Volkswagen Tiguan Owners Manual: Compact spare wheel

Fig. 173 In the luggage compartment: Compact spare wheel.

Fig. 174 In the luggage compartment: Held in place with a retainer.

Read and follow the introductory information and safety information first⇒Introduction to the subject 

Removing the compact spare wheel

• Open the rear hatch, raise the entire luggage compartment floor, press the retaining pin ⇒ Fig. 173①  to the right and slowly lower the luggage compartment floor.

• Completely unscrew the threaded retainer in the center of the compact spare wheel ⇒ Fig. 173②  counterclockwise and remove the compact spare wheel ⇒ Fig. 173 .

Stowing the replaced wheel

One of the vehicles normal wheels will not fit in the well for the compact spare wheel in the floor of the luggage compartment. Therefore, in the event of a flat tire, the wheel which was changed must be secured, for example, with suitable straps in the luggage compartment.

Open the rear hatch, raise the entire luggage compartment floor, press the retaining pin ⇒ Fig. 173①  to the right and slowly lower the luggage compartment floor.

Put the wheel you took off the vehicle into the spare wheel well so that the center hole of the rim is aligned with the threaded pin.

Turn the threaded retainer in the center of the compact spare wheel ⇒ Fig. 173②  clockwise until the wheel replaced is securely in place.

If necessary, return the vehicle tool kit to its location in the luggage compartment.

Raise the floor covering and release the retaining pin, then fold the floor covering back down onto the floor of the luggage compartment.

Close the rear hatch.

Differences between the road tires and the compact spare

The compact spare is different in design from the road tires and must be used only in the event of a flat tire, only for a brief time, and only when driving with extra caution ⇒ .

Replace it with a tire matching the others on your vehicle as soon as possible.

Please heed the following:

• Do not drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h)!

• Avoid full-throttle acceleration, hard braking and fast cornering!

• Do not use snow chains on the compact spare wheel ⇒ Snow chains .

• After installing the compact spare tire, check the tire pressure as soon as possible ⇒ Checking tire inflation pressure .

Check the tire inflation pressure of the compact spare whenever you check the tire pressure of the road wheels, at least once a month. Inflate a compact spare tire to the cold tire pressure specified for the compact spare on the tire pressure label or on a separate label for the compact spare, if there is one.

Warning

Improper use of a compact spare tire can cause loss of vehicle control, a crash or other accident, and serious personal injury.

• Never use a compact spare tire if it is damaged or worn down to the wear indicators.

• In some vehicles, the compact spare tire is smaller than the original tire. A smaller compact spare tire is identified with a sticker and the words “50 mph” or “80 km/h.” This is the maximum permissible speed when driving with this tire.

• Never drive faster than 50 mph (80 km/h) with a compact spare tire. Avoid full-throttle acceleration, heavy braking, and fast cornering!

• Never drive more than 125 miles (200 km) if a compact spare wheel is installed on the front axle (drive axle).

• Replace the compact spare with a normal wheel and tire as soon as possible. Compact spare tires are designed for brief use only.

• Regularly check the U.S. DOT Tire Identification Number (TIN) to determine the age of the compact spare tire ⇒ Tire labeling .

• Tires age even if they are not being used and can fail suddenly, especially at higher speeds.

• Tires that are more than 6 years old can only be used in an emergency and then with special care and at low speeds.

• The compact spare tire must always be secured with the wheel bolts provided by the factory.

• Never drive using more than one compact spare wheel.

• After installing the compact spare tire, the tire pressure must be checked as soon as possible ⇒ Tire inflation pressure .

• Snow chains cannot be used on the compact wheel tire. If you must use snow chains and have a compact spare wheel mounted, move the compact spare tire to the rear axle if a front tire has to be replaced. The tire taken off the rear axle can then be used to replace the flat front tire. Be sure you do not change the tire's direction of rotation. Install the snow chains on the full-sized road tire.

Note

When the spare wheel or compact spare is being used, the TPMS indicator light can start flashing after about 10 minutes.

If possible, attach the compact spare tire or the tire you took off the vehicle securely in the luggage compartment.