similar items on the front passenger seat. The additional layers prevent the capacitive passenger detection  
system from accurately measuring the capacitance of the child safety seat and/or the person on the seat and thus keep the Advanced Airbag System from  
working properly.  
Never place or use any electrical device (such as a laptop, CD player, or electronic games device) on the front passenger seat if the device is connected to  
the 12 Volt socket. Such devices can influence the capacitance registered by the capacitive passenger detection system, so that incorrect information is  
provided to the airbag control unit.  
If a seat heater has been retrofitted or otherwise added to the front passenger seat, never install any child restraint system on this seat.  
If you must use a child restraint on the front passenger seat and the child restraint manufacturer's instructions require the use of a towel, foam cushion or  
something similar to properly position the child restraint, make certain that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
child restraint is installed on the front passenger seat.  
light comes on and stays on whenever the  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not come on and stay on, immediately install the child the restraint at a seating position on the rear seat and  
have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
WARNING  
If the front passenger seat gets wet, dry it immediately.  
If liquid soaks into the front passenger seat, this can keep the airbag system from working properly and may, for instance, deactivate the passenger front  
airbag. If this happens, the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light will come on and stay on together with the airbag indicator light  
in the instrument cluster.  
If liquid is pooled on the seat, but has not soaked in, this may also keep the airbag system from working properly and cause the front passenger front  
airbag to be enabled (turned on), even though there is a properly installed child restraint system on the seat. Wet towels or other wet things on the seat  
cushion can have the same effect. The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light goes out when the front passenger's front airbag is active.  
NOTE  
To help prevent damage to electrical and other parts in the seat, do not kneel on the front seats or apply concentrated pressure to a small area of the seat  
or backrest.  
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 capacitive passenger detection system 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.  
How to tell if the front passenger front airbag is on or off  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Passenger front airbag  
Regardless of safety belt use, the airbag in front of the front passenger seat will be switched off if the electrical capacitance measured on this seat is less than the  
69  
value programmed in the electronic control unit.  
The front airbag on the passenger side of the front seat will also be turned off if the electrical capacitance measured on the seat (by the capacitive passenger  
detection system) is less than or equal to the combined capacitance of:  
a typical 1 year-old infant and  
any of the child restraints listed in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208 for which the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle is certified.  
For a listing of the child restraints that were used to certify your vehicle's compliance with U.S. Safety Standard 208, see ⇒ Child restraints and the Advanced  
Airbag Systemꢀ. The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes on and stays on to tell you when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side has been turned  
off.  
Passenger front airbag active  
Switch on the ignition.  
The capacitive passenger detection system measures the electrical capacitance of the front passenger seat. If that capacitance is above the reference value,  
the passenger front airbag will be switched on by the Advanced Airbag control unit.  
If the ignition is on, and the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light in the instrument panel does not come on, the passenger front airbag is generally active. If the  
light has burned out (see below), you will be unable to tell whether the passenger front airbag is active or not.  
Using child restraints on the front passenger seat  
The airbag on the front passenger side makes the front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride. Because of this danger, and because children are  
generally better protected on the rear seat when properly restrained for their age and size, we strongly advise that you always place children on the rear seat ⇒ The  
dangers of using child restraints on the front seatꢀ. For a list of the child restraints used to certify compliance of the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle with the  
suppression requirements of FMVSS 208, see ⇒ Child restraints and the Advanced Airbag System ꢀ.  
For more information, see ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ; note ⇒ ꢀ below!  
How do I know when the passenger front airbag has been turned off by the control unit?  
The PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light in the instrument panel will come on and stay on to tell you when the front Advanced Airbag on the passenger side has bee  
turned off by the electronic control unit. Unless the yellow  
lightꢀ.  
light comes on and stays on, the passenger front airbag is still active ⇒ PASSENGER AIR BAG  
For safety reasons, you must never use a child restraint system on the front passenger seat unless the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes on and sta  
on, perhaps in combination with the  
indicator light in the instrument cluster. If the passenger front airbag deployed in an accident, it would severely injure and  
possibly kill the child in the restraint system. If the bulb for the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light burns out, the airbag indicator light will come on and signal a  
malfunction of the Advanced Airbag System. Although the burned-out bulb will not change the way the front airbag on the passenger side works, it will no longer be  
possible to use the PASSENGER AIR BAG light to make sure that the airbag on/off status is correct for the occupant on the front passenger seat. Have the  
airbag system inspected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
DANGER!  
A front seat passenger, especially an infant or small child, will be seriously injured and can even be killed if sitting too close to the airbag when it deploys.  
All vehicle occupants and especially children must be restrained properly whenever riding in a vehicle. An unrestrained or improperly restrained child could  
be injured by striking the interior or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver or impact. An unrestrained or improperly restrained child is  
also at greater risk of injury or death through contact with an inflating airbag.  
A child in a rearward-facing child restraint installed on the front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the front airbag inflates.  
The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or infant carrier with great force and will smash the child restraint and the child against the seat backrest,  
center armrest, door, or roof.  
Accident statistics show that children are safer on the rear seat than on the front seat.  
A suitable child restraint properly installed and used at one of the rear seating positions provides the highest degree of protection for infants and small  
children in most accident situations.  
For their own safety, all children, especially 12 years and younger, must always ride on the back seat properly restrained for their age and size.  
When installing a child restraint, always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions.  
WARNING  
To reduce the risk of serious injury, make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes on and stays on whenever a child restraint is installed on the  
front passenger seat and the ignition is switched on. Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install it properly at one of the seating positions  
on the rear seat if the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not stay on. Have the airbag system inspected immediately by an authorized Volkswagen  
dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
If you must use a child restraint on the front passenger seat and the child restraint manufacturer's instructions require the use of a towel, foam cushion or  
something similar to properly position the child restraint, make certain that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
child restraint is installed on the front passenger seat.  
light comes on and stays on whenever the  
70  
Otherwise, install the child restraint system on the rear seat!  
WARNING  
Changes in the electrical capacitance of the passenger seat while driving can switch the passenger front airbag on or off so that it does not deploy when it  
should or deploys when it should not, resulting in an increased risk of serious personal injury.  
Do not carry anything on your lap or transport things on the passenger seat. Things on the passenger seat can influence the capacitance registered by the  
capacitive passenger detection system, sending the wrong information to the airbag control unit. These objects can also cause serious personal injury if the  
airbag inflates.  
Always make sure that a child restraint has been correctly registered by the capacitive passenger detection system. If the status of the Advanced Airbag  
System changes while the vehicle is moving, the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light blinks for about 5 seconds to catch the driver's attention. If this  
happens, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so and check to make sure that the airbag on/off status is correct for the passenger riding on the front  
passenger seat.  
Side airbags  
Fig. 42 On the driver side. : Location and deployment zone of the side airbags. : Location and deployment zone of the side airbags in the padding on the  
outboard side of the front seat backrests.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The side airbags are in the backrest padding of the driver and passenger seats ⇒ Fig. 42ꢀ. The general location is shown by the word AIRBAG. The area marked in  
red (dotted lines) indicates the deployment zone of the side airbags.  
In a side collision, the side airbag in the seat backrest can deploy and help reduce the risk of injury to the driver or the front seat passenger.  
The side airbags installed for the front seating positions have been designed and certified to help reduce the risk of injury that can be caused by airbags when they  
inflate, particularly when the occupant sitting next to it is not seated properly.  
The side airbag for the front passenger seat can be used with properly installed child restraints. Always read and heed all important information and WARNINGS  
whenever using a child restraint in the vehicle: ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ, ⇒ Airbag systemꢀ, ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ, and ⇒ ꢀ.  
The side airbag system includes:  
An electronic control module and side impact sensors.  
Side airbags in the front seat backrests.  
An airbag system indicator light in the instrument cluster ⇒ Monitoring the Advanced Airbag Systemꢀ.  
When a side airbag deploys in a collision, a gas generator fills the side airbag between the vehicle occupant and the door. The side airbag system supplements the  
safety belts and can help to reduce the risk of injury to the occupant's upper torso.  
In order to help provide this additional protection, the side airbag must inflate within the blink of an eye at very high speed and with great force. The supplemental  
side airbag could injure you if your seating position is not proper or upright or if items are in the area where the supplemental side airbag inflates. This applies  
especially to children ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ.  
The airbag system is monitored electronically to make sure it is working properly at all times. Every time you turn on the ignition, the airbag system indicator light  
will come on for a few seconds (function check).  
The airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occupant restraint system in your vehicle ⇒ Sitting properly and safelyꢀ,  
⇒ Safety beltsꢀ.  
It is important to remember that the side airbag system is designed to help reduce the likelihood of serious injury. However, it is also important to remember that a  
deploying airbag may also cause other injuries, such as swelling, bruising, friction burns, and abrasions. Also remember that side airbags will deploy only once and  
only in certain kinds of accidents. After the side airbag inflates, the system must be replaced. Your safety belts are always there to offer protection in those accident  
in which side airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have already deployed.  
The side airbag system will not inflate:  
if the ignition is switched off when a crash occurs,  
71  
in side collisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor is too low,  
in front-end collisions,  
in rear-end collisions,  
in rollovers, unless the deployment threshold for deployment stored in the control unit is met.  
In some types of accidents, the front airbags, Side Curtain Protection ® airbags and side airbags may be triggered together.  
WARNING  
An inflating side airbag can cause serious or even fatal injury. Improperly wearing safety belts and improper seating positions increase the risk of serious  
personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used.  
