Protection VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 2015 B8 / 6.G User Guide

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 re-straint.
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. 85:
(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. 86:
(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. 85 (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 ⇒  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.
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 elec-tronic 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 effective-ness 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. 86 (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 automo-bile manufacturer or from an automotive parts store.
x Never use the safety belt extender you got for your vehicle for any other vehicle, regard-less 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 occu-pied 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 re-placed.
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.

Sun protection

WARNING
Improper folding and improper latching of the rear seat backrest can cause serious personal injury.
x Always make sure there are no people or animals in the area around the rear seat backrest when folding it forward.
x Never fold the rear seat backrest up or down while the vehicle is moving.
x When folding the rear seat backrest back up, make sure that the safety belt does not get caught or damaged.
x Keep hands, fingers, feet and other body parts out of the way when folding the rear seat backrest up and down.
x Each rear seat backrest must be securely latched in the upright position so that the safety belts on the rear seats can provide protection. This is particularly the case for the middle seat on the rear bench.
x If a seat is used with an unsecured backrest, the passenger will move forward together with the rear seat backrest during sudden braking, driving maneuvers, or a collision.
x No one, including children, may ride on the rear seats if the rear seat backrest is folded down or not correctly latched.
NOTICE
Before folding the rear seat backrest forward, adjust the front seats so that the rear seat's head restraint or backrest cushion will not touch the front seats.
There is a separate release lever in the luggage compartment for each rear seat backrest sec-tion.
Luggage compartment pass-through

Fig. 117 In the rear seat backrest: Opening luggage compartment pass-through without lock.

When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds.
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 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 symbol "2!+% 7%!2 or I lights up in the instrument cluster display, whether alone or together with a text message, immediately contact an authorized Volkswagen dealer or au-thorized Volkswagen Service Facility to have the brake pads checked and, if necessary, re-placed.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in vehicle damage.
Parking brake

Fig. 162 Between the front seats: Parking brake.

More information:
x ⇒ Booklet Warranty and Maintenance
x Preparations for working in the engine compartment
x Parts, accessories, repairs and modifications
WARNING
Working on the batteries or the electrical system in your vehicle can cause serious acid burns, fires, explosions, or electrical shocks. Always read and heed the following WARNINGS and safety precautions before working on the batteries or the electrical system.
x Before working on the electrical system, always switch off the ignition and all electrical consumers and disconnect the negative (-) cable from the standard 12 Volt battery.
x When you change a light bulb, always switch off the light first.
x Always keep children away from battery acid and vehicle batteries in general.
x Always wear eye protection. Never let battery acid or lead particles come into contact with your eyes, skin, or clothing.
x Sulfuric battery acid is very corrosive. It can burn unprotected skin and cause blindness. Always wear protective gloves and eye protection. To reduce your risk of injury, never tilt the batteries, as this could spill acid through the vents and burn you.
x If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immediately rinse with cold water for several minutes and then get immediate medical attention. If you swallow any battery acid, get medical attention immediately.
x When disconnecting the batteries from the vehicle electrical system, always disconnect the negative cable (-) first and then the positive cable (+).
x Always switch off all electrical consumers before reconnecting 12 Volt batteries. Recon-nect the plus cable (+) first and then the negative cable (-). Never reverse the polarity of the connections. This could cause a fire.
x A highly explosive mixture of gases is given off when the battery is being charged.
x Do not smoke and avoid fires, sparks, and open flames when working. Never create sparks or electrostatic charges when handling cables and electrical equipment. Never short circuit the battery terminals. High-energy sparks can cause serious personal injury.
x Never use or attempt to charge a damaged or frozen battery, or a battery that was frozen but has thawed. Charging a frozen or thawed battery could cause explosions and chemical burns! Replace damaged or frozen vehicle batteries immediately. A dead battery can freeze at temperatures around +32 °F (0 °C).
x If the battery has a vent line or tube, make sure that it is properly connected to the battery.
x Always make sure that the vent line is securely attached to a vehicle battery that is located in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
California Proposition 65 Warning
x Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain lead and lead components, chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Wash your hands after handling.
NOTICE
x Do not expose the vehicle battery to direct sunlight for an extended period of time as ultra-violet rays may damage the battery housing.

Checking the vehicle battery acid level
x If the lighting conditions are poor, use a flashlight so that you can clearly see the battery acid level indicator and tell what color it is. Never use an open flame or an unprotected light source.
x The round battery window (“acid level indicator”) on the top of the battery changes color, depend-ing on the battery's electrolyte level.

