Get Driving tips Guide for Volkswagen Passat SUV Seventh Generation (2010-2014)

Driving tips

¤ Introduction

In this section you’ll find information about:

Stowing luggage

Driving with an open luggage compartment lid

Driving a loaded vehicle

Weights and axle weights

Always stow heavy objects in the luggage compartment and make

sure that the rear seat backrests are securely latched. Always use the

tie-downs in the luggage compartment and secure the objects with

suitable straps. Never overload the vehicle. Remember that the vehi-

cle load, as well as how it is distributed, can affect vehicle handling

and braking ⇒ꢀ

.

More information:

Luggage compartment lid

Folding the passenger seat backrest forward

Lights

Luggage compartment

Roof rack

Trailer towing

Tires and wheels

WARNING

Unsecured or incorrectly stowed items can fly through the ve-

hicle, causing serious personal injury during hard braking or

sharp steering or in an accident. Loose items can also be

struck and thrown through the passenger compartment by the

front airbags if they inflate. To help reduce the risk of serious

personal injury:

Always stow all objects securely in the vehicle.

Always keep storage compartments closed while driving.

Do not stow hard, heavy, or sharp objects in open bins in the

vehicle or on top of the instrument panel.

Remove hard, heavy, and sharp objects from clothing and

bags in the vehicle interior and stow securely. Always put

heavy items in the luggage compartment.

Always secure objects in the passenger compartment proper-

ly with suitable straps so that they cannot move into the de-

ployment area of a side or front airbag during braking, in a

sudden maneuver, or in a collision.

Always make sure that there is nothing on the front passen-

ger seat when the backrest is folded forward. When the

backrest is folded forward, even light objects could be pushed

into the seat cushion and cause the weight-sensing mat in the

seat to register enough weight to turn the airbag on.

Always make sure that the PASSENGER AIR BAG /&& light is

on and stays on whenever the backrest of the front passenger

seat is folded forward ⇒ꢀ Seat functions.

Passengers must never ride in an incorrect seating position

because objects are being transported in the vehicle.

Never let anybody sit in a seat that is blocked by objects be-

ing carried in the vehicle.

WARNING

Heavy loads will influence the way your vehicle handles and

increase stopping distances. Heavy loads that are not properly

stowed or secured can cause loss of control and serious injury.

Secure the load properly to keep it from shifting.

Always remember when transporting heavy objects that a

change in the center of gravity also changes the way your vehi-

cle handles:

– Always distribute the load as evenly as possible.

– Secure heavy objects properly as far forward in the lug-

gage compartment as possible.

– Always tie down heavy items securely with suitable straps

using the tie-downs in the luggage compartment.

Securely latch the rear seat backrest in the upright position.

Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating or the Gross Ve-

hicle Weight Rating on the safety compliance sticker on the left

door jamb. Exceeding permissible weight can cause the vehicle

to skid and handle differently.

Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and

the weight distribution in the vehicle. Take road, weather, traf-

fic, and visibility conditions into account as well.

Always accelerate gently and avoid sudden braking and driv-

ing maneuvers.

Always brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a

loaded vehicle.

Stowing luggage

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

Always stow all luggage securely in the vehicle

Distribute the load in the vehicle and, if applicable, on the roof and

in the trailer as evenly as possible.

Put heavy objects as far forward as possible in the luggage com-

partment and securely latch the rear seat backrest in the upright posi-

tion.

Secure luggage in the luggage compartment using suitable straps

and the tie downs ⇒ꢀTie-downs. Also see ⇒ꢀ Luggage compartment.

Adjust the headlight range, if necessary ⇒ꢀ Lights.

Check the pressure in all 4 tires when the tires are still cold. Never

reduce air pressure in warm tires to match cold tire inflation pressure.

Heed the information on the tire pressure label ⇒ꢀ Tires and wheels.

Pay especially close attention to your vehicle's Tire Pressure Moni-

toring System when driving with a heavy load ⇒ꢀTire Pressure Moni-

toring System (TPMS).

NOTICE

Wires in the rear windows such as for heating or for an antenna

can be damaged by objects that rub against them.

Please review the information on loading a trailer⇒ꢀTrailer towing

and a roof rack ⇒ꢀ Roof rack.

Driving with an open luggage compartment lid

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

Driving with an open luggage compartment lid can lead to serious

personal injury. If you have to drive with an open luggage compart-

ment lid, make sure that all objects and the lid itself are properly se-

cured and take appropriate measures to keep toxic exhaust fumes

from entering the vehicle.

WARNING

Driving with an unlatched or open luggage compartment lid can

lead to serious personal injury.

Never transport objects larger than those that fit completely

in the luggage compartment, because the luggage compart-

ment lid cannot be fully closed properly.

After closing the lid, always pull up on it to make sure that it

is properly closed and cannot open suddenly when the vehicle

is moving.

Always stow all objects securely in the luggage compart-

ment. Loose objects can fall out of the luggage compartment

and injure others on the road behind you.

Drive carefully; anticipate what other drivers will do.