To help reduce the risk of injury when the supplemental side airbag inflates,  
Always sit in an upright position and do not lean against the area where the side airbag is located.  
Never let a child or anyone else rest their head against the side trim panel in the area where the side airbag inflates.  
Always make sure that safety belts are worn correctly.  
Never let anyone sitting in the front seat put their hand out of the window.  
Objects between you and the airbag can increase the risk of injury in a collision by interfering with the way the airbag unfolds or by being pushed into you  
as the airbag inflates.  
Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as cup holders, telephone brackets, or even large, bulky objects) on the doors or over or near the  
area marked AIRBAG on the seat backrests ⇒ Fig. 42ꢀ.  
Accessories or other objects can fly dangerously through the passenger compartment and cause serious injury if the supplemental side airbag inflates.  
Never position or hold any objects or pets in the area where an airbag inflates or allow any children or other passengers to ride in that space.  
Never use the built-in coat hooks for anything but lightweight clothing. Never leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets. Such objects may  
interfere with side airbag deployment and cause serious personal injury in a collision.  
WARNING  
Improper use, repair, or disassembly of the driver and front passenger seats can prevent side airbags from working properly and result in severe injuries.  
Always make sure that the side airbag can inflate without interference:  
Never install seat covers or replacement upholstery over the front seat backrests that have not been specifically approved by Volkswagen. Otherwise,  
the side airbag may not be able to deploy properly.  
Never put seat cushions, blankets, or other coverings over the areas where the side airbags inflate.  
Damage to the original seat covers or to the seam in the area of the side airbag module must always be repaired immediately by an authorized  
Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Always prevent the side airbags from being damaged by heavy objects hitting the sides of the seat backrests or force being put on the seat backs,  
especially in the area where the side airbag module is located.  
The airbag system can only be triggered once. If the airbag has been triggered, the system must be replaced.  
Always have work involving the side airbag system, including removal, replacement, and installation of airbag components, or other repairs performed by  
an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Otherwise, the airbag system may not work correctly.  
Never remove the front seats from the vehicle or modify parts of the front seats.  
Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system in any way.  
If too much force is exerted on the seat backrest bolsters, the side airbags may deploy improperly, not at all, or when they should not.  
Side Curtain Protection® airbags  
Fig. 43 On the left vehicle side (2-door vehicles): Installation location and deployment zone of the Side Curtain Protection airbag.  
72  
Fig. 44 On the left vehicle side (4-door vehicles): Installation location and deployment zone of the Side Curtain Protection airbag.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The Side Curtain Protection® airbags are in the header area on both sides of the vehicle ⇒ Fig. 43ꢀ or ⇒ Fig. 44ꢀ. The general location is identified by the word  
AIRBAG. The red lines show the deployment zone of the Side Curtain Protection® airbags. The Side Curtain Protection® airbags contain features that provide  
ejection mitigation to help prevent vehicle occupants or parts of their bodies from being completely or partially ejected from the vehicle interior in certain side  
impacts and vehicle rollovers.  
The Side Curtain Protection® airbag system includes:  
An electronic control module and side impact sensors.  
The Side Curtain Protection® airbags above the front and rear side windows.  
An airbag system indicator light in the instrument cluster ⇒ Monitoring the Advanced Airbag Systemꢀ.  
The Side Curtain Protection® airbags inflate downwards between the occupant and the side window on that side of the vehicle that is struck in certain side collisions  
⇒ Fig. 43ꢀ or ⇒ Fig. 44ꢀ. The Side Curtain Protection® airbag system supplements the safety belts and can help to reduce the risk of injury for occupants' heads and  
upper torsos on the side of the vehicle that is struck in a side collision. The Side Curtain Protection® airbags also contain features to help prevent vehicle occupants  
or parts of their bodies from being completely or partially ejected from the vehicle interior in certain vehicle rollovers.  
In order to help provide this additional protection, the Side Curtain Protection ® airbag must inflate within the blink of an eye at very high speed and with great force.  
The Side Curtain Protection® airbag could injure you if your seating position is not proper or upright or if items are located in the area where the supplemental Side  
Curtain Protection® airbag inflates. This applies especially to children ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ.  
The airbag system is monitored electronically to make sure it is working properly at all times. Every time you turn on the ignition, the airbag system indicator light  
will come on for a few seconds (function check).  
The airbag system is not a substitute for your safety belt. Rather, it is part of the overall occupant restraint system in your vehicle ⇒ Sitting properly and safelyꢀ,  
⇒ Safety beltsꢀ.  
It is important to remember that the Side Curtain Protection ® airbag system is designed to help reduce the likelihood of serious injury. However, it is possible that a  
deployed Side Curtain Protection® airbag may cause other injuries such as swelling, bruising, friction burns, and abrasions. Remember too, Side Curtain  
Protection® airbags will deploy only once and only in certain kinds of accidents. Side Curtain Protection ® airbags that have deployed in a crash must be replaced.  
Your safety belts are always there to offer protection in those accidents in which Side Curtain Protection® airbags are not supposed to deploy or when they have  
already deployed.  
The Side Curtain Protection® airbag will not inflate:  
if the ignition is switched off when a crash occurs,  
in side collisions when the acceleration measured by the sensor is too low,  
in front-end collisions,  
in rear-end collisions,  
in rollovers, unless the deployment threshold for deployment stored in the control unit is met.  
In some types of accidents, the front, Side Curtain Protection ® and side airbags may be triggered together.  
WARNING  
An inflating Side Curtain Protection® airbag can cause serious or even fatal injury. Improperly wearing safety belts and improper seating positions increase the  
risk of serious personal injury and death whenever a vehicle is being used.  
A deploying airbag inflates within a fraction of a second with a lot of force and at very high speed.  
Always make sure that the Side Curtain Protection® airbag can inflate without interference.  
Always sit in proper seating position and wear safety belts while traveling so that the Side Curtain Protection ® airbags can help provide protection.  
Never let occupants place any parts of their bodies in the area where the Side Curtain Protection ® airbag inflates.  
Always keep the area where the Side Curtain Protection ® airbag inflates clear. Never carry any objects or pets in the area between them and where the  
airbags inflate and never let children or other passengers ride in this area.  
Never use hangers to hang clothes on the hooks.  
73  
Never use the built-in coat hooks for anything but lightweight clothing. Never leave any heavy or sharp-edged objects in the pockets that may interfere with  
airbag deployment and can cause personal injury in a collision.  
Only use factory-installed sunshades or, if shades installed after the vehicle leaves the factory, use only genuine Volkswagen sunshades.  
Never swing the sun visors over to the side windows if things such as pens, garage door openers, hands-free speakers, etc. are attached to the sun visors.  
They could come loose and cause serious injury if the Side Curtain Protection® airbag inflates.  
WARNING  
The airbag system can only be triggered once.  
If the airbag has been triggered, the system must be replaced by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Always have work involving the curtain airbag system, removal and installation of the airbag components, or other repairs performed by your authorized  
Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Otherwise the airbag system may not work correctly.  
Never attempt to modify any components of the airbag system in any way.  
Never attach objects to the cover or in the deployment zone of a Side Curtain Protection ® airbag.  
Always make sure that the airbag deployment zones are clear at all times. Never let anything or object, a pet, or a person, including an infant or small child,  
be in the space between any vehicle occupant and any airbag.  
Do not attach any accessories to the doors.  
Child safety and child restraints  
Introduction to the subject  
In this chapter you will find information on the following subjects:  
⇒ Child restraints – Overview ꢀ  
⇒ Child restraints and the Advanced Airbag System ꢀ  
⇒ Important safety instructions for using child restraints ꢀ  
⇒ Using a child restraint on the rear seatꢀ  
⇒ Infant seatsꢀ  
⇒ Convertible child restraintsꢀ  
⇒ Booster seats and safety beltsꢀ  
⇒ Installing child restraints with a safety belt ꢀ  
⇒ Securing the child restraint with LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages ꢀ  
⇒ Securing a child restraint with the Top Tether strap ꢀ  
⇒ Sources of information about child restraints and their use ꢀ  
The physical principles of what happens when your vehicle is in a collision or other accident also apply to children ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ. But unlike adults and teenagers  
their muscles and bones are not fully developed. In many respects children are at greater risk of serious injury in accidents than are adults.  
Because children's bodies are not fully developed, they must use restraint systems especially designed for their size, weight, and body structure. Many countries  
and all states of the United States and provinces of Canada have laws requiring the use of approved child restraint systems for infants and small children.  
In a frontal crash at a speed of 20–35 mph (30–56 km/h), the forces acting on a 13 pound (6 kg) infant will be more than 20 times the weight of the child. This mean  
the effective weight of the child would suddenly increase to more than 260 pounds (120 kg). Under these conditions, only an appropriate child restraint properly  
used can reduce the risk of serious injury. Child restraints, like adult safety belts, must be used properly to be effective. Used improperly, they can increase the risk  
of serious injury in an accident.  
All children, especially those 12 years and younger, must always ride in the back seat properly restrained for their age and size. If you must install a child restraint  
on the front passenger seat in exceptional circumstances, be sure to read and heed the important information and warnings in the section of this Manual that begin  
on ⇒ Child restraints and the Advanced Airbag System ꢀ. Infants and other children who are properly restrained in an appropriate child restraint that is for their size  
and age can benefit from the protection that supplemental side airbags provide in some kinds of crashes.  
For more information, please see information provided by the:  
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), currently at: (for the USA)  
74  
Transport Canada Information Centre, currently at: (for Canada)  
Consult the child restraint manufacturer's instructions to be sure the seat is right for your child's size ⇒ Sources of information about child restraints and their use ꢀ.  
