air bag VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2011 Owners Manual

Upper center console

Fig. 6 Overview of the upper center console.
Key to fig. 6:
(1) Switch for emergency flashers 
(2) PASSENGER AIR BAG OF F \b

Front passenger side overview

Fig. 8 Overview of the front passenger side.
Key to fig. 8:
(1) Passenger front airbag location in the instrument panel (approximate)
(2) Opening handle for the lockable glove compartment
(3) Air vent 

The doors, the luggage compartment lid, and the fuel filler flap can be locked manually if the remote vehicle key is not working.
Automatic locking (Auto lock)
The vehicle locks automatically when it reaches a speed of about 10 mph (15 km/h). When the vehicle
is locked, the indicator light W comes on in the power locking button ⇒ fig. 37.
Automatic unlocking (Auto unlock)
All doors automatically unlock when you switch off the ignition and open a door from inside the vehicle. On vehicles with automatic transmission, the doors will also unlock when the selector lever is in Park (P) or the ignition is switched off. Auto unlock works only if the vehicle has been automatically locked with the Auto lock feature. The indicator light W goes out in the power locking button when the doors
unlock ⇒ fig. 37.
Locking the vehicle after airbag inflation
If the airbags are activated during a collision, the entire vehicle is unlocked. Depending on the severity of the damage, the vehicle can be locked after a collision when the airbags have deployed as follows:

Function Action
Locking the vehicle with the power locking button: – Switch the ignition off. – Open and close a door once. – Press the power locking button 1.
Locking the vehicle with the remote control vehicle key: – Switch the ignition off. OR: Remove the vehicle key from the ignition. – Open a door once. – Lock the vehicle with the remote control vehicle key.
If the vehicle key buttons, Vehicle key set or one of the power locking buttons ⇒ page 50, Unlocking and locking the vehicle from the inside are pushed repeatedly in quick succession, the power locking system is switched off for a brief period to help keep it from being overloaded. The vehicle is then unlocked for about 30 seconds. Unless a door or the luggage compartment lid is opened during this time, the vehicle is automatically locked afterwards.
Unlocking and locking the vehicle from the outside

Fig. 32 Remote control vehicle key with remote start.

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 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 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 comfortably. The farther back the backrests are tilted, the greater the risk of injury caused by incorrect positioning of the safety belts and improper seating position.
x Never drive with the front seat passenger backrest tilted forward. If the front airbag deploys, 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 adjusted. Never lean against or place any part of your body too close to the area where the airbags 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 position 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

Not wearing or improperly fastening safety belts increases the risk of severe or fatal injuries. Safety belts can work only when they are properly positioned on the body. An improper seating position significantly impairs the protection provided by safety belts. This can cause severe or even fatal injuries. Improper seating positions also increase the risk of serious injury or death when an airbag deploys and strikes an occupant who is not in the proper seating position. The driver is responsible for all passengers and especially children riding in the vehicle.
The following are only some examples of seating positions that will increase the risk of serious injury or death.
Therefore, whenever the vehicle is moving:
x Never stand up in the vehicle.
x Never stand on the seats.
x Never kneel on the seats.
x Never ride with the seat backrest reclined.
x Never lean up against the instrument panel.
x Never lie down on the rear seat.
x Never sit on the edge of the seat.
x Never sit sideways.
x Never lean out the window.
x Never put your feet out the window.
x Never put feet on the instrument panel.
x Never rest your feet on the seat cushion or back of the seat.
x Never ride in the footwell.
x Never sit on the front or rear center armrest.
x Never ride without your safety belt properly fastened.
x Never ride in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
Contact with parts of the vehicle interior can cause serious personal injury in a crash.
x Always make sure that all vehicle occupants stay in a proper seating position and are properly restrained whenever the vehicle is moving.
x Improper seating positions increase the risk of serious and fatal injury, especially when an airbag deploys and strikes a passenger in an improper seating position.

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, Safety belts.
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. 54. 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. 58 Controls on the left front seat.

Accident statistics show that vehicle occupants properly wearing safety belts have a lower risk of being injured and a much better chance of surviving a collision. Properly using safety belts also greatly increases the ability of the supplemental airbags to do their job in a collision. For this reason, wearing a safety belt is required by law in most countries including the United States and Canada.
Although your Volkswagen is equipped with airbags, you still have to wear the safety belts provided. Front airbags, for example, are activated only in some frontal collisions. The front airbags are not activated in all frontal collisions, in side and rear collisions, in rollovers, or in cases when the conditions for deployment stored in the electronic control unit are not met. The same goes for the other airbag systems on your Volkswagen.
So always wear your safety belt and make sure that everybody in your vehicle is properly restrained!
Using safety belts

