Get Braking and parking -> About the brakes Guide for Volkswagen Passat SUV Seventh Generation (2010-2014)

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 get very

hot. They can cause fires and serious personal injury.

Never park where the hot exhaust system could ignite flam-

mable materials, such as brush, leaves, dry grass, spilled fuel,

etc.

NOTICE

Always be careful when you park in areas with parking barri-

ers 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 ex-

haust 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 perfor-

mance by applying more pressure to the brake pedal. But, during the

break-in period, the stopping distance for hard braking and emer-

gency 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 inter-

vals.

Wet brakes (for example, after driving through water or washing the

vehicle or after heavy rainfall) will not brake as well. Stopping dis-

tances 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 ap-

plying the brakes a couple of times while traveling at a relatively high

speed. Make sure nobody is behind you and that you do not endan-

ger 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 brak-

ing 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 buildup 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 driv-

ing at relatively high speed to help clean the brake discs and pads.

Make sure nobody is behind you and that you do not endanger your-

self or others ⇒ꢀ

.

Brake system malfunction

If you brake and find that the 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 H or "2!+% will 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 author-

ized 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 increas-

es 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 com-

pensate 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 bro-

ken 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, espe-

cially 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 re-

duce 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 stop-

ping 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 pe-

dal 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 neces-

sary, 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 significant-

ly improve active driving safety.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

ESC helps to improve road holding and vehicle dynamics to help re-

duce 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,

slush or snow, ESC cannot perform the same way it would on a dry

surface. If the vehicle “hydroplanes” (rides on a cushion of water in-

stead of the road surface), ESC will not be able to help you steer the

vehicle because contact with the pavement has been interrupted and

the vehicle cannot be braked or steered. During fast cornering, par-

ticularly on winding roads, ESC cannot always deal as effectively with

difficult driving situations as it can at lower speeds.

Always adjust your speed and driving style to visibility, road, traffic,

and weather conditions. ESC cannot override the vehicle's physical

limits, increase the available traction, or keep a vehicle on the road if

road departure is a result of driver inattention. Instead, ESC improves

the possibility of keeping the vehicle under control and on the road

during extreme maneuvers by using the driver's steering inputs to

Braking and parking -> About the brakes for Your Volkswagen Passat SUV Seventh Generation (2010-2014)

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