Please be sure to read and heed all of the important information and WARNINGS about child safety, Advanced Airbags, and the installation of child restraints in this  
Manual.  
There is a lot you need to know about the Advanced Airbags in your vehicle and how they work when infants and children in child restraints are on the front  
passenger seat. Because of the large amount of important information, we cannot repeat it all here. We urge you to read the detailed information in this Manual  
about airbags and the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle and the very important information about transporting children on the front passenger seat. Please b  
sure to heed the WARNINGS - they are extremely important for your safety and the safety of your passengers, especially infants and small children.  
DANGER!  
Children on the front seat of any car, even with Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates.  
A child in a rearward-facing child restraint installed on the front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the front airbag inflates.  
The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or infant carrier with great force and will smash the child restraint and child against the backrest, center  
armrest, door or roof.  
Always install rearward-facing child restraints on the rear seat.  
If you have, in exceptional circumstances, nevertheless decided to install a rearward-facing child restraint on the front passenger seat and the  
PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not come on and stay on whenever the ignition is on, immediately install the rearward-facing child restraint on the  
rear seat and have the airbag system inspected right away by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
WARNING  
Accident statistics have shown that children are generally safer in the rear seat area than in the front seating position. Always restrain any child age 12 and  
under in the rear.  
All vehicle occupants and especially children must be restrained properly whenever riding in a vehicle. An unrestrained or improperly restrained child could  
be injured by striking the interior or by being ejected from the vehicle during a sudden maneuver or impact. An unrestrained or improperly restrained child is  
also at greater risk of injury or death through contact with an inflating airbag.  
A suitable child restraint properly installed and used at one of the rear seating positions provides the highest degree of protection for infants and small  
children in most accident situations.  
WARNING  
Forward-facing child restraints installed on the front passenger seat may interfere with the deployment of the airbag and cause serious personal injury to the  
child.  
If exceptional circumstances require the use of a forward-facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat, the child's safety and well-being require the  
following special precautions to be taken:  
Always make sure that the forward-facing seat has been designed and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front passenger seat with a front and  
side airbag.  
Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions provided with the child restraint or infant carrier.  
Never install a child restraint without a properly attached top tether strap if the child restraint manufacturer's instructions require the top tether strap for  
proper installation, or if required by law. For example, the use of a top tether strap for forward-facing child restraints is required by law in Canada.  
Never put the forward-facing child restraint up against or very near the instrument panel.  
Always set the safety belt upper anchorage to the adjustment position that permits proper installation in accordance with the child restraint  
manufacturer's instructions.  
Always move the front passenger seat to the highest position in the up and down adjustment range and move it back to the rearmost position in the  
seat's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child restraint.  
Always make sure that the safety belt upper anchorage is behind the child restraint and not next to or in front of the child restraint so that the safety  
belt will be properly positioned.  
Always make sure that nothing is in the way that prevents the front passenger's seat from being moved to the rearmost position in its fore and aft  
adjustment range.  
Always make sure that the backrest is in the upright position.  
Never place objects on the seat (such as a laptop, CD player, or electronic games device). These may influence the electrical capacitance measured  
by the capacitive passenger detection system and can also fly around in an accident and cause serious personal injury.  
Never place or use any electrical device (such as a laptop, CD player, or electronic games device) on the front passenger seat if the device is  
75  
connected to the 12 Volt socket ⇒ Power outletsꢀ.  
If a seat heater has been retrofitted or otherwise added to the front passenger seat, never install any child restraint system on this seat.  
Make sure that there are no wet objects (such as a wet towel) and no water or other liquids on the front passenger seat cushion.  
Always make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes on and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG light does not come on and stay on, immediately install the forward-facing child restraint in a rear seating position  
and have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Always buckle the child restraint firmly in place even if a child is not sitting in it. A loose child restraint can fly around during a sudden stop or in a collision.  
Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child restraint in a vehicle. See ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ, ⇒ Airbag systemꢀ, and ⇒ Child safety and child  
restraintsꢀ.  
Always replace child restraints that were installed in a vehicle during a crash. Damage to a child restraint that is not visible could cause it to fail in another  
collision situation.  
Child restraints – Overview  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
All children and especially infants must be properly restrained in a child restraint appropriate for their size and age whenever riding in a vehicle. Their safety also  
requires that the child restraint be properly installed. There are many car seat choices on the market. You can use the information below to help you choose a car  
seat that best meets your child’s needs.  
Type of child restraint  
Applies to  
Birth to 12 months: Your child under age 1 should always ride in a rear-facing car seat. There are  
different types of rear-facing car seats:  
Rear-facing child restraint  
– Infant-only seats can only be used rear-facing.  
– Convertible and all-in-one car seats typically have higher height and weight limits for the rear-facing  
position, allowing you to keep your child rear-facing for a longer period of time.  
1–3 years: Keep your child rear-facing as long as possible. It’s the best way to keep him or her safe.  
Rear-facing child restraint before moving to a forward- Your child should remain in a rear-facing car seat until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit  
facing child restraint  
allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat, your child is  
ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether.  
4–7 years: Keep your child in a forward-facing car seat with a harness and tether until he or she reaches  
the top height or weight limit allowed by the car seat’s manufacturer. Once your child outgrows the  
forward-facing car seat with a harness, it’s time to travel in a booster seat, but still in the back seat.  
Forward-facing child restraint  
7–12 years: Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is big enough to fit in a seat belt properly.  
For a seat belt to fit properly, the lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach. The  
shoulder belt should lie snugly across the shoulder and chest and not cross the neck or face. Remember:  
your child should still ride in the back seat because it’s safer there.  
Booster seat  
Child restraints are designed to be secured to the vehicle with the lap belt portion of the 3 point lap and shoulder belt installed for the passenger seats. The  
outboard rear seating positions also have special fixtures for child restraints that can be used with LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages. Many child restraints  
also require the use of a top tether strap. Depending on your state or country, top tether straps may also be required by law. The top tether strap reduces the forwar  
76  
movement of the child restraint in a crash, to help reduce the risk of head injury if the child hits the vehicle interior.  
Your vehicle has the following installation options in the rear seats:  
Child restraint type  
Rear seats  
Anchorages available for the 2 outboard seating positions.  
LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages  
Top tether anchorages  
Safety belts with the switchable locking feature  
The LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorage attachment points are on the lower part of the rear seat backrest for the 2 outboard seating positions. The  
circular markings on the lower anchorage points help you to locate the lower anchorages⇒ Securing the child restraint with LATCH/UCRA lower universal  
anchoragesꢀ⇒ Fig. 51ꢀ.  
The top tether anchorages are behind each of the rear seating positions ⇒ Securing a child restraint with the Top Tether strap ꢀ⇒ Fig. 53ꢀ.  
More information:  
Important safety instructions for using child restraints ⇒ Important safety instructions for using child restraints ꢀ  
Using a child restraint on the rear seat ⇒ Using a child restraint on the rear seat ꢀ  
Infant seats ⇒ Infant seatsꢀ  
Convertible child restraints ⇒ Convertible child restraintsꢀ  
Booster seats and safety belts ⇒ Booster seats and safety beltsꢀ  
Installing child restraints with a safety belt ⇒ Installing child restraints with a safety belt ꢀ  
Child restraints and the Advanced Airbag System  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Advanced front airbag system and children  
Your vehicle is equipped with a front Advanced Airbag System that complies with United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 208 and with  
Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 208 as applicable at the time your vehicle was manufactured.  
The Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle has been certified to meet the low risk requirements for 3 to 6 year-old children (as defined in the standard) on the  
passenger side and small adults on the driver side. Low risk deployment occurs in those crashes that take place at lower decelerations as defined in the electronic  
control unit. The low risk deployment criteria are intended to reduce the risk of injury through interaction with the airbag that can occur in these collisions, for  
example, by being too close to the steering wheel or instrument panel when the airbag inflates.  
In addition, the system has been certified to comply with the suppression requirements of the Safety Standard, to turn off the front airbag automatically for infants up  
to 12 months who are restrained on the front passenger seat in child restraints that are listed in the Standard.  
Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag System, all children, especially those 12 years and younger, must always ride in the back seat  
properly restrained for their age and size. The airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride. The front seat is  
not the safest place for a child in a forward-facing child restraint. It is a very dangerous place for an infant or a larger child in a rearward-facing seat.  
The vehicle's Advanced Airbag System has a capacitive passenger detection system in the front passenger seat cushion that can detect the presence of a baby or  
child in a child restraint system on this seat.  
The capacitive passenger detection system measures the capacitance of the child and the child restraint and a child blanket on the front passenger seat. The  
capacitance due to the presence of a child, a child restraint, and a baby blanket on the front passenger seat is related to the child restraint system resting on the  
seat. The capacitance of a child restraint system varies depending on the type of system and specific make and model.  
The electrical capacitance of the various types, makes, and models of child restraints specified by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)  
in the relevant safety standard are stored in the Advanced Airbag System control unit together with the capacitances typical of infants and a 1 year-old child. When  
child restraint is used on the front passenger seat with a typical 1 year-old infant, the Advanced Airbag System compares the capacitance measured by the  
capacitive passenger detection system with the data stored in the electronic control unit.  
