weight VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT CC 2015 1.G User Guide

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.
Transporting heavy items causes the handling characteris-
tics of the vehicle to change by shifting the vehicle's center of
gravity.
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).
Always stow luggage and heavy items in the luggage com-
partment as far forward of the rear axle as possible and secure
them with appropriate straps to the tie-downs provided.
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.
Always adapt your speed and driving style to accommodate
your payload and its weight distribution within your vehicle.
Be especially cautious and gentle when stepping on the ac-
celerator pedal and avoid sudden braking and other maneu-
vers.
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.
The ventilation slots between the rear window and the shelf be-
hind the rear seat backrest must not be blocked so that stale air can
escape from the vehicle.

WARNING
Transporting heavy or bulky loads on the roof rack will change
the way the vehicle handles by shifting the vehicle's center of
gravity and increasing the wind drag.
Always secure the load properly with suitable and undam-
aged straps so that the load will not shift.
Cargo that is large, heavy, bulky, long or flat will have a nega-
tive effect on the vehicle's aerodynamics, center of gravity and
overall handling.
Always avoid sudden maneuvers and hard braking.
Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and
the weight distribution in the vehicle. Take road, weather, traf-
fic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
NOTICE
Always remove the roof rack before driving through an auto-
matic car wash.
Your vehicle is higher when the roof rack is installed, especial-
ly when it is loaded. Compare the vehicle height with existing
clearance heights, such as underpasses and garage doors.
Always make sure that the roof rack system and anything be-
ing carried on it does not interfere with the roof antenna, the
power sunroof or the luggage compartment lid.
Make sure that the luggage compartment lid does not touch
items on the roof rack when opened.
If a roof rack is installed, fuel consumption increases due to in-
creased air resistance.

Maximum permissible roof load
The maximum permissible roof load is 220 lbs. (100 kg). The roof
load is the combined weight of the roof rack and the items being car-
ried on the roof ⇒ .
Be sure you know the weight of the roof rack and the items you want
to transport on the roof. Weigh them if necessary. Never carry a total
of more than the maximum permissible roof load.
When using a roof rack with a lower load limit, do not load the rack to
the maximum weight mentioned above. In this case, you may only
load the roof rack to the weight limit specified in the system's installa-
tion instructions.
Distributing the load
Distribute the load evenly and secure it properly ⇒ .
Checking the mountings
After the base carrier and rook rack have been installed, check all
bolts and fasteners after driving a short time and at regular intervals
thereafter.
WARNING
If the maximum permissible roof load is exceeded, accidents
and substantial vehicle damage may occur.
Never exceed the specified roof load, the maximum Gross
Axle Weight Rating, or the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.
Do not exceed the loading capacity of the roof rack, even if
the permissible roof load is not fully utilized.
Always make sure that loads are evenly distributed and that
heavier items are, as far as possible, toward the front.
WARNING
Loose or improperly secured items can fall off the roof rack and
cause accidents and injuries.
Always use suitable, undamaged tie-down ropes and ratchet
straps.
Secure the load properly.

Starting assistance systems
Parts, accessories, repairs and modifications
WARNING
Riding in a trailer is dangerous and may be illegal.
WARNING
Improper use of the trailer hitch can cause accidents and inju-
ries. An improperly installed, incorrect, or damaged trailer hitch
can cause the trailer to separate from the towing vehicle and
cause serious personal injuries.
Only use an undamaged, properly mounted trailer hitch.
Never repair or modify the trailer hitch.
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.
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.
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.
Always secure the load properly with suitable and undam-
aged straps so that the load will not shift.
Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and
the weight distribution in the vehicle. Take road, weather, traf-
fic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
Reduce your speed even more than you otherwise would
when going downhill and under unfavorable load, weather, or
wind conditions.
Trailers with a high center of gravity tip more easily than
trailers with a low center of gravity.
Always avoid sudden maneuvers and hard braking.
Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
Reduce speed immediately if the trailer shows the slightest
sign of swaying.
Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
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 excep-
tional 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) ⇒  Parts, accessories, repairs, and modifica-
tions.
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 oth-
ers if your vehicle is hit from behind.

Combined towing weight
Combined towing weight is the weight of the loaded towing vehicle
plus the weight of the loaded trailer.
This vehicle has not been designed to tow a Class II trailer and must
never be retrofitted to tow a Class II trailer. Always make sure that
your vehicle has been designed to tow the trailer you want to use and
that it is legal to tow the trailer where you will be driving.
Loading the trailer
The weight distribution in the vehicle and trailer must be balanced.
Use the maximum permissible tongue weight and make sure that the
load in the trailer is evenly distributed and that it is not front-heavy or
tail-heavy:
Distribute the load in the trailer so that heavy objects are directly
above the axle or as close as possible to the axle.
Secure loads properly on the trailer.
Tire pressure
Always follow the trailer manufacturer's tire pressure recommenda-
tions for the trailer tires.
When towing, inflate the towing vehicle's tires to the maximum per-
missible pressure listed on the tire pressure label ⇒ Tire inflation
pressure.
WARNING
Exceeding the gross weight ratings for axle, tongue, vehicle,
trailer or combined weight can cause accidents and serious
personal injury.
Never exceed the specified values.
Never let the actual weights at the front and rear axles exceed
the Gross Axle Weight Rating. Never let the combined front and
rear weights exceed the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating.

Starting off with a trailer on hills
Depending on how steep the hill is and the combined towing weight, a
parked vehicle with trailer can roll backwards when you first start
moving.
When starting off with a trailer on a hill:
Depress and hold the brake pedal (and depress and hold the clutch
- manual transmission).
Press the G button once to deactivate the electronic parking brake
⇒  Braking and parking.
Press the G button again and hold it to use the electronic parking
brake to help prevent the vehicle and trailer from rolling backwards. If
applicable, follow the instructions for the Hill Hold feature ⇒ Starting
assistance systems.
Shift into first gear or Drive D ⇒  Shifting.
Release the brake pedal.
Drive ahead slowly at first. If your vehicle has manual transmission,
slowly let out the clutch.
Do not release the G button 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.
Drive ahead slowly.

WARNING
Improper trailer towing can cause loss of vehicle control and
serious personal injury.
Driving with a trailer and carrying heavy or bulky items
changes the way the vehicle handles and increases the dis-
tance it needs to stop safely.
Always watch what is happening up ahead and around you.
Brake earlier than you would if you were not towing a trailer.
Always adapt your speed and driving to the heavier load and
the weight distribution in the vehicle. Take road, weather, traf-
fic, and visibility conditions into account as well.
Reduce your speed even more than you otherwise would
when going downhill and under unfavorable load, weather, or
wind conditions.
Drive especially carefully and accelerate gently. Always avoid
sudden maneuvers and hard braking.
Be especially careful when passing other vehicles.
Reduce speed immediately if the trailer shows even the
slightest sign of swaying.
Never try to stop the swaying by accelerating.
Always obey speed limits. In some areas speed limits for ve-
hicles towing trailers are lower than for vehicles without trail-
ers.
Ball mount

Fig. 108 Dimensions of the ball mount support.

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.

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