Difficulty
Moderate
Steps
21
Time Required
1 hour
Sections
1
- Oil & Filter
- 21 steps
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Back2011-2018 VW Jetta
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What you need
Step 1
Prepare Car Jack
- Ensure car jack is ready by rotating handle clockwise completely
- Locate metal beam under car used for jacking
- Position car jack platform under metal beam
Ensure car jack is ready by rotating handle clockwise completely
Locate metal beam under car used for jacking
Position car jack platform under metal beam
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Step 2
Raise up passenger side of car
- Pump car jack handle to raise up car
- Raise up car stand 4 notches
- Place car stand underneath wheel metal beam
Pump car jack handle to raise up car
Raise up car stand 4 notches
Place car stand underneath wheel metal beam
Step 3
Lower car onto car stand
- Lower car onto the stands by rotating the jack handle counter-clockwise (very gently)
- Depending on your model of jack, the jack may lower rapidly or slowly. Do your best to lower the car gently
- Repeat steps 1-3 on driver side of car
- At this point, both sides should be raised off the ground
- Place clean cardboard underneath the car
Lower car onto the stands by rotating the jack handle counter-clockwise (very gently)
Depending on your model of jack, the jack may lower rapidly or slowly. Do your best to lower the car gently
Repeat steps 1-3 on driver side of car
At this point, both sides should be raised off the ground
Place clean cardboard underneath the car
Step 4
Prepare to drain the oil
- Locate the oil container underneath the car (this will require crawling under the car and laying on your back
- Locate the bolt used to drain the oil
- Position the oil drip pan underneath the bolt
Locate the oil container underneath the car (this will require crawling under the car and laying on your back
Locate the bolt used to drain the oil
Position the oil drip pan underneath the bolt
Step 5
Drain the oil
- Loosen the bolt by turning the 5/16 allen wrench counter-clockwise
- It may take a significant amount of force to loosen the bolt
- Once loose, remove the bolt by hand
- Once the bolt is removed, oil will immediately flow out
- Make sure the oil drip pan is positioned well
- Once the bolt is removed, you will get a significant amount of oil on your hand
- Don’t drop the bolt into the oil pan. It will be slippery!
- Wait ~10 minutes for all the oil to drain out
Loosen the bolt by turning the 5/16 allen wrench counter-clockwise
It may take a significant amount of force to loosen the bolt
Once loose, remove the bolt by hand
Once the bolt is removed, oil will immediately flow out
Make sure the oil drip pan is positioned well
Once the bolt is removed, you will get a significant amount of oil on your hand
Don’t drop the bolt into the oil pan. It will be slippery!
Wait ~10 minutes for all the oil to drain out
Step 6
Replace oil bolt
- Clean up the drainage hole with paper towel
- You may need to use a paper towel to wipe up any beading oil
- Insert the bolt, turning clockwise
- Tighten the bolt with the 5/16 allen wrench until the wrench won’t turn any further. This is plenty tight.
Clean up the drainage hole with paper towel
You may need to use a paper towel to wipe up any beading oil
Insert the bolt, turning clockwise
Tighten the bolt with the 5/16 allen wrench until the wrench won’t turn any further. This is plenty tight.
Step 7
Prepare to remove oil filter
- Position drip pan underneath the plastic cover as shown in picture
- Open the hood of the car
- Locate the oil filter
- The oil filter is near the front of the car
- The oil filter looks like a cylinder
Position drip pan underneath the plastic cover as shown in picture
Open the hood of the car
Locate the oil filter
The oil filter is near the front of the car
The oil filter looks like a cylinder
Step 8
Remove the old oil filter
- Loosen the oil filter by hand
- It may take a significant amount of force to loosen the oil filer
- A filter wrench can be used to help loosen the filter
- Turn the filter clockwise to loosen (from the perspective of the user) - see video if you’re confused
- Remove oil filter
- Once you remove the filter, some remaining oil will spill out, onto your hand, and into your well placed oil drip pan
- The filter may be very slippery, don’t drop it!
Loosen the oil filter by hand
It may take a significant amount of force to loosen the oil filer
A filter wrench can be used to help loosen the filter
Turn the filter clockwise to loosen (from the perspective of the user) - see video if you’re confused
Remove oil filter
Once you remove the filter, some remaining oil will spill out, onto your hand, and into your well placed oil drip pan
The filter may be very slippery, don’t drop it!
