Technician Safety Information

- If you lack the skills, tools and equipment, or a suitable workshop for any procedure described in this article, we suggest you leave such repairs to an authorized Volkswagen dealer or other qualified shop. We especially urge you to consult an authorized Volkswagen dealer before beginning repairs on any vehicle that may still be covered wholly or in part by any of the extensive warranties issued by Volkswagen.

- Volkswagen is constantly improving its vehicles and sometimes these changes, both in parts and specifications, are made applicable to earlier models. Therefore, part numbers listed in this manual are for reference only. Always check with your authorized Volkswagen dealer parts department for the latest information.

- Never work under a lifted vehicle unless it is solidly supported on stands designed for the purpose. Do not support a vehicle on cinder blocks, hollow tiles or other props that may crumble under continuous load. Never work under a vehicle that is supported solely by a jack. Never work under the vehicle while the engine is running.

- If you are going to work under a vehicle on the ground, make sure that the ground is level. Block the wheels to keep the vehicle from rolling. Disconnect the battery negative terminal (ground strap) to prevent others from starting the vehicle while you are under it.

- Never run the engine unless the work area is well ventilated. Carbon monoxide (CO) kills.

- Tie long hair behind your head. Do not wear a necktie, a scarf, loose clothing, or a necklace when you work near machine tools or running engines. If your hair, clothing, or jewelry were to get caught in the machinery, severe injury could result.

- Illuminate the work area adequately but safely. Use a portable safety light for working inside or under the vehicle. Make sure the bulb is enclosed by a wire cage. The hot filament of an accidentally broken bulb can ignite spilled fuel or oil.

- Finger rings should be removed so that they cannot cause electrical shorts, get caught in running machinery, or be crushed by heavy parts.

- Disconnect the battery negative terminal. (ground strap) whenever you work on the fuel system or the electrical system. Do not smoke or work near heaters or other fire hazards. Keep an approved fire extinguisher handy.

- Any time the battery has been disconnected on an automatic transmission vehicle, it will be necessary to reestablish Transmission Control Module (TCM) basic settings using the VAG 1551 Scan Tool (ST).

- For vehicles equipped with an anti-theft radio, be sure of the correct radio activation code before disconnecting the battery or removing the radio. If the wrong code is entered when power is restored, the radio may lock up and become inoperable, even if the correct code is used in a later attempt.

- Do not attempt to work on your vehicle if you do not feel well. You increase the danger of injury to yourself and others if you are tired, upset or have taken medicine or any other substance that impair you or keep you from being fully alert.

- Always observe good workshop practices. Wear goggles when you operate machine tools or work with battery acid. Wear goggles, gloves and other protective clothing whenever the job requires working with harmful substances.

- Do not re-use any fasteners that are worn or deformed in normal use. Some fasteners are designed to be used only once, and are unreliable and may fail if used a second time. This includes, but is not limited to, nuts, bolts, washers, circlips and cotter pins. Always follow the recommendations in this manual-replace these fasteners with new parts where indicated, and any other time it is deemed necessary by inspection.

- Friction materials such as brake pads and clutch discs may contain asbestos fibers. Do not create dust by grinding, sanding, or by cleaning with compressed air. Avoid breathing asbestos fibers and asbestos dust. Breathing asbestos can cause serious diseases such as asbestosis or cancer, and may result in death.

- Catch draining fuel, oil or brake fluid in suitable containers. Do not use empty food or beverage containers that might mislead someone into drinking from them. Store flammable fluids away from fire hazards. Wipe up spills at once, but do not store the oily rags, which can ignite and burn spontaneously.

- Keep sparks, lighted matches, and open flame away from the top of the battery. If escaping hydrogen gas is ignited, it will ignite gas trapped in the cells and cause the battery to explode.

- The air-conditioning (A/C) system is filled with a chemical refrigerant that is hazardous. The A/C system should be serviced only by trained automotive service technicians using approved refrigerant recovery/recycling equipment, trained in related safety precautions, and familiar with regulations governing the discharging and disposal of automotive chemical refrigerants.

- Do not expose any part of the A/C system to high temperatures such as open flame. Excessive heat will increase system pressure and may cause the system to burst.

- Some of the vehicles covered by this manual are equipped with a supplemental restraint system (SRS), that automatically deploys an airbag in the event of a frontal impact. The airbag is operated by an explosive device. Handled improperly or without adequate safeguards, it can be accidently activated and cause serious personal injury. To guard against personal injury or airbag system failure, only trained Volkswagen Service technicians should test, disassemble or service the airbag system.

- Never use a test light to conduct electrical tests of the airbag system. The system must only be tested by trained Volkswagen Service technicians using the VAG 1551 Scan Tool (ST) or an approved equivalent. The airbag unit must never be electrically tested while it is not installed in the vehicle.

- When driving or riding in an airbag-equipped vehicle, never hold test equipment in your hands or lap while the vehicle is in motion. Objects between you and the airbag can increase the risk of injury in an accident.

- Before starting a job, make certain that you have all the necessary tools and parts on hand. Read all the instructions thoroughly, do not attempt shortcuts. Use tools that are appropriate to the work and use only replacement parts meeting Volkswagen specifications. Makeshift tools, parts and procedures will not make good repairs.

- Use pneumatic and electric tools only to loosen threaded parts and fasteners. Never use these tools to tighten fasteners, especially on light alloy parts. Always use a torque wrench to tighten fasteners to the tightening torque listed.

- Be mindful of the environment and ecology. Before you drain the crankcase, find out the proper way to dispose of the oil. Do not pour oil onto the ground, down a drain, or into a stream, pond, or lake. Consult local ordinances that govern the disposal of wastes.

- Before doing any electrical welding on vehicles equipped with anti-lock brakes (ABS), disconnect the battery negative terminal (ground strap) and the ABS control module connector.

- When boost-charging the battery, first remove the fuses for the Engine Control Module (ECM), the Transmission Control Module (TCM), the ABS control module, and the trip computer. In cases where one or more of these components is not separately fused, disconnect the control module connector(s).

- Do not quick-charge the battery (for boost starting) for longer than one minute, and do not exceed 16.5 volts at the battery with the boosting cables attached. Wait at least one minute before boosting the battery a second time.

- Some aerosol tire inflators are highly flammable. Be extremely cautious when repairing a tire that may have been inflated using an aerosol tire inflator. keep sparks, open flame or other sources of ignition away from the tire repair area. Inflate and deflate the tire at least four times before breaking the bead from the rim. Completely remove the tire from the rim before attempting any repair.