VOLKSWAGEN CC 2008 Owners Manual

If the vehicle battery is dead, the electronic parking brake cannot
be released. Use a jump-start ⇒  Jump-starting.
You may hear noises when setting or releasing the electronic
parking brake.
If the electronic parking brake is not used for a while, an automat-
ic system check will occasionally run when the vehicle is parked. This
system check makes audible noises.
Parking

Facing downhill, turn the front wheels so that they point toward the
curb.
Facing uphill, turn the front wheels so that they point away from the
curb.
WARNING
The vehicle exhaust system and the catalytic converter get very
hot. They can cause fires and serious personal injury.
Never park where the hot exhaust system could ignite flam-
mable materials, such as brush, leaves, dry grass, spilled fuel,
etc.
NOTICE
Always be careful when you park in areas with parking barri-
ers or high curbs. These vary in height and could damage your
bumper and related parts if the front of your vehicle hits a barrier
or curb that is too high while you are getting into or out of a
parking spot. To help prevent damage, stop before the tires of
your vehicle touch a parking barrier or curb.
Always be careful when you enter a driveway or drive up or
down steep ramps or over curbs or other obstacles. Parts of the
vehicle close to the ground may be damaged (such as bumper
covers, spoilers, and parts of the engine, suspension, and ex-
haust systems).
About the brakes

following other vehicles too closely) – especially during the break-in
period.
Brake pad wear depends mostly on operating conditions and the
way the vehicle is driven. If you do a lot of city and short-distance
driving and/or have a sporty driving style, you should have the brake
pads checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized
Volkswagen Service Facility more often than the regular service inter-
vals.
Wet brakes (for example, after driving through water or washing the
vehicle or after heavy rainfall) will not brake as well. Stopping dis-
tances will be longer when brake discs are wet or, in winter, even icy.
Wet or icy brakes must be dried as soon as possible by carefully ap-
plying the brakes a couple of times while traveling at a relatively high
speed. Make sure nobody is behind you and that you do not endan-
ger yourself or others ⇒ .
Brakes coated with road salt also react slower and need longer
stopping distances. If there is salt on the roads and you are not brak-
ing regularly, brake carefully and gently from time to time to remove
any salt coating from the brake discs and pads ⇒ .
Brake disc corrosion (rust) and dirt buildup on the brake pads are
more likely to occur if the vehicle is not driven much or is driven only
for short distances with little braking. If the brakes have not been
used and there is some rust on the discs, clean the brake discs and
pads once in a while by carefully braking a couple of times while driv-
ing at relatively high speed to help clean the brake discs and pads.
Make sure nobody is behind you and that you do not endanger your-
self or others ⇒ .
Brake system malfunction
If you brake and find that the vehicle doesn't brake nearly as well as it
used to (sudden increase in stopping distance), a brake circuit may
have failed. The brake warning light H or "2!+% will come on and a
message may appear in the instrument cluster display. If you believe
the vehicle is safe to drive, immediately take it to the nearest author-
ized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility for
repair. Drive slowly and very carefully, allow for the longer stopping
distance, and be ready to push longer and harder on the brake pedal
to slow the vehicle down.

Brake booster
The brake booster works only when the engine is running. It increas-
es the force on the brakes above and beyond the pressure put on the
brake pedal by the driver.
If the brake booster is not working, or if the vehicle has to be towed,
you will have to push the brake pedal harder to make up for the lack
of booster assistance and the resulting longer stopping distance ⇒ .
WARNING
New brake pads do not provide maximum braking performance.
New brake pads do not have the best stopping power for the
first 200 miles (320 km) and must be “broken in.” You can com-
pensate for the slightly reduced braking force by putting more
pressure on the brake pedal.
Drive with extra care while the new brake pads are being bro-
ken in. This reduces the risk of collisions and serious personal
injuries due to a loss of control over the vehicle.
Never follow other vehicles too closely or put yourself into
other situations that might require sudden, hard braking, espe-
cially when the brake pads have not been broken in.
WARNING
Overheated brakes will reduce the vehicle's stopping power
and increase stopping distances considerably.
When driving downhill, the brakes have to work especially
hard and heat up quickly.
Before driving downhill, especially on hills that are long or
steep, always reduce speed and shift into lower gear (manual or
automatic transmission). This will let the vehicle use engine
braking and reduce the load on the brakes. Otherwise, the
brake system could overheat and possibly fail. Only use the
brakes when you need them to slow the vehicle down more or
to stop.
A damaged front spoiler or a non-standard spoiler can re-
duce airflow to the brakes and make them overheat.

