Volkswagen Passat Oil Changes & Issues

shipo

Actually no. I saw the date at the top of the screen and incorrectly thought that the article was recent. Mea-Culpa. That said, some of the information in that article was still very stale by the time he wrote it. :P

Best Regards,
Shipo

600kgolfgt

> Thanks, 600golfgt. It's a helpful addition to this discussion.

No problem. Hopefully there will be updated information on the sites that conduct the oil/oil filter comparison tests. The more we can educate ourselves (and others) about these issues, the better chance we (car owners) will have in enhancing the longevity of our vehicles.

Thanks to the many good people who post in these forums, I learn new things everyday. The day we stop learning is the day we are placed in a horizontal position (six feet under)...

miamivw

Update

As a quick fix I added 2.5qts of 5w-20 to try and dilute the the 4qts of 10w-40 to more acceptable levels. Same company and brand.

8 days and 200 miles later I haven't noticed anything.

I'll probably give it another oil change before the end of the month, and use the Mobile 1 you recommended, Shipo.

I'm curios to see how dirty the oil will be after 1 month.
And if I notice a big difference between the oils.

shipo

"I'm curios to see how dirty the oil will be after 1 month."

I seriously doubt that you'll see much dirt in the oil after a single month in service. That said, the color of oil is a very poor indicator of how well it is protecting your engine. Said another way, I'd rather have a fairly dark fully synthetic oil that has seen 5,000 miles of service in my engine than a new conventional oil that is completely translucent.

"And if I notice a big difference between the oils."

What kind of differences are you talking about here? In reality you probably won't notice any differences at all unless you live in a polar region that is currently experiencing sub-zero temperatures. That said, your engine will be happier with an oil that is designed to withstand the beating that your engine applies to its oil. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

wai

What kind of airfilter is suitable for 04 Jetta VR6? Is it very easy to replace?

altair4

Anyone hear a rumor that Mobil 1, Castrol and Valvoline are reformulating their oils (0w-40 for M1 and 5w-40 for Castrol and Valvoline) and that the new formulations will not meet VW's 502.00 spec? I read this on another forum, but haven't been able to develop any information on it. If true, this ought to make servicing the 1.8T just a little more difficult and expensive...

prasann

Does anyone know what the recommended synthetic oil for 2006 passat is? I'm tired of paying the dealer $55 for oil changes. I can buy a filter online; just need to know what oil I need to put in.
Thanks.

zperson1

I use Mobile 1 (o-40) cynthatic, you can also use Castrol 5-40 synhetic

shipo

"I use Mobile 1 (o-40) cynthatic, you can also use Castrol 5-40 synhetic"

A couple of points:
- Mobil 1 0W-40 is a wonderful oil for late model VW engines as it meets the most stringent 503.01 VW oil specification.

- Castrol Syntec 5W-40 is only a marginal oil for late model VW engines as it only meets the old 502.00 VW oil specification.

- If you want to use a Castrol oil instead of the Mobil 1, use the German made (says "Made in Germany" right on the label) Syntec which only comes in the 0W-30 weight class as this oil also meets the 503.01 VW oil specification.

Best Regards,
Shipo

prasann

And where do you get your filter from (2006 passat)? My local shops don't have it.

zperson1

I buy them online from www.germanfilters.com

prasann

does quaker state have oil that meets the requirement. when i got passat back from the dealer, i noticed the reminder sticker had quaker state logo on it.

shipo

Well, not according to the Quaker State web site. Personally I'd be inclined to get that stuff out of there and replace it with either Mobil 1 0W-40 or German Castrol Syntec 0W-30.

Best Regards,
Shipo

altair4

The sticker, in and of itself, doesn't mean that brand of oil is actually in the crankcase. My dealer has GTX Castrol stickers, Agip stickers, and "the VW Store" stickers. What's in the sump is Mobil 1 0w-40.

roadsterz4

My 2006 2.0T Passat has had an oil consumption issue since new, at 1,100 engine light for low oil came on, had vehicle tow into service, they added 3 quarts and told me nothing was wrong. 1,000 miles later I added 2 more quarts of oil and took it back to service, as per VW they replaced the valve cover assemble. 1,000 miles later, 2 more quarts of oil, this time breather valve assemble was replaced. Still consuming oil and now being told they need to replace a tube that runs from breather valve to crank case.