Child restraints and Advanced Airbags  
No matter what child restraint you use, make sure that it has been certified to meet U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (FMVSS 213) or, if you live in  
Canada, Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 213 (CMVSS 213). Also make sure that the child restraint you are using has been certified by its manufacturer for  
use with an airbag. Always be sure that the child restraint is properly installed at one of the rear seating positions. If in exceptional circumstances you must use it on  
the front passenger seat, carefully read all of the information on child safety and Advanced Airbags and heed all of the applicable WARNINGS. Make certain that th  
child restraint is correctly recognized by the capacitive passenger detection system inside the front passenger seat, that the passenger front airbag is switched off,  
77  
and that the airbag status is always correctly signaled by the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light.  
Many types and models of child restraints have been available over the years, new models are introduced regularly incorporating new and improved designs and  
older models are taken out of production. Child restraints are not standardized. Child restraints of the same type typically have different weights and sizes and  
different footprints, the size and shape of the bottom of the child restraint that sits on the seat, when they are installed on a vehicle seat. These differences make it  
virtually impossible to certify compliance with the requirements for Advanced Airbags with each and every child restraint that has ever been sold in the past or will b  
sold over the course of the useful life of your vehicle.  
For this reason, the United States National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has published a list of specific types, makes and models of child restraints that  
must be used to certify compliance of the Advanced Airbag System in your vehicle with the suppression requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208  
These child restraints are:  
Subpart A. Car bed child restraints  
Model  
Manufactured on or after  
Angel Guard Angel Ride AA2403FOF  
September 25, 2007  
Subpart B. Rear-facing child restraints  
Model  
Manufactured on or after  
Century Smart Fit 4543  
December 1, 1999  
September 25, 2007  
December 1, 1999  
December 1, 1999  
September 25, 2007  
September 25, 2007  
Cosco Arriva 22-013 PAW and base 22-999 WHO  
Evenflo Discovery Adjust Right 212  
Graco Infant 8457  
Graco Snugride  
Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP IMUN00US  
Subpart C. Forward-facing and convertible child restraints  
Model  
Manufactured on or after  
Britax Roundabout E9L02xx  
Cosco Touriva 02519  
September 25, 2007  
December 1, 1999  
September 25, 2007  
September 25, 2007  
September 25, 2007  
December 1, 1999  
September 25, 2007  
September 25, 2007  
September 25, 2007  
September 25, 2007  
Cosco Summit Deluxe High Back Booster 22-262  
Cosco High Back Booster 22-209  
Evenflo Tribute V 379xxxx  
Evenflo Medallion 254  
Evenflo Generations 352xxxx  
Graco ComfortSport  
Graco Toddler SafeSeat Step 2  
Graco Platinum Cargo  
WARNING  
To reduce the risk of serious injury, always make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes on and stays on whenever a child restraint is  
78  
installed on the front passenger seat and the ignition is switched on.  
Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
come on and stay on.  
light does not  
Have the airbag system inspected immediately by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Important safety instructions for using child restraints  
Fig. 45 Never let babies or older children ride in a vehicle while sitting on the lap of another passenger.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Proper use of child restraints greatly reduces the risk of injury in a collision or other kind of accident!  
All children, especially those 12 years and younger, must always ride in the back seat properly restrained for their age and size.  
Always use the right child restraint for each child and always use it properly.  
Always carefully follow the child restraint manufacturer's instructions on how to route the safety belt properly through the child restraint and how to restrain the child  
in the child restraint.  
When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child restraint, you must activate the switchable locking feature on the safety belt to help prevent the child restraint  
from moving ⇒ Installing child restraints with a safety belt ꢀ.  
Push the child restraint down with your full weight to get the safety belt really tight so that the seat cannot move forward or sideways more than about 1 inch (2.5 cm  
Important additional information about installing a child restraint system on the front passenger seat:  
If you must install a child restraint on the front passenger seat in exceptional circumstances, be sure to read and heed the important information and warnings in the  
section of this Manual that begins on ⇒ Child restraints and the Advanced Airbag System ꢀ.  
There are also additional adjustments that must be made in order to be able to properly install a child restraint on the front passenger seat:  
Set the safety belt upper anchorage for the front passenger seat so that the available safety belt is long enough to properly install the child restraint. Always follow  
the child restraint manufacturer's installation instructions ⇒ ꢀ.  
Move the front passenger seat to the highest position in the seat's up and down adjustment range and to the rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft adjustment  
range, as far away from the airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child restraint and make sure the backrest is in the upright position ⇒ ꢀ.  
Always make sure that the safety belt upper anchorage is behind the child restraint and not next to or in front of the child restraint so that the safety belt will be  
properly positioned.  
When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child restraint, you must activate the switchable locking feature on the safety belt to help prevent the child restraint  
from moving ⇒ Using a child restraint on the rear seat ꢀ. Always follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions when installing a child restraint.  
Do not use the switchable locking feature when using the vehicle's safety belt to restrain a child on a booster seat.  
Always remember: Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag System, all children, especially those 12 years and younger, must always ride in  
the back seat properly restrained for their age and size.  
DANGER!  
Never install rearward-facing child restraints or infant carriers on the front passenger seat.  
A child will be seriously injured and can be killed when the passenger airbag inflates – even with an Advanced Airbag System.  
The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or infant carrier with great force and will smash the child restraint and child against the backrest, center  
armrest, door or roof.  
Always install rearward-facing child restraints and infant carriers on the rear seat.  
WARNING  
79  
Not using a child restraint, using the wrong child restraint, or improperly installing a child restraint increases the risk of serious personal injury and death in a  
collision or other emergency situation.  
All vehicle occupants and especially children must always be restrained properly whenever riding in a vehicle.  
An unrestrained or improperly restrained child can be injured or killed by being thrown against the inside of the vehicle or by being ejected from it  
during a sudden maneuver or impact.  
An unrestrained or improperly restrained child is at much greater risk of injury or death by being struck by an inflating airbag.  
Commercially available child restraints are required to comply with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 213 (in Canada CMVSS 213).  
When buying a child restraint, select one that fits your child and the vehicle.  
Only use child restraint systems that fully contact the flat portion of the seat cushion. The child restraint must not tip or lean to either side. Volkswagen  
does not recommend using child restraints that rest on legs or tube-like frames. They do not provide adequate contact with the seat.  
Always heed all legal requirements pertaining to the installation and use of child restraints and carefully follow the instructions provided by the  
manufacturer of the seat you are using.  
For safety reasons, children under 4 ft. 9 in. (57 inches / 1.45 meters) may not wear standard safety belts. Children must always be restrained by a proper  
child restraint system. Otherwise, they could sustain injuries to the abdomen and neck areas during sudden braking maneuvers or accidents.  
Never let more than one child occupy a child restraint.  
Never let babies or older children ride in a vehicle while sitting on the lap of another passenger.  
Holding a child in your arms is never a substitute for a child restraint system.  
The strongest person could not hold the child with the forces that exist in an accident. The child will strike the interior of the vehicle and can also be  
struck by another passenger.  
The child and the passenger can also injure each other in an accident.  
WARNING  
Forward-facing child restraints installed on the front passenger's seat can interfere with the airbag when it inflates and cause serious injury to the child.  
Always install child restraints on the rear seat.  
If exceptional circumstances require the use of a forward-facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat, the child's safety and well-being require the  
following special precautions to be taken:  
Always make sure that the forward-facing seat has been designed and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front passenger seat with a front and  
side airbag.  
Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions provided with the child restraint or carrier.  
Never install a child restraint without a properly attached top tether strap if the child restraint manufacturer's instructions require the top tether strap for  
proper installation, or if required by law. For example, the use of a top tether strap for forward-facing child restraints is required by law in Canada.  
Never put the forward-facing child restraint up against or very near the instrument panel.  
Always set the safety belt upper anchorage to the adjustment position that permits proper installation in accordance with the child restraint  
manufacturer's instructions.  
Always move the front passenger seat to the highest position in the up and down adjustment range and move it back to the rearmost position in the  
seat's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child restraint.  
Always make sure that the safety belt upper anchorage is behind the child restraint and not next to or in front of the child restraint so that the safety  
belt will be properly positioned.  
Always make sure that nothing is in the way that prevents the front passenger's seat from being moved to the rearmost position in its fore and aft  
adjustment range.  
Always make sure that the backrest is in the upright position.  
Never place additional items on the seat that can influence the capacitance registered by the capacitive passenger detection system and can cause  
injury in a crash.  
Never place or use any electrical device (such as a laptop, CD player, or electronic games device) on the front passenger seat if the device is  
connected to the 12 Volt socket ⇒ Power outletsꢀ.  
If a seat heater has been retrofitted or otherwise added to the front passenger seat, never install any child restraint system on this seat.  
80  
Make sure that there are no wet objects (such as a wet towel) and no water or other liquids on the front passenger seat cushion.  
Always buckle the child restraint firmly in place even if a child is not sitting in it. A loose child restraint can fly around during a sudden stop or in a collision.  
Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child restraint in a vehicle. See ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ, ⇒ Airbag systemꢀ, and ⇒ Child safety and child  
restraintsꢀ.  
WARNING  
To reduce the risk of serious injury, always make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
installed on the front passenger seat and the ignition is switched on.  
light comes on and stays on whenever a child restraint is  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not stay on, perform the checks described ⇒ PASSENGER AIR BAG  
lightꢀ.  
Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install it properly at one of the rear seat positions if the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
stay on.  
light does not  
Have the airbag system inspected immediately by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Using a child restraint on the rear seat  
Fig. 46 Keep unused safety belts away from children in child restraints.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Important special steps when installing a child restraint with LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages or with the vehicle safety belt.  
