Volkswagen Golf 2021 Owner's Manual page 141

Driving with an open trunk lid
Driving with an open trunk lid can lead to serious
personal injury. If you have to drive with an open
trunk lid, make sure that all objects and the trunk lid
itself are properly secured and take appropriate
measures to keep toxic exhaust fumes from entering
the vehicle.
WARNING
Driving with an unlatched or open trunk lid can
lead to serious personal injury.
·
Never transport objects larger than those that
fit completely in the luggage compartment, be-
cause the trunk lid cannot be fully closed prop-
erly.
·
After closing the trunk lid, always pull up on it
to make sure that it is properly closed and can-
not open suddenly when the vehicle is moving.
·
Always stow all objects securely in the luggage
compartment. Loose objects can fall out of the
luggage compartment and injure others on the
road behind you.
·
Drive carefully; anticipate what other drivers
will do.
·
Avoid abrupt or sudden acceleration, steering,
or braking, because the unlatched trunk lid can
move suddenly.
·
Always mark objects sticking out from the lug-
gage compartment clearly for others to see.
Obey all applicable legal requirements.
·
Never use the trunk lid to "clamp" or "hold" ob-
jects that stick out of the luggage compart-
ment.
·
Always remove any luggage rack or other rack
mounted on the trunk lid (along with any lug-
gage on the rack) before driving with an open
trunk lid.
WARNING
Driving with an open trunk lid can cause poisonous
carbon monoxide in the engine exhaust to get into
the passenger compartment. Carbon monoxide
causes drowsiness, inattentiveness, poisoning, and
loss of consciousness. It can lead to accidents and
severe personal injuries.
·
Always keep the trunk lid closed while driving to
help keep poisonous exhaust fumes from being
drawn into the vehicle.
·
Never transport objects that are too large to fit
completely into the luggage area, because then
the trunk lid cannot be fully closed.
www.carobook.com
Information on driving safely and efficiently
·
If you absolutely must drive with an open trunk
lid, do the following to reduce the risk of carbon
monoxide poisoning:
— Close all windows and the power sunroof.
— Switch off the climate control system's air re-
circulation feature.
— Open all air vents in the instrument panel.
— Set the fresh air fan to the highest speed.
NOTICE
The open trunk lid changes the vehicle length and
height.
Driving through water on roads
Note the following to help prevent vehicle damage
when driving through water, for example on flooded
roads:
— Check the depth of the water before driving
through it. The water must not be any higher
than the bottom of the vehicle body →
— Do not drive faster than walking speed.
— Never stop the vehicle, and do not drive in reverse
or switch the engine off when driving through
water.
— Oncoming vehicles may create waves that raise
the water level and make it too deep for your ve-
hicle to drive through safely.
— Always manually deactivate the Start-stop system
before driving through water → page 146, Start-
stop system.
WARNING
After driving through water, mud, sludge, etc., the
brakes react slower and need longer stopping dis-
tances.
·
Always dry the brakes and clean off any ice
coatings with a few careful applications of the
brake. Make sure not to endanger other moto-
rists or cyclists or disobey legal requirements.
·
Avoid abrupt or sudden braking maneuvers im-
mediately after driving through water.
NOTICE
·
Vehicle components such as the engine, transmis-
sion, suspension or electrical system can be se-
verely damaged by driving through water.
·
Never drive through salt water. Salt causes vehi-
cle corrosion. Thoroughly rinse with fresh water
all vehicle parts that were exposed to salt water.
.
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