wheel VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 2012 Owners Manual

WARNING
Always adjust seat, safety belts, and head restraints properly before driving and make sure
that all passengers are properly restrained.
x Push the passenger seat as far back as possible. Always be sure that there are at least
10 inches (25 cm) between the front passenger's breastbone and the instrument panel.
x Always adjust the driver's seat and the steering wheel so that there are at least 10 inches
(25 cm) between your breastbone and the steering wheel.
x Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily push the pedals all the way to the floor
while keeping your knee(s) slightly bent. The distance to the instrument panel in the knee
area must be at least 4 inches (10 cm).
x If these requirements cannot be met for physical reasons, contact an authorized
Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility to see whether adaptive
equipment is available.
x Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering wheel rim with your hands
at the 9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of personal injury if the driv-
er's airbag inflates.
x Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with your hands at other places
inside the steering wheel rim or on the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the
wrong way can cause serious injuries to the hands, arms, and head if the driver's airbag in-
flates.
x Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the ability of the driver's airbag to
help protect you in a collision.
x Never drive with backrests reclined or tilted back farther than necessary to drive comfort-
ably. The farther back the backrests are tilted, the greater the risk of injury caused by incor-
rect positioning of the safety belts and improper seating position.
x Never drive with the front seat passenger backrest tilted forward. If the front airbag de-
ploys, the front backrest can be forced backward and injure passengers on the rear seat.
x Sit as far back as possible from the steering wheel and the instrument panel.
x Always sit upright with your back against the backrest with the front seats properly ad-
justed. Never lean against or place any part of your body too close to the area where the air-
bags are located.
x Rear seat passengers who are not properly seated and restrained are more likely to be
seriously injured in a crash.
WARNING
Improper adjustment of the seats can cause accidents and severe injuries.
x Never adjust the seats while the vehicle is moving. Your seat may move unexpectedly and
you could lose control of the vehicle. In addition, you will not be in the correct seating posi-
tion while adjusting the seats.
x Adjust the front seat height, angle and longitudinal direction only if the seat adjustment
area is clear.
x The adjustment of the front seats must not be restricted by things in the footwell in front
or behind the seats.
Examples of improper seating positions

Proper seating position

Fig. 31 The driver should never sit closer than 10 inches (25 cm) of the steering wheel.

Fig. 32 Proper safety belt positioning and head restraint adjustment.

x Adjust the seat backrest angle to an upright position so that your back is in full contact with it when
the vehicle is moving.
x Always keep both feet on the floor and in the footwell whenever the vehicle is moving.
x Always adjust and fasten safety belts properly.
Driver–seat and steering wheel adjustment:
x Adjust the steering wheel so that there are at least 10 inches (25 cm) between the steering wheel
and your breast bone ⇒ fig. 31. When adjusting the proper distance to the steering wheel, grasp the
top of the steering wheel with your elbows slightly bent.
x Always hold the steering wheel on the outside of the steering wheel rim with your hands at the
9 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions to help reduce the risk of personal injury if the driver's airbag inflates.
x Never hold the steering wheel at the 12 o'clock position or with your hands at other places inside
the steering wheel rim or on the steering wheel hub. Holding the steering wheel the wrong way can
cause serious injuries to the hands, arms, and head if the driver's airbag inflates.
x Adjust the steering wheel so that the steering wheel cover points at your chest and not at your
face. Pointing the steering wheel toward your face decreases the ability of the driver's airbag to help
protect you in a collision.
x Adjust the driver's seat so that you can easily push the pedals all the way to the floor while keeping
your knee(s) slightly bent.
x Adjust the seat height so that the top point of the steering wheel can be reached.
x Always keep both feet in the footwell so that you are in control of the vehicle at all times.
Passenger–front seat adjustment:
x Push the passenger seat as far back as possible in order to ensure optimum protection if the
airbag is deployed.
Manual controls on the driver and passenger seat

Fig. 33 Controls on the left front seat.

fig. 33 Function Action
(2) Fold the backrest forward and
back into the upright position
Folding forward: Pull the handle and fold the
backrest forward while pushing the seat forward.
Folding back into the upright position: Push the seat
all the way back, and fold the backrest back into the
upright position. The backrest must lock in place!
(3) Lumbar support control. Pull the lever up or push it down.
(4) Adjust the backrest angle. Lean forward and turn the adjuster wheel forward or
backward.
(5) Adjust the seat height. Move the lever several times up or down.

