towing VOLKSWAGEN JETTA SPORTWAGEN 2013 1B / 6.G Owners Manual

Front view
Fig. 2 Vehicle front overview.
Key to fig. 2:
(1)Inside mirror
(2)Front windshield
(3)Front windshield wipers
(4)Engine hood
(5)Engine hood release
(6)Headlights ,
(7)Fog lights/static cornering lights (if equipped)
(8)Front license plate bracket
(9)Threaded hole for the front towing eye (behind cover)

Rear view
Fig. 3 Vehicle rear overview.
Key to fig. 3:
(1)Roof antenna
(2)High-mounted brake light
(3)Rear window
–Rear window defroster
(4)Rear windshield wiper
(5)Taillights ,
(6)Rear license plate bracket
(7)Rear hatch
(8)Threaded hole for the rear towing eye (behind cover)
(9)Rear hatch release
(10)License plate lights

d Properly fasten your safety belt before driving the vehicle and wear your safety belt properly at all
times while driving. Make sure that all passengers do the same
d Only transport as many passengers as there are seats and safety belts available.
d Never drive if your driving ability has been impaired, for example by medication, alcohol or illegal
drugs.
d Never let passengers or phone calls distract you while driving, and never take your attention off the
road while using vehicle software or adjusting vehicle equipment or accessories.
d Always adapt your speed and driving style to visibility, weather, road, and traffic conditions.
d Always obey traffic laws and speed limits.
d On long trips make frequent rest stops – at least once every 2 hours.
d Secure animals in the vehicle with a system that corresponds to weight and size.
WARNING
Always observe traffic rules and posted speed limits and use common sense. Your good
judgment can mean the difference between arriving safely at your destination and being se-
riously injured in a crash or other kind of accident.
Regular service and maintenance of your vehicle is important both for operational and driving
safety and to help prolong your vehicle's service life. Always follow the scheduled maintenance inter-
vals in the ⇒ Booklet Warranty and Maintenance, especially for changing the brake fluid. Hard use,
frequent stop-and-go driving, driving in very dusty areas, trailer towing, and other factors may make it
necessary to have the vehicle serviced more frequently. Ask an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an
authorized Volkswagen Service Facility for more information.
Driving in other countries

WARNING
Heavy loads will influence the way your vehicle handles and increase stopping distances.
Heavy loads that are not properly stowed or secured can cause loss of control and serious
injury.
x Secure the load properly to keep it from shifting.
x Always remember when transporting heavy objects that a change in the center of gravity
also changes the way your vehicle handles:
– Always distribute the load as evenly as possible.
– Secure heavy objects properly as far forward in the luggage compartment as possible.
– Always tie down heavy items securely with suitable straps using the tie-downs in the
luggage compartment.
x Securely latch the rear seat backrest in the upright position.
x Never exceed the Gross Axle Weight Rating or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating on the
safety compliance sticker on the left door jamb. Exceeding permissible weight can cause the
vehicle to skid and handle differently.
x Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and the weight distribution in the
vehicle. Take road, weather, traffic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
x Always accelerate gently and avoid sudden braking and driving maneuvers.
x Always brake earlier than you would if you were not driving a loaded vehicle.
Stowing luggage

x Factory-installed or retrofitted accessories.
x Hitch weight and tongue weight for trailer towing.
Please refer to the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and the Gross front and rear Axle Weight
Ratings (GAWR) for your vehicle, which are printed on the vehicle's Safety Compliance Certification
Label on the driver door jamb.
WARNING
Exceeding maximum permissible weight ratings can result in vehicle damage, accidents, and
serious personal injury.
x Never let the actual weights at the front and rear axles exceed the permissible Gross Axle
Weight Rating. Also, never let the total of these actual weights exceed the Gross Vehicle
Weight Rating.
x Always remember that the vehicle's handling and braking will be affected by extra load
and the distribution of this load. Adjust your speed accordingly.
NOTICE
x Always distribute the load evenly and as low as possible in the vehicle. The vehicle capacity
weight figures apply when the load is distributed evenly in the vehicle (passengers and
luggage).
x When transporting a heavy load in the luggage compartment, carry the load as close to the
rear axle (as far forward) as possible so that the vehicle's handling and braking are affected as
little as possible.

