VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 2012 Owners Manual

Vehicle battery

WARNING
Working on the batteries or the electrical system in your vehicle can cause serious acid
burns, fires, explosions, or electrical shocks. Always read and heed the following WARNINGS
and safety precautions before working on the batteries or the electrical system.
x Before working on the electrical system, always switch off the ignition and all electrical
consumers and disconnect the negative (-) cable from the standard 12 Volt battery.
x When you change a light bulb, always switch off the light first.
x Always keep children away from battery acid and vehicle batteries in general.
x Always wear eye protection. Never let battery acid or lead particles come into contact with
your eyes, skin, or clothing.
x Sulfuric battery acid is very corrosive. It can burn unprotected skin and cause blindness.
Always wear protective gloves and eye protection. To reduce your risk of injury, never tilt the
batteries, as this could spill acid through the vents and burn you.
x If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immediately rinse with cold water for
several minutes and then get immediate medical attention. If you swallow any battery acid,
get medical attention immediately.
x When disconnecting the batteries from the vehicle electrical system, always disconnect
the negative cable (-) first and then the positive cable (+).
x Always switch off all electrical consumers before reconnecting 12 Volt batteries.
Reconnect the plus cable (+) first and then the negative cable (-). Never reverse the polarity of
the connections. This could cause a fire.
x A highly explosive mixture of gases is given off when the battery is being charged.
x Do not sm/+e and avoid fires, sparks, and open flames when working. Never create sparks
or electrostatic charges when handling cables and electrical equipment. Never short circuit
the battery terminals. High-energy sparks can cause serious personal injury.
x Never use or attempt to charge a damaged or frozen battery, or a battery that was frozen
but has thawed. Charging a frozen or thawed battery could cause explosions and chemical
burns! Replace damaged or frozen vehicle batteries immediately. A dead battery can freeze at
temperatures around +32 °F (0 °C).
x If the battery has a vent line or tube, make sure that it is properly connected to the battery.
WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning
x Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain lead and lead components,
chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Wash
your hands after handling.
NOTICE
x Do not expose the vehicle battery to direct sunlight for an extended period of time as
ultraviolet rays may damage the battery housing.
x If the vehicle is left standing in the cold for a long time, protect the vehicle battery from
freezing. A battery will be permanently damaged by freezing.
Emergency starting and starting the engine with a very weak vehicle battery or after the vehicle
battery has been replaced may change or delete system settings (including time, date, personal
convenience settings, and programming). Check the settings and correct as necessary once the
vehicle battery has built up a sufficient charge.

Warning light

Exterior care and cleaning

When buying vehicle care products, try to choose those that are not harmful to the environment.
Never throw out vehicle care products with ordinary household waste. Always read and heed all
the instructions and all WARNINGS on the package.
Washing with a power washer

The vehicle underbody is coated to help protect it from corrosion and damage. The undercoating could
be damaged during normal use. We therefore recommend that you have the protective coatings on the
underbody and suspension inspected regularly, and repaired if necessary.
WARNING
Undercoating and rustproofing products can catch fire on the hot exhaust system or any
other hot engine component.
x Never apply additional undercoating or rust proofing on or near the exhaust manifold, the
exhaust pipes, the catalytic converter, the heat shields, or any other hot vehicle component.

Interior care and cleaning

x To help prevent damage, have stubborn stains removed by a professional who has the
necessary expertise and experience.
Suitable care products are available from authorized Volkswagen dealers and authorized
Volkswagen Service Facilities.
Caring for upholstery

Tires and wheels

WARNING
New tires or tires that are old, worn or damaged cannot provide maximum control and
braking performance.
x Improper care and handling of tires and wheels can reduce driving safety and cause
accidents and severe injuries.
x Install only radial tires of the same make, the same dimensions (tread circumference), and
similar tread profile on all 4 wheels.
x New tires tend to be slippery and must be broken in. Always drive with special care for the
first 350 miles (560 km) to help reduce the risk of losing control, a collision, and serious
personal injuries.
x Check tire inflation pressure regularly when the tires are cold and always maintain the
prescribed tire pressure. Low tire pressure can cause tires to get too hot, resulting in tread
separation, sudden loss of pressure, and blowouts. Tires with excessively low pressure flex
(bend) more, which can cause the tire to overheat and fail suddenly without warning.
x Check tires regularly for wear and damage.
x Never drive with worn or damaged tires (for example, tires with punctures, cuts, cracks,
blisters, or bumps). Driving with worn or damaged tires can lead to loss of vehicle control,
sudden tire failure including blowouts and sudden deflation, crashes, and serious personal
injuries.
x Have worn or damaged tires replaced immediately.
x Never exceed the maximum speed rating or the maximum load rating of the tires on your
vehicle.
x The effectiveness of the driver assistance systems and the braking support systems
depends on the tire traction.
x If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one side when driving, always stop
as soon as it is safe to do so and check the wheels and tires for damage.
x To reduce the risk of losing control, crashes, and serious personal injuries, never loosen
the bolts on wheels with bolted rim rings.
x Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of their past use. Old, used
tires and wheels may have damage that cannot be seen that can lead to sudden tire failure
and loss of vehicle control.
x Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly, especially at high speeds,
causing loss of vehicle control, accidents, and severe personal injuries. Tires that are more
than 6 years old can be used only in an emergency and even then only with special care and
at low speed.
For technical reasons it is usually not possible to use wheel rims from other vehicles. Even wheel
rims from the same model may not fit properly. Check with an authorized Volkswagen dealer or
authorized Volkswagen Service Facility if necessary.