Get Driving -> Starting and stopping the engine Guide for Volkswagen Golf 4 Door 2023

Starting and stopping the engine

Ignition switch

Fig. 96 In the ignition switch: Vehicle key positions for vehicles without Keyless Access.

If there is no vehicle key in the ignition, the steering

column is locked.

Never leave children or disabled persons in the

vehicle – particularly if the ignition is on or a re-

mote control vehicle key is also in the vehicle.

Unsupervised use of the remote control vehicle

key also makes it possible to start the engine, or

turn on the ignition and operate the windows as

well as other vehicle features.

Vehicle key position → fig. 96

Ignition switched off. Steering column lock en-

gaged. The vehicle key can be removed.

Ignition is switched on. Steering column lock

can be released.

Heat buildup in the passenger and luggage

compartment of a parked vehicle can result in

temperatures in the vehicle that are much high-

er than the outside temperatures, particularly in

summer. Temperatures can quickly reach levels

that can cause unconsciousness and death, par-

ticularly to small children.

Start the engine. When the engine starts, re-

lease the vehicle key. When released, the vehi-

cle key returns to position 1 .

WARNING

Never remove the key from the ignition switch

while the vehicle is moving or rolling to a stop.

The steering wheel will lock and you will not be

able to steer or control the vehicle.

Improper use of vehicle keys can result in serious

personal injury.

Always switch off the engine and the ignition

and take the key with you when you leave the

vehicle. The engine can be started and vehicle

systems such as the power windows can be op-

erated, leading to serious personal injury.

Only attach lightweight objects to the remote

control vehicle key that weigh no more than

a combined total of 3.5 oz (100 g).

Never let the engine run in a confined or en-

NOTICE

closed area. Engine exhaust contains carbon

monoxide, a poisonous, colorless, and odorless

gas. Carbon monoxide can cause unconscious-

ness and death.

Leaving the key in the ignition for a long time when

the engine is not running will drain the vehicle bat-

tery.

Never leave children, disabled persons, or any-

Always switch off the ignition and remove the key

before leaving the vehicle.

one who cannot help themselves in the vehicle.

The doors can be locked with the remote con-

trol vehicle key. This could result in people be-

ing trapped in the vehicle in an emergency. For

example, depending on the time of year, people

trapped in the vehicle can be exposed to very

high or very low temperatures.

Leaving the transmission selector lever for

a long period of time in any position other

than Park (P) when the ignition is switched off can

drain the vehicle battery.

Starting and stopping the engine

141

WARNING

Starter button

Improper use of vehicle keys can result in serious

personal injury.

Always switch off the engine and the ignition

and take the key with you when you leave the

vehicle. Children or unauthorized persons may

use it to lock the vehicle, start the engine, and

operate vehicle systems such as the power win-

dows, leading to serious personal injury.

Never let the engine run in a confined or en-

closed area. Engine exhaust contains carbon

monoxide, a poisonous, colorless, and odorless

gas. Carbon monoxide can cause unconscious-

ness and death.

Fig. 97 In the lower center console: Starter button for

the Keyless Access system.

Never leave children, disabled persons, or any-

one who cannot help themselves in the vehicle.

The doors can be locked using the remote con-

trol vehicle key. This could result in people be-

ing trapped in the vehicle in an emergency. For

example, depending on the time of year, people

trapped in the vehicle can be exposed to very

high or very low temperatures.

For vehicles with Keyless Access with push-button

start → page 90, Doors and power locking system,

the vehicle can be started and stopped with the

starter button in the lower center console → fig. 97.

The starter button can only be used when an author-

ized vehicle key is in the vehicle.

Never leave children or disabled persons in the

When leaving the vehicle, the electronic steering

column lock is activated when the ignition is switch-

ed off and the driver door is opened → page 156,

Steering.

vehicle – particularly if the ignition is on or a re-

mote control vehicle key is also in the vehicle.

Unsupervised use of the remote control vehicle

key also makes it possible to start the engine, or

turn on the ignition and operate the windows as

well as other vehicle features.

Switching the ignition on and off

— Briefly press the starter button once without de-

pressing the brake or clutch pedals →

Heat buildup in the passenger and luggage

compartment of a parked vehicle can result in

temperatures in the vehicle that are much high-

er than the outside temperatures, particularly in

summer. Temperatures can quickly reach levels

that can cause unconsciousness and death, par-

ticularly to small children.

Automatic ignition switch-off for vehicles with the

Start-stop system

The vehicle ignition switches off automatically after

a short time when the vehicle is standing still, the

Start-stop system is switched on → page 146, Start-

stop system, and ALL of the following conditions are

met at the same time:

If the ignition is switched on or the engine is

running and the driver door is opened, a chime

sounds. The chime is also a reminder to switch off

the engine and turn off the ignition before leaving

and locking the vehicle from the outside.

— The driver safety belt is unbuckled.

— No pedal is depressed.

— The driver door is opened.

Always switch off the engine and ignition be-

fore leaving the vehicle. Read and follow any

information in the instrument cluster display.

