Help me take care of my car...

SUPRDLUX

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2021
Location
NM
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
So I've recently acquired a '13 NMS/B7 w/ DSG and I'm a diesel noob aside from selling them at Ford some years ago. I financed it with ~42K on the clock from what seems like a reputable VW dealership out of MO. Anyway I want it to live a long and happy life so what other things can I do to ensure that other than regularly scheduled maintenance??

I'm going to treat a tank with some extreme diesel as I read that it can only be a good thing. I've also read that the quality of fuel is something to consider as well. Also a scanner (probably OBDeleven) cos the nearest VW dealership is 3 hours away. I'm going into this with a pre-emptive mindset and since I don't know what to expect from a TDI other than the characteristic diesel warble, what other sounds should I expect to come from the car AND which ones I shouldn't?? I know modern diesels go through an extra operation or two that's why I ask...
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Get a maintenance schedule and follow it. Your car was due for a major service at 40K miles (all filters, brake fluid flush, engine oil, and DSG service plus some other inspections). Make sure that was done and perform whatever wasn't. A lubricity additive in the fuel is a good idea but not essential. Otherwise, just drive it. You will sometimes experience regens, where the engine fans will run on high, even after shut down if you interrupt the regen. Nothing to worry about, but it will happen and don't think something's wrong.

The TDI you purchased does have some weak points, particularly the turbo and heater core. Both are covered under the dieselgate warranty, although turbos are currently unavailable. But I wouldn't worry too much about those, either. Enjoy the car!
 

watatrp

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 29, 2008
Location
South Bend, IN
TDI
04 Jetta tdi (gone) 2013 Passat SEL TDI
I've got your exact car w/ 62k miles on it now. If you don't have evidence that oil has been changed, fuel filter and DSG service has been done, get it done. I did the DSG service myself because my dealer couldn't tell me if it had been done. Had a few glitches w/ the adblue system but once some parts were changed it seems to be working well now. It's a perfect road trip car. Just did one and got 43 mpg.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
Read everything here you can find. Including the Extended Emissions Warranty if you are interested in that. Lots and lots of info here just for the reading.
 

SUPRDLUX

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2021
Location
NM
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
The DSG has been serviced and I made sure of it cos I downloaded the maintenance schedule PDF beforehand. I want to upload the service summary I requested but don't know how to upload images in this forum. The descriptions of services I can't decipher include:

UCC

PETRA BETTER O/F

USED VEHICLE MVI

TEPHSEAL DETAIL

ENGINE MINOR

The finance manager said he liked his GM cos he wasn't afraid to spend money on vehicles like mine. I bought it to be a fairly inexpensive commuter to pay off quickly but it might take a bit longer as I find myself looking at economy upgrades now (cold air, cat back, etc.) HA! I'm getting a consistent 42 on the highway tho. I think I could do better if I drove the speed limit and picked a better line but I think that's still awesome. I'm very interested in the extended emissions warranty too but haven't been able to find clear cut info on it yet...
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
It is posted here in many places, as well as at VW's site for it.


Leave the mods alone and just get it in good shape. Most are a waste of money for an "inexpensive commuter" and just driving better will do as much as any of them, especially a CAI. Lots of reading for you to do before you spend any money on that stuff.
 

AverageAndy

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2020
Location
Phoenix, AZ
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL, 2013 Golf TDI 6MT, 2013 Jetta TDI 6MT (R.I.P.)
Welcome! I have mostly loved my car (same as yours) and currently have over 125K miles. I do all routine maintenance myself for piece of mind and QA. I use the car for a 60+ mile roundtrip commute and regularly get 44-47mpg depending on speed and aggressiveness of driving. I started using an "Everyday Diesel" additive with each fuel up and I feel the engine runs better and, since starting, my mpg improved. The cost is negligible when you include the fuel savings, especially with fuel prices increasing!

My recommendations are to:
1. Try not to regularly use for short in-town hops.
2. Allow a warm engine to idle a minute or two at your intended destination before shutting down.
3. Be careful not to spill DEF fluid as it overflows down into the spare tire well and creates quite a mess (don't ask how I know:oops:).
4. Research exactly what your emissions warranty covers and when it expires, and be ready to defend that with the dealer if necessary.
5. Look over information here and ask questions for answers not found
6. Enjoy your new car!
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
LOL "tubros are a known issue, but don't worry about yours failing as there are no replacement parts nation wide".

sage advice!!!
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Yep, I have three customers with broken cars sitting right now waiting for turbochargers. I told them not to worry, too. ;)

Oh, wait, I think they ARE worrying...

It is a non-issue non-worry situation when you actually have a reliable car to drive as backup. If you do not, then what? I think the one guy just defaulted on his loan and let the bank take the car. That would really suck.