Color indication Action
Light yellow or colorless Battery electrolyte level is too low. The vehicle battery may need to be replaced. Have it checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility.
Black Battery electrolyte level is satisfactory.

WARNING
Working on the batteries can cause serious acid burns, explosion, or electrical shock.
x Always wear eye protection and protective gloves.
x Sulfuric battery acid is very corrosive. It can burn unprotected skin and cause blindness. Always wear protective gloves and eye protection.
x Never tilt the vehicle battery. Acid could spill out of the battery vents and burn you.
x Never open a vehicle battery.
x If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immediately rinse with cold water for several minutes and then get immediate medical attention.
x If you swallow any battery acid, get medical attention immediately.
Charging, replacing, disconnecting and connecting the vehicle battery

x Have the power sunroof checked by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Emergency closing may cause the power sunroof and its pinch protection to malfunction.
Emergency release for the selector lever lock

Fig. 203 Removing the selector gate cover.

Fig. 204 Releasing the selector lever lock.

WARNING
Improper replacement of burned out headlights and other light bulbs can cause serious per-sonal injury.
x Stop! Always read and heed the WARNINGS before doing any work in the engine com-partment. The engine compartment of any motor vehicle is a potentially dangerous area, and work in this area can lead to serious personal injury.
x HID – High Intensity Discharge (Xenon) headlights get power from a high voltage source that can cause severe personal injury and even death if handled improperly.
x H7 bulbs and HID – High Intensity Discharge (Xenon) headlights are under high pressure and can explode if handled improperly.
x Always let a burned out light bulb cool down before replacing it.
x Never replace a light bulb unless you are familiar with all of the necessary procedures. In particular, never remove a headlight unless you know exactly how to carry out the job and have the correct tools and light bulbs.
x If you are uncertain about what to do, have the work performed by an authorized Volkswagen dealer, an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility, or another qualified work-shop. Serious personal injury may result from improperly performed work.
x We strongly recommend that you always have HID – High Intensity Discharge (Xenon) headlights and H7 bulbs replaced by a qualified technician.
x Do not touch the glass of light bulbs with your bare hands. Fingerprints left on the bulb evaporate due to the heat when the bulb is switched on and cause the reflector to “cloud.”
x There are sharp edges on and around the headlight housing in the engine compartment and the rear light housing. Wear hand protection if you replace bulbs.
NOTICE
After replacing a headlight bulb or other light bulb, always make sure that the rubber covers or plastic caps have been properly and securely reinstalled to help prevent water from getting into the electrical connections and headlight housing and damaging the electrical system.
LEDs cannot be replaced. Contact your authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility for assistance.
Indicator light

WARNING
Improper use of jumper cables when jump-starting a vehicle with a dead battery can cause the battery to explode, leading to serious personal injury. To help reduce the risk of battery explosion:
x All work on the batteries or the electrical system in your vehicle can cause serious acid burns, fires, or electrical shocks. Always read and heed the following WARNINGS and safety
precautions before working on the batteries or the electrical system ⇒  Vehicle battery.
x Always wear proper eye protection. Never lean over the vehicle battery.
x Attach the jumper cables in the correct order: first the positive cable, then the negative cable.
x Never connect the negative cable from the vehicle providing starting assistance to parts of the fuel system or to the brake hoses or brake lines.
x Never allow the non-insulated parts of the battery clamps to touch.
x Never allow the jumper cable attached to the positive battery terminal to contact metal parts of the vehicle.
x Check the battery acid level indicator window on the vehicle battery. Use a flashlight, never a match, cigarette lighter, or other open flame. If you cannot see the color of the win-dow clearly, or if it is light yellow or colorless, do not jump-start the vehicle. Get expert assis-tance.
x Avoid electrostatic discharge in the vicinity of the vehicle battery. Sparks may cause the hydrogen gas escaping from the vehicle battery to ignite.
x Never jump-start a vehicle with a battery that is damaged or frozen or that was frozen and has thawed. The battery can explode. Replace the battery instead.
x Always follow the instructions of the jumper cable manufacturer.
x Always make sure that the battery providing starting assistance has the same voltage as the dead battery (12 V) and about the same capacity (see battery label).
x Batteries give off explosive hydrogen gas. Always keep fire, sparks, open flame and smok-ing materials away from batteries.
x Never connect the negative cable from the other vehicle directly to the negative terminal of the dead battery. The hydrogen gas from the battery is explosive.
x Never short out the battery terminals by connecting the positive (+) and negative (-) termi-nals with each other.