Interior care and cleaning -> Cleaning the safety belts for Your Volkswagen Passat SUV Seventh Generation (2010-2014)

WARNING  
Using solvents or other improper cleaning products on surfac-  
es where airbags are located can change the way airbags de-  
ploy 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.  
Cleaning the safety belts  
¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and  
heed the WARNINGS  
If a safety belt is dirty, this can prevent the belt from working properly.  
Keep safety belts clean and regularly check all safety belts for dam-  
age.  
Safety belts must never be taken apart for cleaning.  
Remove coarse dirt with a soft brush  
Carefully pull the dirty safety belt out of the retractor and keep it  
out.  
.
Clean the safety belt with a mild soap solution.  
After cleaning, always give the safety belts time to dry thoroughly  
before letting them retract. This helps prevent damage to the retrac-  
tor.  
Do not let the safety belts retract until they are completely dry.  
WARNING  
Damage to safety belts reduces their overall effectiveness and  
increases the risk of serious personal injury and death when-  
ever the vehicle is being used.  
Check the condition of all safety belts regularly. If you notice  
that the safety belt webbing, hardware, retractor, buckle, or any  
other part of the safety belts is damaged, immediately have an  
authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Ser-  
vice Facility replace the safety belt with the correct replacement  
belt for your vehicle model and model year.  
Never use chemical cleaning agents, solvents, or any sub-  
stance that may damage or weaken the safety belt webbing or  
any other parts of the safety belt. Never let the belts come into  
contact with corrosive fluids or sharp objects. Otherwise, the  
safety belt webbing will be significantly weakened.  
After cleaning, always give the safety belts time to dry com-  
pletely before letting them retract. The moisture can damage  
the retractor and keep it from working properly.  
Never let foreign objects or liquids get into the safety belt  
latch. This could prevent the belt buckles and safety belts from  
working properly.  
Damaged safety belts must be replaced; they cannot be re-  
paired.  
Never try to repair a damaged safety belt yourself. Never re-  
move or modify the safety belts in any way.  
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.