WARNING
Wet brakes or brakes coated with ice or road salt react slower
and need longer stopping distances.
Carefully apply the brakes to test them.
Always dry brakes and clean off ice and salt coatings with a
few cautious brake applications when visibility, weather, road
and traffic conditions permit.
WARNING
Driving when the brake booster is not working increases stop-
ping distances and can cause accidents and serious personal
injuries.
Never let the vehicle coast when the engine is switched off.
If the brake booster is not working (such as when the vehicle
is being towed), a lot more pedal force is needed to slow down
and stop.
NOTICE
Never “ride” the brakes by keeping your foot on the brake pe-
dal when you do not want to brake. Constant pressure on the
brake pedal can make the brakes overheat. Riding the brakes
will substantially reduce braking performance, increase stopping
distance, and can cause complete brake system failure.
Before driving downhill, especially on hills that are long or
steep, always reduce speed and shift into lower gear (manual or
automatic transmission). This will let the vehicle use engine
braking and reduce the load on the brakes. Otherwise, the brake
system could overheat and possibly fail. Only use the brakes
when you need them to slow the vehicle down more or to stop.
When the front brakes are serviced, you should have the rear
brake pads inspected at the same time. The wear of all brake pads
should be visually checked regularly. The best way to check for brake
pad wear is to have your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized
Volkswagen Service Facility visually inspect the pads through the

openings in the wheel rims or from underneath the vehicle. If neces-
sary, the wheels can be taken off for a more thorough inspection.
Braking assistance systems

help keep the vehicle going in the intended direction. If you are travel-
ing at a speed that causes you to run off the road before ESC can
provide any assistance, you may not experience the benefits of ESC.
ESC includes and/or works together with the ABS, BAS, ASR, EDL,
and XDL systems (see below). ESC is switched on all the time. In
certain situations when you need less traction or additional traction
cannot be achieved, you can switch off ASR by pressing the m button
⇒ fig. 145. Be sure to switch ASR on again when you no longer need
less traction.
Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS)
ABS helps to keep the wheels from locking up and helps to maintain
the driver's ability to steer and control the vehicle. This means the
vehicle is less likely to skid, even during hard braking:
Push the brake pedal down hard and hold it there. Don't take your
foot off the pedal or reduce the force on the pedal!
Do not “pump” the brake pedal or let up on it!
Steer the vehicle while pushing down hard on the brake pedal.
ABS stops working if you release or let up on the brake.
When ABS is doing its job, you will notice a slight vibration through
the brake pedal and hear a noise. ABS cannot shorten the stopping
distance under all conditions. The stopping distance may even be
longer, for instance, when driving on gravel or on newly fallen snow
covering an icy or slippery surface.
Brake Assist (BAS)
The Brake Assist System can help to reduce stopping distances. If
you press the brake pedal very quickly, BAS detects an emergency
situation. It then very quickly builds up full brake system pressure,
maximizing braking power and reducing the stopping distance. This
way, ABS can be activated more quickly and efficiently.
Do not reduce pressure on the brake pedal! BAS switches off auto-
matically as soon as you release or let up on the brake.
Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR)
ASR reduces engine power directed to spinning wheels and adjusts
power to the road conditions. Even under poor road conditions, ASR
can make it easier to get moving, accelerate, and climb hills.

ASR can be switched on or off manually ⇒  Switching Anti-Slip Regu-
lation (ASR) on and off.
Electronic Differential Lock (EDL and XDL)
EDL is applied during regular straight-line acceleration. EDL gently
brakes a drive wheel that has lost traction (spinning) and redirects the
drive force to other drive wheels. In extreme cases, EDL automatical-
ly switches off to keep the brake from overheating. As soon as the
brake has cooled down, EDL automatically switches on again.
XDL is an extension of the Electronic Differential Lock system. XDL
does not react to drive wheel slippage when driving straight ahead.
Instead, XDL detects slippage of the inside front wheel during fast
cornering. XDL applies enough brake pressure to this wheel in order
to stop the slippage. This improves traction, which helps the vehicle
stay on track.

WARNING
Driving fast on icy, slippery, or wet roads can lead to a loss of
control and result in serious personal injury for you and your
passengers.
Always adjust your speed and driving style to road, traffic,
weather, and visibility conditions. Never let the additional safe-
ty that ESC, ABS, BAS, ASR, and EDL can provide tempt you
into taking extra risks.
Braking assistance systems cannot overcome the laws of
physics and always prevent loss of vehicle control. Slippery
and wet roads are still dangerous even with ESC and the other
systems!
Driving too fast on wet roads can cause the wheels to lose
contact with the road and “hydroplane.” A vehicle that has lost
road contact cannot be braked, steered, or controlled.
These systems cannot reduce the risk of accident, for exam-
ple if you drive too fast for conditions or if you do not keep
your distance from the vehicle in front of you.
Although these systems are very effective and can help you
control the vehicle in many difficult situations, always remem-
ber that your vehicle handling control is limited by tire traction.
When accelerating on a slippery surface, for example on ice
and snow, depress the accelerator carefully. Even with these
systems, the wheels may start to spin, leading to a loss of vehi-
cle control.

WARNING
The effectiveness of ESC can be significantly reduced if other
components and systems that affect vehicle dynamics, includ-
ing but not limited to brakes, tires, and other systems men-
tioned above, are not properly maintained or functioning.
Always remember that vehicle alterations or modifications
can affect the functioning of the ABS, BAS, ASR, EDL, and ESC
systems.
Changing the vehicle suspension or using an unapproved
tire/wheel combination can change the way the ABS, BAS, ASR,
EDL, and ESC systems work and reduce their effectiveness.
The effectiveness of ESC is also determined by the tires fitted
⇒  Tires and wheels.
All 4 wheels must be equipped with identical tires in order for
ESC and ASR to work properly. Differences in the tread circumfer-
ence of the tires can cause the system to reduce the engine power
when it is not expected.
If ABS is not working, ESC, ASR, and EDL will also not work.
You may hear noises when these systems are active.
Switching Anti-Slip Regulation (ASR) on and off

Fig. 145 In the center console: Button for switching ASR on and off
manually.