Step 9
Drain the Oil Filter
- Place old oil filter upside down on the knob in the oil drip pan
Place old oil filter upside down on the knob in the oil drip pan
Step 10
Install new oil filter
- Get new oil filter
- Install oil filter
- Turn the oil filter counter clockwise to install (as appears to the user)
- Tighten by hand until both hands can’t get it any tighter - This is plenty tight
Get new oil filter
Install oil filter
Turn the oil filter counter clockwise to install (as appears to the user)
Tighten by hand until both hands can’t get it any tighter - This is plenty tight
Step 11
Clean up any spilled oil pt. 1
- Wipe up the oil that spilled out when you replaced the filter
- This spilled oil is normal
- Use plenty of paper towel
Wipe up the oil that spilled out when you replaced the filter
This spilled oil is normal
Use plenty of paper towel
Step 12
Clean up any spilled oil pt. 2
- Wipe up any oil that spilled below the filter
Wipe up any oil that spilled below the filter
Step 13
Prepare to put in new oil
- Locate the oil cap
- Remove the oil cap
- Place funnel into oil cavity
Locate the oil cap
Remove the oil cap
Place funnel into oil cavity
Step 14
Pour in new oil
- Pour in new oil
- Engine oil is sold in 5 litre containers. VW engines only require ~4 litres. Only pour in 4/5 of the oil!
Pour in new oil
Engine oil is sold in 5 litre containers. VW engines only require ~4 litres. Only pour in 4/5 of the oil!
Step 15
Clean Oil Dipstick
- Remove oil dipstick
- Clean oil dipstick with paper towel
- Insert oil dipstick all the way
- Remove oil dipstick
Remove oil dipstick
Clean oil dipstick with paper towel
Insert oil dipstick all the way
Step 16
Check Oil Level
- Check Oil Level
- If oil is too low, add more
- Oil is full when the level is just below the bend in the metal of the dipstick
Check Oil Level
If oil is too low, add more
Oil is full when the level is just below the bend in the metal of the dipstick
Step 17
Put away old oil filter
- Empty any remaining oil in the filter into the oil drip pan
- Turn the oil filter upside down and place into the box of the filter that was just installed into the car
- Mark the filter box as “old”
- Return the filter to a mechanic shop for recycling
Empty any remaining oil in the filter into the oil drip pan
Turn the oil filter upside down and place into the box of the filter that was just installed into the car
Mark the filter box as “old”
Return the filter to a mechanic shop for recycling
Step 18
Remove the car stands
- Prepare car jack by turning the handle clockwise all the way
- Pump the car jack and position the jack underneath the metal beam
- Continue pumping the jack, raising the car off the car stands
- Remove the car stand
Prepare car jack by turning the handle clockwise all the way
Pump the car jack and position the jack underneath the metal beam
Continue pumping the jack, raising the car off the car stands
Remove the car stand
Step 19
Lower car onto the ground
- Lower the individual car side onto the ground by turning the handle of the car jack counter-clockwise
- Rotate clockwise as gently as possible
- Repeat step 18 and 19 for the other side of the car
Lower the individual car side onto the ground by turning the handle of the car jack counter-clockwise
Rotate clockwise as gently as possible
Repeat step 18 and 19 for the other side of the car
Step 20
Turn on car
- Turn on car
- Leave car running for 5 minutes to let oil circulate
- After 5 minutes, check oil level using the dipstick
- If oil level has dropped, add more oil - this is normal,
Turn on car
Leave car running for 5 minutes to let oil circulate
After 5 minutes, check oil level using the dipstick
If oil level has dropped, add more oil - this is normal,
Step 21
Pour dirty oil into empty container
- Place funnel into oil container
- If there is left-over clean oil, you can pour the clean oil into a second container of clean oil - this avoids waste
- If you don’t care about the remaining 1/5 of clean oil, just mix the dirty oil with the clean oil
- Pour the old oil into the recently-emptied oil container
- Be careful not to spill any oil on the ground
- Mark the oil container as “old” and return to a mechanic shop for recycling
Place funnel into oil container
If there is left-over clean oil, you can pour the clean oil into a second container of clean oil - this avoids waste
If you don’t care about the remaining 1/5 of clean oil, just mix the dirty oil with the clean oil
Pour the old oil into the recently-emptied oil container
Be careful not to spill any oil on the ground
Mark the oil container as “old” and return to a mechanic shop for recycling
Drive off into the sunset
Enjoy a cool beverage (but not while driving off into the sunset)
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Benjamin Gee
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11 Guides authored
Cristian Giner - Dec 11, 2022
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Excellent guide, very well explained.
