Volkswagen CC (2015 year). Instruction - part 28

 

If the indicator in the engine coolant temperature gauge is located in 
the cold range 

(A)

, the engine has not reached operating tempera-

ture. High engine speeds and heavy engine loads should be avoided. 
Under normal driving conditions, the needle should be in the middle 
of the gauge. The temperature may go higher when the engine is 
working hard, especially in hot weather. 
When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights 
come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds. 
The following table explains what to do if the engine coolant tempera-
ture warning light   does not go out a few seconds after the engine 
is started or starts flashing while driving. 

 

Flashes 

Temperature 

gauge 

needle 

⇒ 

fig. 167

  

Possible 
cause  

Proper response  

 

Flashes 

Temperature 

gauge 

needle 

⇒ 

fig. 167

  

Possible 
cause  

Proper response  

  

(C)

 

Warning 

zone  

Engine coolant 
temperature 
too high.  

 Stop! 

Pull off the road and stop 
as soon as you can do so 
safely. Stop the engine 
and let it cool down until 
the temperature needle is 
in the normal range again. 
Check the engine coolant 
level and add engine cool-
ant if needed. 
If the engine coolant level 
is correct or the problem 
continues after adding 
coolant and driving a short 
distance, do not drive any 
farther. Contact the near-
est authorized Volkswagen 
dealer or authorized 
Volkswagen Service Facili-
ty. 
If the coolant level is cor-
rect, the overheating may 
be caused by a radiator 
fan fault. Check the fuses 
and replace as necessary.  

 

Flashes 

Temperature 

gauge 

needle 

⇒ 

fig. 167

  

Possible 
cause  

Proper response  

(B)

 

Normal range 

Engine coolant 
level too low.  

Check the engine coolant 
level after the engine has 
cooled down and add en-
gine coolant if low. 
If the engine coolant level 
is correct or the problem 
continues after adding 
coolant, do not drive any 
farther. Contact an au-
thorized Volkswagen deal-
er or authorized 
Volkswagen Service Facili-
ty. 
These instructions apply 
only when the coolant 
temperature stays in the 
normal range. Stop imme-
diately if the needle goes 
into the red warning zone 

(C)

.  

–  

Engine coolant 
system 
malfunction.  

 Stop! 

Get assistance from an 
authorized Volkswagen 
dealer, an authorized 
Volkswagen Service Facili-
ty, or another qualified 
workshop.  

–  

(A)

 

Cold range  

The engine has 
not yet warmed 
up.  

Do not drive at high engine 
speeds or with heavy en-
gine loads until the engine 
warms up.  

 

 

When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights 
come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds. 

  WARNING 

Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text mes-
sages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result 
in a collision and serious personal injury. 

 Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS. 
 Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. 

 

  NOTICE 

Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in 
vehicle damage. 

Engine coolant specifications 

 Please first read and note the introductory information and 

heed the WARNINGS 

  

The engine cooling system is filled at the factory with a mixture of 
specially conditioned water and at least 40 percent of Volkswagen 
engine coolant additive G 13 (TL-VW 774 J). This engine coolant ad-
ditive is pink. 
This mixture provides antifreeze protection down to -13 °F (-25 °C). It 
also helps to protect the light alloy parts in the engine cooling system 
against corrosion. In addition, the mixture helps prevent calcium de-
posits and increases the boiling point of the engine coolant. 
To protect the engine, the mixture must always contain at least 40% 
coolant additive even in warm weather or climates where antifreeze 
protection is not needed. 
If more antifreeze protection is needed for climate conditions, the per-
centage of coolant additive can be increased. However, the coolant 
additive percentage must never be more than 60%; otherwise, anti-
freeze protection is reduced and the ability of the mixture to cool the 
engine is also reduced. 

 

When adding engine coolant, use a mixture of distilled water and at 
least 40% coolant additive G 13 or G 12 plus-plus (TL-VW 774 G) for 
optimum corrosion protection 

⇒  . 

Do not mix G 13 with G 12 plus or G 11. Mixing these coolant addi-
tives together significantly reduces corrosion protection 

⇒   and can 

lead to engine damage that is not covered by any Volkswagen Lim-
ited Warranty. 

  WARNING 

Too little antifreeze protection in the engine cooling system can 
cause engine failure and severe injuries. 

 Always make sure there is enough of the correct coolant ad-

ditive to provide proper antifreeze protection at the coldest 
temperatures that can be expected where the vehicle will be 
used. 

