engine light VOLKSWAGEN CC 2016 Owner's Manual

Lights up Possible cause Proper response
Icon appears in
the display
Engine hood not
properly closed.

For vehicles with the 3.6 liter engine, the engine oil temperature can
be displayed in the Volkswagen Information System MFI menu ⇒  MFI
menu (Multi-Function Indicator).
WARNING
Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text mes-
sages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result
in a collision and serious personal injury.
Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.
Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in
vehicle damage.
Engine oil specifications

WARNING
Engine coolant is poisonous!
Always keep the coolant in its original container stored in a
safe place.
To reduce the risk of poisoning, never store engine coolant in
empty food or beverage containers or in any other containers
that might mislead someone into drinking from them.
Always keep engine coolant out of reach of children.
Always make sure there is enough of the correct coolant ad-
ditive to provide proper antifreeze protection at the coldest
temperatures that can be expected where the vehicle will be
used.
At extremely cold temperatures, the coolant could freeze,
causing the vehicle to break down. The heater would also not
work, and vehicle occupants could be without protection at
subfreezing temperatures.
Coolant and coolant additives can pollute the environment. Col-
lect leaking operating fluids and dispose of them properly in accord-
ance with applicable environmental laws and regulations.
Warning light and engine coolant temperature gauge

Fig. 167 Engine coolant temperature gauge in the instrument cluster:
A Engine cold; B Normal temperature range; C Warning zone.

If the indicator in the engine coolant temperature gauge is located in
the cold range (A), the engine has not reached operating tempera-
ture. High engine speeds and heavy engine loads should be avoided.
Under normal driving conditions, the needle should be in the middle
of the gauge. The temperature may go higher when the engine is
working hard, especially in hot weather.
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.
The following table explains what to do if the engine coolant tempera-
ture warning light ~ does not go out a few seconds after the engine
is started or starts flashing while driving.

Flashes
Temperature
gauge
needle
⇒ fig. 167
Possible
cause Proper response

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 mes-
sages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result
in a collision and serious personal injury.
Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.
Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so.
NOTICE
Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in
vehicle damage.
Engine coolant specifications

Checking engine coolant level
When the engine is cold, check the engine coolant level relative to
the marking on the side of the expansion tank ⇒ fig. 168.
If the coolant level in the tank is below the minimum mark (“min”),
add coolant. When the engine is warm, the engine coolant level may
be slightly above the upper edge of the marked range.
Adding engine coolant
Always protect face, hands and arms from hot escaping coolant or
steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.
Carefully unscrew the cap ⇒ .
Add only new engine coolant according to Volkswagen specifica-
tions (⇒ Engine coolant specifications) ⇒ .
The engine coolant level must be inside the marks on the side of
the reservoir ⇒ fig. 168. Do not fill above the top edge of the filling
range! ⇒ 
Screw the lid tightly.
Even in an emergency, do not use any other kind of coolant addi-
tive if engine coolant meeting Volkswagen specifications (⇒ page 456,
Engine coolant specifications) is unavailable! Instead, add distilled
water only ⇒ . As soon as possible, have the correct coolant ratio
restored using engine coolant that meets Volkswagen specifications
⇒  Engine coolant specifications.

WARNING
Hot steam and hot engine coolant can cause serious burns.
Never open the hood if you see steam or coolant escaping
from the engine compartment. Always wait until you no longer
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine.
Always let the engine cool down completely before carefully
opening the hood. Hot components will burn skin on contact.
When the engine has cooled down and you are ready to open
the hood:
– Apply the electronic parking brake and shift the transmis-
sion into Park (P) (automatic) or Neutral (manual only).
– Take the vehicle key out of the ignition.
– On vehicles with Keyless Access, make sure that the re-
mote control vehicle key is out of range of the vehicle and
that the vehicle cannot be started by depressing the starter
button
– Always keep children and others away from the engine
compartment and never leave them unsupervised.
The engine coolant system is under pressure when the en-
gine is hot. Never unscrew the coolant expansion tank cap
when the engine is hot. Hot coolant can spray out and cause
severe burns and other serious injuries.
– Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counterclock-
wise direction while applying light downward pressure on the
top of the cap.
– Always protect your face, hands, and arms from hot escap-
ing coolant or steam by covering the cap with a large, thick
rag.
Never spill fluids on the engine or exhaust system when re-
filling. Spilling fluids onto hot parts of the engine or exhaust
system can cause a fire. Under some conditions, the ethylene
glycol in engine coolant can catch fire.
NOTICE
Use distilled water only when adding coolant! All other types
of water contain chemical compounds that can cause extensive
corrosion damage to the engine. This can even lead to engine

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).
If the battery has a vent line or tube, make sure that it is
properly connected to the battery.
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
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
Do not expose the vehicle battery to direct sunlight for an ex-
tended period of time as ultraviolet rays may damage the battery
housing.
If the vehicle is left standing in the cold for a long time, protect
the vehicle battery from freezing. A battery will be permanently
damaged by freezing.
Undeployed battery isolator modules are classified as Perchlo-
rate Material. Special handling may apply – see
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. Obey all appli-
cable legal requirements regarding handling and disposal of the vehi-
cle or parts of its restraint system, including airbag modules and safe-
ty belts with pretensioners. Authorized Volkswagen dealers and au-
thorized Volkswagen Service Facilities are familiar with the require-
ments, and we recommend that you have them perform this service
for you.
Emergency starting and starting the engine with a very weak ve-
hicle battery or after the vehicle battery has been replaced may

Vehicles with 3.6 liter engines: Open the luggage compartment lid
⇒  Luggage compartment lid.
Opening the battery cover
Depending on the engine type, there are different kinds of battery
covers:
Vehicles with 2.0 liter engines: Press on the clip in direction of the
arrow ⇒ fig. 170 (1) and remove the cover upward.
Vehicles with 3.6 liter engines: Remove the trim panel to access
the vehicle battery ⇒ fig. 171.
Checking the vehicle battery acid level
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.
The round battery window (“acid level indicator”) on the top of the
battery changes color, depending on the battery's electrolyte level.

Color 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 Fa-
cility.
Black Battery electrolyte level is satisfacto-
ry.

Automatic electrical load deactivation
If the vehicle battery drain is high, the intelligent onboard electrical
system management automatically takes steps to help prevent bat-
tery drain.
The idle speed is increased so that the alternator provides more
power.
The power to devices that consume a lot of electricity is cut back or
switched off completely.
When the engine is started, the power supply to the 12 Volt sockets
is temporarily interrupted.
The onboard electrical system management cannot always keep the
battery from being drained. For example, the battery will drain if the
engine is not running, but the ignition is switched on or the parking
lights are left on for a long time when parked.
Battery disconnection in an accident with airbag deployment
In vehicles with a battery in the luggage compartment, the electrical
connection to the battery is disconnected automatically in a collision
with airbag deployment. This helps to prevent a short-circuit.
What drains the vehicle battery?
Long periods when the engine is not running, especially when the
ignition is on.
Using electrical systems or devices when the engine is switched
off.
Leaving the vehicle unlocked for several days when not in use.
The selector lever is left for a long period of time in any position
other than P when the ignition is switched off ⇒  Automatic transmis-
sion: Selector lever.
WARNING
Failure to use the proper battery with proper mounting and
connections may cause short circuits, fires, and serious per-
sonal injuries.
Always use only maintenance-free or cycle-free, leak-proof
batteries with the same specifications and dimensions as the
original equipment battery. Specifications are listed on the bat-
tery housing.