If a safety belt is too short to correctly fit you or one of your passengers, even when the safety belt is pulled out all the way, you can use a safety belt extender.
Never use the safety belt extender for any other purpose – including the attachment of a child restraint.
The extender adds about 8 inches (20 cm) to the safety belt. Always remove the safety belt extender when it is not needed and stow it safely. Contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility if you believe you may need an extender.
Key to fig. 82:
(1) Vehicle safety belt buckle.
(2) Buckle tongue on the safety belt extender.
(3) Safety belt buckle on the safety belt extender.
(4) Safety belt buckle tongue on the factory-installed safety belt.
Key to fig. 83:
(A) Safety belt buckle on the safety belt extender.
(B) Distance between the safety belt buckle on the safety belt extender and the centerline of the person using the safety belt extender. The distance must be more than 6 inches (15 cm)!
(C) Centerline of the person using the safety belt extender.
Using a safety belt extender
x Adjust both the seat and the head restraint properly, Adjusting the seating position.
x Insert the buckle tongue on the safety belt extender ⇒ fig. 82 (2) into the vehicle belt buckle for the seat where the safety belt extender is being used (1).
x Fastening or unfastening the vehicle safety belt ⇒ page 101, Fastening and unfastening safety belts.
x Pull the belt to make sure that the tongues are securely locked in the buckles.
x Make sure that the safety belt is positioned properly, Safety belt position, Safety belt position.
Properly using safety belt extenders:
x Use a safety belt extender only when the factory installed safety belt is too short when worn properly by a person in proper seating position.
x Only use 1 safety belt extender per seat and vehicle safety belt.
x Always remove the safety belt extender when it is not needed.
x Never leave a safety belt extender attached to the vehicle safety belt buckle when the extender is not needed and being used with the safety belt. Otherwise, the airbag control module will receive an incorrect signal from the safety belt buckle and this will prevent the airbag from working properly for a person who is not using the safety belt. Leaving the extender attached to the safety belt buckle when the front seat is occupied and the safety belt is not being used will signal the airbag control unit during a collision that the front passenger seat is occupied and that the safety belt is being used. The electronic control unit for the airbag system will then receive incorrect information that will cause the safety belt pretensioner to deploy unnecessarily and the front passenger airbag to deploy later in collisions that would normally trigger the front airbag earlier in the collision to help protect an unrestrained front seat occupant. The airbag will not be able to provide enough protection for an occupant not wearing a safety belt.
x Only use the safety belt extender approved by Volkswagen for your vehicle.

WARNING
Improper use or positioning of a safety belt extender increases the risk of serious personal injury and death.
x A driver or passenger who is not properly restrained can be seriously injured by striking the interior of the passenger compartment or by the safety belt itself, which can be displaced from stronger parts of the body into sensitive areas like the abdomen.
x Safety belt extenders offer optimum protection only when they are properly used.
x Only use the extender when the belt is not long enough to be worn low and snug and the person is in the correct seating position. Remove and stow extender safely when not needed.
x Always make sure the safety belt tongue of the safety belt extender is securely inserted into the buckle for the seating position that belongs to the seat where the safety belt extender is being used. Attaching the safety belt to the wrong buckle will reduce safety belt effectiveness and can cause serious personal injury.
x Never use the safety belt extender if you can properly attach the safety belt without it. Using a safety belt extender when not needed can increase the risk of injury, especially in a collision.
x Never use a safety belt extender if the distance (B) between the front edge of the safety belt extender buckle (A) and the centerline of the person using the safety belt extender
⇒ fig. 83 (C) is less than 6 inches (15 cm).
x Never leave a safety belt extender attached to the vehicle safety belt buckle when the extender is not needed and being used with the safety belt. Otherwise, the airbag control module will receive an incorrect signal from the safety belt buckle and this will prevent the airbag from working properly for a person who is not using the safety belt.
x Never use more than 1 extender with a safety belt. Using more than 1 extender can change the way the safety belt passes over the body and can cause serious injury.
x Never use the safety belt extender to secure a child restraint.
x Never use a safety belt extender on your Volkswagen that you got from another automobile manufacturer or from an automotive parts store.
x Never use the safety belt extender you got for your vehicle for any other vehicle, regardless of make, model, or model year.
NOTICE
x Leaving the extender attached to the safety belt buckle when the front seat is occupied and the safety belt is not being used will signal to the airbag control unit that the front passenger seat is occupied and that the safety belt is being used. The electronic control unit for the airbag system will then receive incorrect information that will
– cause the safety belt pretensioner to deploy unnecessarily in collisions
– cause the front passenger airbag to deploy later in collisions in which the front airbag would otherwise be triggered earlier to help protect an unrestrained front seat passenger.
x A pretensioner that has deployed cannot be repaired. The entire safety belt must be replaced.
NOTICE
If the safety belt extender is left attached to the safety belt buckle, the safety belt warning system will sense that the safety belt for that seat is being used. The warning light will not come on and the warning chime will not sound even though the seat is occupied and the safety belt is not being used.

WARNING
Improper handling, care, servicing, and repair procedures can increase the risk of personal injury and death by preventing a belt pretensioner from activating when needed or by causing it to activate unexpectedly.
x The pretensioner can be activated only once. If a pretensioner has been activated, the safety belt must be replaced.
x Safety belt systems including the pretensioners cannot be repaired. Special procedures are required to remove, install, and dispose of this system.
x Never repair, adjust, or change pretensioners or any other part of the safety belt system yourself. We strongly recommend that you have any work on the safety belt system performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. They have the necessary technical information, training, and special equipment, Parts, accessories, repairs and modifications.
WARNING
Undeployed safety belt pretensioners and airbag modules contain explosive materials that can cause serious personal injuries if they are not properly handled when they or the vehicles they are installed in are scrapped.
x Never abandon vehicles or vehicle parts.
x Always scrap vehicles and vehicle parts, especially those containing undeployed airbag modules and undeployed safety belt pretensioners, at a licensed facility that has the knowledge and experience to properly dispose of the vehicle and its safety belt and airbag systems.
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.