If the ignition is switched off automatically while the

headlights are switched on , the parking lights

stay on for about 30 minutes.

The parking lights can be switched off manually or

will turn off when the vehicle is locked.

Leaving the ignition on for a long time when

the engine is not running will drain the vehicle

battery and the engine may not start.

WARNING

Unintended vehicle movement can cause serious

personal injury.

Do not depress the brake or clutch pedals when

switching on the ignition, as the engine could

otherwise start immediately.

142

Driving

moving, or if you try to restart the engine right af-

ter switching it off.

Starting the engine

Avoid high engine speeds, full throttle accelera-

tion, and heavy engine loads when the engine is

cold.

Starting the engine

Please perform these steps only in the order listed:

Do not try to start the engine by pushing or tow-

ing the vehicle. Unburned fuel can get into the

catalytic converter and damage it. The steering

column may also be locked. Jump-start the vehi-

cle instead while following proper and safe proce-

dures → page 233, Jump-starting.

1. Depress the brake pedal and hold it down until

step 4 is completed.

2. Manual transmission: Fully depress clutch pedal

and hold until the engine has started. Make sure

the gearshift lever is in neutral position.

Automatic or DSG transmission: Make sure the

transmission selector lever is in park (P) or neu-

tral (N).

Do not let your vehicle warm up while stand-

ing; instead, start driving right away after

making sure that you have good visibility through all

windows. This will help the engine reach operating

temperature faster and keep down emissions.

3. Vehicles without Keyless Access: Briefly turn the

vehicle key to position → fig. 96 2 – do not de-

press the accelerator pedal.

Major consumers of electricity are temporarily

switched off when the engine is being started.

Vehicles with Keyless Access: Briefly press the

starter button → fig. 97 – do not depress the

accelerator pedal. An authorized vehicle key

must be inside the vehicle in order to start the

engine.

If the remote control vehicle key battery is

weak or dead, you may not be able to start the

engine with the starter button. Use the emergency

start feature → page 145.

4. If the engine does not start, switch off the igni-

tion and start again after about 1 minute.

After starting a cold engine, there may be in-

creased operating noises for a few seconds.

This is normal and harmless.

Vehicles with Keyless Access: Use the emergen-

cy start feature if necessary → page 145.

5. Release the parking brake when you are ready

to start driving → page 178, Parking brake.

Stopping the engine

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious personal injury when

starting and running the vehicle's engine:

Please perform these steps only in the order listed:

1. Bring the vehicle to a complete stop →

Never start the engine or let it run in a confined

2. Depress and hold down the brake pedal until

step 4 is completed.

or enclosed area. Engine exhaust contains car-

bon monoxide, a poisonous, colorless, and odor-

less gas. Carbon monoxide can cause uncon-

sciousness and death.

3. Automatic or DSG transmission: Shift the trans-

mission to Park (P).

4. Set the parking brake to help prevent the vehi-

Never start the engine or let it run if oil, fuel, or

cle from moving → page 178, Parking brake.

other flammable substances are under, around,

or have leaked from the vehicle, for example,

due to vehicle damage.

5. Vehicles without Keyless Access: Turn the vehi-

cle key to position → fig. 96 0 in the ignition

switch.

Never leave the vehicle unattended with the en-

gine running, especially when it is in gear. The

vehicle could move suddenly or some other un-

expected event could occur, resulting in proper-

ty damage, fire, or personal injury.

Vehicles with Keyless Access: Briefly press the

starter button → fig. 97. If the engine will not

switch off, carry out the emergency shut-off

procedure → page 145.

Never use starting assist fluids. Starting fluids

can explode and can cause a “run-away” vehicle

condition.

6. Manual transmission: Shift into 1st gear (vehicle

on flat surface or pointing uphill) or Reverse (R)

(vehicle pointing downhill).

Vehicles without Keyless Access: Removing the vehi-

cle key from the ignition switches off electrical

equipment and activates the steering column lock.

NOTICE

You can damage the starter or the engine if you

try to start the engine when the vehicle is still

Starting and stopping the engine

143

Vehicles with Keyless Access: Opening the doors

switches off electrical equipment and activates the

steering column lock.

NOTICE

If the vehicle has been driven hard for a long time,

the engine could overheat when it is stopped. To re-

duce the risk of engine damage, let the engine idle

in neutral (N) for about 2 minutes before you switch

off the ignition.

If you leave the ignition on

If you leave the ignition on and open the driver door,

a warning message may appear in the instrument

cluster. In addition, you may also hear an acoustic

warning. This warning reminds you to switch off the

ignition before leaving the vehicle → in Ignition

switch on page 141.

After the engine has been switched off, the

radiator fan in the engine compartment may

keep running for several minutes, or may start run-

ning after the vehicle has been parked for a while,

even if the ignition is switched off and the vehicle

key has been removed. The radiator fan shuts off au-

tomatically when the engine has cooled down

enough.

WARNING

Never stop the engine before the vehicle has come

to a complete stop. You can lose control of the ve-

hicle, crash, and be seriously injured.

