VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC 2015 1.G Owners Manual

CAUTION
The ball mount sticks out behind the rear bumper and can
cause injury to pedestrians and cyclists.
To reduce the risk of injury in rear-end collisions, and the risk
to pedestrians and cyclists when the vehicle is parked, always
remove the ball carrier when you are not towing a trailer.
NOTICE
Never use a ball larger than 11/4 inches (32 mm) on your vehi-
cle. The vehicle was not designed to tow heavier trailers with a
receiver larger than the specified ball. The increased loads can
damage the attachment points for the trailer hitch.
Never use an adapter to increase the size of the trailer hitch
receiver from 11/4 inches (32 mm) to 2 inches (50.8 mm) or more
to tow a trailer that is heavier than the maximum permissible
trailer weight that your vehicle can tow.
You can use an adapter if required for the proper installation
of a bicycle rack or other similar carrier as long as the maximum
weight limits are observed. When using bicycle racks or similar
carriers, make sure that the rear lights are not blocked.
Only use trailer hitches that are approved by the hitch manu-
facturer for your vehicle and model.

Retrofitting a trailer hitch

Fig. 109 Dimensions and attachment points for retrofitting a trailer
hitch.

from the center of the hitch ball to the surface of the road ⇒ fig. 109
(D) be less than the specified minimum. This minimum height must be
present even when the vehicle is fully loaded and subject to the max-
imum tongue weight.
Distance dimensions ⇒ fig. 109:
(A) Attachment points.
(B) 46 inches (1170 mm)
(C) at least 3 inches (79 mm)
(D) 14–16 inches (350 – 420 mm)
(E) 10 inches (251 mm)
(F) 21 inches (546 mm)
(G) 41 inches (1031 mm)
(H) 41 inches (1036 mm)
WARNING
Improper or incorrect connections to the vehicle electrical sys-
tem can cause malfunctions that affect the entire vehicle elec-
trical system and cause accidents and serious personal injury.
Never connect the electrical system of the trailer directly to
the electrical connections of the rear lights or other unsuitable
power sources. Use only a suitable connector to provide power
to the trailer.
Have any trailer hitch retrofit or other work on a trailer hitch
done by a qualified workshop.
WARNING
An improperly installed or unsuitable trailer hitch can cause the
trailer to separate from the towing vehicle and result in a major
accident with serious personal injuries.
Maximum permissible trailer weight

Engine Engine
ID
code
Trailer with
brakes
Trailer
without
brakes
Trailer
hitch
tongue
weight
All gasoline
engines
all 2000 lbs
(907 kg)
1650 lbs
(748 kg)
200 lbs
(91 kg)

The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating and the Gross Axle Weight Rating
must not be exceeded, even with a trailer. These ratings are listed on
the safety compliance label on the driver door jamb ⇒ page 55, Im-
portant vehicle labels. When a trailer is towed, the weight of the ball
mount and the tongue weight of the trailer are added to the vehicle
weight ⇒  Determining the correct load limit.
The trailer weight ratings given above are valid only up to altitudes of
3000 ft (1000 m) above sea level. The maximum permissible com-
bined towing weight must be reduced by about 10% for every 3000 ft
(1000 m), or portion thereof, of additional altitude.
WARNING
Exceeding the gross trailer weight rating and tongue weight
can cause accidents and serious personal injury.
Never let the actual weights at the front and rear axles exceed
the Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR). Never let the combined
front and rear weights exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating
(GVWR).
NOTICE
Exceeding the gross weight ratings can cause extensive vehicle
damage that is not covered by any Volkswagen Limited Warran-
ty.

Tires and wheels

Consumer information
Wheel trim
Changing a wheel

WARNING
New tires or tires that are old, worn or damaged cannot provide
maximum control and braking performance.
Improper care and handling of tires and wheels can reduce
driving safety and cause accidents and severe injuries.
Install only radial tires of the same make, the same dimen-
sions (tread circumference), and similar tread profile on all
4 wheels.
New tires tend to be slippery and must be broken in. Always
drive with special care for the first 350 miles (560 km) to help
reduce the risk of losing control, a collision, and serious per-
sonal injuries.
Check tire inflation pressure regularly when the tires are cold
and always maintain the prescribed tire pressure. Low tire
pressure can cause tires to get too hot, resulting in tread sepa-
ration, sudden loss of pressure, and blowouts. Tires with ex-
cessively low pressure flex (bend) more, which can cause the
tire to overheat and fail suddenly without warning.
Check tires regularly for wear and damage.
Never drive with worn or damaged tires (for example, tires
with punctures, cuts, cracks, blisters, or bumps). Driving with
worn or damaged tires can lead to loss of vehicle control, sud-
den tire failure including blowouts and sudden deflation, crash-
es, and serious personal injuries.
Have worn or damaged tires replaced immediately.
Never exceed the maximum speed rating or the maximum
load rating of the tires on your vehicle.
The effectiveness of the driver assistance systems and the
braking support systems depends on the tire traction.
If you notice unusual vibration or if the vehicle pulls to one
side when driving, always stop as soon as it is safe to do so
and check the wheels and tires for damage.
To reduce the risk of losing control, crashes, and serious
personal injuries, never loosen the bolts on wheels with bolted
rim rings.

Never mount used tires on your vehicle if you are not sure of
their past use. Old, used tires and wheels may have damage
that cannot be seen that can lead to sudden tire failure and loss
of vehicle control.
Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail sudden-
ly, especially at high speeds, causing loss of vehicle control,
accidents, and severe personal injuries. Tires that are more
than 6 years old can be used only in an emergency and even
then only with special care and at low speed.
For technical reasons it is usually not possible to use wheel rims
from other vehicles. Even wheel rims from the same model may not fit
properly. Check with an authorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized
Volkswagen Service Facility if necessary.
Tire and wheel handling

Fig. 110 Tire rotation diagram.

The tires and wheels are essential parts of the vehicle's design. The
tires and wheels approved by Volkswagen are specially matched to
the characteristics of the vehicle for good road holding and safe han-
dling when in good condition and properly inflated.
Avoiding tire damage
If you must drive over a curb or other obstacle, drive very slowly
and as much as possible at a right angle to the curb with the tire tread
of both front wheels contacting the curb at the same time.
Regularly check tires for damage, such as punctures, cuts, tears
and blisters.
Remove embedded material in the tread profile that has not yet
penetrated the inside of the tire ⇒ Tire wear and damage.
Heed all warning messages from the Tire Pressure Monitoring Sys-
tem
Replace worn or damaged tires immediately ⇒  Tire wear and
damage.
Damage to tires and wheels is often not readily visible. If you notice
unusual vibration or the vehicle pulls to one side, this may indicate
that one of the tires is damaged. The tires must be checked immedi-
ately for hidden damage by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an
authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. See also ⇒ Tire wear and
damage.
Never exceed the load and permissible maximum speed rating of
the tires ⇒ Tire labeling.
Always keep aggressive chemicals including grease, oil, gasoline
and brake fluid off the tires, including the spare wheel ⇒ .
Replace missing valve caps immediately.
Unidirectional tires
Unidirectional tires are designed to rotate only in one direction. Unidi-
rectional tires have arrows on the sidewalls that show the direction of
rotation ⇒ Tire labeling. Unidirectional tires must always be mounted
according to the specified direction of rotation in order to deliver their
best grip, braking performance, low road noise, and good wear as
well as good hydroplaning resistance.
If you have to mount a tire opposite to its proper direction of rotation,
you must drive more carefully, since the tire is no longer being used
as designed. This is particularly important on wet roads. You must