You must take special precautions when installing a LATCH/UCRA child restraint behind the front passenger or driver seats. Always route the center safety belt and  
the unused safety belt for the seating position where the child restraint is being installed securely out of the child’s reach. Securing the safety belts will help prevent  
a child from playing with an unused safety belt and becoming entangled with it ⇒ Fig. 46ꢀ.  
How to tell if the child restraint is properly installed  
The child restraint is flush with both the seat cushion and the seat backrest.  
The child restraint is centered in the seating position.  
The child restraint does not move forward or sideways by more than about 1 inch (2.5 cm) where the vehicle's safety belt goes into the child restraint.  
Securing a safety belt for an outboard seating position  
When routing a safety belt for an outboard seating position, do not activate the switchable locking feature, otherwise it will be very difficult to wind the safety belt  
back into its normal position. You should not hear a clicking sound when the safety belt retracts.  
Route the safety belt around the head restraint for the center seating position.  
Make sure the safety belt is out of the child’s reach, so that the child cannot grab and play with it.  
Make sure that the safety belt does not block the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages. This could prevent you from correctly installing a child restraint  
with the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages.  
Securing the center seat safety belt  
When routing a center seat safety belt, you must activate the switchable locking feature. When the safety belt retracts, a clicking sound indicates that the switchable  
locking feature is active.  
Buckle the safety belt ⇒ Fig. 46ꢀ.  
Pull the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt all the way out of the retractor to activate the switchable locking feature. You should hear a clicking noise as the  
belt winds back into the retractor.  
Let the safety belt fully retract and then pull on it to make sure the switchable locking feature is active and the safety belt is properly fastened and tight so that  
the child cannot grab and play with the safety belt.  
When a child safety seat is secured on the rear bench, adjust the position of the front seat to provide the child with sufficient space. Therefore, adjust the front seat  
the size of the child safety seat and the child. Consider the proper seating position of the passenger ⇒ ꢀ.  
When child restraints are not needed, be sure to remove the safety belt(s) from around the head restraint(s), unbuckle the center safety belt, and return all safety  
81  
belts to their normal stored positions so that they will be available for regular use.  
WARNING  
A child in a child restraint installed with the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages or with the standard safety belt on the rear seat may play with unused  
rear seat safety belts and become entangled, resulting in serious personal injury and even death.  
Always secure unused rear seat safety belts out of the reach of children in child restraints such as by properly routing them around the head restraint  
adjacent to the seating position where the child restraint is installed.  
NOTE  
Be careful not to activate the switchable locking retractor when routing the unused safety belt around the head restraint adjacent to the seat where a child  
restraint has been installed.  
Only pull the unused safety belt out far enough to allow you to route the belt around the head restraint.  
When installing a child restraint, be careful not to get the belt caught in the structure of the child restraint and become damaged, especially when the  
switchable locking feature has been activated.  
Infant seats  
Fig. 47 Rearward-facing infant seat properly installed on the rear seat.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all infants should ride in rear-facing car safety seats (in which the child faces the back of the vehicle)  
starting with their first ride home from the hospital. All infants and toddlers (generally up to age 3) should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible – o  
until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by their child restraint’s manufacturer. These infant seats support the baby's back, neck and head in a collision  
Rear-facing child restraints can be used safely only on the rear seat of the vehicle ⇒ Fig. 47ꢀ.  
Before installing a child restraint on the front passenger seat, be sure to follow the special instructions and heed the warnings ⇒ Child restraints and the Advanced  
Airbag Systemꢀ and ⇒ The dangers of using child restraints on the front seat ꢀ.  
When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child restraint, you must activate the switchable locking feature on the safety belt to help prevent the child  
restraint from moving ⇒ Using a child restraint on the rear seat ꢀ. Always follow the child restraint manufacturer’s instructions when installing a child restraint.  
Attach the tether strap to the tether anchorage for the seating position where the child restraint is being installed ⇒ Securing a child restraint with the Top  
Tether strapꢀ.  
The airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride. The front seat is not the safest place for a child in a forward  
facing child restraint. It is a very dangerous place for an infant or a larger child in a rearward-facing seat.  
You must take special precautions when installing a child restraint with the vehicle safety belt or with LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages behind the front  
passenger seat or behind the driver seat. Always route the center safety belt and the unused safety belt for the seating position where the child restraint is being  
installed securely out of the child’s reach. Securing the safety belts will help prevent a child from playing with an unused safety belt and becoming entangled with it  
⇒ Using a child restraint on the rear seat ꢀ, ⇒ Fig. 46ꢀ.  
DANGER!  
Not using a child restraint, using the wrong child restraint or improperly installing a child restraint increases the risk of serious personal injury and death in a  
collision or other emergency situation.  
Never install rearward-facing child restraints or infant carriers on the front passenger seat, even with an Advanced Airbag System. A child will be seriously  
injured and can be killed when the inflating airbag hits the child restraint or infant carrier with great force and smashes the child restraint and child against  
the backrest, center armrest, door or roof.  
Always install rearward-facing child restraints and infant carriers on the rear seat.  
Never install a rearward-facing child restraint in the forward-facing direction. These restraints are designed for the special needs of infants and very small  
children and cannot protect them properly if the seat is forward-facing.  
If you must install a rearward facing child restraint on the front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances, but the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not come on and stay on, immediately install the rearward-facing child restraint at a seating position on the rear seat and have the airbag  
system inspected right away by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
82  
Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child restraint in a vehicle. See ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ, ⇒ Airbag systemꢀ, and ⇒ Child safety and child  
restraintsꢀ.  
WARNING  
A child in a child restraint installed with the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages or with the standard safety belt on the rear seat may play with unused  
rear seat safety belts and become entangled, resulting in serious personal injury and even death.  
Always secure unused rear seat safety belts out of the reach of children in child restraints such as by properly routing them around the head restraint  
adjacent to the seating position where the child restraint is installed.  
NOTE  
Be careful not to activate the switchable locking retractor when routing the unused safety belt around the head restraint adjacent to the seat where a child  
restraint has been installed.  
Only pull the unused safety belt out far enough to allow you to route the belt around the head restraint.  
When installing a child restraint with a safety belt, be careful not to get the belt caught in the structure of the child restraint and become damaged,  
especially when the switchable locking feature has been activated.  
Convertible child restraints  
Fig. 48 Some child restraints have lower anchors and a top tether. Figures Ⓐ and Ⓑ show how to correctly install a LATCH/UCRA seat. Figure Ⓒ shows the set  
up of a seat using the vehicle's safety belt system.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Children between 1 and about 7 years old must always be properly restrained in a child restraint certified for their size and weight ⇒ Fig. 48ꢀ.  
Once your child outgrows the rear-facing car seat (generally up to age 3), your child is ready to travel in a forward-facing car seat with a harness. Keep your child in  
a forward-facing car seat with a harness until he or she reaches the top height or weight limit allowed by your car seat’s manufacturer.  
Before installing a child restraint on the front passenger seat, be sure to follow the special instructions and heed the warnings ⇒ Child restraints and the Advanced  
Airbag Systemꢀ and ⇒ The dangers of using child restraints on the front seat ꢀ.  
When using the vehicle safety belt to install a child restraint, you must activate the switchable locking feature on the safety belt to help prevent the child  
restraint from moving ⇒ Using a child restraint on the rear seat ꢀ.  
Push the child restraint down with your full weight to get the safety belt really tight so that the seat cannot move forward or sideways more than about 1 inch  
(2.5 cm).  
Fasten the harness webbing that is part of the child restraint system securely and pull it tight so that you can only slip one finger underneath the shoulder belt  
portion at the child's chest.  
Attach the tether strap to the tether anchorage for the seating position where the child restraint is being installed ⇒ Securing a child restraint with the Top  
Tether strapꢀ.  
The airbag on the passenger side makes the front seat a potentially dangerous place for a child to ride. The front seat is not the safest place for a child in a forward  
facing child restraint. It is a very dangerous place for an infant or a larger child in a rearward-facing seat.  
You must take special precautions when installing a child restraint with the vehicle safety belt or with LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages behind the front  
passenger seat or behind the driver seat. Always route the center safety belt and the unused safety belt for the seating position where the child restraint is being  
installed securely out of the child’s reach. Securing the safety belts will help prevent a child from playing with an unused safety belt and becoming entangled with it  
⇒ Using a child restraint on the rear seat ꢀ, ⇒ Fig. 46ꢀ.  
DANGER!  
Not using a child restraint, using the wrong child restraint or improperly installing a child restraint increases the risk of serious personal injury and death in a  
collision or other emergency situation.  
Children on the front seat of any car, even with Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates.  
A child in a rearward-facing child restraint installed on the front passenger seat will be seriously injured and can be killed if the front airbag inflates – even  
83  
with an Advanced Airbag System.  
The inflating airbag will hit the child restraint or infant carrier with great force and will smash the child restraint and child against the backrest, center  
armrest, door or roof.  
Always install rearward-facing child restraints on the rear seat.  
If you must install a rearward facing child restraint on the front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances, but the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not come on and stay on, immediately install the rearward-facing child restraint at a seating position on the rear seat and have the airbag  
system inspected right away by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child restraint in a vehicle. See ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ, ⇒ Airbag systemꢀ, and ⇒ Child safety and child  
restraintsꢀ.  
WARNING  
An improperly installed child restraint can interfere with the airbag as it deploys and seriously injure or even kill the child – even with an Advanced Airbag  
System.  