This vehilce has gone through 8 quarts of oil in the first 5,000 miles. I now have an attorney.

shipo

Yup, no manufacturer in the world (short of those who make two stroke engines) would say that that's normal. Sounds like it's time for a new mill or a new car. Go get'em. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

v_d

should I use Mobil 1 0w-40 in Toronto, Canada (it`s kind of cold in the winter -20 is quite usual) or should I stick to the rec 5w-40 on a '03 Passat 1.8T?

What difference does it make anyways? Oh.. and how often should I make oil changes, from what I read about 5000 miles is the limit and that`s like 7000 km... that`s fine right?

shipo

Mobil 1 0W-40 is one of the best oils money can buy, especially considering the weather you are likely to encounter in Toronto. I live south of you in New Hampshire and switched all of our cars over to Mobil 1 0W-40 several years ago, with stellar UOA results from every vehicle I might add.

Here in North America, the only two readily available oils that meet VWs most stringent oil specification are the aforementioned Mobil 1 0W-40 and German made Castrol Syntec 0W-30, both of which meet the 503.01 oil spec.

Best Regards,
Shipo

v_d

Thanks for the comeback Shipo. Greatly appreciated!

krzyss

to oil meeting VW502.00 spec.

Krzys

PS I bet -20 is in Centigrades not Fahrenheit.

shipo

"you should stick to oil meeting VW502.00 spec."

I beg to differ. The VW 502.00 oil spec is the bare minimum oil for the 1.8T engine. The VW/Audi 503.01 oil spec supercedes the older and less stringent 502.00 spec, and provides for an oil that is far more robust in every measure. FWIW, every oil on the market that meets the 503.01 spec by default also meets the 502.00 spec. Don't believe me? Check the labels or the manufacturers' web sites.

Folks who want the best lubrication and best sludge protection for their blown VW and Audi engines should only use 503.01 oil, and that means either Mobil 1 0W-40 or German made Castrol 0W-30. FWIW, there are a few other boutique oils out there that also claim to meet the above specs, however, they are harder to come by and usually cost more.

Best Regards,
Shipo

altair4

Regarding the oil change interval, don't exceed 5,000 miles if you want to remain under warranty. I'll leave the metric equivalency for you to research.

Also, use the larger oil filter, VW 068 115 561 B or equivalent, to increase the very limited oil capacity of this engine.

altair4

-20 degrees C is still darn cold, being -4 degrees F.

krzyss

-20F is really, really cold when -20C is just really cold ;-)

Krzys (doing FC conversions in the head)

cwaver

MY DAUGHTERS 2002 PASSATS CAM SIEZED. IT HAS AN EXTENDED WARRENTY BUT, THE DEALER SAYS WITHOUT OIL CHANGE RECEIPTS, THEY WON'T HONOR THE WARRENTY. I UNDERSTAND THE 1.8 ENGINE HAS A OIL SCREEN PROBLEM. WHAT CAN I DO?

shipo

Item 1: Please don't type in all CAPS, it's considered offensive and rude, akin to yelling.

Item 2: There is no "Oil Screen Problem" per-se. True, oil screens have been known to clog on this engine, however, I have yet to see a single case of this happening where the oil service requirements were met.

Item 3: The 1.8T engine requires 5,000 mile oil changes and oil that meets the VW 502.00 oil specification (which typically means a fully synthetic oil).

Item 4: If you missed either requirement even once (or cannot prove you met both requirements every 5,000 miles or less), your only options are to A) buy a new engine, find a serviceable used engine in a bone yard and have it installed, or C) have your engine rebuilt.

So, did your daughter's Passat have it's oil changed on time and with the proper oil?

Best Regards,
Shipo

02passatsw

>Regarding the oil change interval, don't exceed 5,000 miles if you want to remain under warranty. I'll leave the metric equivalency for you to research.

Also, use the larger oil filter, VW 068 115 561 B or equivalent, to increase the very limited oil capacity of this engine.

