Obscure Features

[Jakeys]

Someone mentioned the cruise control speed increments being 1kmh and 10kmh, all I can do is the 10kmh increment...

Any thoughts?

Hillbilly's instructions for the adaptive cruise are the same for standard cruise. It goes up and down 10km/h from stalk pushes, but if you want to adjust in 1km/h increments, pull the stalk towards you for 1km/h up and push the button on the end for 1km/h down. It's a little finnicky as initially the set button just sets it to your current speed, then subsequent presses will drop it incrementally, you get the hang of it quickly.

My addition, I've been towing recently and the car seems to detect on it's own if there are any problems with the lights on the trailer and will report to your cluster to tell you. In my case the lights were actually working but it warned me because maybe there is a wiring issue I need to look into. (Not my trailer though so meh!)

And I mentioned this a few pages back but again, if you have a trailer plugged in, the wagon auto tailgate (If you have the option) will disable itself to prevent risk of hitting the trailer/whatever. Have to physically pull it against the shocks briefly until it detects you trying to force it open then it assumes all is good and opens itself, which is fine for me, not so fine for the missus haha.

[brettue]

Hillbilly's instructions for the adaptive cruise are the same for standard cruise. It goes up and down 10km/h from stalk pushes, but if you want to adjust in 1km/h increments, pull the stalk towards you for 1km/h up and push the button on the end for 1km/h down. It's a little finnicky as initially the set button just sets it to your current speed, then subsequent presses will drop it incrementally, you get the hang of it quickly.

Thanks for this, I was wondering how to decrease by 1kph increments.

My addition, I've been towing recently and the car seems to detect on it's own if there are any problems with the lights on the trailer and will report to your cluster to tell you. In my case the lights were actually working but it warned me because maybe there is a wiring issue I need to look into. (Not my trailer though so meh!)

I have LED lights on my boat trailer and it tells me to "check rear right trailer light" whenever I have it plugged in, all the lights work fine though. I wonder if my 2011 B7 is expecting higher voltage bulbs on a trailer? Anyone else notice trailer light alarms?

And I mentioned this a few pages back but again, if you have a trailer plugged in, the wagon auto tailgate (If you have the option) will disable itself to prevent risk of hitting the trailer/whatever. Have to physically pull it against the shocks briefly until it detects you trying to force it open then it assumes all is good and opens itself, which is fine for me, not so fine for the missus haha.

This one ticks me off. I didn't know you can force it, it's not damaging anything is it? Can this function be disabled at all?

Don't forget auto hold will not engage unless you have your seatbelt on

Ahhh, that's why it won't hold when I jump into the car briefly at the boat ramp to pull my boat out of the water. Thanks!

Here is my list:
- Hit the lock button with the tailgate or doors open and they will auto lock when closed. Quite handy when I'm out of the car and the kids are still dawdling to get their crap out of the back seat or boot.

- Hold the open on keyfob and all the windows open. Hold the close on keyfob and all the windows and sunroof close.

- Passenger mirror dips down to show gutter when reversing. Handy for my street with an ancient jaggered bluestone kerb just begging to tear your tyre or rim apart. If you drive away and get up to 10 or 20kph the mirror raises back up to your set position.

- Turn off the car and flick the wiper stalk into the fast on position, this move your wiper arms a few cm up the windscreen and stops so you can lift them off the window to wash the car without the arms hitting the bonnet.

- Glove box has a dial inside it to adjust the amount of AC cool air you can direct into it to keep your polywaffle from melting.

- Maybe most know this but all you need to do is tap the button once to fully close or open the sunroof blind. If you hold it down and let go it just stops at the point you let go. Also you can twist the sunroof knob and hold it open to get the sunroof to open and extra bit further. Does anyone know if you can set the sunroof to always open to the max position rather than needing to do this?

- Volume buttons on the steering wheel will set the independent volume of whatever output you are currently listening to. Eg if you need the Sat Nav lady to be louder or quieter wait for her to speak then raise or lower her volume and it won't effect the current radio volume. Same goes for phone calls. The voice activation button doubles as a mute button when listening to radio or on a call.

[ClassicAU]

This is an interesting thread! Cool to learn so many neat features! I have a couple of quick questions though, regarding mirrors on my B7 Passat. How do I engage the heat/defrost function on both door mirrors? Also, I cant seem to find if I can fold the mirrors in when parked?

[Hillbilly]

Thanks for this, I was wondering how to decrease by 1kph increments.



I have LED lights on my boat trailer and it tells me to "check rear right trailer light" whenever I have it plugged in, all the lights work fine though. I wonder if my 2011 B7 is expecting higher voltage bulbs on a trailer? Anyone else notice trailer light alarms?



This one ticks me off. I didn't know you can force it, it's not damaging anything is it? Can this function be disabled at all?


Ahhh, that's why it won't hold when I jump into the car briefly at the boat ramp to pull my boat out of the water. Thanks!

Here is my list:
- Hit the lock button with the tailgate or doors open and they will auto lock when closed. Quite handy when I'm out of the car and the kids are still dawdling to get their crap out of the back seat or boot.

- Hold the open on keyfob and all the windows open. Hold the close on keyfob and all the windows and sunroof close.

