TDI Maintenance Schedule

[flash9]

As the owner of a new 2003 VW Jetta TDI Wagon, I plan on creating a logbook with my maintenance/repairs. In this logbook I would like to place a list of routine maintenance scheduled items. From postings on the tdiclub website I have compiled the following:

Service Requirements for a 2003 A4 VW Jetta TDI

- Every 10k Miles Synthetic 5W-40 Oil and Filter, also Drain Condensation from Fuel Filter
- Every 20K Miles Fuel Filter
- Every 2 years bleed and replace Brake Fluid
- Every 80,000 miles Timing Belt and Tensioner
- Suggested to do water pump at same time as Timing Belt
- Anything else while doing the Timing Belt?

Am I missing anything?

 

[sarhog]

As the owner of a new 2003 VW Jetta TDI Wagon, I plan on creating a logbook with my maintenance/repairs.

Do you already have a logbook made? I had the same idea when I bought my truck. I am in the process of making another one for the TDI.
If you would like some ideas, I have posted some photos of mine on webshots, which can be viewed here.
I also have oil analysis results in there, but I don't have a picture of that yet.
Good luck!

 

[tjl]

Am I missing anything?

There are some inspection items listed in the owner's manual and service manual. Obviously, adjust, repair, or replace as needed if the inspection shows something wrong.

 

[flash9]

All,

I found this VW stealer listing their service schedule at the following website. I thought you all would enjoy their timeline and prices:
Stealers TDI Maintenance Schedule

Is the radiator fluid OK until 80k, and I change the water pump at the same time as the timing belt?
I have a 5-Speed; does the transmission fluid ever need to be changed? If so, what type of fluid is used?
For others information, how often does the automatic transmission fluid need to be changed?
When should the Air Filter be replaced? Does the 2003 TDI Jetta also have the Snow Screen, and if so how often should it be checked?

Thanks for everyone help and feedback in advance.

 

[DZLguy]

Flash9: I'm curious as to where that dealer thinks he's gonna find spark plugs in your TDI.

 

[mrGutWrench]

As the owner of a new 2003 VW Jetta TDI Wagon, I plan on creating a logbook with my maintenance/repairs. In this logbook I would like to place a list of routine maintenance scheduled items. From postings on the tdiclub website I have compiled the following:

Service Requirements for a 2003 A4 VW Jetta TDI

- Every 10k Miles Synthetic 5W-40 Oil and Filter, also Drain Condensation from Fuel Filter
- Every 20K Miles Fuel Filter
- Every 2 years bleed and replace Brake Fluid
- Every 80,000 miles Timing Belt and Tensioner
- Suggested to do water pump at same time as Timing Belt
- Anything else while doing the Timing Belt?
Am I missing anything?

__. I would add the "break-in" oil change at 5K miles, too (the timetable is first oil change at 5K, then oil change and service at 10K, then every 10K after, as your list reflects). I would also check your manual for info on the timing belt change -- hasn't it been extended to 100K on the 2003's? At 100K, I agree that it's a good idea to include a waterpump with the timing belt change.

__. I'd also add routine checks for the snow screen and the scheduled changes for the air filter and cabin/pollen/air conditioner filter.

Bruce Henderson, S Coastal NC

 

[Nutsnbolts]

Um, just in my experience, I would add lube the door/trunk/hood hinges at every 10k oil change. I WD-40 one time, and then spray white lithium grease in the next. They have seemed to work well together in keeping everything very smooth after 153,000 miles and 3 years.

 

[Ricdude]

The official schedule for your car can be obtained from:

http://www.vw.com/SP/SchedMaint.html

Useful for reference.

 

[Brock_from_WI]

Tire rotation at oil change? Or sooner?

 

[SwimmerDave]

Tire rotation at oil change? Or sooner?

Depends upon how fast your tires are wearing, which is dependent upon a large number of factors. I just measure tread depth. When my front tires have worn beyond my rear tires, I swap. It may be every oil change. It may be sooner.

 

[flash9]

This link is exactly what I needed.

Thank you

 

[mrGutWrench]

TDI Maintenance Schedule - Tire Rotation

__. Just did the second rotation (~32K miles -- first one the tire shop did after I promised to go nuts if they used an air ratchet on them, so it was the first one that I did myself).

__. I got a deep 17 socket. It's not hard to do yourself but I was *amazed* at how little torque it takes to tighten the lug bolts. I'm not sure exactly how precise it is to check torques this way, but I used the torque wrench to check the torque on them - they seemed pretty close to the spec. But they were easy to complete the removal with the wrench with the spare. And I used that wrench to snug them up, then used the torque wrench. It was surprizing how little torque it took to get them tighened to spec. (I was used to 15 years of changing the huge lugs on Land Rovers - this is *way* different from that!)