If exceptional circumstances require the use of a forward-facing child restraint on the front passenger's seat, the child's safety and well-being require the  
following special precautions to be taken:  
Forward-facing child restraints installed on the front passenger seat may interfere with the deployment of the airbag and cause serious personal injury  
to the child.  
Always make sure that the forward-facing seat has been designed and certified by its manufacturer for use on a front passenger seat with a front and  
side airbag.  
Always carefully follow the manufacturer's instructions provided with the child restraint or carrier.  
Never install a child restraint without a properly attached top tether strap if the child restraint manufacturer's instructions require the top tether strap for  
proper installation, or if required by law. For example, the use of a top tether strap for forward-facing child restraints is required by law in Canada.  
Never put the forward-facing child restraint up against or very near the instrument panel.  
Always set the safety belt upper anchorage to the adjustment position that permits proper installation in accordance with the child restraint  
manufacturer's instructions.  
Always move the front passenger seat to the highest position in the up and down adjustment range and move it back to the rearmost position in the  
seat's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the airbag as possible before installing the forward-facing child restraint.  
Always make sure that the safety belt upper anchorage is behind the child restraint and not next to or in front of the child restraint so that the safety  
belt will be properly positioned.  
Always make sure that nothing is in the way that prevents the front passenger's seat from being moved to the rearmost position in its fore and aft  
adjustment range.  
Always make sure that the backrest is in the upright position.  
Never place objects on the seat (such as a laptop, CD player, or electronic games device). These may influence the electrical capacitance measured  
by the capacitive passenger detection system and can also fly around in an accident and cause serious personal injury.  
Never place or use any electrical device (such as a laptop, CD player, or electronic games device) on the front passenger seat if the device is  
connected to the 12 Volt socket ⇒ Power outletsꢀ.  
If a seat heater has been retrofitted or otherwise added to the front passenger seat, never install any child restraint system on this seat.  
Make sure that there are no wet objects (such as a wet towel) and no water or other liquids on the front passenger seat cushion.  
Make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light comes on and stays on all the time whenever the ignition is switched on.  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG light does not come on and stay on, immediately install the forward-facing child restraint at a seating position on  
the rear seat and have the airbag system inspected by your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Always buckle the child restraint firmly in place even if a child is not sitting in it. A loose child restraint can fly around during a sudden stop or in a collision.  
WARNING  
A child in a child restraint installed with the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages or with the standard safety belt on the rear seat may play with unused  
rear seat safety belts and become entangled, resulting in serious personal injury and even death.  
Always secure unused rear seat safety belts out of the reach of children in child restraints such as by properly routing them around the head restraint  
adjacent to the seating position where the child restraint is installed.  
84  
NOTE  
Be careful not to activate the switchable locking retractor when routing the unused safety belt around the head restraint adjacent to the seat where a child  
restraint has been installed.  
Only pull the unused safety belt out far enough to allow you to route the belt around the head restraint.  
When installing a child restraint with a safety belt, be careful not to get the belt caught in the structure of the child restraint and become damaged,  
especially when the switchable locking feature has been activated.  
Booster seats and safety belts  
Fig. 49 Child properly restrained in a booster seat on the rear seat.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Children between about 8 to 12 years old are best protected in child safety seats designed for their age and weight ⇒ Fig. 49ꢀ. Experts say that the skeletal structu  
particularly the pelvis, of these children is not fully developed, and they must not use the vehicle safety belts without a suitable child restraint.  
The vehicle's safety belts alone will not fit most children until they are at least 4 ft. 9 in. (57 inches / 1.45 meters) tall. Booster seats raise these children up so that  
the safety belt will pass properly over the strong parts of their bodies and the safety belt can help protect them in a collision.  
Do not use the switchable locking feature when using the vehicle's safety belt to restrain a child on a booster seat.  
Always position the shoulder portion of the safety belt midway over the child's shoulder. If you must transport an older child in a booster seat on the front  
passenger seat, you can use the safety belt height adjustment to help adjust the shoulder portion properly.  
Always make sure that the shoulder portion is snug across the shoulder and chest and never rests against or across the child's neck or face.  
Always make sure that the child can wear the lap belt portion across the upper thighs and never over the stomach or abdomen.  
Children who are at least 4 ft. 9 in. (57 inches / 1.45 meters) tall can generally use the vehicle's 3 point lap and shoulder belts. Never use the lap belt portion of the  
vehicle's safety belt alone to restrain any child, regardless of how big the child is. Always remember that children do not have the pronounced pelvic structure  
required for the proper function of lap belt portion of the vehicle's 3 point lap and shoulder belts. The child's safety absolutely requires that a lap belt portion of the  
safety belt be fastened snugly across the upper thighs. Never let the lap belt portion of the safety belt pass over the child's stomach or abdomen.  
It is usually best to put these children in appropriate booster seats and keep them in a booster seat until they are big enough to fit in a safety belt properly. Be sure  
the booster seat meets all applicable safety standards.  
Booster seats raise the seating position of the child and reposition both the lap and shoulder parts of the safety belt so that they pass across the child's body in the  
right places. The routing of the belt over the child's body is very important for the child's protection, whether or not a booster seat is used. Children age 12 and unde  
must always ride in the rear seat.  
Keep your child in a booster seat until he or she is at least 4 ft. 9 in. (57 inches / 1.45 meters) tall AND your child is:  
tall enough to sit without slouching; and  
able to keep his or her back against the vehicle seat; and  
able to keep his or her knees naturally bent over the edge of the vehicle seat; and  
able to keep his or her feet flat on the floor; and  
able to sit in that position during the entire trip.  
The way the safety belt passes over the child’s body is important for their safety and protection in a crash. Always make sure you child can wear the safety belt  
properly:  
The lap belt must lie snugly across the upper thighs, not the stomach.  
The shoulder belt must lie snugly across the shoulder and chest, and never cross the neck or face.  
Never let a child put the shoulder belt under the arm or behind the back, because it could cause severe injuries in a crash.  
Always check belt fit on the child in every vehicle. A booster seat may be needed in some vehicles and not in others. If the seat belt does not fit properly, the child  
must continue to use a booster seat. Regardless of whether the child is using a booster or is able to properly wear the standard safety belt properly without a  
booster seat, keep your child in the back seat. Accident statistics show that children are safer on the rear seat than on the front seat.  
85  
In a collision, airbags must inflate within a blink of an eye and with considerable force. In order to do its job, the airbag needs room to inflate so that it will be there to  
protect the occupant as the occupant moves forward into the airbag.  
Even Advanced Airbags can injure children when they inflate. A vehicle occupant who is out of position and too close to the airbag gets in the way of an inflating  
airbag. When an occupant is too close, he or she will be struck violently and will receive serious or possibly even fatal injuries.  
In order for the airbag to offer protection, it is important that all vehicle occupants, especially children, who must be in the front seat under exceptional  
circumstances, be properly restrained and as far away from the airbag as possible. By keeping room between the child's body and the front of the passenger  
compartment, the airbag can inflate completely and provide supplemental protection in certain frontal collisions.  
You must take special precautions when installing a booster seat with the vehicle safety belt behind the front passenger seat or behind the driver seat. Always route  
and secure the unused center safety belt to help prevent a child from playing with the unused safety belt and becoming entangled in it ⇒ Using a child restraint on  
the rear seatꢀ, ⇒ Fig. 46ꢀ.  
WARNING  
Not using a booster seat, using the booster seat improperly, incorrectly installing a booster seat or using the vehicle safety belt improperly increases the risk  
of serious personal injury and death in a collision or other emergency situation. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury and/or death:  
Always make sure to position the shoulder portion of the 3 point belt over the middle of the child's shoulder.  
Never let the shoulder portion of the safety belt rest against or across the neck, face, chin, or throat of the child.  
Always make sure the lap belt portion of the 3 point belt is worn snugly across the upper thighs. Never let the lap belt portion of the safety belt pass over the  
child's stomach or abdomen.  
Never let a child put the shoulder belt under the arm or behind the back, because it could cause severe injuries in a crash.  
Failure to properly route safety belts over a child's body will cause severe injuries in a collision or other emergency situation.  
Children on the front seat of any car, even with Advanced Airbags, can be seriously injured or even killed when an airbag inflates.  
Never let a child stand or kneel on any seat, for example, the front seat.  
Never let a child ride in the cargo area of your vehicle.  
Always remember that a child leaning forward, sitting sideways or out of position in any way during a collision can be struck by a deploying airbag. This will  
result in serious personal injury or death.  
If you must install a booster seat on the front passenger seat because of exceptional circumstances, the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
and stay on, whenever the ignition is switched on.  
light must come on  
If the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not come on and stay on, perform the checks described ⇒ PASSENGER AIR BAG  
lightꢀ.  
Take the child restraint off the front passenger seat and install it properly at one of the seating positions on the rear seat if the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
light does not stay on whenever the ignition is switched on.  
Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child restraint in a vehicle. See ⇒ Safety beltsꢀ, ⇒ Airbag systemꢀ, and ⇒ Child safety and child  
restraintsꢀ.  
WARNING  
A child in a child restraint installed with the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages or with the standard safety belt on the rear seat may play with unused  
rear seat safety belts and become entangled, resulting in serious personal injury and even death.  
Always secure unused rear seat safety belts out of the reach of children in child restraints such as by properly routing them around the head restraint  
adjacent to the seating position where the child restraint is installed.  
Installing child restraints with a safety belt  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Safety belts for the rear seats and the front passenger seat must be locked with the switchable locking feature to properly secure child restraints.  
