2007-2016 Volkswagen Tiguan 4 Door Off-road driving situations -> Introduction User Manual
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Off-road driving situations -> Introduction for Your Volkswagen Tiguan 4 Door First Generation (2007-2016)

Off-road driving situations  
Introduction  
In this section you’ll find information about:  
Selecting the right gear  
Driving in rough terrain  
Driving through water  
Driving over snow-covered terrain  
Driving in steep terrain  
Driving crosswise on a slope  
Avoiding deep ruts and depressions  
Crossing ditches  
Driving in sand and mud  
If the vehicle is stuck  
After driving off-road  
Driving off-road: Drive at a crawl; don't speed! Even harmless-looking areas can be dangerous ⇒ꢀ  
Volkswagen recommends that you get out of the vehicle and explore the terrain personally before  
.
trying to cross it. Walk the area and make sure that the ground is firm enough. Check for obstacles or  
other hidden dangers. Always obey local requirements and regulations; follow commonly accepted  
safety practices and use common sense  
The examples discussed in this chapter are intended to help you drive safely off-road. But the situation  
facing you may not fit any of these examples.  
The wide range of terrain you can come up against, as well the risks and dangers it may hide, make it  
impossible to deal with every conceivable situation in this Manual. The examples in this chapter are  
only general guidelines to help you drive safely off-road. The guidelines may not apply in every  
situation you encounter. Therefore, it is vital that you know what lies ahead and evaluate possible  
dangers before you try to drive over difficult or unfamiliar terrain. This will help you to evaluate and  
prepare for possible dangers.  
Driver assistance systems were designed only for driving on paved roads.  
More information:  
Before leaving  
WARNING  
Areas that look harmless can, in fact, be very dangerous. Potholes, ditches, trenches, drop-  
offs, different kinds of obstacles, and soft or swampy ground often cannot be seen and can  
be partially or fully covered by water, grass, branches, or other things. Driving over such  
terrain can cause accidents and severe injuries.  
Before crossing an unknown area, carefully explore the route you plan to take on foot.  
Never choose a risky route or run a risk that will endanger you and your passengers. If  
you have any doubts as to whether the route is safe, turn around use a different route.  
Always adapt driving speed and style to load, terrain, visibility, and weather conditions.  
Selecting the right gear  
Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS  
Different kinds of terrain require different gears. Selecting the right one helps you to get through safely.  
Before driving over a difficult section, think carefully about which gear you should select. With time,  
you will learn which gear is best for various types of terrain.  
Basics  
If you select the right gear you will usually not have to slow the vehicle down with the foot brake  
when driving down slopes - the engine will brake the vehicle. You will then only have to use the brake  
when the braking power of the engine is not enough.  
Never accelerate more than necessary when driving off-road. If you accelerate too hard, the  
wheels could lose traction and you could lose control of the vehicle.  
Manual transmission  
Never disengage the clutch or change gears in difficult terrain. Due to the increased adhesion of all  
wheels, the vehicle can come to standstill if the clutch is disengaged in mud or deep sand or on an  
incline. Driving off again from a standstill under these conditions may be difficult or even impossible.  
Use first or second gear when driving up or down steep slopes.  
On soft surfaces drive with appropriate speed and the highest possible gear.  
Automatic transmission  
Use selector lever position (D) when driving on ordinary level areas.  
Use Tiptronic mode and put the vehicle in 2nd or 3rd gear when driving through moderately  
difficult off-road terrain, for example mud, sand, water, or hills  
Use Tiptronic mode and shift into 1st gear when driving up or down steep hills 1st  
On soft or slippery surfaces, drive at an appropriate speed and in the highest possible driving  
range of the Tiptronic.  
Driving in rough terrain  
Please first read and note the introductory information and heed the WARNINGS  
Driving tips  
Drive no faster than a crawl over rocky sections.  
Drive around obstacles such as rocks wherever possible. If this is not possible:  
Carefully advance until one front wheel is on the rock and then slowly drive over it ⇒ꢀ  
.
NOTICE  
If you are facing a large rock or tree stump or other large obstacle, do not attempt to drive  
straight over it or to climb over it with just 2 wheels. A rock or other obstacle that is too high  
for your vehicle to clear will damage and may disable the vehicle if you try to drive over it. You  
could be stranded far away from help. Never let large obstacles pass under the vehicle. If there  
is no way around them and they are too large to drive over, back up and find another route.  
Even obstacles that are lower than your vehicle's ground clearance can come into contact  
with the underbody and damage or disable your vehicle. Such obstacles are especially  
dangerous when the ground around them is soft or there is a dip right in front of or behind  
them. They are also dangerous if you drive over them too quickly and the shock absorbers are  
compressed.  

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