Avoid abrupt or sudden acceleration, steering, or braking,

because the unlatched luggage compartment lid can move

suddenly.

Always mark objects sticking out from the luggage compart-

ment clearly for others to see. Obey all applicable legal re-

quirements.

Never use the luggage compartment lid to “clamp” or “hold”

objects that stick out of the luggage compartment.

Always remove any luggage rack or other rack mounted on

the luggage compartment lid (along with any luggage on the

rack) before driving with an open luggage compartment lid.

WARNING

Driving with an open luggage compartment lid can cause poi-

sonous carbon monoxide in the engine exhaust to get into the

passenger compartment.

Carbon monoxide causes drowsiness, inattentiveness, poi-

soning, and loss of consciousness. It can lead to accidents and

severe personal injuries.

Always keep the luggage compartment lid closed while driv-

ing to help keep poisonous exhaust fumes from being drawn

into the vehicle.

Never transport objects that are too large to fit completely

into the luggage area, because then the luggage compartment

lid cannot be fully closed.

If you absolutely must drive with an open luggage compart-

ment lid, do the following to reduce the risk of carbon monox-

ide poisoning:

– Close all windows and the power sunroof.

– Switch off the climate control system's air recirculation fea-

ture.

– Open all air vents in the instrument panel.

– Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed.

NOTICE

The open luggage compartment lid changes the vehicle height.

Driving a loaded vehicle

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

For good handling when driving a loaded vehicle, please observe the

following:

Securely stow all luggage ⇒ꢀStowing luggage.

Drive especially carefully and accelerate gently.

Avoid sudden braking and driving maneuvers.

Brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a loaded vehi-

cle.

If applicable, observe information about driving with a trailer ⇒ꢀ

Trailer towing.

If applicable, observe information about driving with a roof rack ⇒ꢀ

Roof rack.

WARNING

Heavy loads can change the way your vehicle handles and in-

crease stopping distances. Heavy loads that are not properly

stowed or secured can shift suddenly, causing loss of control

and serious injury.

Secure the load properly to keep it from shifting.

Always remember when transporting heavy objects that they

change the vehicle's center of gravity and also the way it han-

dles.

– Always distribute the load as evenly as possible.

– Secure heavy objects as far forward in the luggage com-

partment as possible.

– Secure luggage in the luggage compartment using suitable

straps and the tie downs ⇒ꢀTie-downs. Also see ⇒ꢀ Luggage

compartment.

Always tie down heavy items securely with suitable straps.

Securely latch the rear seat backrest in the upright position.

Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating or the Gross Ve-

hicle Weight Rating on the safety compliance sticker on the left

door jamb. Exceeding permissible weight can cause the vehicle

to skid and handle differently.

Always adapt speed and driving to the heavier load and the

weight distribution in the vehicle. Take road, weather, traffic,

and visibility conditions into account as well.

Always accelerate gently and avoid sudden braking and driv-

ing maneuvers.

Always brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a

loaded vehicle.

Weights and axle weights

¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and

heed the WARNINGS

The actual gross weight of any vehicle depends on the engine, basic

equipment, any factory-installed optional equipment for the given

model, and any accessories that have been installed. The Gross Ve-

hicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross front and Rear Axle

Weight Ratings (GAWR) for a given vehicle are printed on the vehi-

cle's Safety Compliance Certification Label on the driver door jamb.

The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating includes the weight of the vehicle

itself with all of its factory-installed equipment, plus a full tank of gaso-

line, the engine oil and coolant, all vehicle occupants (150 lbs/68 kg

per seating position) and cargo.

The Gross Axle Weight Ratings specify the maximum allowable

load for each axle.

The cargo payload may not be increased by using a roof rack without

commensurately reducing the weight from vehicle occupants ⇒ꢀ

.

Vehicle payload consists of the combined weight of the following:

Passengers.

Total luggage and other cargo.

Roof load, including the roof rack system if permitted ⇒ꢀ Roof rack.

Factory-installed or retrofitted accessories.

Hitch weight and tongue weight for trailer towing ⇒ꢀ Loading the

trailer.

Please refer to the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the

Gross front and rear Axle Weight Ratings (GAWR) for your vehicle,

which are printed on the vehicle's Safety Compliance Certification

Label on the driver door jamb ⇒ꢀ Important vehicle labels.

WARNING

Exceeding maximum permissible weight ratings can result in

vehicle damage, accidents, and serious personal injury.

Never let the actual weights at the front and rear axles exceed

the permissible Gross Axle Weight Rating. Also, never let the

total of these actual weights exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight

Rating.

Always remember that the vehicle's handling and braking will

be affected by extra load and the distribution of this load. Ad-

just your speed accordingly.

NOTICE

Always distribute the load evenly and as low as possible in the

vehicle. The vehicle capacity weight figures apply when the load

is distributed evenly in the vehicle (passengers and luggage).

When transporting a heavy load in the luggage compartment,

carry the load as close to the rear axle (as far forward) as possi-

ble so that the vehicle's handling and braking are affected as

little as possible.

Driving tips for Your Volkswagen Passat SUV Seventh Generation (2010-2014)

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