Get Adjusting the seating position Guide for Volkswagen Passat SUV Seventh Generation (2010-2014)

Adjusting the seating position

¤ Introduction

In this section you’ll find information about:

Examples of improper seating positions

Proper seating position

Manual controls on the driver and front passenger seats

Electrical controls on the driver and front passenger seats

Adjusting the front and rear head restraints

Removing and reinstalling the head restraints

Adjusting the steering wheel position

Center armrest

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.

More information:

Seat functions

Safety belts

Airbag system

Child safety and child restraints

WARNING

Improper seating positions increase the risk of severe or fatal

injuries in a crash or other accidents, especially when the air-

bag deploys.

All occupants must sit properly and be properly restrained at

all times.

Never let more people ride in the vehicle than there are seat-

ing 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

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.

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 ped-

als 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 posi-

tions 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 posi-

tioning of the safety belts and improper seating position.

Never drive with the front seat passenger backrest tilted for-

ward. 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 re-

strained are more likely to be seriously injured in a crash.

WARNING

Improper adjustment of the seats can cause accidents and se-

vere injuries.

Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving. Your seat

may move unexpectedly and you could lose control of the vehi-

cle. 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

Some kinds of cigarette lighters can be lit unintentionally, or

crushed causing a fire that can result in serious burns and ve-

hicle 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

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

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 signifi-

cantly 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:

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 vehi-

cle 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. 43 The driver should never sit closer than 10 inches (25 cm) of

the steering wheel.

Fig. 44 Proper safety belt positioning and head restraint adjustment.

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

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 fas-

tened 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 modifica-

tions to your vehicle.

For your own safety and to reduce injuries in the event of sudden

braking maneuvers or accidents, Volkswagen recommends the fol-

lowing 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. 43 and ⇒ꢀfig. 44.

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 ⇒ꢀpage 141, Safety

belts.

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. 43.

When 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 seri-

ous injuries to the hands, arms, and head if the driver's airbag in-

flates.

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.

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.

Manual controls on the driver and front passenger seats

Fig. 45 Controls on the left front seat.

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

The controls on the front passenger seat mirror those on the driver

seat.

There may be manual and electrical controls on the same seat.

fig. 45 Function

Action

(1)

Move the front seat

forward or back.

Pull the lever up and move the

front seat. The front seat must lock

in place after the lever is released!

(2)

(3)

(4)

Lumbar support

control.

Pull the lever up or push it down.

Adjust the backrest

angle.

Lean forward and turn the adjuster

wheel forward or backward.

Adjust the seat height. Move the lever several times up or

down.

Electrical controls on the driver and front passenger seats

Fig. 46 Driver seat: Controls to adjust the seat backward and forward,

adjust seat cushion height and angle, and backrest angle.

Fig. 47 Lumbar support control.

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

The controls on the front passenger seat mirror those on the driver

seat.

There may be manual and electrical controls on the same seat.

fig. 46 Press the switch in the direction of the arrow or in the

area shown.

(1)

(2)

(A)

Slide the seat backward or forward.

(B) and (C) Raise or lower the seat cushion.

(B) or (C) Adjust seat cushion angle.

(D)

Adjust backrest angle.

⇒ꢀfig. 47 Press the switch for each area:

(1) or (2)

(3) or (4)

Adjust lumbar support.

Adjust lumbar support height.

WARNING

Improper use of electrical seat controls can cause serious per-

sonal injuries.

The front seats in your vehicle can be electrically adjusted

even when the vehicle key has been removed from the ignition

or, on a vehicle with Keyless Access, even if there is no key in

the vehicle.

Never leave children and persons who need help in the vehi-

cle alone because the unsupervised use of the electric seat ad-

justments can result in serious personal injury.

Always make sure that no one is in the way while the front

seats are being adjusted, or while calling up the stored memory

settings for the front seats. In an emergency, stop automatic

seat adjustment by pressing a seat adjustment switch.

NOTICE

To help prevent damage to electrical parts in the seat, do not

kneel on the front seats or apply concentrated pressure to a

small area of the seat or backrest.

If the vehicle battery is too weak, the electrical seat adjustment

controls may not work.

Starting the engine may stop seat adjustment.

When entering and exiting the vehicle, be careful not to come into

contact with any switches that could change the seat adjustment.

Adjusting the front and rear head restraints

Fig. 48 Adjusting the front head restraints.

Fig. 49 Adjusting the rear head restraints.

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

All seats are equipped with head restraints. The rear center head re-

straint is designed only for the center seat on the rear bench. There-

fore, only install the center head restraint in the center position.

There are notches in the head restraint guide rods so that the head

restraint can lock into place. Only properly installed head restraints

can lock into place at the adjustment range notches. In order to pre-

vent inadvertent removal of the head restraints after installation, there

are stops at the top and bottom of the adjustment range.

Adjusting the height

Pull the head restraint up in the direction of the arrow, or push it

down while pressing the button ⇒ꢀfig. 48 (1) or ⇒ꢀfig. 49 (1) ⇒ꢀ

.

The head restraint must lock securely in the position selected.

Moving the front head restraints forward and back

Push the head restraint forward in the direction of the arrow or slide

it back with the button pressed ⇒ꢀfig. 48 (1).

The head restraint must lock securely in the position selected.

Proper head restraint adjustment

Adjust head restraints so that the upper edge of the head restraint is

at least at eye level or higher. Position the back of the head as close

as possible to the head restraint. Adjust the head restraints on the

front seats so they are as close as possible to the back of the head.

Adjusting the head restraint for short people

Push the head restraint down as far as it will go, even if this means

the person's head is still below the top edge of the head restraint. A

small gap may remain between the head restraint and the backrest

when the head restraint is all the way down.

Adjusting the head restraint for tall people

Pull the head restraint up as far as it will go.

