How to Check Fluids 2011-18 Volkswagen Jetta
Created on: 2017-09-18
How to check, drain, flush, and refill your engine fluids on 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 Volkswagen Jetta.
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step 1 :Checking the Coolant
- Wait for the engine to cool
- Twist the coolant reservoir cap off counterclockwise
- Check the coolant for a pink color
- Check the coolant level reaches atleast the MIN line, using a flashlight if necessary
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step 2 :Checking the Washer Fluid
- Pull off the washer fluid reservoir cap
- Fill the reservoir with washer fluid
- Snap on the washer fluid reservoir cap
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step 3 :Checking the Oil
- Pull out the oil dipstick
- Clean off the oil dipstick
- Insert the oil dipstick
- Pull out the oil dipstick
- Check that the oil level is between the low and full marks
- Insert the oil dipstick
- Pry off the engine cover
- Twist the oil fill cap off counterclockwise, to add oil
- Add oil as necessary
- Twist the oil cap on clockwise
- Align the rubber grommets with the posts and press on the engine cover
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step 4 :Checking the Brake Fluid
- Twist the brake fluid reservoir cap off counterclockwise
- Check the brake fluid level, using a flashlight if necessary
- Check that the brake fluid is between the minimum and maximum lines
- Check that the brake fluid is clear or an almost yellow color
- If the brake fluid is murky or dark, drain and refill it
- Twist the brake fluid reservoir cap on clockwise
Tools needed
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Windshield Washer Fluid
Brake Fluid
Anti-Freeze
Engine Oil
Hi, I’m Mike from 1A Auto. We’ve been selling auto parts for over 30 years!
In the driver's door, on the lower left hand side, we can see the hood release latch. Just pull that to initially release the hood. And the secondary release is straight above the emblem, you can feel a little lever right here, pull up, and then pull up on the hood.
The prop rod is right above the radiator, right in this location here, to hold the hood up. Here you can find your engine coolant reservoir. On this particular Volkswagen this is also pressurized, so it's important to do this while the engine is cool or slightly warm so it doesn't blow up out of there, because there is no radiator cap underneath the cowl. So you take your hands, just unscrew this to inspect your fluid. Fluid should be a light pinkish color, this is G12 coolant. If you see any contaminants, or it's darker or brown, you might want to consider a flush or other issues being inspected. You should hear a nice click when it's all the way down. Your level would be on the bottom here, you can see the minimum line, when it's cool it should be fairly low.
The washer fluid can be found here. You would fill here. We usually fill this to capacity. The reservoir is down underneath behind the headlight and it is hard to see the current level of it. Most cars will have a low light indicator on the dash where you can add a whole gallon or close to a whole gallon into these reservoirs.
To check the oil, the dipstick can be found here. You want to release, completely clean off the entire dipstick, fully reinstall the dipstick back into the engine, pull it out, and you should see your level on this stick right here. This is a quart, the textured section in the middle would indicate one quart. Anything below that line, you would want to add a full quart and then recheck your level. Reinsert your dipstick.
To fill the oil once you are changing your oil or checking it, the cap can be located here, just a simple twist and it comes right off. You can pour your oil in there. It's good to note when you're changing oil on these cars, sometimes it is best to remove this cover, which just requires some force upward, to avoid spillage and to get a better shot at the cap with your oil quart to pour in there, it would be good to take this cover off. To reinstall this cover, you can see that there's rubber grommets here, here and here, and they just go back onto these posts on top of the valve cover, and you just apply it and put a little bit of force downward and they should clip right into place.
The brake fluid reservoir can be found behind the intake, right here, which is also your low level sensor. To remove the cap, just grab the bottom, twist off, and here you'll see your fluid. It's best to take a light and either place it on top of the reservoir or shine it in to see the level. The level can best be seen in front on the side to get how much you have. Here you can see the minimum fluid line, that's where you would fill the fluid to when checking your fluid.
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