The best filter for these engines is 074 115 561. Compare the size of that one to the others and you'll see why.

ldcope

Thanks for the comeback Shipo.

roadsterz4

VW North America comes through, replaced the vehicle, gave me an 07 and even gave me the option of changing colors. Great to VW standing behind its product!

shipo

Congratulations, I'm glad for you that VW stepped up to the plate and took care of you. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

cakenn

In late December the check engine light came on, we had the car towed to the VW dealership. We knew about the sludge issue and oil change interval requirements. We always had the car serviced at local VW dealerships, but weren't right at 5,000 mi. It had about 50K miles. They fixed the car at no charge, although we were late with a couple oil changes. I had read some horror stories online and know we were lucky. I wanted others to know that VW isn't always 'by the book' on this issue.

shipo

Congratulations on your new mill. True, it is on a case by case basis when it comes to new engines, and some dealerships seem to be more amenable to doing it than others. That said, I find myself wondering if some dealers who did oil changes on the cheap (i.e. bulk oil and not VW approved synthetic oil) are now pounding their collective chests and saying "mea-culpa" by doing lots of engine replacements. Hmmm.

Best Regards,
Shipo

krzyss

I was at dealer doing oil change and I brought my own oil (Mobil 1 0W40). I had discussion about oils and was shown bottles that they use for oil change.

There is Castrol Syntec 5W40 (for sale in Americas only so it is hydrocracked) that meets VW502.00 spec. I thought only Syntec 0W30 meets this spec (the one made in Germany) but I was wrong.

They also had oil meeting VW505 spec for diesels. I think it was Shell in 1L bottle and made in EU (made in European Union) sign.

They claimed that they now stock 4 different oils. 1 for diesel, 1 for W8 (0W30 I think), 1 for 1.8T (5W40) and regular for I5. Quite logistical problem.

Krzys

shipo

You are correct, there are quite a few oils that meet the less stringent 502.00 oil standard including the American made/hydrocracked Syntec 5W-40, however, oils that meet the 503.01 standard (a superset of 502.00) are few and far between. To the best of my knowledge, the only two generally available oils here in North America that are certified to meet this later standard are the Mobil 1 that you've been using and the Castrol Syntec 0W-30 that your dealership uses in the W8 engines.

Want the best for your engine? Keep doing exactly what you've been doing. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

cakenn

When the car was new, they did not know about the sludge problem, correct? At a later date, they emphasized using VW approved oil and adhering closely to the 5,000 interval.
We relied on the dealership to use the approved oil at the time of service. If they used bulk oil as you suggest, then that might explain why they fixed it with not one challenge.
The service writer, who is a very kind fellow, did mention that we were not in compliance as far as mileage intervals. But said he got VW to approve the repair. Your suggestion is very possible.Could be a combination of things.
We hope the car lasts a couple more years.

shipo

Obviously anything discussed here is speculation, however, your current thread of thinking seems to be more that a little bit plausible. Think about the following scenario:

1) Individual buys/leases a 2001 Passat 1.8T
2) The Passat is then serviced per the 5,000 OCI recommendation, with a couple of exceptions that exceed the OCI by a hundred miles or so.
3) The engine sludges and fails.
4) The owner requests a new engine from their dealership.
5) The dealership refuses based upon the two oil changes that exceeded the 5,000 mile OCI.
6) The owner produces all invoices that shows either no specific reference to a certified oil or worse still, shows a reference to an oil that is not certified to meet 502.00.
7) The dealership still refuses to replace the engine.
8) The owner starts making noise with VWoA, the attorney general, the BBB and the press, claiming that the dealership short changed the owner by not using the required oil.

Speaking strictly for myself, were it that I owned such a dealership and such a mistake was made with customer cars, I'd figure out how to politely make the customers whole long before things got out of hand. ;-)

Best Regards,
Shipo

spawnman

So just got the oil changed in this car and was told by the service folks it had to be synthetic and meet the VW 502 spec. Ok fine. REad through here and found that Mobil 1 0w40 sounded like a good choice to purchase. So I called the VW dealer back and got some "lady" who told me now it has to mee the 505.01 spec?? WTF?? I do see that Mobil 1 meets the VW 505 spec but when did 505.01 come around?

Anyone hear of this? She recommnded Castrol.

Thanks

krzyss

is diesel spec. Do you have diesel Passat?

Krzys

PS I hope I got VW spec right. It seems that confussion will rule soon or VW needs to reduce the number of specifications.

spawnman

No it's the gas 2.0. so 505.01 is for diesel?

krzyss

I saw an oil bottle with VW505.01 written on it and I think it was for diesel.