 At extremely cold temperatures, the coolant could freeze, 

causing the vehicle to break down. The heater would also not 
work, and vehicle occupants could be without protection at 
subfreezing temperatures. 

 

  NOTICE 

Never mix original Volkswagen engine coolant additives with 
other additives not approved by Volkswagen. Mixing 
Volkswagen coolant additives with coolant additives made by 
other manufacturers can seriously damage the engine and the 
engine cooling system. 

 If the fluid in the engine coolant reservoir is any color but pink, 

then G 13 was mixed with a different engine coolant. If this is the 
case, the engine coolant must be replaced immediately. Other-
wise serious malfunctions or engine damage can occur! 

  Engine coolant and engine coolant additives can pollute the envi-

ronment. Collect leaking operating fluids and dispose of them proper-
ly in accordance with applicable environmental laws and regulations. 

 

Checking engine coolant level and topping off 

 

Fig. 168 Coolant expansion tank in the engine compartment. 

 

Fig. 169 Coolant expansion tank cap in the engine compartment. 

 Please first read and note the introductory information and 

heed the WARNINGS 

  

If the coolant level drops too low, the engine coolant lev-
el/temperature warning light lights up. 

Preparations 

 Park the vehicle on level ground. 
 Always let the engine cool down 

⇒  . 

 Open the engine hood    
 There is a   symbol on the cap of the engine coolant expansion 

tank 

⇒ 

fig. 169

. 

 

Checking engine coolant level 

 When the engine is cold, check the engine coolant level relative to 

the marking on the side of the expansion tank 

⇒ 

fig. 168

. 

 If the coolant level in the tank is below the minimum mark (“min”), 

add coolant. When the engine is warm, the engine coolant level may 
be slightly above the upper edge of the marked range. 

Adding engine coolant 

 Always protect face, hands and arms from hot escaping coolant or 

steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag. 

 Carefully unscrew the cap 

⇒  . 

 Add only new engine coolant according to Volkswagen specifica-

tions (

⇒ Engine coolant specifications) ⇒  . 

 The engine coolant level must be inside the marks on the side of 

the reservoir 

⇒ 

fig. 168

. Do not fill above the top edge of the filling 

range! 

⇒   

 Screw the lid tightly. 
 Even in an emergency, do not use any other kind of coolant addi-

tive if engine coolant meeting Volkswagen specifications (

⇒ page 456, 

Engine coolant specifications) is unavailable! Instead, add distilled 
water only 

⇒  . As soon as possible, have the correct coolant ratio 

restored using engine coolant that meets Volkswagen specifications 
⇒  Engine coolant specifications. 

 

  WARNING 

Hot steam and hot engine coolant can cause serious burns. 

 Never open the hood if you see steam or coolant escaping 

from the engine compartment. Always wait until you no longer 
see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine. 

 Always let the engine cool down completely before carefully 

opening the hood. Hot components will burn skin on contact. 

 When the engine has cooled down and you are ready to open 

the hood: 
  –  Apply the electronic parking brake and shift the transmis-

sion into Park (P) (automatic) or Neutral (manual only). 

  –  Take the vehicle key out of the ignition. 
  –  On vehicles with Keyless Access, make sure that the re-

mote control vehicle key is out of range of the vehicle and 
that the vehicle cannot be started by depressing the starter 
button  

  –  Always keep children and others away from the engine 

compartment and never leave them unsupervised. 

 The engine coolant system is under pressure when the en-

gine is hot. Never unscrew the coolant expansion tank cap 
when the engine is hot. Hot coolant can spray out and cause 
severe burns and other serious injuries. 
  –  Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counterclock-

wise direction while applying light downward pressure on the 
top of the cap. 

  –  Always protect your face, hands, and arms from hot escap-

ing coolant or steam by covering the cap with a large, thick 
rag. 

 Never spill fluids on the engine or exhaust system when re-

filling. Spilling fluids onto hot parts of the engine or exhaust 
system can cause a fire. Under some conditions, the ethylene 
glycol in engine coolant can catch fire. 

 

  NOTICE 

 Use distilled water only when adding coolant! All other types 

of water contain chemical compounds that can cause extensive 
corrosion damage to the engine. This can even lead to engine 

 

failure. If you have added non-distilled water, take the vehicle 
immediately to an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an author-
ized Volkswagen Service Facility to have the coolant system 
drained, flushed, and refilled completely with the proper coolant. 

