
Checking and refilling levels217
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Oil propertiesViscosity
The viscosity class of the oil is selected according to the diagram.
When the ambient temperature falls outside the limits of the scale for a short 
period, an oil change is not required.
Mono-grade oil
Single grade oils are generally not suitable for all year round use, due to 
ranges of viscosity
21). These oils are only useful in a climate that is constantly very cold or very 
warm.
Engine oil additives
No type of additive should be mixed with the engine oil. The deterioration 
caused by these additives is not covered by the warranty.
Note
Before a long trip, we recommend findin
g an engine oil that conforms to the 
corresponding VW specifications and keeping it in the vehicle. This way, the 
correct engine oil will always be available for a top-up if needed.Checking the engine oil level
The engine oil dipstick indicates the level of the oil.
Engine type
Specification
Petrol
VW 501 01/ VW 502 00/ VW 504 00
Diesel 
VW 505 01/ VW 507 00/ VW 506 01
Diesel Engines with Particulate filter 
(DPF)
a)
a)Only use recommended oils, otherwise you may damage the engine.
VW 507 00
Fig. 158  Types of oil 
according to temperature
21)Viscosity: oil density
Fig. 159  Engine oil 
dipstick.
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Checking and refilling levels
218
Checking oil level
– Park the vehicle in a horizontal position.
– Briefly run the engine at idle speed until the service temperature is reached then stop.
– Wait two minutes.
– Pull out the dipstick. Wipe the dipstick with a clean cloth and  insert it again, pushing it in as far as it will go.
– Then pull it out once more and check the oil level  ⇒page 217, 
fig. 159. Top up with engine oil if necessary.Oil level in area 
– Do not add oil.
Oil level in area 
–Oil  can be topped up. The indicated oil level should be  after zone 
Oil level in area 
–Oil  must be topped up. The indicated oil level should be  after in zone  .
Depending on how you drive and the conditions in which the car is used, oil 
consumption can be up to 0.5 l/1,000 km. Oil consumption is likely to be 
higher for the first 5,000 km. For this re ason the engine oil level must be 
checked at regular intervals, preferably when filling the tank and before a 
journey.
WARNING
Any work carried out in the engine compartment or on the engine must be 
carried out cautiously.•
When working in the engine compartment, always observe the safety 
warnings ⇒ page 213
Caution
If the oil level is above the area   do  not start the engine. This could result 
in damage to the engine and catalytic converter. Contact an Authorised 
Service Centre.Topping up engine oil 
 
Top up gradually with small quantities of oil.
Before opening the bonnet, read and observe the warnings  ⇒ in 
“Safety instructions on working in the engine compartment” on 
page 213.
– Unscrew cap from oil filler opening  ⇒fig. 160 .
– Top-up oil in small amounts, using the correct oil.
AAAB
AA
AC
AA
AA
Fig. 160  In the engine 
compartment: Engine oil 
filler cap
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Technical Data273
Safety First
Operating instructions
Practical tips
Te c h n i c a l  D a t a
Te c h n i c a l  D a t aChecking fluid levelsFrom time to time, the levels of the different fluids in the 
vehicle must be checked. Never fill with incorrect fluids, 
otherwise serious damage to the engine may be caused.
Coolant expansion tank
Windscreen washer fluid reservoir
Engine oil filler cap
Engine oil dipstick
Brake fluid reservoir
Vehicle battery (underneath the cover)
The checking and refilling of service fluids are carried out on the components 
mentioned above. These operations are described in the  ⇒page 213. Overview
Further explanations, instructions and restrictions on the technical data are 
contained as of 
⇒page 269.
Fig. 203  Diagram for the 
location of the various 
elements
A1A2A3A4A5A6
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Index289
DDanger of fitting a child seat on the front passenger 
seat  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Dash panel cleaning  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 206
Daytime lights  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111 activating  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
deactivating . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Diesel  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
Diesel engine Winter driving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
Diesel engine particulate filter  . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Differential lock  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Differential lock fault (EDL) warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Digital clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
Dipped headlights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109
Disabling front passenger airbag Safety notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
Disabling the airbag Disabling front passenger airbag . . . . . . . . . 43
Display (without warning or  information texts) . 58
Displays in the Multi-function display Memory displays  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Disposal Airbags . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Door lock cylinders  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203
Door release lever  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Doors Childproof locks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Drawer  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136
Drinks holders at the front  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Drive wheels traction control system . . . . . . . . 184
Driveshaft differential
XDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Driving Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Economical/ Environtmental  . . . . . . . . . . . 192
With a trailer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196
Driving abroad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 Headlights  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Driving programmes  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
Driving safety . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  8
Driving with an automati c gearbox / DSG automatic 
gearbox*  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 171
Duplicate keys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 97
Dust filter  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
Dynamic curve lights . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Dynamic headlight range control . . . . . . . . . . . 113
EEcological driving  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Economical driving  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
EDL  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
EDS Warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Electric steering system warning light  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80
Electrical sockets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145 Electronic differential lock  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Warning lamp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Electronic immobiliser  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82, 166
Electronic stabilisation program  . . . . . . . . . . . 185
Electronic stabilisation programme . . . . . . . . . . 81 Description . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 164
Warning light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Electronic stabilisation programme (ESP) warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Emergency braking function . . . . . . . . . .  115, 183
emergency manual locking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95
Emergency opening Doors  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Emission control system warning lamp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Engine Running in  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
Engine compartment Working in the engine compartment  . . . . . 213
Engine coolant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
Engine fault Warning lamp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Engine management Warning lamp  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Engine oil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216 Changing  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
Checking level . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Oil properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Specifications  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216
Topping up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
Engine oil dipstick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
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