Volkswagen maintenance schedule

If you suspect you may have some of these issues, or just want us to take a look for your peace of mind, and call us at The Wright Import Cumming Georgia at 770-888-0100 to schedule an appointment!

After years of working on Volkswagen's, we have begun to see common problems and maintenance concerns such as the dreaded "check engine or maintenance light" Whisch usually means some type of emission failure but it can also lead to a host of problems, and these issues need to be addressed on nearly every middle-aged Volkswagen. Most Volkswagens have certain areas that need to be inspected regularly, and prospective owners should always have a pre-purchase inspection done to verify the condition of these items.

In these lists, you will find items that should have been replaced or at least inspected by 75k-100k miles. Some are model specific, and will be noted as such.

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Steering shimmy
Clunk during steering
Car drifts to one side

This is usually a sign of bad tie rod ends. The boots have a tendency to tear resulting in improper lubrication of the tie rod ball joint. This leads to long term tie rod end failure. And you will usually need an alignment after any of of these repairs are made

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Diving under braking and acceleration
Excessive body lean and during cornering
Bouncy and uncomfortable ride

Factory Volkswagen shocks work great for about 30k. By 60k they are completely shot. Most folks who have been driving their cars since new hardly notice the deterioration as it is gradual. Symptoms include:Diving under braking and acceleration, excessive lean and suspension compression during cornering. Bouncy and uncomfortable ride. Shocks and struts may visibly leak shock oil. When replacing shocks and struts, keep in mind it is a great time to install lowering springs or freshen up other areas of the suspension. You will be amazed at the difference a good set of shocks can make in both comfort and performance!

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Oil smell while driving
Oil drips on driveway/garage
Engine runs rough

Prevalent on all Volkswagen's, a burning oil smell could indicate a leaky valve cover gasket. If the condition continues unchecked, oil can seep into the spark plug holes and damage the ignition coils, resulting in costly replacement. Replacement of this inexpensive gasket is a good idea when changing sparkplugs as the coil packs will already be out.

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Coolant smell while driving
Loss of coolant
Excessive temperature gains

Volkswagen coolant reservoirs have a large tendency to leak at the seams. This is a very common problem and a relatively quick fix. However if this goes un-repaired it can result in very costly engine repairs including thermostat, water pump, and even head gasket repairs.

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Trip display on dash loses clarity

Volkswagen trip displays can occasionally lose pixels and LEDs. This may result in the need to replace the gauge panel. However this repair does not cause any major issues and usually goes unnoticed.