 Refill engine coolant only up to the top edge of the marked fill 

range 

⇒ 

fig. 168

. Excess engine coolant may be forced out of the 

engine cooling system when it gets hot and cause damage. 

 In the case of significant engine coolant loss, refill engine 

coolant only when the engine is completely cooled down. Signif-
icant engine coolant loss is a sign of leaks in the cooling sys-
tem. Have the engine cooling system checked immediately by an 
authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Ser-
vice Facility. Otherwise the engine may be damaged! 

 When changing or topping off operating fluids, make sure that 

you pour the fluids into the correct reservoirs. Serious malfunc-
tions and engine damage can result if you pour operating fluids 
into the wrong reservoir. 
 

 

 

Vehicle battery 

 Introduction 

In this section you’ll find information about: 
Warning light 
Checking the vehicle battery electrolyte level 
Charging, replacing, disconnecting, and connecting the vehicle 
battery 

 
The standard 12 Volt vehicle battery is part of the vehicle electrical 
system. 
Never do any work on the vehicle electrical system unless you 

 know exactly how to carry out the job, 
 have the correct technical information and the proper tools, and 
 are familiar with the necessary safety precautions 

⇒  ! 

If you are uncertain in any way, have the work done by an authorized 
Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Seri-
ous personal injury may result from improperly performed work. 

Location of the vehicle battery 
Depending upon the engine type, the 12 Volt vehicle battery is locat-
ed in the engine compartment or behind a cover in the luggage com-
partment. On vehicles with a 3.6 liter engine, the battery is behind a 
trim panel in the left rear corner of the luggage compartment. 
Vehicles with the battery located in the luggage compartment are 
equipped with a battery isolator feature. In a collision, the airbag con-
trol module triggers a small pyrotechnic charge that physically dis-
connects the battery from the engine starter motor and the positive 
jump-start terminal in the engine compartment. 

Explanation of the warnings on the vehicle battery 

 

Symbol  

Meaning  

  

Always wear eye protection!  

 

Symbol  

Meaning  

  

Battery acid is highly corrosive. Al-

ways wear protective gloves and eye 

protection!  

  

Fire, sparks, open flame, and smoking 

are prohibited!  

  

When a battery is charged, it produc-

es hydrogen gas which is highly ex-

plosive!  

  

Always keep children away from bat-

tery acid and vehicle batteries!  

 

More information: 

 

⇒ Booklet Warranty and Maintenance 

 Working in the engine compartment  
 Parts, accessories, repairs and modifications 

 

  WARNING 

Working on the batteries or the electrical system in your vehicle 
can cause serious acid burns, fires, explosions, or electrical 
shocks. Always read and heed the following WARNINGS and 
safety precautions before working on the batteries or the elec-
trical system. 

 Before working on the electrical system, always switch off 

the ignition and all electrical consumers and disconnect the 
negative (-) cable from the standard 12 Volt battery. 

 When you change a light bulb, always switch off the light 

first. 

 Always keep children away from battery acid and vehicle bat-

teries in general. 

 Always wear eye protection. Never let battery acid or lead 

particles come into contact with your eyes, skin, or clothing. 

 Sulfuric battery acid is very corrosive. It can burn unprotect-

ed skin and cause blindness. Always wear protective gloves 
and eye protection. To reduce your risk of injury, never tilt the 
batteries, as this could spill acid through the vents and burn 
you. 

 If you get battery acid in your eyes or on your skin, immedi-

ately rinse with cold water for several minutes and then get 
immediate medical attention. If you swallow any battery acid, 
get medical attention immediately. 

 When disconnecting the batteries from the vehicle electrical 

system, always disconnect the negative cable (-) first and then 
the positive cable (+). 

 Always switch off all electrical consumers before reconnect-

ing 12 Volt batteries. Reconnect the plus cable (+) first and then 
the negative cable (-). Never reverse the polarity of the connec-
tions. This could cause a fire. 

 A highly explosive mixture of gases is given off when the bat-

tery is being charged. 

 Do not smoke and avoid fires, sparks, and open flames when 

working. Never create sparks or electrostatic charges when 
handling cables and electrical equipment. Never short circuit 
the battery terminals. High-energy sparks can cause serious 
personal injury. 

