Volkswagen Polo Quiz
Vehicle care and maintenance

Snow chains

In this manual: Vehicle care and maintenance
Vehicle exterior — 4Vehicle interior — 8Instrument cluster — 14Before setting off — 14Opening and closing — 35Sitting correctly and safely — 46Lights and vision — 26Transporting items — 29Practical equipment — 20Starting the engine, changing gear and parking — 34Driver assist systems — 18Air conditioning system — 8At the filling station — 14In the engine compartment — 24Vehicle care and maintenance — 66Practical tips — 2In an emergency — 5Manual opening and closing — 6Vehicle toolkit — 4Hubcaps — 4Changing a wheel — 9Breakdown set — 7Fuses — 4Changing a bulb — 13Starting the engine with jump leads — 4Tow-starting and towing — 7
~2min read
First read and observe the introductory information and safety warnings

Please heed legislation and also the permitted speed when driving your vehicle with snow chains.

In winter conditions, snow chains will not only improve acceleration, but also braking response.

Snow chains may be fitted only to the front wheels. They may be fitted only to the following tyre and wheel combinations:

Tyre size Wheel
175 / 70 R 14 5 J x 14 offset 35
185 / 60 R 15 6 J x 15 offset 38
185 / 60 R 15 6 J x 15 offset 40
195 / 55 R 15 6 J x 15 offset 40
195 / 50 R 16 6 J x 16 offset 40

Volkswagen recommends that you ask your Volkswagen dealership for information about appropriate wheel, tyre and snow chain size.

If possible, use snow chains with fine-pitch links which do not protrude more than 15 mm, including the tensioner.

Remove wheel centre covers and trim rings before fitting snow chains . For safety reasons cover caps must then be fitted over the wheel bolts. These are available from your Volkswagen dealership.

Temporary spare wheel

For technical reasons, snow chains must not be used on the temporary spare wheel .

If you have to use snow chains with the temporary spare wheel fitted, the temporary spare wheel should be fitted to the rear axle even when a front wheel is damaged. You can then use the wheel taken from the rear axle to replace the damaged front wheel. Please note the direction of rotation. Volkswagen recommends fitting the snow chains before mounting the wheel on the car.

The use of snow chains that are unsuitable for your vehicle or the incorrect installation of snow chains can cause accidents and serious injuries.
  • Always use the correct snow chains.
  • Follow the assembly instructions provided by the snow chain manufacturer.
  • Never exceed the maximum speed permitted for the snow chains that are fitted.

NOTICE

  • Remove the snow chains when driving on roads that are free of snow. The snow chains will otherwise impair handling, damage the tyres and wear out very quickly.
  • Snow chains that are in direct contact with the wheel can scratch or damage it. Volkswagen recommends using non-scratch snow chains.

Snow chains are available in a range of sizes for a vehicle type.

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