steering VOLKSWAGEN GOLF PLUS 2014 Owner's Manual

Steering system information

WARNING
Parking improperly can cause serious personal injury.
x Never remove the key from the ignition switch while the vehicle is moving or rolling to a stop. The steering wheel will lock and you will not be able to steer or control the vehicle.
x Never park the vehicle where the hot exhaust system or catalytic converter could ignite flammable materials, such as brush, leaves, dry grass, spilled fuel, etc.
x Always apply the parking brake when parking your vehicle.
x Improper use of the parking brake can seriously injure you and your passengers.
x Never use the parking brake to slow down the vehicle when it is moving, except in an emergency. The stopping distance is much longer because only the rear wheels are braked. Always use the foot brake to stop the vehicle.
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 as soon as the engine speed increases even if the parking brake is on.
x Never leave children or anyone who cannot help themselves behind in the vehicle. They could release the parking brake and move the gear selector lever or gear shift, which could cause the vehicle to start moving. This can lead to a crash and serious personal injuries.
x Always take the key with you when you leave the vehicle. The engine can be started and vehicle systems such as the power windows can be operated, leading to serious personal injury.
x Never leave children, disabled persons, or anyone who cannot help themselves in the vehicle. The doors can be locked with the remote control vehicle key, trapping passengers in the vehicle in an emergency. For example, depending on the time of year, people trapped in the vehicle can be exposed to very high or very low temperatures.
x Heat buildup in the passenger and luggage compartment of a parked vehicle can result in temperatures in the vehicle that are much higher than the outside temperatures, particularly in summer. Temperatures can quickly reach levels that can cause unconsciousness and death, particularly to small children.
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).
Warning and indicator lights

WARNING
Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text messages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result in a collision and serious personal injury.
x Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.
x Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
WARNING
Driving with bad brakes can cause a collision and serious personal injury.
x If the brake warning light "2!+% or H does not go out, or lights up when driving, either the brake fluid level in the reservoir is too low or there is a fault in the brake system. Stop the
vehicle as soon as you can do so safely and get expert assistance ⇒ Brake fluid.
x If the brake warning light "2!+% or H lights up at the same time as the ABS warning light !"3 or J, the ABS may not be working properly. This could cause the rear wheels to lock up relatively quickly during braking. Rear wheel brake lock-up can cause loss of vehicle control.
x If you believe the vehicle is safe to drive, drive slowly and very carefully to the nearest authorized Volkswagen dealer, authorized Volkswagen Service Facility, or other qualified workshop and have the brake system inspected. Avoid sudden hard braking and steering.
x If the ABS indicator light !"3 or J does not go out, or if it lights up while driving, the ABS system is not working properly. The vehicle can then be stopped only with the standard brakes (without ABS). You will not have the protection ABS provides. Contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility as soon as possible.
x If the brake pads are worn or you notice changes in the way the vehicle brakes, immediately contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility to have the brake pads checked and, if necessary, replaced.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.
Parking brake

Fig. 134 Between the front seats: Parking brake.

x Make sure all passengers and especially children leave the vehicle.
x Take all vehicle keys with you when leaving your vehicle.
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.
WARNING
Leaving the vehicle when the selector lever is not in Park (P) (automatic transmissions) can cause the vehicle to roll away. This can cause accidents and serious personal injuries.
x When leaving the vehicle, always move the selector lever to Park (P), engage the parking brake, and pay attention to the warning messages on the instrument cluster display at all times.
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).
About the brakes

NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.
If the cruise control is switched on when the ignition is switched off, it may be switched on automatically the next time the ignition is switched on, depending on vehicle equipment. No speed is stored for the cruise control.
The displays may vary depending on vehicle equipment.
Cruise control operation

Fig. 139 On the turn signal lever: Cruise control buttons and switches.

Fig. 140 Left-hand side of the multi-function steering wheel (if equipped): Buttons for operating the cruise control .

WARNING
Driving with a fuel tank that is almost empty can lead to stalling in traffic, a collision, and serious personal injuries.
x When the fuel tank is almost empty, fuel supply to the engine can be interrupted, especially when driving over bumps, across slopes, and up and down hills.
x Steering and braking assistance as well as ESC and related systems will not work if the engine “sputters” or stalls due to lack of fuel.
x Always refuel when the tank is 1/4 full to reduce the risk of running out of fuel and stalling in traffic.
NOTICE
x Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.
x Never drive until the fuel tank is completely empty. The irregular fuel supply can cause the engine to misfire. This allows unburned fuel to get into the exhaust system and damage the catalytic converter.
The small arrow next to the gas pump symbol in the fuel gauge shows the side of the vehicle with the fuel filler flap.
Refueling

Fig. 153 Right rear side of vehicle: Fuel cap placed on the open fuel filler flap.