If the ignition is switched on or the engine is

running and the driver door is opened, a chime

sounds. The chime is also a reminder to switch off

the engine and turn off the ignition before leaving

and locking the vehicle from the outside.

The airbags and safety belt pretensioners will

not work when the ignition is switched off.

The brake booster does not work when the en-

gine is not running. More brake pedal pressure

will be needed to stop the vehicle.

The power steering system does not work when

the engine is not running, and you will need

more force to steer the vehicle.

Electronic immobilizer

Never remove the key from the ignition switch

The immobilizer helps to prevent the engine from

being started and driven with an unauthorized vehi-

cle key.

or turn off the ignition with the starter button

while the vehicle is moving or rolling to a stop.

The electronic steering column could suddenly

lock, you would not be able to steer, and you

could lose control of the vehicle, crash, and seri-

ously injure yourself and others.

There is a microchip inside the vehicle key. The chip

deactivates the immobilizer automatically when an

authorized vehicle key is inserted into the ignition

switch or the starter button is pressed.

WARNING

The electronic immobilizer is automatically activated

when the remote control vehicle key is pulled out of

the ignition switch. On vehicles with Keyless Access,

the vehicle key must be outside the vehicle

→ page 89, Unlocking or locking the vehicle with

Keyless Access.

The vehicle exhaust system and the catalytic con-

verter get very hot. They can cause fires and seri-

ous personal injury.

Never park where the hot exhaust system could

ignite flammable materials, such as brush,

leaves, dry grass, spilled fuel, etc.

The engine can therefore only be started with an au-

thorized and correctly coded genuine Volkswagen

vehicle key. Coded vehicle keys are available from

authorized Volkswagen dealers, authorized Volkswa-

gen Service Facilities, and from certain independent

repair facilities and locksmiths who are qualified to

make these vehicle keys → page 86, Remote control

vehicle key functions.

Never apply additional anti-corrosion or under-

body protection products to the vehicle heat

shields.

WARNING

To reduce the risk of serious personal injury when

you leave the vehicle.

If an unauthorized vehicle key is used or the system

malfunctions, a message may appear in the instru-

ment cluster display. The vehicle cannot be operated

with this key.

Always switch off the engine and ignition and

take the key with you when you leave the vehi-

cle. Never let the engine run in a confined or en-

closed area. Engine exhaust contains carbon

monoxide, a poisonous, colorless, and odorless

gas. Carbon monoxide can cause unconscious-

ness and death.

Using genuine Volkswagen keys helps mini-

mize the risk of malfunctions.

A Declaration of Compliance with the United

States FCC and Industry Canada regulations is

144

Driving

on → page 322, Declaration of Compliance, Tele-

communications and Electronic Systems.

— Have the engine checked immediately by an au-

thorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volks-

wagen Service Facility.

If you use the wrong vehicle key or cannot remove

the key from the ignition switch

Tips and troubleshooting

— Automatic transmission: Press the release button

on the transmission selector lever and release.

The vehicle key can now be removed.

—

DSG transmission: Move the selector lever to po-

sition P if the vehicle is stationary. If necessary,

press the release button on the transmission se-

lector lever.

— Manual transmission: Pull out the vehicle key.

If the engine does not stop

If the engine does not switch off by briefly pressing

the starter button, emergency shut-off is necessary:

— Press the starter button twice within 3 seconds.

— OR: Press and hold the button longer than 1 sec-

Fig. 98 Hold the remote control vehicle key to the

right of the steering column: Emergency starting fea-

ture.

ond →

in Stopping the engine on page 144.

— The engine switches off automatically.

If a valid vehicle key is not detected

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.

If an authorized remote control vehicle key is in the

passenger compartment but is not detected, the re-

mote control vehicle key battery may be weak or

dead. You can still start the engine using the emer-

gency start feature.

Engine control malfunction

The yellow indicator light comes on.

— Automatic or DSG transmission: Make sure the

transmission selector lever is in the Park (P) posi-

tion.

— Have the engine checked immediately by an au-

thorized Volkswagen dealer or authorized Volks-

wagen Service Facility.

— Press and hold the brake pedal.

— Hold the remote control vehicle key to the right

of the steering column trim immediately after

pressing the starter button → fig. 98.

Engine speed (rpm) limited

The yellow indicator light comes on.

— The ignition automatically switches on and the

engine starts.

Engine speed (rpm) is automatically limited to help

prevent the engine from overheating.

WARNING

— Briefly take your foot off the accelerator.

Failure to heed warning lights and instrument

cluster text messages can cause the vehicle to

break down in traffic and result in a collision and

serious personal injury.

The limited engine speed is shown in the instrument

cluster.

Once the engine is no longer at a critical tempera-

ture, the engine speed limit is increased.

Never ignore warning lights or text WARNINGS.

Always stop the vehicle as soon as it is safe to

and

Engine speed limited

do so.

The yellow indicator lights come on.

NOTICE

The engine speed is limited due to a malfunction in

the engine management system.

Failure to heed warning lights or text WARNINGS

can result in vehicle damage.

— Make sure that the engine speed does not exceed

the engine speed displayed, for example, when

downshifting.

Starting and stopping the engine

145

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