warning VOLKSWAGEN EOS 2012 Owners Manual

Setting the parking brake
x Pull the parking brake lever up firmly.
x When the ignition is on, the indicator light G or PARK appears in the instrument cluster display to show that the parking brake is engaged, Warning and indicator lights.
Releasing the parking brake
x Pull the lever up slightly and press the release button ⇒ fig. 132 (arrow).
x While holding the release button down, move the lever all the way down.
WARNING
Improper use of the parking brake can cause accidents and severe injuries.
x Never use the parking brake to slow down the vehicle when it is moving, except in an emergency. Braking distance is much longer, since only the rear wheels are braked. Always use the foot brake.
x Never drive with the parking brake partially engaged. This can cause the brake to overheat and negatively affect the brake system. It will also cause the rear brake pads to wear prematurely.
x Never activate the throttle manually from the engine compartment when the engine is running and the automatic transmission is in gear. The vehicle will start to move even if the parking brake is engaged.
NOTICE
Even though the transmission is in Park (P), the vehicle may move a couple of inches (a few centimeters) forwards or backwards if you take your foot off the brake pedal after stopping the vehicle without first firmly setting the parking brake.
A warning signal sounds if you drive faster than about 4 mph (6 km/h) with the parking brake engaged.
Parking

x Lock the vehicle.
On hills
Before stopping the engine, turn the steering wheel so that, if the vehicle starts to roll, its front wheels will roll into the curb:
x Facing downhill, turn the front wheels so that they point toward the curb.
x 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.
x Never park where the hot exhaust system could ignite flammable materials, such as brush, leaves, dry grass, spilled fuel, etc.
NOTICE
x Always be careful when you park in areas with parking barriers 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.
x 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 exhaust systems).
x Always close the CSC roof before leaving the vehicle and when it may rain or snow. If the CSC roof is open, rain or snow can damage the vehicle interior and can cause extensive damage to the electrical system.
About the brakes

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 driving at relatively high speed to help clean the brake discs and pads.
Make sure nobody is behind you and that you do not endanger yourself 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 authorized 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 increases 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.
x New brake pads do not have the best stopping power for the first 200 miles (320 km) and must be “broken in.” You can compensate for the slightly reduced braking force by putting more pressure on the brake pedal.
x Drive with extra care while the new brake pads are being broken in. This reduces the risk of collisions and serious personal injuries due to a loss of control over the vehicle.
x Never follow other vehicles too closely or put yourself into other situations that might require sudden, hard braking, especially when the brake pads have not been broken in.
WARNING
Overheated brakes will reduce the vehicle's stopping power and increase stopping distances considerably.
x When driving downhill, the brakes have to work especially hard and heat up quickly.
x 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.
x A damaged front spoiler or a non-standard spoiler can reduce 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.
x Carefully apply the brakes to test them.
x 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 stopping distances and can cause accidents and serious personal injuries.
x Never let the vehicle coast when the engine is switched off.
x 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
x Never “ride” the brakes by keeping your foot on the brake pedal 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.
x 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 necessary, the wheels can be taken off for a more thorough inspection.
Braking assistance systems

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.
x Always adjust your speed and driving style to road, traffic, weather, and visibility conditions. Never let the additional safety that ESC, ABS, BAS, ASR, and EDL can provide tempt you into taking extra risks.
x 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!
x 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.
x These systems cannot reduce the risk of accident, for example if you drive too fast for conditions or if you do not keep your distance from the vehicle in front of you.
x Although these systems are very effective and can help you control the vehicle in many difficult situations, always remember that your vehicle handling control is limited by tire traction.
x 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 vehicle control.
WARNING
The effectiveness of ESC can be significantly reduced if other components and systems that affect vehicle dynamics, including but not limited to brakes, tires, and other systems mentioned above, are not properly maintained or functioning.
x Always remember that vehicle alterations or modifications can affect the functioning of the ABS, BAS, ASR, EDL, and ESC systems.
x 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.
x 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 circumference 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.