Adjusting the front and rear head restraints

Fig. 34 Adjusting the head restraints.

x Use one hand to hold the release button in with the flat object. With your other hand, lift the same
guide rod slightly to expose a notch in the rod at the bottom (can be seen and felt with fingers). The
right-hand guide rod is now released.
x To release the left-hand guide rod, press button (2) in (towards guide rod) and hold.
x Pull the head restraint out completely while holding button (2).
Installing the front head restraints
x Position head restraint properly over the head restraint guides of the respective seat backrest and
insert the head restraint into the guides.
x Push the head restraint down while pressing button (2).
x Move the seat backrest into an upright position using the adjusting wheel.
x Adjust the head restraint according to the occupant's size.
Removing the rear head restraint
x Unlock the backrest of the rear seat bench and fold it forward.
x Pull the head restraint all the way up ⇒ .
x If necessary, slide a flat object such as a plastic card between the backrest cover and the cover
cap of the head restraint guide rod (1) to unlock the head restraint.
x At the same time press button (2) while a second person pulls out the head restraint completely.
x Fold the backrest of the rear seat bench back so that it locks securely.
Reinstalling the rear head restraint
x Unlock the backrest of the rear seat bench and fold it forward.
x Position head restraint properly over the head restraint guides of the respective seat backrest and
insert the head restraint into the guides.
x Push the head restraint down while pressing button (2).
x Fold the backrest of the rear seat bench back so that it locks securely.
x Adjust the head restraint according to the occupant's size.
WARNING
Driving without head restraints or with improperly adjusted head restraints increases the risk
of serious injuries in a collision.
x Always drive with the head restraints in place and properly adjusted to help minimize the
risk of neck injury in crash.
x Always reinstall head restraints as soon as possible so that vehicle occupants are proper-
ly protected.
NOTICE
When removing or reinstalling the head restraint, take care that the head restraint does not
strike the headliner or other parts of the vehicle. The headliner or other parts of the vehicle
could otherwise be damaged.

Adjusting the steering wheel position

Fig. 36 Manual adjustment for the steering wheel position.

Switching lights on and off

Fig. 65 Headlight switch next to the steering wheel.

Fig. 66 Headlight switch next to the steering wheel (with fog lights).

WARNING
Crashes and other accidents can happen when you cannot see the road ahead and when you
cannot be seen by other motorists.
x Never use daytime running lights (DRL) to see where you are going. DRL are not bright
enough to light up the roadway and be seen by other motorists. You will not be able to see far
enough ahead for safety, especially at dusk or when it is dark. Always switch on the low-
beam headlights at dusk or when it is dark.
x The taillights do not come on when the daytime running lights are switched on. A vehicle
without taillights on cannot be seen by others in bad weather, at dusk, or when it is dark.
In cool or humid weather, the insides of the headlights, the rear lights, and turn signals can
temporarily fog up. This is normal and does not affect the service life of the vehicle's lighting system.
Instrument panel lighting and headlight range adjustment

Fig. 67 To the left of the steering wheel: Thumbwheel to adjust instrument panel lighting.

WARNING
Headlights that are aimed too high because of the way the vehicle is loaded can blind and
distract other drivers. This can lead to a crash and serious personal injuries.
x Always make sure the headlights are adjusted to loading conditions so that they do not
blind others.
WARNING
If dynamic headlight range adjustment does not work properly or at all, the headlights could
blind and distract other drivers. This can lead to a crash and serious personal injuries.
x Have headlight range adjustment checked immediately by an authorized Volkswagen
dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
Interior and reading lights

Fig. 68 Thumbwheel next to the steering wheel.

Background lighting
When the ignition and headlights are switched on, the background lighting in the roof console lights
up.
There may also be footwell lighting.
Background lighting in the doors
The background lighting in the doors comes on when the ignition or headlights are switched on.

Turn the thumbwheel to the desired position ⇒ fig. 68:
Position Background lighting color
R Red
B Blue
W White
– Background lighting switched off

The interior and reading lights go out when you lock the vehicle or a few minutes after you
remove the vehicle key from the ignition. This helps to prevent unnecessary drain on the vehicle
battery.