Get Braking and parking -> About the brakes Guide for Volkswagen Passat SUV Sixth Generation (2005-2010)

ꢀ Shift manual transmission into 1st gear (on level ground or if pointed uphill) or reverse (if pointed

downhill) and let the clutch out.

ꢀ

Make sure all passengers and especially children leave the vehicle.

Take all vehicle keys with you when leaving your vehicle.

Lock the vehicle.

On hills

Before stopping the engine, turn the steering wheel so that, if the vehicle starts to roll, its front wheels

will roll into the curb:

ꢀ

Facing downhill, turn the front wheels so that they point toward the curb.

Facing uphill, turn the front wheels so that they point away from the curb.

WARNING

The vehicle exhaust system and the catalytic converter or diesel particulate filter get very hot.

They can cause fires and serious personal injury.

ꢀ Never park where the hot exhaust system could ignite flammable materials, such as

brush, leaves, dry grass, spilled fuel, etc.

NOTICE

ꢀ

Always be careful when you park in areas with parking barriers or high curbs. These vary in

height and could damage your bumper and related parts if the front of your vehicle hits a

barrier or curb that is too high while you are getting into or out of a parking spot. To help

prevent damage, stop before the tires of your vehicle touch a parking barrier or curb.

ꢀ

Always be careful when you enter a driveway or drive up or down steep ramps or over

curbs or other obstacles. Parts of the vehicle close to the ground may be damaged (such as

bumper covers, spoilers, and parts of the engine, suspension, and exhaust systems).

About the brakes

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

New brake pads do not provide full performance during the first 100 to 200 miles (200 to 300 km) and

must first be “broken” in ⇒ꢀ . To some extent, you can make up for the somewhat reduced

performance by applying more pressure to the brake pedal. But, during the break-in period, the

stopping distance for hard braking and emergency braking will be longer until the brakes are fully

broken in. Avoid hard braking and situations that might require hard braking (such as following other

vehicles too closely) – especially during the break-in period.

Brake pad wear depends mostly on operating conditions and the way the vehicle is driven. If you do a

lot of city and short-distance driving and/or have a sporty driving style, you should have the brake pads

checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility more often

than the regular service intervals.

Wet brakes (for example, after driving through water or washing the vehicle or after heavy rainfall) will

not brake as well. Stopping distances will be longer when brake discs are wet or, in winter, even icy.

Wet or icy brakes must be dried as soon as possible by carefully applying the brakes a couple of times

while traveling at a relatively high speed. Make sure nobody is behind you and that you do not

endanger yourself or others ⇒ꢀ

Brakes coated with road salt also react slower and need longer stopping distances. If there is salt on

the roads and you are not braking regularly, brake carefully and gently from time to time to remove any

salt coating from the brake discs and pads ⇒ꢀ

Brake disc corrosion (rust) and dirt build-up on the brake pads are more likely to occur if the vehicle

is not driven much or is driven only for short distances with little braking. If the brakes have not been

used and there is some rust on the discs, clean the brake discs and pads once in a while by carefully

braking a couple of times while driving at relatively high speed to help clean the brake discs and pads.

Make sure nobody is behind you and that you do not endanger yourself or others ⇒ꢀ

Brake system malfunction

If you brake and find that vehicle doesn't brake nearly as well as it used to (sudden increase in

stopping distance), a brake circuit may have failed. The brake warning light _hor _BRAKEwill come on

and a message may appear in the instrument cluster display. If you believe the vehicle is safe to drive,

immediately take it to the nearest authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service

Facility for repair. Drive slowly and very carefully, allow for the longer stopping distance, and be ready

to push longer and harder on the brake pedal to slow the vehicle down.

Brake booster

The brake booster works only when the engine is running. It increases the force on the brakes above

and beyond the pressure put on the brake pedal by the driver.

If the brake booster is not working, or if the vehicle has to be towed, you will have to push the brake

pedal harder to make up for the lack of booster assistance and the resulting longer stopping distance

⇒ꢀ

WARNING

New brake pads do not provide maximum braking performance.

ꢀ

New brake pads do not have the best stopping power for the first 200 miles (320 km) and

must be “broken in.” You can compensate for the slightly reduced braking force by putting

more pressure on the brake pedal.

ꢀ

Drive with extra care while the new brake pads are being broken in. This reduces the risk

of collisions and serious personal injuries due to a loss of control over the vehicle.

Never follow other vehicles too closely or put yourself into other situations that might

ꢀ

require sudden, hard braking, especially when the brake pads have not been broken in.

WARNING

Overheated brakes will reduce the vehicle's stopping power and increase stopping distances

considerably.

ꢀ

When driving downhill, the brakes have to work especially hard and heat up quickly.

Before driving downhill, especially on hills that are long or steep, always reduce speed

and shift into lower gear (manual or automatic transmission). This will let the vehicle use

engine braking and reduce the load on the brakes. Otherwise, the brake system could

overheat and possibly fail. Only use the brakes when you need them to slow the vehicle down

more or to stop.

ꢀ A damaged front spoiler or a non-standard spoiler can reduce airflow to the brakes and

make them overheat.

WARNING

Wet brakes or brakes coated with ice or road salt react slower and need longer stopping

distances.

ꢀ

Carefully apply the brakes to test them.

Always dry brakes and clean off ice and salt coatings with a few cautious brake

applications when visibility, weather, road and traffic conditions permit.

WARNING

Driving when the brake booster is not working increases stopping distances and can cause

accidents and serious personal injuries.

ꢀ

Never let the vehicle coast when the engine is switched off.

If the brake booster is not working (such as when the vehicle is being towed), a lot more

pedal force is needed to slow down and stop.

NOTICE

ꢀ

Never “ride” the brakes by keeping your foot on the brake pedal when you do not want to

brake. Constant pressure on the brake pedal can make the brakes overheat. Riding the brakes

will substantially reduce braking performance, increase stopping distance, and can cause

complete brake system failure.

ꢀ

Before driving downhill, especially on hills that are long or steep, always reduce speed and

shift into lower gear (manual or automatic transmission). This will let the vehicle use engine

braking and reduce the load on the brakes. Otherwise, the brake system could overheat and

possibly fail. Only use the brakes when you need them to slow the vehicle down more or to

stop.

When the front brakes are serviced, you should have the rear brake pads inspected at the same

time. The wear of all brake pads should be visually checked regularly. The best way to check for brake

pad wear is to have your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility

visually inspect the pads through the openings in the wheel rims or from underneath the vehicle. If

necessary, the wheels can be taken off for a more thorough inspection.

Braking assistance systems

ꢀPlease first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS

The ESC, ABS, BAS, ASR, and EDL braking assistance systems work only when the engine is

running. These systems can significantly improve active driving safety.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle dynamics to help reduce the probability of skidding

and loss of vehicle control. It works only when the engine is running. ESC detects certain difficult

driving situations, including when the vehicle is beginning to spin (yaw) out of control. ESC then helps

you to get the vehicle back under control by selectively braking the wheels and/or reducing engine

power and by providing steering assistance to help hold the vehicle on the driver's intended course.

ESC has limitations. It is important to remember that ESC cannot overcome the laws of physics. It will

not always be able to help out under all conditions you may come up against. For example, ESC may

not always be able to help you master situations where there is a sudden change in the coefficient of

friction of the road surface. When there is a section of dry road that is suddenly covered with water,

Braking and parking -> About the brakes for Your Volkswagen Passat SUV Sixth Generation (2005-2010)

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