Brake fluid specifications
Volkswagen has developed a special brake fluid that is optimized for the brake system in your Volkswagen. Volkswagen recommends that you use brake fluid that expressly conforms to quality standard VW Standard 501 14 for optimum performance of the brake system. Check the information on the container for the brake fluid you want to use to make sure it meets the requirements for your vehicle.
Brake fluid that complies with VW Standard 501 14 can be purchased from your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
If this special brake fluid is not available you may – under these circumstances – use another high quality brake fluid that complies with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 116 DOT 4
⇒ .
Please note, however, that not all brake fluids that comply with U.S. Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 116 DOT 4 have the same chemical composition. Some of these brake fluids can contain chemicals that could, over time, degrade or damage internal parts of the vehicle’s brake system.
Volkswagen therefore recommends that you use brake fluid that expressly complies with VW Standard 501 14 for optimum brake system performance over the long term.
Brake fluid level
The fluid level in the transparent brake fluid reservoir must always be between the MIN and MAX
marking ⇒ .
On some vehicles, engine components block the view of the brake fluid reservoir and make it impossible to see the brake fluid level. If you cannot clearly see the brake fluid level in the brake fluid reservoir, please see an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
The brake fluid level drops slightly when the vehicle is being used as the brake pads wear and the brakes are automatically adjusted.
Changing brake fluid
Brake fluid must be changed according to the service schedule in your ⇒ booklet Warranty and
Maintenance. Have the brake fluid checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Refill only with new brake fluid that meets the standards listed above.
WARNING
Brake failure and reduced brake performance can be caused by not having enough brake fluid in the reservoir or by old or incorrect brake fluid.
x Check the brake system and brake fluid level regularly.
x Always change the brake fluid according to the service schedule in your
⇒ booklet Warranty and Maintenance.
x Hard braking with old brake fluid may cause vapor lock. Vapor lock reduces braking performance, increases stopping distances and can even cause total brake failure.
x Always make sure that only the correct brake fluid is used. Only use brake fluid that expressly conforms to VW Standard 501 14 or, if it is not available, only use a high-quality brake fluid that conforms to U.S. Standard FMVSS 116 DOT 4 requirements.
x Using another brake fluid, or one that is not of high quality, can impair the function of the brake system and reduce its effectiveness. If the container does not say that the brake fluid complies with VW Standard 501 14, or U.S. Standard FMVSS 116 DOT 4, do not use it.
x The brake fluid must be new.

WARNING
Brake fluid is poisonous.
x To reduce the risk of poisoning, never use food, beverage or other non-original containers to store brake fluid. Someone might be misled by the original label on the container, or by the shape of the container, and drink the brake fluid. This could occur even if you relabel the container as “brake fluid.”
x Only store brake fluid in the closed, original container and keep it out of the reach of children.
NOTICE
Brake fluid will damage vehicle paint, plastic parts, and tires. Wipe any brake fluid off vehicle paint and other vehicle parts immediately.
Brake fluid can pollute the environment. Brake fluid that has leaked out must be collected and disposed of properly, following all applicable environmental regulations.

accelerator. For Hill Hold to work, the engine must be running and the vehicle must be in Drive (D), Sport Drive (S), or Reverse (R) and you must use the foot brake to hold the vehicle before starting to move.
Hill Hold keeps the brake applied for not quite 2 seconds with the same force you used to prevent the vehicle from moving. This gives you time to take your foot off the brake and gently depress the accelerator to get the vehicle moving again. If you do not depress the accelerator pedal and get the vehicle moving again within this time, the brakes will release and the vehicle will roll downhill. Furthermore, if any requirement for engaging Hill Hold is no longer met while the vehicle is stopped, Hill Hold disengages and the brakes are automatically released and will no longer hold the vehicle.
Hill Hold is activated automatically when points 1 to 3 are met at the same time:

Step Automatic transmission
1. Hold the stopped vehicle on an incline with the foot or parking brake.
2. The engine must be running “smoothly.”
3. An automatic transmission vehicle must be in Reverse (R), Drive (D), or Sport Drive (S) and the foot brake must be depressed to keep the vehicle from moving.
4. To drive off, take your foot off the brake pedal and gently depress the accelerator within 2 seconds.
Hill Hold is immediately deactivated:
x If any requirement listed in the table above is no longer met.
x If the engine is not running smoothly or the engine malfunctions.
x If the engine stalls or is switched off.
x If the transmission is in Neutral (N).
x If a tire does not have enough road contact (such as when the vehicle is tipped or at an angle).
WARNING
The intelligent technology of Hill Hold cannot overcome the laws of physics. Never let the increased convenience provided by Hill Hold tempt you into taking risks.
x The Hill Hold feature cannot hold the vehicle in all hill start situations (for example, if the surface is icy or slippery).
x Hill Hold can only help keep the vehicle from moving for less than 2 seconds. After that, the brakes will be released and the vehicle can roll down the hill.