__. No question that some goon with a air ratchet is going to really tear these babies up if you don't warn him real good.

 

[zanzabar]

TDI Maintenance Schedule - Tire Rotation

--> Here <-- is an example of a pretty typical maintenance history. Maybe that can tell you if there's anything you missed.
That stealership schedule is ridiculous. How can they have all those charges for "checking" things like timing belt ($65), DTCs ($32), HEADLIGHTS??? ($32 /images/graemlins/eek.gif) ... They probably barely do anything. It simply amazes me how valuable this website is.

 

[VWfan2020]

These links should help... these are the official recommendations from VW for service and maintenance

TDI Service Schedules

Full list of VW TDI service schedules broken down by platform.

idpartsblog.com

I happen to have a '13 Golf TDI

https://pics.tdiclub.com/data/516/2013_Golf_TDI.pdf

Main thing of course is to change the oil religiously. Diesels have a high compression ratio so the oil gets black really fast. Also, changing the fule filter is considered regular maintenance, and the system has to be bled, so be aware of the procedures for that. One more thing and you won't find this online alot - drain and fill (or flush) transmission fluid every 40k miles. These Eurocars are not like Asians or American vehicles that can go 80k miles or more before needing transmission service. Best done at dealership because many of these have sealed systems. This is my third VW, so I've gotten to know the cars.

 

[Nero Morg]

Good thing it's spooktober, cause zombie thread my friend. My car is as old as this thread!

 

[VWfan2020]

@KrashDH Hahaha, well, people still read this stuff, cuz I was online looking for it. I DID add some info that was useful, at least.

Also, I forgot to put down if you're looking for oil at Oreilly's or Autozone, like I was yesterday, make sure your oil is rated for diesels. How you do this is you check the API donut on the bottle, and look for API Service CX (vs SX - C=compression for diesels, and S=spark ignition for gasoline)

Google Image Result for https://media.noria.com/sites/magazine_images/201612/Donut_Symbol.jpg

They didn't have my oil there, so I ended up buying VW 504.00/507.00 (which is the equivalent of 0W-30) at the dealership

 

[KrashDH]

@KrashDH Hahaha, well, people still read this stuff, cuz I was online looking for it. I DID add some info that was useful, at least.
What? I don't recall saying anything...

I happen to have a '13 Golf TDI
These Eurocars are not like Asians or American vehicles that can go 80k miles or more before needing transmission service. Best done at dealership because many of these have sealed systems. This is my third VW, so I've gotten to know the cars.

As well, this is a MkIV thread. Are you talking about your '13 or do you have a MkIV also?
There is no "American" vehicle I would EVER let go 80k before I did a fluid change. Pretty sure the fluid recommended change in my Cummins is 30,000 miles and similar on these cars. Do I go longer? Yes. But the fluid coming out of my vehicles has never been in bad shape.

I disagree that these are best done at the dealership. I trust myself way more than I trust a "tech" at a dealership. Underfill, overfill, missing plugs...no thanks. As well, which transmissions in VW are "sealed"? There's a drain plug and fill plug in the manual. I don't know about the auto trans, but if there isn't a drain plug, you just pull the pan to drain. There has to be a fill plug.

 

[300D]

@KrashDH Hahaha, well, people still read this stuff, cuz I was online looking for it. I DID add some info that was useful, at least.

Also, I forgot to put down if you're looking for oil at Oreilly's or Autozone, like I was yesterday, make sure your oil is rated for diesels. How you do this is you check the API donut on the bottle, and look for API Service CX (vs SX - C=compression for diesels, and S=spark ignition for gasoline)

Google Image Result for https://media.noria.com/sites/magazine_images/201612/Donut_Symbol.jpg

They didn't have my oil there, so I ended up buying VW 504.00/507.00 (which is the equivalent of 0W-30) at the dealership

No need to go this route with ‘rated for diesels’. There is libraries of information already on the forum about what oil to use! A few varieties of brands, but VW spec is the key. Don’t use it unless it’s has the proper VW spec for your model.

 

[KrashDH]

No need to go this route with ‘rated for diesels’. There is libraries of information already on the forum about what oil to use! A few varieties of brands, but VW spec is the key. Don’t use it unless it’s has the proper VW spec for your model.

Absolutely. I have migrated to one oil in particular (5-40 Rotella T6) only because I can use it in everything I own...my Cummins, TDI, YZ250F, and Honda Fury motorcycle (the T6 is wet clutch rated, been running it for years on my 2-wheel beauties). Makes my life easy.
Maintenance; do it right, when it's time, with the correct spec for our vehicles (that goes for all things), and you will have a happy TDI!