light VOLKSWAGEN GOLF SPORTWAGEN 2015 5G / 7.G Repair Manual

WARNING
Parking improperly can cause serious personal injury.
x Never remove the key from the ignition switch or turn off the ignition with the starter but-ton while the vehicle is moving or rolling to a stop. The electronic steering column could suddenly lock, you would not be able to steer, and you could lose control of the vehicle, crash, and seriously injure yourself and others.
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 barri-er 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

Lights
up
Possible cause or meaning
⇒  Proper response
G
Parking brake engaged.

Lights
up
Possible cause or meaning
⇒  Proper response
m ASR manually deactivated.
Switch on ASR. ASR automati-
cally turns on when you turn the
ignition off and back on again.
J

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 rela-tively 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 author-ized 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, immedi-ately 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. 139 Between the front seats: Parking brake.

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 light up 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 185 miles (300 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 over-heat and possibly fail. Only use the brakes when you need them to slow the vehicle down more or to stop.
x A damaged front bumper 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 dis-tances.
x Carefully apply the brakes to test them.
x Always dry brakes and clean off ice and salt coatings with a few cautious brake applica-tions when visibility, weather, road and traffic conditions permit.

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 sys-tem.
Volkswagen therefore recommends that you use brake fluid that expressly complies with VW Stand-ard 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 may partially 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 per-formance, 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 ex-pressly 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.

Adjust the tire pressure
The proper tire pressure helps reduce rolling resistance as well as fuel consumption.
When purchasing new tires, always make sure that the tires are optimized for lower rolling resistance.
Use low viscosity engine oil
Fully “synthetic,” low viscosity engine oils that expressly comply with Volkswagen oil quality standards reduce fuel consumption. Low viscosity engine oils reduce the frictional resistance on the engine and are distributed more evenly and quickly, particularly when cold-starting the engine. The effect is partic-ularly apparent in vehicles that frequently travel short distances.
Always ensure the right engine oil level is maintained and keep to the scheduled service intervals (engine oil changes).
Make sure the engine oil that you purchase expressly complies with Volkswagen oil quality standards and is the oil approved by Volkswagen for your vehicle.
Avoid unnecessary weight
The lighter the vehicle, the more economical and eco-friendly it will be. For example, an extra 220 lbs (100 kg) of weight increases fuel consumption by up to 1 pint per 60 miles (0.3 l/100 km).
Remove all unnecessary items and unnecessary dead weight from the vehicle.
Remove unnecessary aftermarket components
The more aerodynamic the vehicle, the less fuel it will consume. Aftermarket components such as bicycle racks reduce its aerodynamic performance.
Therefore, remove unnecessary structures and unused rack systems, particularly if planning to drive at higher speeds.

Indicator lights

Fig. 143 In the instrument cluster display: Cruise control status indications.

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 auto-matically 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. 144 Left-hand side of the multi-function steering wheel: Buttons for operating the cruise control.

In order to Operation (when the ignition is switched on)
OR: Tap the mini PDC function key.
Switch to the Rear
View Camera sys-
tem display (if
equipped):
Shift into Reverse (R).
OR: Tap the Z function key.

The indicator light in the  button ⇒ fig. 150 lights up and stays on as long as the feature is active.
Automatic activation
When the PDC is activated automatically, a mini PDC display appears on the left-hand side of the
screen ⇒ fig. 152.
Automatic activation of the PDC when driving slowly towards an obstacle located in front of the vehicle only works when the speed falls below about 6–9 mph (10–15 km/h) for the first time. If the PDC was switched off using the  button, performing one of the following actions with the ignition switched on can automatically reactivate the PDC:
x If the vehicle accelerates to a speed greater than 6–9 mph (10–15 km/h) and then drops below that speed again.
x OR: If the selector lever is moved to Park (P) and then out of that position again.
x OR: If automatic activation is turned off and on again in the Infotainment system.
Automatic activation of the mini PDC display can be turned on or off in the Infotainment system ⇒  Infotainment system.
When the box in the automatic activation function key is checked =, signal chimes sound from a distance of about 20 inches (50 cm) from the obstacle.
WARNING
Never rely completely on the PDC for information about people and objects that might be in the way of the vehicle and could be struck by the vehicle causing serious personal injury.
x The PDC sensors have blind spots where they cannot detect people or objects.
x Always watch for people, especially small children and animals, because the sensors may not always be able to detect them.
If you hear a long beep of about 3 seconds when you first turn PDC on or the indicator light in the button starts blinking, this means there is a malfunction in the Park Distance Control system. Switch off the Park Distance Control system with the button and have it immediately checked by an author-ized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.