WARNING

Driving without head restraints or with improperly adjusted

head restraints increases the risk of serious injuries in a colli-

sion.

Always drive with the head restraints in place and properly

adjusted to help minimize the risk of neck injury in a crash.

Every person in the vehicle must have a properly adjusted

head restraint to minimize the risk of neck injury in a crash.

Each head restraint must be adjusted according to the occu-

pants' size so that the upper edge is even with the top of the

person's head, but no lower than eye level. Always sit so that

the back of your head is as close as possible to the head re-

straint.

Never adjust head restraint while driving.

Removing and reinstalling the head restraints

Fig. 50 Removing the front head restraints.

Fig. 51 Removing the rear head restraints.

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

All seats are equipped with head restraints. The rear center head re-

straint is designed only for the center seat on the rear bench. There-

fore, only install the center head restraint in the center position.

Removing the front head restraints

Sit in the back seat behind the head restraint you want to remove.

Pull the head restraint all the way up ⇒ꢀ on ⇒ꢀ Adjusting the front

and rear head restraints. Recline the backrest so that there is enough

overhead clearance to remove it.

Slide the head restraint all the way up and back.

On each side of the seat, slide a flat object, such as a plastic credit

card, between the seat backrest and the cap of each head restraint

guide rod ⇒ꢀfig. 50 (1) to unlock the head restraint. Press lightly at the

same time to release the rods.

Pull the head restraint all the way out.

Installing the front head restraints

Pull both rods as far as possible out of the head restraint.

Position head restraint properly over the head restraint guides of

the respective seat backrest and insert the head restraint into the

guides.

Push the head restraint down until both rods lock in place.

Adjust the head restraint according to the occupant's size ⇒ꢀ Ad-

justing the front and rear head restraints.

Removing the rear head restraint

Unlock the backrest of the rear seat bench and fold it forward ⇒ꢀ

Luggage compartment.

Pull the head restraint all the way up ⇒ꢀ

.

If necessary, press the flat blade of the screwdriver from the vehi-

cle tool kit into the slit of the trim cap ⇒ꢀfig. 51 (1) in the direction of

the arrow and hold it in this position.

At the same time press button (2) while a second person pulls out

the head restraint completely.

Fold the backrest of the rear seat bench back so that it locks se-

curely.

Reinstalling the rear head restraint

Unlock the backrest of the rear seat bench and fold it forward ⇒ꢀ

Luggage compartment.

Position head restraint properly over the head restraint guides of

the respective seat backrest and insert the head restraint into the

guides.

Push the head restraint down while pressing button (2).

Fold the backrest of the rear seat bench back so that it locks se-

curely.

Adjust the head restraint according to the occupant's size ⇒ꢀ Ad-

justing the front and rear head restraints.

WARNING

Driving without head restraints or with improperly adjusted

head restraints increases the risk of serious injuries in a colli-

sion.

Always drive with the head restraints in place and properly

adjusted to help minimize the risk of neck injury in a crash.

Always reinstall head restraints as soon as possible so that

vehicle occupants are properly protected.

NOTICE

When removing or reinstalling the head restraint, take care that

the head restraint does not strike the headliner or other parts of

the vehicle. The headliner or other parts of the vehicle could

otherwise be damaged.

Adjusting the steering wheel position

Fig. 52 Manual adjustment for the steering wheel position.

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

Adjust the steering wheel only when the vehicle is not moving.

Pull the lever down ⇒ꢀfig. 52 (1).

Adjust the steering wheel so that it can be held with hands at the

9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions on the outside of the steering wheel

rim and with the arms slightly bent at the elbow.

Push the lever up firmly until it is flush with the steering column ⇒ꢀ

.

WARNING

Improper use of the steering column adjustment feature can

result in serious personal injury and even death.

Always pull the lever (1) firmly upward after adjusting the

steering column so that the steering wheel does not change

position suddenly while the vehicle is moving.

Never adjust the steering column while the vehicle is moving.

If you find that you need to adjust the steering wheel while driv-

ing, stop the vehicle in a safe place and make the proper ad-

justment.

Never adjust the steering wheel so that it points toward your

face. Always make sure that the steering wheel points toward

your chest. Otherwise, the airbag system cannot protect you

properly in the event of a crash.

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 posi-

tions to help reduce the risk of serious 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.

Center armrest

Fig. 53 Front center armrest.

Fig. 54 Folding down the rear center armrest with storage compart-

ment (arrow).

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

Front center armrest

There is a storage compartment under the front center armrest ⇒ꢀ

Storage compartment in the front center armrest.

To raise the center armrest, pull the armrest and latch upward in the

direction of the arrow ⇒ꢀfig. 53.

To lower the center armrest, first lift it all the way up. Then you can

lower the center armrest.

Rear center armrest

There may be a fold-down armrest with a small storage compartment

in the backrest of the center rear seat ⇒ꢀfig. 54.

To fold down, pull the loop in the direction of the large arrow ⇒ꢀfig. 54.

To open the center armrest storage compartment, see ⇒ꢀStorage

compartment in the rear center armrest.

To fold up, push the center armrest up as far as it will go.

WARNING

The center armrest can restrict the driver's arm movement and

cause crashes and serious personal injury.

Always keep storage compartments in the center armrest

closed while driving.

Never let a passenger, especially a child, ride on the center

armrest. Improper seating position can increase the risk of se-

rious personal injury in a crash.

Never put hot drinks or other liquids in the cup holder. Hot

liquids can spill when the vehicle is moving as well as during

braking or other sudden maneuvers.

NOTICE

Do not press on the cup holder cover when raising the rear cen-

ter armrest. The cup holder could open and be damaged.

Adjusting the seating position for Your Volkswagen Passat SUV Seventh Generation (2010-2014)

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