I did google for "VW505.01" and it seems to be oil spec for newest VW diesel engines (PD - pump dusse ?).

Krzys

spawnman

I think you're all right, stupid lady. Good thing I didn't take it verbatim. I will call her back and correct her..

spawnman

So I call the same dealer back and get someone different of course, he tells me once he figures out what I'm talking about, to use spec 501. Tells me his service manager just told him that. Puts me on hold, get someone else, they tell me 502. Recommnded I not use 0w40 as it would become to liquid in the engine at high temps. Recommnded I use Castrol's syntec 5w40.

I'm sure if I called in again I would get a completely different answer.

So I asked them to tell me what kind of oil they just put in my car on Friday. He looks up my record and tells me that it only shows it was synthetic!! So why do I need to keep receipts showing the type of oil I used if they don't?? WTF

shipo

"So I call the same dealer back and get someone different of course, he tells me once he figures out what I'm talking about, to use spec 501. Tells me his service manager just told him that."

Nope, the very old (in car years) 501 spec will ruin your 2.0T in short order.

"Puts me on hold, get someone else, they tell me 502."

From a minimalist perspective, this is correct, 502.00 is what your Owner's Manual and VW recommend for your engine (or better).

"Recommended I not use 0w40 as it would become to liquid in the engine at high temps.

Total BS. The Mobil 1 0W-40 is so robust that it not only meets the 502.00 specification, it surpasses it and meets the far more stringent 503.01 spec.

Recommended I use Castrol's syntec 5w40."

Double BS. The hydrocracked Syntec 5W-40 is far inferior to all oils that meet the 503.01 spec, Mobil 1 0W-40 and German made Castrol Syntec 0W-30 included.

Wanna have some fun at your service manager's expense? Ask him to put his/their comments in writing and then send a copy to VWoA and ask their opinion.

BTW, krzyss told you correct, the VW 505.xx (and 506.xx) oil specifications are ONLY for diesel engines and completely irrelevant for gasoline engines.

For a good overview of all recent VW oil specifications, check out post #8 in this discussion:
shipo, "Volkswagen Passat Oil Changes & Issues" #8, 10 Mar 2006 8:48 pm

Best Regards,
Shipo

mbjoechad

I am in the middle of dealing with this dealership oil change issue, here is the story. I bought the car used and have put on 15,000 miles in less than a year. The first oil change was at the dealership, second myself and the last during the 40,000 ($500!) "tune-up". After the tune up I looked at the invoice and noticed that they itemized Citgo Supergard 5W30, charged at $2.50 per quart. After reading the manual again to make sure, I immediatly called the dealership and asked what oil they used on my car. 5W30 non-synthetic oil was the response. I then reminded them that the manual states only using 5W40 (except for top offs) and after a minute of holding the lady says yes, but the dealership mechanics don't feel that it is necessary for the 2003's.

Then I ask what about the warrenty? She says it doesn't matter and I won't have any problems. WOW, I have since called the VW Care hotline and asked them to look into it. They agreed that the oil they used is nowhere near to meeting specifications and would void engine warrenty. Waiting to hear back from them. I don't ever plan on taking my car back to the dealership for anything, but I am hoping I get a refund for new oil or more, maybe something in writing to keep my warrenty going as well. So much for paying more at a dealership for factory treatment.

Have other people also found the dealerships blatenly ignoring these requirments?

altair4

Am I correct in assuming that this incident just occurred? If so, it's incredible - VW issued a pamphlet ( Synthetic Oil Pamphlet ) which essentially says that oil meeting VW Spec 502.00 is recommended/required for all engines since 1998. All 502.00 oils are synthetic as are all 5w-40 oils. Now, I'd say that's overkill in the 2.0 engine. But they should have known that the 1.8T demands synth. I love how the tech decided he knows better than the engineer that came up with the new mandate.

You might want to check to make sure that they used the correct filter, too. The original filter has been superseded by the a larger filter (used to increase sump capacity). The new part # is 068 115 561 B. The older, smaller, filter was 06A 115 561 B.

