Manual transmission
Manual transmission gearshift lever
Fig. 103 Gearshift pattern of a 6-speed manual transmission.
The positions of the individual gears are shown on the gearshift lever .
- Depress the clutch pedal all the way and hold.
- Move the gearshift lever into the desired position .
- Release the clutch pedal to engage the gear.
The clutch pedal must be fully depressed to start the engine.
Shifting into reverse
- Only shift to the reverse gear when the vehicle is not moving.
- Depress the clutch pedal fully and hold .
- Move the gearshift lever to neutral and press down.
- Move the shift lever to the left and then push forward into the reverse gear position .
- Release the clutch pedal to engage the gear.
Downshifting
You should always downshift gear by gear when driving, meaning always into the next lowest gear. Do not downshift when the engine rpm (revolutions per minute) is too high . At fast speeds or high engine rpm, skipping over one or more gears when downshifting can cause damage to the clutch and transmission, even if a gear is not engaged .
WARNING
Downshifting to a lower gear incorrectly can result in loss of vehicle control and can cause accidents and serious personal injuries.
WARNING
When the engine is running and a gear is engaged, the vehicle will start to move as soon as the clutch pedal is released. This also applies when the parking brake is engaged.
- Never shift into Reverse (R) when the vehicle is moving.
NOTE
Shifting down to a gear that is too low when driving at fast speeds or high engine rpm can cause extensive damage to the clutch and transmission. That is true even if the clutch pedal is pressed so that the clutch is not engaged.
NOTE
To help prevent damage and premature wear:
- Do not rest your hand on the gearshift lever while driving. Over time, the pressure will cause premature wear in the transmission.
- Make sure that the vehicle has come to a complete stop before shifting into Reverse (R).
- Always depress the clutch pedal all the way when changing gears.
- Do not hold the vehicle on a hill using engine power with the clutch pedal partially engaged and the engine running.
Tips and troubleshooting
Clutch is slipping
A yellow indicator light comes on.
The clutch does not transfer all of the engine torque.
- Remove your foot from the clutch pedal, if necessary .
Transmission overheating
The yellow indicator light comes on.
A text message may also appear in the instrument cluster.
- Shift the selector lever to the P position and all the transmission to cool.
- If the warning does not turn off,
do not continue driving!
- See your authorized Volkswagen dealer for assistance. Otherwise, serious clutch or transmission damage could result.
Clutch malfunction
The yellow indicator light comes on.
The clutch pedal is malfunctioning.
- Drive carefully to your authorized Volkswagen dealer for assistance. Otherwise, serious clutch or transmission damage could result.
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