Trailer towing

WARNING
Improper use of the trailer hitch can cause accidents and injuries. An improperly installed,
incorrect, or damaged trailer hitch can cause the trailer to separate from the towing vehicle
and cause serious personal injuries.
x Only use an undamaged, properly mounted trailer hitch.
x Never repair or modify the trailer hitch.
x 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 mount when you are not towing a trailer.
x Never install a “weight distributing” or “load equalizing” trailer hitch on your vehicle. The
vehicle was not designed for these kinds of trailer hitches. The trailer hitch attachment can
fail, causing the trailer to tear loose from the vehicle.
WARNING
Improper trailer towing can cause loss of vehicle control and serious personal injury.
x Driving with a trailer and carrying heavy or large things can change the way the vehicle
handles, increase the distance it needs to stop safely, and cause accidents.
x Always secure the load properly with suitable and undamaged straps so that the load will
not shift.
x Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and the weight distribution in the
vehicle. Take road, weather, traffic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
x Reduce your speed even more than you otherwise would when going downhill and under
unfavorable load, weather, or wind conditions.
x Trailers with a high center of gravity tip more easily than trailers with a low center of
gravity.
x Always avoid sudden maneuvers and hard braking.
x Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
x Reduce speed immediately if the trailer shows the slightest sign of swaying.
x Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
x Always obey speed limits. In some areas, the speed limits for vehicles towing trailers are
lower than for vehicles without trailers. Never drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h); under
exceptional circumstances 60 mph (100 km/h), when towing a trailer. This applies even if the
local speed limit is higher.
If you are driving a new vehicle or a vehicle with a new or rebuilt engine, do not tow a trailer
during the break-in period, about 600 miles (1000 km) .
If you tow a trailer, your vehicle may need maintenance more often because of the extra load it
has to move.
When you are not towing, remove the trailer hitch ball. This helps keep the trailer hitch from
causing damage to your vehicle and to others if your vehicle is hit from behind.
Some models need a trailer hitch to tow or tow-start other vehicles. You may want to always
carry the ball mount in the vehicle after it has been removed. Be sure to stow it securely.

x Do not release the parking brake lever until the engine starts to move the vehicle forward. If your
vehicle has an automatic transmission, you can also depress and hold the brake pedal for added
braking and then let up on the brake pedal when you feel that the vehicle “wants” to move forward.
x Drive ahead slowly.
WARNING
Improper trailer towing can cause loss of vehicle control and serious personal injury.
x Driving with a trailer and carrying heavy or bulky items changes the way the vehicle
handles and increases the distance it needs to stop safely.
x Always watch what is happening up ahead and around you. Brake earlier than you would
if you were not towing a trailer.
x Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and the weight distribution in the
vehicle. Take road, weather, traffic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
x Reduce your speed even more than you otherwise would when going downhill and under
unfavorable load, weather, or wind conditions.
x Drive especially carefully and accelerate gently. Always avoid sudden maneuvers and
hard braking.
x Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
x Reduce speed immediately if the trailer shows even the slightest sign of swaying.
x Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
x Always obey speed limits. In some areas speed limits for vehicles towing trailers are lower
than for vehicles without trailers.
Ball mount

Fig. 107 Dimensions of the ball mount support.

These dimensions are important because they help determine the way that the forces that arise during
towing are applied to the receiver and its attachments to the vehicle. If you buy a ball mount and ball,
make sure that they meet the following specifications.
Ball mount dimensions
x The drop height (A) from the center of the ball to the center of the hole for the securing pin on the
ball mount must be at least 1 inch (25.4 mm) and at most 27/8 inches (73 mm).
x The pin-to-ball distance (B) from the center of the ball to the center of the hole for the securing pin
on the ball mount must be no more than 7 inches (178 mm).
x The ball diameter must be no more than 11/4 inches (32 mm).
A ball mount and ball combination that does not meet these specifications can damage your vehicle
and may even fail in use ⇒ .
Never install a “weight distributing” or “load equalizing” trailer hitch on your vehicle. The vehicle is not
designed for this kind of trailer hitch ⇒ .
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.
x Have any trailer hitch retrofit or other work on a trailer hitch done by a qualified workshop.
CAUTION
The ball mount sticks out behind the rear bumper and can cause injury to pedestrians and
cyclists.
x 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
x Never use a ball larger than 11/4 inches (32 mm) on your vehicle. 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.
x 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.
x 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.
x Only use trailer hitches that are approved by the hitch manufacturer for your vehicle and
model.

(F) 25.6 inches (649 mm)
(G) 41.0 inches (1041 mm)
WARNING
Improper or incorrect connections to the vehicle electrical system can cause malfunctions
that affect the entire vehicle electrical system and cause accidents and serious personal
injury.
x 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.
x 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