instrument panel VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2012 Owners Manual

Applicable only in the United States
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 glove compartment
(3) Air vent  –

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 driv-er'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 in-flates.
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 comfort-ably. The farther back the backrests are tilted, the greater the risk of injury caused by incor-rect positioning of the safety belts and improper seating position.
x Never drive with the front seat passenger backrest tilted forward. If the front airbag de-ploys, 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 ad-justed. Never lean against or place any part of your body too close to the area where the air-bags 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 posi-tion 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.

WARNING
Some kinds of cigarette lighters can be lit unintentionally, or crushed causing a fire that can result in serious burns and vehicle damage.
x Always make sure that there are no lighters in the seat tracks or near other moving parts before adjusting the seats.
x Before closing a storage compartment, always make sure that no cigarette lighter can be activated, crushed, or otherwise damaged.
x Never leave a cigarette lighter in a storage compartment, on the instrument panel, or in other places in the vehicle. 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. High temperatures could cause the cigarette lighter to catch fire.
Examples of improper seating positions

Daytime running lights (DRL)
Separate lamps are installed in the headlights or in the front bumper for the daytime running lights (DRL).
When the daytime running lights are switched on, only these separate lamps come on ⇒ .
The daytime running lights are switched on whenever the ignition is switched on and the light switch is in position /. The indicator light  or DRL may come on in the instrument cluster to indicate that the feature is active, Lights.
WARNING
Crashes and other accidents can happen when you cannot see the road ahead and when you cannot be seen by other motorists.
x Never use daytime running lights (DRL) to see where you are going. DRL are not bright enough to light up the roadway and be seen by other motorists. You will not be able to see far enough ahead for safety, especially at dusk or when it is dark. Always switch on the low-beam headlights at dusk or when it is dark.
x The taillights do not come on when the daytime running lights are switched on. A vehicle without taillights on cannot be seen by others in bad weather, at dusk, or when it is dark.
In cool or humid weather, the insides of the headlights, the rear lights, and turn signals can temporarily fog up. This is normal and does not affect the service life of the vehicle's lighting system.
Instrument panel lighting

Fig. 72 To the left of the steering wheel: Thumbwheel to adjust instrument panel lighting 1.

WARNING
Unsecured or incorrectly stowed items can fly through the vehicle, causing serious personal injury during hard braking or sharp steering or in an accident. Loose items can also be struck and thrown through the passenger compartment by the front airbags if they inflate. To help reduce the risk of serious personal injury:
x Always stow all objects securely in the vehicle. Always put luggage and heavy items in the luggage compartment.
x Always secure objects in the passenger compartment properly with suitable straps so that they cannot move into the deployment zone of a side or front airbag during sudden braking, in a sudden maneuver, or in a collision.
x Always keep storage compartments closed while driving.
x Never stow hard, heavy, or sharp objects in the vehicle's open storage compartments, on the shelf behind the rear seat bench, or on the top of the instrument panel.
x Always remove hard, heavy, or sharp objects from clothing and bags in the vehicle interior and stow them securely in the luggage compartment.
WARNING
Transporting heavy objects causes the handling characteristics of the vehicle to change and increases braking distances. Heavy loads which are not properly stowed or secured in the vehicle can lead to a loss of vehicle control and cause serious personal injury.
x Transporting heavy items causes the handling characteristics of the vehicle to change by shifting the vehicle's center of gravity.
x Always distribute luggage evenly and as low as possible within the vehicle. The vehicle capacity weight figures apply when the load is distributed evenly in the vehicle (passengers and luggage).
x Always stow luggage and heavy items in the luggage compartment as far forward of the rear axle as possible and secure them with appropriate straps to the tie-downs provided.
x Never exceed the vehicle's Gross Vehicle Weight Rating or Gross Axle Weight Ratings, which are printed on the Safety Compliance Certification Label located on the door jamb of the driver door. Exceeding the permissible weight can cause the vehicle to skid and behave differently.
x Always adapt your speed and driving style to accommodate your payload and its weight distribution within your vehicle.
x Be especially cautious and gentle when stepping on the accelerator pedal and avoid sudden braking and other maneuvers.
x Brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a loaded vehicle.
NOTICE
The defroster heating wires or antenna in the rear window can be damaged by objects that rub against them.

WARNING
Objects in the driver footwell can prevent the pedals from moving freely. This can cause loss of vehicle control and increase the risk of serious personal injuries.
x Always make sure that nothing can interfere with the pedals.
x Always fasten floor mats securely to the floor.
x Never put floor mats or other floor coverings on top of already installed floor mats.
x Always make sure that nothing can fall into the driver footwell while the vehicle is moving.
WARNING
Some kinds of cigarette lighters can be lit unintentionally, or crushed causing a fire that can result in serious burns and vehicle damage.
x Always make sure that there are no lighters in the seat tracks or near other moving parts before adjusting the seats.
x Before closing a storage compartment, always make sure that no cigarette lighter can be activated, crushed, or otherwise damaged.
x Never leave a cigarette lighter in a storage compartment, on the instrument panel, or in other places in the vehicle. 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. High temperatures could cause the cigarette lighter to catch fire.
NOTICE
x The defroster heating wires or antenna in the rear window can be damaged by hard or sharp things on the shelf below the rear window.
x Do not keep any food, medicine, or other items sensitive to heat or cold in the vehicle. They can be damaged or made unusable by heat or cold.
x Things that are made of transparent materials (such as eyeglasses, magnifying glasses, or transparent suction cups on the windows) can magnify sunlight and damage the vehicle.
Storage compartment in the doors

Fig. 95 In the driver door: Storage compartment.

Holders for pen and coins
There are holders for a pen and for coins in the glove compartment cover (2).
Button in the glove compartment
The Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) SET button is also located in the glove compartment (3).
WARNING
An open glove compartment door can increase the risk of serious injury during sudden braking or driving maneuvers or in a crash.
x Always keep the glove compartment closed while the vehicle is moving.
NOTICE
Vehicles equipped with a Media Device Interface (MDI)/(MEDIA-IN) jack .170, Storage compartment in the front center armrest also have an electrical connection in the glove compartment that connects the MDI to the vehicle electronics. If the cable in the glove compartment is unplugged, the MDI will not work.
NOTICE
In some vehicle models, design considerations have made it necessary to have openings in the glove compartment behind the Owner's Manual slot, for example. Small items may fall through these openings and get behind the instrument panel. This can cause unusual noises and damage the vehicle. Never put any small objects in the glove compartment for this reason.
Applicable only in Canada
Glove compartment

Fig. 104 On the passenger side: Glove compartment.

The air conditioner works only when the ignition is switched on. The cooling system for the passenger compartment works only when the engine is running and the fan is on.
The air conditioner is most efficient when the windows and the power sunroof are closed. If the vehicle is stationary and the passenger compartment becomes very hot due to sunlight, briefly opening the windows and the power sunroof may speed up the cooling process.
Keep the air intake slots in front of the windshield free of ice, snow, and leaves so that the heating and ventilation systems can work properly.
Settings for optimum visibility
When you switch on the cooling system, both the temperature and humidity in the vehicle are reduced. This will help make passengers feel more comfortable and help keep the windows from fogging up.
x Switch off the air recirculation, Air recirculation.
x Set the fan to the desired speed.
x Turn the temperature knob to the center position.
x Open and adjust all air vents in the instrument panel, Air vents.
x Turn the air distribution knob to the desired setting.
x Push the !

Air vents

Fig. 132 In the instrument panel: Air vents.

291
Care and cleaning of plastic components, wood trim and instrument
panel