How to Check the Oil in Your Volkswagen

Before you begin checking the oil in your Volkswagen Tiguan, Atlas, or Jetta, it’s important to understand how to do it properly and safely. That’s why the team here at Community Volkswagen of Santa Maria is happy to walk you through the necessary steps. Once you’ve read through this guide, feel free to contact us with any questions you might have!
Preparation
To start off, ensure that your car’s engine is turned off. It’s also critical to let your vehicle cool down if you’ve recently been driving around Santa Maria. This will help prevent any injury and give you the most accurate reading. Another key factor is parking your car on level ground, which ensures a proper reading of your oil level. Once all that is done, go ahead and open the hood using the release latch located underneath the front edge. Find the oil dipstick, which is typically easy to locate due to its bright yellow or red handle.
Observing Oil Level
The dipstick is what you’ll use to assess the oil level in your engine. It’s a slender metal rod designed to give a quick view of your oil status. Pull the dipstick out of its tube and wipe it clean with a cloth or paper towel. At the end of the dipstick, you’ll notice two marks. The higher one indicates that the liquid level is full, while the lower one suggests that it’s about a quart low. Sometimes these are marked with words like “Safe” for full and “Add” for low. After wiping it clean, push the dipstick back into the tube completely, then pull it out again to get a proper reading. If the dipstick comes out dry with no fluid visible, it's a sign that your engine is likely overdue for an oil refill or replacement at our Service Department.
Final Steps
At this point, you can top off the oil yourself if you’re comfortable doing so. Just make sure you check the level again with the dipstick afterward. Alternatively, you can schedule a visit with our Service Department, where our skilled technicians can handle it for you. It’s a good habit to jot down the last time you checked the oil and to note whether the fluid appeared dirty or clean. Also, consider whether your Volkswagen is a newer or older model, since that can determine which type of oil is most suitable. Feel free to give us a call so our knowledgeable staff can help you out!