WARNING
Rear Assist technology cannot overcome the laws of physics and the limits of the system. Careless or unintentional use of Rear Assist may result in accidents and severe injuries.
x Always adjust your speed and driving style to road, traffic, weather, and visibility conditions.
x Always keep an eye on the parking direction and the vehicle surroundings. The front of the vehicle swings out more than the rear of the vehicle.
x Never pay so much attention to the graphics shown on the screen that you fail to notice what is going on around you.
x Always watch for people, especially small children, animals, and objects, because the camera may not always be able to detect them.
x The system may not be able to clearly show everything behind the vehicle.
x Use Rear Assist only when the luggage compartment lid is completely closed.
NOTICE
x The camera shows only two-dimensional images on the screen. Due to the lack of depth of field, it may be difficult or impossible to identify protruding objects or recesses in the road, for example.
x Things like thin rods, fences, posts, and trees may not be detected by the camera and could damage the vehicle.
Operation

Fig. 140 In the luggage compartment lid: Location of the Rear Assist camera.

WARNING
x Opening and closing the luggage compartment lid and the CSC roof can cause serious injuries if someone gets in the way of moving parts. The rear lid assist system is no substitute for careful and attentive driving. It is the driver's responsibility to make sure that nobody is in the way when opening or closing the luggage compartment lid, particularly when putting the CSC roof up or down.
x If the opening or closing process is interrupted or the hydraulic pump overheats, the CSC roof will automatically lower itself into a balanced position after a while (may take up to 8 minutes).
NOTICE
x Things like trailer draw bars, thin rods, fences, trees, narrow painted vertical poles, posts, or a luggage compartment lid that is opening may not be detected by the Park Distance Control sensors and could damage the vehicle.
x If you continue driving closer to an object that the Park Distance Control has already detected and reported, the object may disappear from the sensor range and may no longer be detected. This is especially true for low or high objects. The system will no longer sound warnings about these objects. Ignoring signals from the Park Distance Control system could result in serious damage to the vehicle.
x The sensors in the bumper can be damaged or become misaligned in low speed impacts and parking maneuvers. Damaged or misaligned sensors cannot accurately detect or report objects that might be within range of the PDC system.
x To help make sure that the system works properly, always keep the sensors in the bumpers clean and free of snow and ice; do not cover the sensors with stickers or other objects.
x When cleaning the sensors with power washers or steam cleaners, only spray the sensors directly for a very short time, and always keep the washer nozzle at least 4 inches (10 cm) from the sensors.
x Noise from rough roads, cobblestones, other vehicles and the surrounding area, for example, can prevent the Park Distance Control system from accurately detecting and reporting people and objects that may be within range of the system sensors.
x Aftermarket components such as bicycle racks can impair the function of the Park Distance Control system.
NOTICE
x Rear lid assist does not detect obstacles above the rear bumper. For this reason, always check to make sure there is enough room behind the vehicle before opening or closing the CSC roof.
x When the CSC roof is opening or closing, the luggage compartment lid lowers and covers the Park Distance Control sensors. The sensors cannot detect people or things that are moving behind the vehicle within range of the luggage compartment lid or that were not there before the lid began to descend.
x Rear lid assist only checks the area behind the vehicle for obstacles at the start of CSC roof operation, when the roof is still completely closed or open. If roof operation is interrupted, the area behind the vehicle will not be checked a second time when roof operation starts again.
x You can damage the vehicle if rear lid assist detects an obstacle and stops CSC roof operation, and you continue to operate the switch to open or close the roof.
Volkswagen recommends practicing with the Park Distance Control system in a location or parking space with no traffic in order to become familiar with the system and how it works.