Child restraints are designed to be secured to the vehicle with the lap belt portion of the 3 point lap and shoulder belt installed for the passenger seats. The  
outboard rear seating positions also have special fixtures for child restraints that can be used with LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages.  
Regardless of the kind of child restraint that you use, always make sure that the child restraint is properly secured in the vehicle; otherwise the child could be  
seriously injured in a crash. Always follow legal requirements regarding the installation of child restraints.  
Whenever a child restraint (except a booster seat) is installed with a safety belt, the safety belt must be locked so that the safety belt webbing cannot unreel. The  
switchable locking feature lets you lock the belt so that a child restraint can be properly installed and, for example, so that it cannot tip to the side when the vehicle  
goes around a corner.  
Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on a rear seat ⇒ ꢀ.  
86  
Installing the child restraint on a rear seat  
Always carefully follow the child restraint manufacturer's instructions when installing a child restraint in your vehicle  
⇒
ꢀ.  
Route the safety belt around or through the child restraint using the proper path for the safety belt as specified by the child restraint manufacturer.  
Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that seating position.  
Make sure that the red release button faces away from the child restraint so that it can be unbuckled quickly.  
Remove all slack from the lap belt portion of the safety belt and hold it tightly against the child restraint.  
Push the child restraint down with your full weight to make sure that the child restraint will be properly installed with the safety belt really tight.  
Activate the belt's switchable locking feature ⇒ Activating the switchable locking featureꢀ.  
Pull on the safety belt to make sure the safety belt is properly fastened and tight.  
Check the child restraint for proper installation by pulling on the child restraint at the place where the vehicle's safety belt goes into the child restraint. The child  
restraint should not move forward or sideways by more than about 1 inch (2.5 cm).  
Special instructions for installing child restraints if the child restraint must be installed on the front seat  
Always carefully follow the child restraint manufacturer's instructions when installing a child restraint in your vehicle  
⇒
ꢀ.  
Place the child restraint on a seat, preferably on a rear seat ⇒ ꢀ. If in exceptional circumstances you must install the child restraint on the front seat, be sur  
to follow the special instructions and heed the WARNINGS below.  
Make sure the front seat backrest is in the upright position.  
Move the front passenger seat to the rearmost position in the seat's fore and aft adjustment range, as far away from the airbag as possible.  
Set the front passenger's safety belt height adjuster so that available safety belt length is sufficient to properly install the child restraint.  
Always make sure that the safety belt upper anchorage is behind the child restraint and not next to or in front of the child restraint so that the safety belt will be  
properly positioned.  
Route the safety belt around or through the child restraint using the proper path for the safety belt as specified by the child restraint manufacturer.  
Insert the belt tongue into the buckle for that seating position.  
Make sure that the red release button faces away from the child restraint so that it can be unbuckled quickly.  
Remove all slack from the lap belt portion of the safety belt and hold it tightly against the child restraint.  
Push the child restraint down with your full weight to make sure that the child restraint will be properly installed with the safety belt really tight.  
Activate the belt's switchable locking feature ⇒ Activating the switchable locking featureꢀ.  
Pull on the safety belt to make sure the safety belt is properly fastened and tight.  
Check the child restraint for proper installation by pulling on the child restraint at the place where the vehicle's safety belt goes into the child restraint. The child  
restraint should not move forward or sideways by more than about 1 inch (2.5 cm).  
After checking to make sure that the child restraint is properly installed, make certain that the child restraint is correctly recognized by the capacitive passenger  
detection system in the front passenger seat and that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
sure to read the additional important information and heed the WARNINGS about the Advanced Airbag System and the function of the  
PASSENGER AIR BAG light in this Manual.  
light signals the correct front passenger front airbag status. Please be  
Always remember: Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag System, all children, especially those 12 years and younger, must always ride in  
the back seat properly restrained for their age and size.  
Activating the switchable locking feature  
Slowly pull the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt all the way out of the retractor.  
While keeping your weight on the child restraint, guide the shoulder belt portion of the safety belt back into the retractor until the belt lies flat and is tightened  
against the child restraint.  
You should hear a clicking noise as the belt winds back into the inertia reel of the safety belt retractor. Test the switchable locking feature by pulling on the  
belt. You should no longer be able to pull the belt out of the retractor. The switchable locking feature is now active.  
Pull on the safety belt to make sure the safety belt is properly fastened and tight.  
Check the child restraint for proper installation by pulling on the child restraint at the place where the vehicle's safety belt goes into the child restraint. The child  
restraint should not move forward or sideways by more than about 1 inch (2.5 cm).  
After checking to make sure that the child restraint is properly installed, make certain that the child restraint is correctly recognized by the capacitive passenger  
detection system in the front passenger seat and that the PASSENGER AIR BAG  
sure to read the additional important information and heed the WARNINGS about the Advanced Airbag System and the function of the  
PASSENGER AIR BAG light in this Manual.  
light signals the correct front passenger front airbag status. Please be  
Always remember: Even though your vehicle is equipped with an Advanced Airbag System, all children, especially those 12 years and younger, must always ride in  
the back seat properly restrained for their age and size.  
87  
Deactivating the switchable locking feature  
The switchable locking feature for child restraints will be deactivated automatically when the belt is wound all the way back into the retractor.  
Press the red button on the safety belt buckle. The belt tongue will pop out of the buckle.  
Guide the safety belt back by hand so that it rolls easily onto the retractor and the trim around the retractor will not be damaged.  
Always let the safety belt retract completely into its stowed position. The safety belt can now be used as an ordinary safety belt without the switchable locking  
feature for child restraints.  
If the switchable locking feature should be activated inadvertently, the safety belt must be unfastened and guided completely back into its stowed position to  
deactivate this feature. If the switchable locking feature is not deactivated, the safety belt will gradually become tighter and uncomfortable to wear.  
WARNING  
Using the wrong child restraint or an improperly installed child restraint can cause serious personal injury or death in an accident.  
Always make sure that the safety belt retractor is locked when installing a child restraint, except a booster seat. An unlocked safety belt retractor cannot  
hold the child restraint in place during normal driving or in a crash.  
Always buckle the child restraint firmly in place even if a child is not sitting in it. A loose child restraint can fly around during a sudden stop or in a collision.  
Always make sure the seat backrest to which the child restraint is installed is in an upright position and securely latched into place and cannot fold forward.  
Otherwise, the seat backrest with the child restraint attached to it could fly forward in a collision or other emergency situation.  
Always read and heed all WARNINGS whenever using a child restraint in a vehicle ⇒ Child safety and child restraints ꢀ. Special precautions apply when  
installing a child restraint on the front passenger seat ⇒ The dangers of using child restraints on the front seat ꢀ, and ⇒ Child restraints and the Advanced  
Airbag Systemꢀ, and ⇒ Important safety instructions for using child restraints ꢀ.  
WARNING  
Improperly installed child restraints increase the risk of serious personal injury and death in a collision.  
Never unfasten the safety belt to deactivate the switchable locking feature for child restraints while the vehicle is moving. You would not be restrained and  
could be seriously injured in an accident.  
NOTE  
When installing a child restraint, be careful not to get the belt caught in the structure of the child restraint and become damaged, especially when the  
switchable locking feature has been activated.  
Securing the child restraint with LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages  
Fig. 50 On the rear outboard seat backrests: Removing the covers (if equipped) on the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages.  
Fig. 51 On the rear outboard seat backrests: Markings on the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
LATCH is used in the United States and stands for Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children. In Canada, Universal Child Restraint Anchorages (UCRA) is used to  
describe the combination of top tether straps and lower anchorages.  
All child restraints manufactured after September 1, 1999 must have LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages.  
88  
The LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorage attachment points are on the lower part of the rear seat backrest for the 2 outboard seating positions. Each lower  
universal anchorage point may have a cover. The circular markings on the anchorage points help you to locate the lower anchorages ⇒ Fig. 51ꢀ (arrows). If  
necessary, remove the covers ⇒ Fig. 50ꢀ to access the lower anchorage points.  
LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages secure the child restraint system in the seat without using the vehicle's safety belts. Anchorages provide a secure and  
easy-to-use attachment and minimize the possibility of improper child restraint installation.  
Remember that the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorage points are only intended for installation and attachment of child restraints specifically certified for use  
with these lower universal anchorages. Child restraints that are not equipped with the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorage attachments can still be installed  
with vehicle safety belts according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions. You must never mount two child restraint systems to one LATCH/UCRA lower  
universal anchorage point at the same time. For instance, you must not install a child restraint with LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorage points on one of the  
outboard seating positions and then use the inboard anchorage to also install a child restraint in the center of the rear seat that itself is not equipped with  
LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorage points.  
There are 2 ways to attach an appropriate child restraint to the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages:  
Rigid connectors on bars at the back of the child restraint:  
Depending on your vehicle's seats, you may want to use guidance fixtures when installing a child restraint that has rigid mountings. Installation with guidance  
fixtures is easier and protects the upholstery. Guidance fixtures are included with the child restraint in some cases. If not, they can be purchased from an authorized  
Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. The guidance fixtures must be installed in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions at the  
anchorage points between the seat cushion and the seat backrest.  
Make sure the seat backrest of the rear seat bench is in the upright position and securely latched in place.  
Release or deploy the top tether strap (if one is required by the child restraint manufacturer or by law) to secure the seat ⇒ Securing a child restraint with the  
Top Tether strapꢀ.  
Guide the upper tether strap under the rear head restraint (raise the head restraint if necessary).  
Attach the tether strap anchorage hook into the opening of the tether anchorage.  
