WARNING WARNING Driving with worn brake pads or a faulty brake system can lead to loss of control of the vehi- cle, accidents, and serious or fatal injuries. Wet brakes or brakes coated with ice or road salt react more slowly and require longer brak- ing distances. This can cause you to lose con- trol of the vehicle and can lead to accidents and serious or fatal injuries. WARNING New brake pads cannot generate the full brak- ing effect. ● Be careful when braking. ● Carry out a few careful braking operations to dry the brakes and clean off any coating of ice and salt when visibility, weather, road and traffic conditions permit.
● New brake pads cannot generate the full braking effect during the first 300 km or so and must first be bedded in. However, you can compensate for the slightly reduced braking force by applying more pressure to the brake pedal. If the front brake pads are tested, the rear brake pads should be tested at the same time. Regularly check the thickness of the brake pads through the openings in the rims or from the underside of the vehicle. If necessary, remove the wheels to carry out a comprehensive check. Further information can be obtained from a cor- respondingly qualified workshop. Volkswagen recommends using a Volkswagen dealership.
● Drive with particular care with new brake pads to reduce the risk of accidents, serious injuries, and loss of control of the vehicle. ● Never drive too close to other vehicles when running in new brake pads, and never create a driving situation that will place a heavy load on the brakes. Constant braking will cause the brakes to over- heat. This can significantly reduce the braking performance, increase the braking distance and, in certain circumstances, cause the brake system to fail completely. WARNING Driving a loaded vehicle For good vehicle handling when driving a loaded vehicle, please observe the following: – Stow all items of luggage securely → page 144.
● Never depress the brake pedal too often and for too long. – Accelerate particularly cautiously and careful- ly. WARNING – Avoid sudden braking and rapid accelerating. – Brake earlier than in normal driving. Overheated brakes reduce the braking effect and considerably increase the braking distance. WARNING ● When driving downhill, the brakes are placed under particular strain and become hot very quickly. Shifting loads can severely impair the vehicle’s stability and driving safety in the event of hard or emergency braking. This can cause accidents and serious or fatal injuries. ● Before driving down a long, steep gradient, reduce your speed by changing to a lower gear (e.g.
in Tiptronic mode of the automatic gearbox). Use the braking effect of the en- gine to reduce the load on the brakes. ● Secure the load properly to prevent it from slipping. ● Use suitable lashing or securing straps when securing heavy objects. ● Before starting your journey, make sure that the air supply to the brakes is not covered, e.g. by non-standard or damaged front spoil- ers. ● Securely engage the rear seat backrests in an upright position before loading. Owner's manual 94