But it could be worse.... not all that long ago FCA had over a thousand Pentastar cylinder heads on national backorder. I doubt there are 1000 CKRA NMS Passats in the US/Canada currently waiting on a turbocharger. Although globally, maybe.. ??? Not sure how many engines that particular part is used on. For us it is ONLY the CKRA.
 

Lightflyer1

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 13, 2005
Location
Round Rock, Texas
TDI
2015 Beetle tdi dsg
It is a non-issue, non-worry item if yours is working correctly. Why worry about something that isn't broken yet and isn't giving any signs of anything wrong. Unless you just like to worry about what ifs. Do you also worry about all the other what ifs in your life? Sell your cars now if you just have to worry about the turbo and heater cores in them. Good time to do it too. No more worries in life once that bad tdi is gone. If yours is in the shop for a turbo, you are justified in worrying about what will happen.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
As oilhammer says, as long as the OP has a backup car he doesn't have to worry.
 

x1800MODMY360x

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2021
Location
AZ, USA
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
I would get a gauge for egt, soot level, regen on/off etc. I got a used Scan Gauge cheap and use that to plan my regen cycles and to make sure turbo ain't cooking.
 

SUPRDLUX

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2021
Location
NM
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
There's a small anxiety fire being stoked somewhere up there but I'll extinguish it by saying this is exactly why I posted - finding ways to decrease the likelihood of stuff like that happening. I do plan to sell my other vehicle as it's aging and I've already been approached about it. A round of maintenance on it is due soon (brakes, belt, etc.) so it has been my plan to bank the profit instead of throwing money at it just to let it sit in the driveway. I could go either way at this point. I would always have that money for a rainy day that might never come or I could violate the law of diminishing returns...something to think about.

The upgrades are honestly something I'll never undertake unless it's justifiable (OEM vs aftermarket costs). I just like to window shop as I have a lot of lulls in my line of shift work. I only use my car to commute for work which is a 70+ mile roundtrip half of the month. 85-90% of the miles it eats are highway too. Hopefully I won't be doing that much longer though - other prospects as far as employment goes could be at hand.

AverageAndy I do practice what you preach about taking my sweet ass time letting it idle before/after a trip and keeping the revs low around those times too. I have wondered about doing my own work as well cos VW dealership service is hit or miss from what I understand.

Speaking of regen - what're the intervals on a 2.0 TDI and how long does the cycle last or is it case by case? And say your turbo was cooking - would you just pull over and shut it down or is it too late by then? Hot Shot's Secret claims Diesel Extreme can cut the need for those cycles up to 50%. I know this is only possible on a couple of applications but does anybody know if this claim of cycle reduction actually have any merit to it?
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Regen times will vary based on need. If you've got a long commute it may mostly regen while you're driving and you may not even notice unless you have a gauge that measures exhaust gas temperatures. If you pull into work or your driveway and hear the cooling fans running on high it most likely means you're in a regen. If this happens some recommend you let the car idle until the regen stops (it'll interrupt at idle, conditions aren't correct) and then shut down. However, VW didn't provide any indicator to drivers that a regen is occurring, so they seemed to feel it was OK to interrupt one occasionally.

Oh, and no additive is going to change regen frequency. That's a false claim.

I'd agree you probably should sell your other car. The likelihood that you'll need it is fairly low, and with your VW under warranty for most failures, and that warranty includes a promise of a loaner car, then you should be OK.
 
Last edited:

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
if you drive the car 70 miles at a whack, i wouldn't worry about regns, they happen when they happen and will happen during highway speeds majority of the time.

Once on the highway the DPF will actually do what's call passive regens where soot will burn off as much as its building up, i find that's where you'll get the best MPG. Active regens is when extra fuel is dumped post combustion to "light off" the DPF, that will bring down the soot level to minimum.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
The SCR cars don't have nearly the soot load so not nearly the taxing level of DPF regens that the non-SCR cars do.
 

x1800MODMY360x

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2021
Location
AZ, USA
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
Speaking of regen - what're the intervals on a 2.0 TDI and how long does the cycle last or is it case by case? And say your turbo was cooking - would you just pull over and shut it down or is it too late by then? Hot Shot's Secret claims Diesel Extreme can cut the need for those cycles up to 50%. I know this is only possible on a couple of applications but does anybody know if this claim of cycle reduction actually have any merit to it?
When regen is running the EOT1 which is the first sensor before the DPF runs around 1000-1200F. The turbo is before the DPF and if regen is going and you turn off the car the turbo temps will be at that level.

I use the term "Turbo Cooking" when the turbo have High temps and the vehicle turns off which stop the exhaust air flow to cool the turbo.
 

SUPRDLUX

Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2021
Location
NM
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
I use the term "Turbo Cooking" when the turbo have High temps and the vehicle turns off which stop the exhaust air flow to cool the turbo.
I've heard that reference before but that makes a lot more sense. I'd like a bluetooth OBDeleven...couldn't that perform the same functions as a Scan Gauge?

