Volkswagen Tiguan Owners Manual: Checking engine coolant level and topping off

Fig. 164 Coolant expansion tank in the engine compartment.

Fig. 165 Coolant expansion tank cap in the engine compartment.

If the coolant level drops too low, the engine coolant level/temperature warning light lights up.

Preparations

• Park the vehicle on level ground.

• Always let the engine cool down ⇒ .

• Open the engine hood ⇒ .

• There is a symbol on the cap of the engine coolant expansion tank ⇒ Fig. 165 .

Checking engine coolant level

• When the engine is cold, check the engine coolant level relative to the marking on the side of the expansion tank ⇒ Fig. 164 .

• If the coolant level in the tank is below the minimum mark (min), add coolant. When the engine is warm, the engine coolant level may be slightly above the upper edge of the marked range.

Adding engine coolant

• Always protect face, hands and arms from hot escaping coolant or steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.

• Carefully unscrew the cap ⇒ .

• Add only new engine coolant according to Volkswagen specifications (⇒ Engine coolant specifications ) ⇒ .

• The engine coolant level must be inside the marks on the side of the reservoir ⇒ Fig. 164 . Do not fill above the top edge of the filling range!⇒ 

• Screw the lid tightly.

• Even in an emergency, do not use any other kind of coolant additive if engine coolant meeting Volkswagen specifications (⇒ Engine coolant specifications ) is unavailable! Instead, add distilled water only⇒ . As soon as possible, have the correct coolant ratio restored using engine coolant that meets Volkswagen specifications ⇒ Engine coolant specifications .

Warning

• Never open the hood if you see steam or coolant escaping from the engine compartment. Always wait until you no longer see or hear steam or coolant escaping from the engine.

• Always let the engine cool down completely before carefully opening the hood. Hot components will burn skin on contact.

• When the engine has cooled down and you are ready to open the hood:
  • Firmly apply the electronic parking brake and shift the transmission into Park  (P) (automatic) or Neutral (manual only).
  • Take the vehicle key out of the ignition.
  • On vehicles with Keyless Access, make sure that the remote control vehicle key is out of range of the vehicle and that the vehicle cannot be started by depressing the starter button⇒ Starting and stopping the engine .
  • Always keep children and others away from the engine compartment and never leave them unsupervised.

• The engine coolant system is under pressure when the engine is hot. Never unscrew the coolant expansion tank cap when the engine is hot. Hot coolant can spray out and cause severe burns and other serious injuries.
  • Turn the cap slowly and very carefully in a counterclockwise direction while applying light downward pressure on the top of the cap.
  • Always protect your face, hands, and arms from hot escaping coolant or steam by covering the cap with a large, thick rag.

• Never spill fluids on the engine or exhaust system when refilling. Spilling fluids onto hot parts of the engine or exhaust system can cause a fire. Under some conditions, the ethylene glycol in engine coolant can catch fire.

Note

• Use distilled water only when adding coolant! All other types of water contain chemical compounds that can cause extensive corrosion damage to the engine. This can even lead to engine failure. If you have added non-distilled water, take the vehicle immediately to an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility to have the coolant system drained, flushed, and refilled completely with the proper coolant.

• Refill engine coolant only up to the top edge of the marked fill range ⇒ Fig. 164 . Excess engine coolant may forced out of the engine cooling system when it gets hot and cause damage.

• In the case of significant engine coolant loss, refill engine coolant only when the engine is completely cooled down. Significant engine coolant loss is a sign of leaks in the cooling system. Have the engine cooling system checked immediately by an authorized Volkswagen dealer or an authorized Volkswagen Service Facility. Otherwise the engine may be damaged!

• When changing or topping off operating fluids, make sure that you pour the fluids into the correct reservoirs. Serious malfunctions and engine damage can result if you pour operating fluids into the wrong reservoir.