How to Change the Oil in Volkswagen Cars

The oil in your car engine is essential to the life of the car. For example, the oil in your car lubricates the pistons as they move up and down in the cylinders. The oil allows metal to touch metal without creating friction. Without oil, the heat from the friction would cause the metal surfaces to weld together resulting in a seized engine. As the oil is used dirt will clog the filter and the dirty oil will pass on into the engine. You can save some cash by learning how to change your engine oil at home.

Under The Hood:

• How to Change the Oil in a VW Passat
• How to Change the Oil in an '08 Touareg V6
• How to Change Oil in a Jetta TDI
• How to Change the Oil on a 2003 V.W. Beetle 2.0
• How to Change the Oil in a 2006 Beetle

 How to Change the Oil in a VW Passat

Prepare Your Passat for an Oil Change

Lift the Passat with a car jack and place jack stands underneath it. If you don't have jack stands, use a set of wheel ramps. Make sure you brace the front tires, so the car doesn't roll.

Pop the hood and locate the oil filler cap and dipstick. Passat cars have the dipstick on the front side of the engine block. Unscrew and remove both the filler cap and dipstick.

Gather an oil drip pan, new oil filter, socket or box wrench, filter wrench and cleaning cloths. Slide under your car and locate the drain plug and oil filter. The VW Passat oil filter is on the front side of the engine block. If your Passat is a 1998 or newer, you must remove the lower engine cover for access to the filter.

Change the Oil

Remove the drain plug using a box wrench. Pull the plug out quickly, and let the oil drain for 10 to 15 minutes. Check the threads for damage, clean off excess oil and replace the plug. Drain plugs in a VW Passat with a VR6 engine need new O-rings applied before replacing the drain plug.

Move over to the oil filter and remove it. For a VR6 engine, you'll need a large socket for filter removal and a new O-ring. Any other engine uses a regular oil filter wrench for removal. Dump filter oil into your oil drip pan.

Check the threads of the filter and make sure the gasket didn't stick to the engine block. If it did, remove it. Replace the filter and slide out from under your car.

Refill the oil fill hole with oil, and replace the dipstick.

Start your car for about a minute to let oil pressure build.

Turn off your car and check the oil reading. If it's not at the full line, add a bit more oil. Lower your car and shut the hood.

 How to Change the Oil in an '08 Touareg V6

Remove the rear most belly pans using a Torx-25 and a 10 mm socket. Here you will find 6 Torx screws. Remove the screws and take off the belly pan.

Drain the oil f ilter housing. While on your back you will see on the right is the oil pan drain plug and on the left there is a black circle which is the cap of the oil filter housing and drain plug.

Use the 6 mm hex socket and extension to remove the drain plug of the oil filter housing. It will take a couple of minutes for the oil to begin to flow. After it is drained replace the drain plug and tighten. The washers on both the oil drain plus are not reusable so be sure to replace them.

Remove the oil filter housing and replace the O-ring. Remove the oil filter cap using the 36 mm socket and extension. Remove the housing cover and the old oil filter. Pull the old oil filter out by pulling away from the housing then replace the O-ring with a new one. Take the new oil filter and install it by pushing it back up into the housing.

Remove the drain plug using the 19 mm open ended wrench or 19 mm socket. Replace it with the new 50NM drain plug and tighten.

Run the engine and check for any leaks before reinstalling the belly pans. Replace the belly pans and pour in the new oil.

 How to Change Oil in a Jetta TDI

Raise up the front of the vehicle using the jack and set it on the jack stands. Make sure that the vehicle is solidly on the stands before crawling underneath it.

Set the drain pan underneath the oil pan on the middle of the car. Unbolt the drain plug from the bottom of the pan using the 3/8-inch ratchet and socket, and allow the oil to drain out of the engine into the drain pan. Once it's completely drained, reinstall the drain plug using the ratchet.

Slide the drain pan underneath the oil filter, then use the oil filter wrench to remove the oil filter. Pour out the oil filter into the drain pan and allow any excess oil to drain into the pan.