The SCR cars don't have nearly the soot load so not nearly the taxing level of DPF regens that the non-SCR cars do.
But we've never had SCR cars here??

If you pull into work or your driveway and hear the cooling fans running on high it most likely means you're in a regen.

Oh, and no additive is going to change regen frequency. That's a false claim.
Heard the fans going nuts after I got to work the other day and they stayed on as I walked in. Went outside a lil later to make sure it had stopped (it did). Thought it had something to do with the humidity because of the rain but now I know. And the diesel extreme, I'd like to do some more research on it. I'm not a sucker for snake oil but this stuff doesn't stink like other additives do.

Again, not here because I'm worried. Just obsessed with cars. I had some idea about what I was getting into and just want to learn as much as I can and I'm soaking all of it in. Initially I was looking at MB E250's and BMW 535d's but decided not to spend as much on a commuter cos my name is on a gently used Porsche somewhere. Hopefully I'll stand a chance given the rapidly evolving auto industry :cautious: Def didn't see myself in a Passat until I sent my sis to a VW/Mazda dealership (loves her Jetta GLI) cos I know they're good cars. She recommended the same dealership, said why not and saw one low mileage Passat TDI SEL online there. Totally forgot about Passat's. Went up to buy it and it sold the day before I got there. Found a couple of others online but there was always a reason why they were still for sale and all the others always disappeared before dealers could even take photos. I hadn't a damn clue about the demand. Came across mine, got some photos sent to me, made a deposit ASAP, and got it shipped without even touching it. It was a gamble but it sure paid off.
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
When regen is running the EOT1 which is the first sensor before the DPF runs around 1000-1200F. The turbo is before the DPF and if regen is going and you turn off the car the turbo temps will be at that level.

I use the term "Turbo Cooking" when the turbo have High temps and the vehicle turns off which stop the exhaust air flow to cool the turbo.
But isn't that sensor past the DOC? passing unburnt fuel through the turbo doesn't create heat, having unburnt through the DOC into a soot laden DPF creates heat.

From the self study guide.

-Late after the main injection an additional postinjection
is initiated. This fuel does not combust
in the cylinder, but instead vaporizes in the
combustion chamber.

-The unburned hydrocarbons of this fuel vapor are
oxidized in the oxidation catalyst. This ensures
an increase in the exhaust gas temperature to
approximately 1202°F (650°C) as it reaches the
particulate filter.
1

While combustion temps are increased during a regen (higher than normal operating needs for the load of the engine), its not like the turbo is subjected to constant 1200F during a regen the DOC/DPF is seeing, that unburnt fuel vapor is probably cooling the turbo down a little bit.

Now if you park the car interrupting a regen, and the fans are running, the DO/DPF still has residual heat and will heat soak the turbo, but again the turbo wasn't already at 1200F.


For the OP, try and find the self study guides for the first get CR TDI, there is also a Self Study Guide for the Gen2 which you have in a 2012-2014 Passat. Its the same but different for most of the systems, but the first CR TDI study guide theories of systems still applies.
 

x1800MODMY360x

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 27, 2021
Location
AZ, USA
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL
Here are my Scan Gauge's. I got two because It's tedious to keep switching the gauges around. What I like about them is the STL, which is Soot Level tells me how much till the next regen is going to start and got RGN, (Regen Mode) when regen is active or not.

Also nice to have EOT, (Engine Oil Temperature), and EG1, (Exaust Temperature Sensor 1) which is pre-turbo.

 

jjblbi

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 27, 2000
Location
lbi, nj
TDI
2014 Passat SEL TDI
A Scan gauge is a good investment, lets you know some vital temps and when regens are occuring. Mine is set to coolant temp, boost, egt and dpf temp. I usually drive easy on the last couple of miles to stabilize temps and then wait for the egt to go below ~370F. On previous cars I'd crack the door and wait for the chime to stop before shutting down. If the car is undergoing a regen I keep driving until it's complete and drop down a gear or two to get the revs up, seems to speed up the process in town. I have about 215k miles now on my '14 Passat.

Get a VCDS for diagnostics and convenience programming tweaks, worth every penny. Good luck, John
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
That article was written six years after your car was manufactured. You shouldn't assume the regen process in 2018 and later is the same as it is for your 2013.
 

AverageAndy

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 14, 2020
Location
Phoenix, AZ
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL, 2013 Golf TDI 6MT, 2013 Jetta TDI 6MT (R.I.P.)
How long does a regen commonly take place for? Or is it different every time?
IIRC there are short (approx 10min) and long (approx 15min) active regen cycles, depending on soot level detected (more soot % level = longer regen). Also, there is always passive regen, whenever speeds and temps are high enough, which is why highway driving is great for these engines.
 
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