Towing a car (VW Passat B3)

Front towing eye

The towing eye is located at the front right under the bumper.

Rear towing eye

The rear towing eye is located in the rear bumper on the right and is covered by a cover. To access the eye, fold the cover down. When towing is complete, lift the cover - it should lock into place.

General instructions

Attach the towing rope to these eyes only.

The towing rope must be flexible to prevent both vehicles from being jerked around too much. Use a rope made of synthetic or similar material. However, it is safer to use a towing rod (rigid coupling)! When towing, always ensure that no unacceptable tensile forces or jolt loads occur. When towing off-road, there is always a risk of overloading and damage to body parts.

Before starting the engine by towing, always use another vehicle's battery to start the engine if possible-see. previous chapter.

When towing, please consider the following:

• Observe the traffic regulations regarding towing.
• Both drivers must be familiar with the specifics of driving a vehicle when towing.
• When using a towing rope, the driver of the towing vehicle must engage the clutch especially gently.
• The driver of the towed vehicle must ensure that the cable is constantly tensioned, braking promptly if the cable begins to sag.
• Both vehicles must have their hazard warning lights on, and the towing vehicle must have its low beam headlights on.
• When towing a vehicle, it is recommended to turn on the ignition to unlock the steering wheel and ensure that the turn signals and windshield wipers operate.
• Since the brake booster only operates when the engine is running, the brake pedal on a towed vehicle must be pressed harder than usual.
• In vehicles with power steering, when the engine is not running, more force is required to turn the steering wheel.
• If there is no oil in the gearbox, the vehicle can only be towed with the drive wheels raised.

Towing for the purpose of starting the engine (including all-wheel drive vehicles)

When starting the engine by towing, consider the following:

• Before starting towing, engage second or third gear.
• Turn on the ignition.
• Once the engine starts, depress the clutch and shift out of gear to avoid hitting the towing vehicle.
• Vehicles with a catalytic converter in the exhaust system must not be towed more than 50 m away (this does not apply to 55 kW diesel engines) - otherwise, unburned fuel, getting into the catalyst, can damage it.
• Starting the engine by towing on a car with an automatic transmission is not possible for technical reasons!

Towing a car with automatic transmission

When towing a vehicle with an automatic transmission, in addition to the above, the following must be taken into account:

• Set the selector lever to the "N" position
• When towing, do not exceed 50 km/h!
• The maximum towing distance is 50 km!
• When towing over a longer distance, the drive wheels (front of the car) must be raised above the ground.

Reason: When the engine is not running, the automatic transmission pump does not work, so the transmission is not lubricated enough and may fail during prolonged driving.

• If the rear axle is damaged, the vehicle must not be towed in reverse with only the rear axle raised - in this case, the vehicle must be completely loaded onto the platform.

Reason: When reversing, the drive shafts rotate in the opposite direction, and the planetary gears of the automatic transmission gearbox reach such a rotation speed that the transmission fails in a short time.

Towing a 4WD vehicle (Syncro)

The car can be towed like a two-wheel drive Volkswagen Passat.

The vehicle can be towed with either the front or rear axle raised. If the vehicle must be towed with the rear axle raised (in reverse), and the rear wheels are locked due to an accident or breakdown, you should make sure that the free play of the rear axle is not blocked by the all-wheel drive clutch. To remove the lock, with the ignition on, briefly shift to first gear, and then move the lever back to neutral.