Pour some of the 5w40 oil into the replacement oil filter until it's full, then dip a finger into the oil and run it around the rubber ring on the end of the filter. This will help to create a good seal. Thread it onto the oil filter housing.

Lower the vehicle off of the jack stands using the jack and then pop the hood. Remove the oil cap on the top of the engine and pour in the oil. Total oil in the engine should be 4 and 4/5 of a quart of oil. Start the vehicle and allow it to run for five minutes to allow the oil to circulate.

 How to Change the Oil on a 2003 V.W. Beetle 2.0

Park the car on a flat level surface. The oil drains more easily and thoroughly if the engine has recently been run. Ensure the engine is not hot before working on it, though.

Jack up the front of the car with a floor jack and lower it onto jack stands. Alternatively, drive the front end up of the vehicle onto ramp stands to lift the vehicle. Place a block of wood or wheel chock behind the rear wheels. Open the hood. Remove the oil cap.

Remove the screws from underneath the car that hold the engine splash guard in place. Slide the oil pan under the oil drain bolt in the sump of the engine. Loosen and remove the drain plug with a 19 mm socket and ratchet. Allow all the oil to drain into the pan, which can take five to ten minutes.

Place a new crush washer on the drain plug after removing the old one. Thread the drain plug back into the engine. Tighten the plug to 25 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

Locate the oil filter -- the round cylinder found near the bottom of the engine -- and loosen it with the filter wrench. Once it's loose, unthread it by hand. Oil will spill out when you remove it, so move it quickly onto the drain pan. Wipe up any spilled oil.

Wipe the area down around the filter housing. Lubricate the rubber gasket on the new oil filter with some oil on your finger. Install the new filter hand-tight. Turn the filter an additional 1/2 turn with the filter wrench. Do not over-tighten it. Reinstall the splash shield.

Pour 4.5 quarts of fresh oil into the engine. Let the engine settle. Replace the oil cap. Start the engine and check for oil leaks. Lower the car from the jack stands or ramps. Check the level with the dip stick. Add more oil as needed. Ensure oil is between the lines on the dipstick.

Dispose of the old oil properly. Most auto parts stores will recycle it for you for free.

 How to Change the Oil in a 2006 Beetle

Open the hood for access to the oil fill cap. The oil fill cap will be located by the valve covers. Unscrew it and place it to the side.

Raise the car by placing a jack under the front crossmember and raising it high enough to place jack stands under the crossmember. Lower the car on to the jack stands.

Place a drain pan under the engine oil pan. The oil pan is at the bottom of the engine.

Unscrew the drain plug with a socket wrench. Allow all the oil to the drain out. Screw the plug back in to the pan. Tighten with a socket wrench.

Unbolt the mud shield with a socket wrench. There will be four bolts to undo. Pull the shield down from the vehicle. This will allow access to the oil filter.

Locate the oil filter by the engine. Unscrew the drain cap with a pair of pliers. Allow any oil to drain out into the drain pan.

Push a flat tip screwdriver up into the filter housing on to the red tip. Push the red tip back and then to the side. Allow any excess oil to drain out of the filter housing.

Unscrew the old assembly with a filter wrench. Pull the filter assembly to the ground. Pull the rubber o-ring off the top of the filter. Pull the old filter out of the housing. Insert the new filter into the cannister. Push the o-ring in over the filter. Push it in deep so that the red tip will lock back in place.

Tighten the assembly back onto the engine. Tighten by hand. Do not wrench tighten as this will strip the threads on the engine and the filter housing. Screw the drain cap to the bottom.

Bolt the shield back under the car with a socket wrench. Ensure all four bolts are tight.

Raise the car with the jack to pull the jack stands out from under the car. Lower the car to the ground.

Pour five quarts of 5W-40 synthetic motor oil in to the engine. Pull the dipstick out of the tube and wipe it clean with a fresh rag. Insert the dipstick back into the tube and pull it back out. Ensure the oil stops on the full mark on the dipstick. If not pour oil into the engine in half qt. intervals and check the level once more.

Start the car and allow it to idle for five minutes. Turn the car off and check the level once more. Add oil if necessary.

Write the miles and the date on a piece of paper. This will help to keep up with oil change intervals.