WARNING
Improper care and servicing, and improper modification and repair work, can increase the risk of personal injury and death by preventing an airbag from deploying when needed or deploying an airbag unexpectedly:
x Never repair, adjust, or change any parts of the airbag system.
x All work on the airbag system, steering wheel, instrument panel, front seats or electrical system (including the installation of audio equipment, mobile telephones and CB radios, etc.) should be performed by authorized Volkswagen dealers or authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities. They have the necessary manuals, training, and special equipment.
x The airbag system can be activated only once. After an airbag has inflated, it must be replaced.
x Use only original equipment airbags approved by Volkswagen. Have them installed by a trained technician who has the necessary tools and diagnostic equipment to properly replace any airbag in your vehicle and assure system effectiveness in a crash.
x Never permit salvaged or recycled airbags to be installed in your vehicle.
Undeployed airbag modules and safety belt pretensioners are classified as Perchlorate Material. Special handling may apply – see http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. Obey all applicable legal requirements regarding handling and disposal of the vehicle or parts of its restraint system, including airbag modules and safety belts with pretensioners. Authorized Volkswagen dealers and authorized Volkswagen Service Facilities are familiar with the requirements, and we recommend that you have them perform this service for you.
Applicable only in the United States
Notice about data recorded by the Event Data Recorder and vehicle
control modules

connected to the vehicle's integrated telephone antenna. The mobile phone will also not be recharged. You might also experience more dropped calls and an overall impaired quality of the connection.
Therefore we strongly recommend that you use your mobile telephone in your vehicle only when it is properly attached to an appropriate cradle mounted on a base plate on the instrument panel.
Because of the large number and variety of mobile telephones on the market and the frequency with which new models are introduced, Volkswagen does not offer cradles for mobile telephones. Please check with the manufacturer of the mobile telephone that you plan to use.
Bluetooth® is a registered trademark of Bluetooth® SIG, Inc.
WARNING
A mobile phone on the seat, instrument panel or in other places can be thrown around the inside of the vehicle during a sudden braking maneuver, a crash or other accident and injure vehicle occupants.
x Never place or attach accessories or other objects (such as cup holders, telephone brackets, note pads, navigation systems, large, heavy or bulky objects) on the doors, on the windshield, over or near the area marked “AIRBAG” on the steering wheel, instrument panel, backrests or between these areas and the occupant. Such objects could cause serious injury in a collision, especially if an airbag inflates.
WARNING
Using a mobile phone or CB radio inside the vehicle without a properly installed and separate outside antenna can be dangerous to your health and that of your passengers because the electromagnetic radiation energy that mobile phones and CB radios emit may be above established limits. This also applies if the outside antenna is not installed properly.
x Always keep the mobile phone antenna at least 8 in. (20 cm) away from pacemakers. Heart specialists advise that mobile phones can adversely affect the way pacemakers work.
x Never carry a mobile phone that is switched on in the breast pocket directly over a pacemaker.
x If you suspect there may be interference with a pacemaker or other medical device, switch the mobile phone off immediately.

Color Current strength in amps(ATO®/MINI®) Current strength in amps(JCASE®)
Brown 7.5 —
Red 10 50
Blue 15 20
Yellow 20 60
White or clear 25 —
Green 30 40
Orange 40 —
Pink 30 30

Opening the fuse box in the instrument panel
x Pull the lower part of the cover toward the steering wheel (in the direction of the arrow ⇒ fig. 184) and remove the cover from the bottom. This action may require moderate force.
x To install, guide the cover from the bottom into the instrument panel and push in the direction opposite to the arrow until you can hear it latch into place.
Opening the fuse box in the engine compartment
x Open the engine hood

WARNING
Towing a vehicle changes the way it handles and brakes. To help reduce the risk of an accident and serious personal injury, note the following:
x The driver of the vehicle that is being towed:
– Since the brake booster also does not work when the engine is stopped, you will need to press harder on the brake pedal to slow down or stop. Always be alert so as not to rear-end the towing vehicle.
– Will have to use considerably more force to turn the steering wheel because the power steering is not working.
x The driver of the vehicle that is doing the towing:
– Must accelerate gradually and gently and avoid jerking movements.
– Must not brake hard or steer sharply.
– Must brake earlier and more gently than in normal driving.
NOTICE
x Be careful not to damage the paint when installing and removing the towing eye and the cover for the threaded hole behind the bumper.
x Unburned fuel can get into the catalytic converter during towing and damage it.
Towing on a commercial tow truck