Attach the connectors onto the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages.  
Make sure you hear the child restraint click securely into place.  
Tighten the top tether strap (if there is one) to secure the seat ⇒ Securing a child restraint with the Top Tether strap ꢀ.  
Pull on both sides of the child restraint once you've installed it to make certain it is secure and properly attached.  
Releasing  
Release the top tether strap (if one is required by the child restraint manufacturer or by law).  
Release the lower latch from the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages following the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.  
Hooks attached to adjustable straps (hook-on connectors)  
Make sure the seat backrest of the rear seat bench is in the upright position and securely latched in place.  
Attach the hook-on connectors with the spring catch release onto the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorage so that the connectors lock into place.  
Pull on the connector attachments to make sure that it is properly attached to the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorage.  
Pull straps tight following the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.  
Release or deploy the top tether strap (if one is required by the child restraint manufacturer or by law) to secure the seat ⇒ Securing a child restraint with the  
Top Tether strapꢀ.  
Guide the upper tether strap under the rear head restraint (raise the head restraint if necessary).  
Guide the tether strap between the rear seat back and the luggage compartment cover.  
Attach the tether strap anchorage hook into the opening of the tether anchorage and pull the top tether strap tight.  
After you have installed the child restraint, pull on both of the adjustable straps on the child restraint and pull also on the tether strap to make certain the seat is  
secure and properly attached.  
Releasing  
Loosen the tension on the hook-on connector straps following the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.  
Release the top tether strap (if one is required by the child restraint manufacturer or by law).  
Depress the spring catch on the hook.  
Hold the spring catch in the depressed position.  
Move the hook in the direction of the vehicle floor so that there is enough space to release the connector from the lower anchorage.  
You must take special precautions when installing a child restraint with the vehicle safety belt or with LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages behind the front  
passenger seat or behind the driver seat. Always route the unused center seat safety belt and the unused safety belt for the seating position where the  
89  
LATCH/UCRA child restraint is being installed around the rear head restraint behind the child restraint to help prevent a child from playing with the unused belt and  
becoming entangled in it.  
WARNING  
Improper use of the LATCH/UCRA system can increase the risk of serious personal injury and death in an accident.  
Always carefully follow the child restraint manufacturer's instructions for proper installation of the child restraints and proper use of tether straps as well as  
the LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorages or safety belts in your vehicle.  
Never mount two child restraint systems on one LATCH/UCRA lower universal anchorage point.  
These anchors were developed only for child restraints using the LATCH/UCRA system.  
Never attach other child restraints, belts, luggage or other things to the LATCH/UCRA anchorages.  
Always make sure that you hear a click when latching the seat in place. If you do not hear a click, the seat is not secure and could fly forward and hit the  
interior of the vehicle or be ejected from the vehicle.  
NOTE  
To help prevent permanent indentations from forming in the cushion, remove the guidance fixtures from the anchorage points when there is no child  
restraint secured in the vehicle anchorage points.  
To help prevent damage to the seat upholstery, always remove the guidance fixtures from the anchorage points before folding the backrest on the rear  
bench seat forward.  
Be careful not to activate the switchable locking retractor when routing the safety belts around the head restraints. Only pull the safety belt out far enough to  
allow you to route the belt around the head restraint.  
Securing a child restraint with the Top Tether strap  
Fig. 52 Example of a mounted upper tether strap: The top tether strap reduces the forward movement of the child restraint in a crash, to help reduce the risk of  
head injury if the child hits the vehicle interior.  
Fig. 53 Anchorages for the top tether strap on the back of the rear seat.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Installing the tether strap  
Release or deploy the tether strap on the child restraint according to the child restraint manufacturer's instructions  
Remove the luggage compartment cover, if necessary.  
⇒
ꢀ.  
Locate the tether anchor behind the rear seat backrest ⇒ Fig. 53ꢀ.  
Outer seating position: Guide the upper tether strap under the outer rear head restraint (raise the head restraint if necessary). For child restraints with V-tether  
straps: Always make sure that the head restraint guide rods do not interfere with any part of the top tether strap.  
Center seating position: Guide the upper tether strap under the center rear head restraint only when it is pushed all the way up. If the tether strap hook is too  
big to pass under the center head restraint, push the head restraint all the way down and guide the strap over the center head restraint.  
Guide the tether strap between the rear seat backrest and the luggage compartment cover.  
Attach the tether strap anchorage hook into the opening of the tether anchorage ⇒ Fig. 53ꢀ.  
Pull on the tether strap hook so that the spring catch of the hook is engaged.  
90  
Tighten the tether strap firmly following the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.  
Move the head restraint back into the original position, if necessary ⇒ Head restraintsꢀ.  
Releasing the tether strap  
Loosen the tension on the tether strap following the child restraint manufacturer's instructions.  
Depress the spring catch on the hook and release it from the anchorage.  
WARNING  
Improper installation of child restraints will increase the risk of injury and death in a crash.  
Always follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer of the child restraint when installing it in your vehicle.  
Never install a child restraint without a properly attached top tether strap if the child restraint manufacturer's instructions require the top tether strap for  
proper installation, or if required by law. For example, the use of a top tether strap for forward-facing child restraints is required by law in Canada.  
Improper use of top tether straps and anchors can lead to injury in a collision. The anchors are designed to withstand only those loads imposed by correctly  
fitted child restraints.  
Never attach two child restraint systems to one top tether strap or top tether anchorage.  
Never attach a child restraint tether strap to a tie-down hook in the luggage compartment.  
Never use child restraint top tether anchorages to secure safety belts or other kinds of occupant restraints.  
Never secure or attach any luggage or other items to the top tether anchorages.  
NOTE  
If you leave the child restraint with the tether strap firmly installed for several days, this could leave a mark on the upholstery on the seat cushion and backrest  
in the area where the tether strap was installed. The upholstery would also be permanently stretched around the tether strap. This applies especially to  
leather seats.  
Sources of information about child restraints and their use  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
The following are some sources of additional information about child restraint selection, installation and use:  
Safety authorities advise that the best child safety seat is the one that fits your child and fits in your vehicle, and that you will use correctly and consistently.  
Try before you buy!  
Transport Canada Information Centre  
Tel.:1-800-333-0371  
Tel.:1-613-998-8616 (Ottawa)  
 
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration  
Tel.:1-888-327-4236 (TTY: 1-800-424-9153)  
 
 
National SAFE KIDS Campaign  
Tel.:1-202-662-0600  
 
SafetyBeltSafe U.S.A.  
Tel.:1-800-745-SAFE or 1-800-745-7233 (English)  
Tel.:1-800-747-SANO or 1-800-747-7266 (Spanish)  
 
Volkswagen Customer CARE  
Tel.:1-800-822-8987  
In an emergency  
Introduction to the subject  
In this chapter you will find information on the following subjects:  
⇒ Protecting yourself and the vehicleꢀ  
WARNING  
91  
A vehicle breakdown in traffic is dangerous and creates a great risk for you, your passengers, and others.  
Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. Move the vehicle a safe distance off the road where it is safe to park and, if necessary, lock all doors  
in an emergency. Turn on the emergency flashers and set up another warning device about 25 yards (25 meters) behind the vehicle to warn approaching  
traffic.  
Never leave children, disabled persons, or anyone who cannot help themselves alone in the vehicle when locking the doors. This could result in people  
being trapped in the vehicle in an emergency. Depending on the time of year, people trapped in the vehicle can be exposed to very high or very low  
temperatures.  
Protecting yourself and the vehicle  
Fig. 54 In the center of the instrument panel: Button for the emergency flashers.  
Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first ⇒ Introduction to the subjectꢀ  
Obey all legal requirements regarding protecting a broken-down vehicle. For example, turning on the emergency flashers and wearing a safety vest are mandatory  
in many countries.  
Checklist  
For your own safety and that of your passengers, carry out the following steps in the order listed  
Park the vehicle at a safe distance from traffic and on a suitable surface .  
Switch on emergency flashers by pressing the button .  
⇒
ꢀ:  
Apply the parking brake to help prevent the vehicle from moving Parking brake (Golf, Golf GTI) or Electronic parking brake (Golf R) (depending on  
equipment).  
Shift the transmission into Park (P) (automatic) or Neutral (manual only) Manual and automatic transmission.  
Stop the engine and remove the key from the ignition switch or turn off the ignition with the starter button and remove the key from the vehicle Starting and  
stopping the engine.  
Have all passengers exit and go to a safe location away from moving traffic, such as behind a guard rail.  
Take all vehicle keys with you when leaving your vehicle.  
Set up a warning triangle or other warning device in order to alert other motorists and cyclists.  
Let the engine cool down and get expert assistance if necessary.  
If the emergency flashers are on, use the turn signal lever to indicate a direction or lane change, for example when the vehicle is being towed. This temporarily  
interrupts the emergency flashers.  
Switch on the emergency flashers when:  
Traffic suddenly slows down or stops in front of you to warn those approaching from behind.  
In any emergency situation.  
If the vehicle breaks down.  
When being towed.  
Always obey traffic laws that govern the use of emergency flashers where you are driving.  
If the emergency flashers are not working, a different method – as permitted by law – must be used to alert other motorists and cyclists to the breakdown.  
WARNING  
Disregarding the safety-related checklist may lead to accidents and serious personal injuries.  
Always review and follow the checklist. Follow accepted safety practices and use common sense.  
92  

Related Topics

General information Sitting properly and safely Safety belts Airbag system Child safety and child restraints In an emergency

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