- Passenger mirror dips down to show gutter when reversing. Handy for my street with an ancient jaggered bluestone kerb just begging to tear your tyre or rim apart. If you drive away and get up to 10 or 20kph the mirror raises back up to your set position.

- Turn off the car and flick the wiper stalk into the fast on position, this move your wiper arms a few cm up the windscreen and stops so you can lift them off the window to wash the car without the arms hitting the bonnet.

- Glove box has a dial inside it to adjust the amount of AC cool air you can direct into it to keep your polywaffle from melting.

- Maybe most know this but all you need to do is tap the button once to fully close or open the sunroof blind. If you hold it down and let go it just stops at the point you let go. Also you can twist the sunroof knob and hold it open to get the sunroof to open and extra bit further. Does anyone know if you can set the sunroof to always open to the max position rather than needing to do this?

- Volume buttons on the steering wheel will set the independent volume of whatever output you are currently listening to. Eg if you need the Sat Nav lady to be louder or quieter wait for her to speak then raise or lower her volume and it won't effect the current radio volume. Same goes for phone calls. The voice activation button doubles as a mute button when listening to radio or on a call.

Dont want to rain on your parade but all of that is actually in the manual except maybe the bit about LED trailer lights

[ClassicAU]

Thanks! Shame about the mirror folding not being standard. Ah well, small things. The only other thing that annoys me is the center console lid. Why can't I close it if I have only opened it half way? It needs to go back all the way before it can go down again!

On a brighter note, I have to say my favorite feature has to be hands free boot lid opening! The magic foot swipe is ace! If it could do it to close as well, I'd never sell the car!

[Hillbilly]

This is an interesting thread! Cool to learn so many neat features! I have a couple of quick questions though, regarding mirrors on my B7 Passat. How do I engage the heat/defrost function on both door mirrors? Also, I cant seem to find if I can fold the mirrors in when parked?

Yes you can fold them with the remote but it requires some coding with a VCDS

It tells you in that rarely read book "THE MANUAL" how to turn on the mirror heat Its on page 135 in mine and its the icon at 2oclock on the mirror switch and the 10 oclock one folds them manually

[BoraBora]

The only other thing that annoys me is the center console lid. Why can't I close it if I have only opened it half way? It needs to go back all the way before it can go down again!

That's so you can use it as an adjustable arm rest, different heights for comfort then all the way open to close.

[Jakeys]

Yes you can fold them with the remote but it requires some coding with a VCDS

Can you elaborate on this? I don't believe this is a coding option.

I have LED lights on my boat trailer and it tells me to "check rear right trailer light" whenever I have it plugged in, all the lights work fine though. I wonder if my 2011 B7 is expecting higher voltage bulbs on a trailer? Anyone else notice trailer light alarms?

Yes CANBUS is doing this, it's exactly the same as if you put non CANBUS error free LED lights on your car, the car detects voltage and believes the globe has blown. Theoretically if you had resistors on your trailer lights it'd be fine. Mine does it too, it's no problem.

This one ticks me off. I didn't know you can force it, it's not damaging anything is it? Can this function be disabled at all?

It's not damaging anything, I don't think. By design if you have a trailer it's literally the only way to open the tailgate. You put pressure on the gas struts, which you can think of sort of like car shock absorbers, the car detects it (Somehow...) and initiates opening as per normal as it knows you definitely do want to open the tailgate and you know a trailer is attached. The button works normally on the way down because it knows it is safe to shut.

- Passenger mirror dips down to show gutter when reversing. Handy for my street with an ancient jaggered bluestone kerb just begging to tear your tyre or rim apart. If you drive away and get up to 10 or 20kph the mirror raises back up to your set position.

This only works if the mirror switch is in the L (Left) position. I found that out the hard way.

- Maybe most know this but all you need to do is tap the button once to fully close or open the sunroof blind. If you hold it down and let go it just stops at the point you let go. Also you can twist the sunroof knob and hold it open to get the sunroof to open and extra bit further. Does anyone know if you can set the sunroof to always open to the max position rather than needing to do this?

Not sure what button you are talking about with a sunroof blind? But for the sunroof knob being held open, no I don't believe you can set it to always open to max, the reason for this is max open causes pretty intense wind buffetting (In the wagon at least) at most speeds, the default mostly open setting causes no wind noise.

[Hillbilly]

Originally Posted by Hillbilly
Yes you can fold them with the remote but it requires some coding with a VCDS



Can you elaborate on this? I don't believe this is a coding option.

You may not believe but mine are done

I did it myself with a friends cable.. As the foreman said when I got a service. The only Passat he has seen that can fold the mirrors from the remote. Got the coding off here i think , cant remember who it was.

Also my drivers seat pulls back to give me more room to get out when I open the door. When I put the key in the ignition it pulls forward to my selected position Can be made to do it when you open the door as well if you want which I dont see the point of.

Mirror down is not much good as it doesnt go down far enough to see rear wheel in my case as Im tall and have to squirm around to see it.

[Passat R36]

Remote Mirror Folding is the difference between B6 and B7.

To achieve this in B6, a module in the driver door need to be upgraded to B7 version.