Please post what you hear from VW and your dealership, once the smoke clears. Thanks!

shipo

Yikes! This kind of stuff scares the willies out of me. VWoA has pretty much demanded 502.00 as the bare minimum for all gasoline engines since what? 2003, maybe even 2002? I recently made a post about still hearing sporadic reports of VW dealerships using crap oil, however, I was hoping at least that I would never hear another such report. Guess not. Grrrr! :mad:

Sometimes I'm just enough of a jerk threaten legal action against idiots like your dealership. At the bare minimum, I'd threaten to sue them for putting the incorrect oil in your engine, unless that is, that they personally warrant your engine against premature failure.

Best Regards,
Shipo

krzyss

go to dealership and demand free oil change. They used wrong oil so this time ask them to pour correct oil in your presence.

Print the pamphlet and bring it with you to the dealer but I would also call VW and ask them to teach the dealer about oil requirements.

Avoid this place in the future.

Krzys

PS Where is this dealership to avoid?

sishaortuzar

I drive a 2002 Passat GLS 1.8T, it has 31,500 miles on it. Since I bought the car, 16 months and 7,500 miles ago, I have taken the car to the dealership (Potamkin in NYC) for the scheduled services every 5,000 miles.
My questions are these:
1) The manual recommends changing the oil every 5,000 miles. I do most of my driving in the city, should i be changing the oil more frequently?
2) Every time I've taken the car in for oil change and service the price has been between $300 and $500, depending on which services were recommended for that milage. Can I take the car anywhere else to get the scheduled recommended services beside the oil change? and, can I get the oil changed anywhere else and be confident that they are using the right kind of oil?

I ask these questions because this is the first "modern car" that i've had, anything before this was pretty easy to fix and service. I understand that as cars get more advanced they need more special care that should be done by skilled technicians.

Any recomendations in the New York City area? To tell you the truth I dont trust the dealer all that much...

thanks

S.O.

kmills

Jiffy Lube change our oil last week on our 2001 Passat. Gave the all clear, no leaks or issues. 2 days later started leaking badly. On way back to Jiffy Lube, warning light came on "stop motor, oil pressure". Jiffy Lube said bad filter, changed it and added 3 qts oil. Later that day, still bad leak. Had Passat towed to dealer. Dealer say Jiffy Lube put filter on to tight causing it to increase oil pressure damaging the cooler and melting the resevoir. Oil got into the cooling system through melted resevoir. $1000 to fix problem. Jiffy Lube say they have never heard of such a problem. What are your thoughts???

600kgolfgt

Stay away (FAR AWAY) from Jiffy Lu be unless you want to repeat the same episode with the Passat time and again. I highly recommend having your oil changed at either a VW dealer or a highly qualified private VW mechanic. Let me give you some reasons to stay away from Jiffy Lube:

1) They use inferior aftermarket filters. VW engines perform best when using the factory (MANN) oil filters. The factory oil filters comprise a very robust construction which incorporates a steel bypass valve and a steel anti-drainback valve (the latter keeps dirty oil from flowing back into the engine after you turn it off). The cheap aftermarket filtes Jiffy Lube use rubber bypass and anti-drainback valves, as well as being poorly constructed. If your Passat is a 1.8T, it requires a special larger VW oil filter that is part of a technical service bulletin that addresses the sludging issue with these engines.

2) Your 2001 Passat requires a motor oil that conforms to the VW 502.00 specification or the newer 503.01 Specification. Check out the following link to the sludging discussion. It contains the link to the list of motor oils meeting the VW specifications:

altair4, "Volkswagen Passat Sludge Issues" #124, 26 Mar 2007 11:16 am

There is a very high probability that Jiffy Lube is NOT using motor oils that comply with either VW spec. (HINT: The motor oils in both VW specifications are all synthetic).

Using a conventional motor oil (that Jiffy Lube normally uses) will VOID the 8-year extended VW warranty against sludging, and gives VW
plenty of justification to reject any sludging claims you may have.

It's unfortunate that you had to find out the hard way (to the tune of $1000). While getting this leaking issue resolved, I would have the dealer pull the oil pan and check the pickup in the oil pump for any signs of sludging. If there are any signs of sludge, I would have them clean the screen on the oil pump pickup immediately.

Once your car has been repaired, make sure you do the following from now on:

1) AVOID Jiffy Lube (or any other quick-lube place for that matter). Take it to the VW dealer or private VW mechanic.
2) Make sure you have your oil changed at every 5000 mile interval - no exceptions.
3) Make sure you use ONLY motor oils that meet the VW 502.00 or 503.01 specification.

HTH...