Shifting -> Automatic transmission malfunction for Your Volkswagen Passat SUV Seventh Generation (2010-2014)

With kick-down actuated, the transmission will stay in the current gear  
longer and not upshift until the engine reaches maximum rpm.  
WARNING  
Rapid acceleration can cause skidding and loss of traction, es-  
pecially on slippery roads, resulting in a loss of vehicle control,  
collisions, and serious personal injury.  
Only use the kick-down feature or fast acceleration if visibil-  
ity, weather, road, and traffic conditions permit and other driv-  
ers will not be endangered by your driving and the vehicle's ac-  
celeration.  
Always adapt your driving to the traffic flow.  
Note that the drive wheels can spin and the vehicle can  
swerve when ASR is switched off, especially when the road is  
slippery.  
Once you have accelerated, switch ASR back on again.  
NOTICE  
When stopping on hills with the transmission in a drive gear,  
do not use the accelerator to help prevent the vehicle from roll-  
ing backwards. This can cause the automatic transmission to  
overheat and be damaged.  
Never let the vehicle coast or roll down a hill in Neutral (N),  
especially when the engine is not running. The transmission will  
not be lubricated and will be damaged.  
Automatic transmission malfunction  
¤ Please first read and note the introductory information and  
heed the WARNINGS  
Emergency shift program  
If all selector lever position indicators in the instrument cluster display  
are highlighted against a bright background, there is a system mal-  
function. The automatic transmission and the DSG automatic trans-  
mission will then operate in the emergency shift program. The emer-  
gency shift program lets you drive the vehicle, but at a reduced speed  
and without being able to use all of the forward gears.  
In some cases, vehicles with a DSG® Direct Shift Gearbox automatic  
transmission may not be able to shift into reverse. It is then impos-  
sible to drive the vehicle backwards.  
In any event, have the automatic transmission checked by an author-  
ized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.  
Overheating of Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG®) automatic  
transmission  
The DSG® automatic transmission may overheat, for example, due to  
frequent starts, extended “creeping,” or stop-and-go traffic. Overheat-  
ing is indicated by the warning light € and, if applicable, by a text  
message in the instrument cluster. An additional warning chime may  
sound. Stop and let the transmission cool down .  
The vehicle does not move forward or in reverse even though a  
drive position is selected with the selector lever  
If the vehicle does not move in the desired direction, the system may  
not have engaged the drive position correctly. Press the brake pedal  
and select the drive position again.  
If the vehicle still does not move in the desired direction, there is a  
system malfunction. See your authorized Volkswagen dealer or au-  
thorized Volkswagen Service Facility for assistance to have the sys-  
tem checked.  
NOTICE  
As soon as you get any of these warnings about transmission  
overheating, you must either park the vehicle in a safe place or  
drive faster than 12 mph (20 km/h).  
If the text message and acoustic warning repeat themselves  
every 10 seconds or so, you must park the vehicle in a safe  
place as soon as you can safely do so and stop the engine. Let  
the transmission cool down.  
To help prevent damage to the transmission, do not drive the  
vehicle again until the acoustic warning has stopped. As long as  
the engine is overheated, avoid stop and start driving and avoid  
low speeds (“walking pace”).