 

 Never use or attempt to charge a damaged or frozen battery, 

or a battery that was frozen but has thawed. Charging a frozen 
or thawed battery could cause explosions and chemical burns! 
Replace damaged or frozen vehicle batteries immediately. A 
dead battery can freeze at temperatures around +32 °F (0 °C). 

 If the battery has a vent line or tube, make sure that it is 

properly connected to the battery. 

 Always make sure that the vent line is securely attached to a 

vehicle battery that is located in the luggage compartment. 

 

  WARNING 

California Proposition 65 Warning 

 Battery posts, terminals, and related accessories contain 

lead and lead components, chemicals known to the State of 
California to cause cancer and reproductive harm. Wash your 
hands after handling. 

 

  NOTICE 

 Do not expose the vehicle battery to direct sunlight for an ex-

tended period of time as ultraviolet rays may damage the battery 
housing. 

 If the vehicle is left standing in the cold for a long time, protect 

the vehicle battery from freezing. A battery will be permanently 
damaged by freezing. 

  Undeployed battery isolator modules are classified as Perchlo-

rate Material. Special handling may apply – see 
http://www.dtsc.ca.gov/hazardouswaste/perchlorate. Obey all appli-
cable legal requirements regarding handling and disposal of the vehi-
cle or parts of its restraint system, including airbag modules and safe-
ty belts with pretensioners. Authorized Volkswagen dealers and au-
thorized Volkswagen Service Facilities are familiar with the require-
ments, and we recommend that you have them perform this service 
for you. 

  Emergency starting and starting the engine with a very weak ve-

hicle battery or after the vehicle battery has been replaced may 

 

change or delete system settings (including time, date, personal con-
venience settings, and programming). Check the settings and correct 
as necessary once the vehicle battery has built up a sufficient charge. 

Warning light 

 Please first read and note the introductory information and 

heed the WARNINGS 

 

 

Lights 

up  

Possible cause  

Proper response  

  

Alternator malfunction.  

See an authorized 

Volkswagen dealer or an au-

thorized Volkswagen Service 

Facility. Have the electrical 

system checked. 

Switch off unnecessary electri-

cal loads. The vehicle battery 

will not be charged by the al-

ternator as you drive.  

 
When the ignition is switched on, several warning and indicator lights 
come on briefly for a function check. They go out after a few seconds. 

  WARNING 

Failure to heed warning lights and instrument cluster text mes-
sages can cause the vehicle to break down in traffic and result 
in a collision and serious personal injury. 

 Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS. 
 Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to do so. 

 

  NOTICE 

Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS can result in 
vehicle damage. 

 

Checking the vehicle battery electrolyte level 

 

Fig. 170 In the engine compartment: On vehicles with a 2.0 liter en-
gine, the vehicle battery is in the engine compartment. 

 

Fig. 171 In the luggage compartment: On vehicles with a 3.6 liter en-
gine, the vehicle battery is on the left side of the luggage compart-
ment. 

 Please first read and note the introductory information and 

heed the WARNINGS 

  

Check the electrolyte level of the battery regularly if the vehicle has 
high mileage (km), in places with a warm climate, and if the vehicle 
has an old battery. Otherwise the vehicle battery does not require 
maintenance. 

Preparations 

 Prepare the vehicle for work in the engine compartment 

⇒  Working 

in the engine compartment 

 Vehicles with 2.0 liter engines: Open the engine hood ⇒    

 

 Vehicles with 3.6 liter engines: Open the luggage compartment lid 

⇒  Luggage compartment lid. 

Opening the battery cover 
Depending on the engine type, there are different kinds of battery 
covers: 

 Vehicles with 2.0 liter engines: Press on the clip in direction of the 

arrow 

⇒ 

fig. 170

 

(1)

 and remove the cover upward. 

 Vehicles with 3.6 liter engines: Remove the trim panel to access 

the vehicle battery 

⇒ 

fig. 171

. 

Checking the vehicle battery acid level 

 If the lighting conditions are poor, use a flashlight so that you can 

clearly see the battery acid level indicator and tell what color it is. 
Never use an open flame or an unprotected light source. 

 The round battery window (“acid level indicator”) on the top of the 

battery changes color, depending on the battery's electrolyte level. 

 

Color  

Action  

Light yellow 

or colorless  

Battery electrolyte level is too low. 

The vehicle battery may need to be 

replaced. Have it checked by an 

authorized Volkswagen dealer or an 

authorized Volkswagen Service Fa-

cility.  

Black  

Battery electrolyte level is satisfacto-

ry.