Volkswagen Problems

There are a couple of issues with changing wheels sizes, but it’s a question a lot of people ask. That’s because the trend towards larger-diameter, super-low profile tyres doesn’t make sense for a lot of owners. Complaints include poor ride quality, expensive tyre replacement costs and the punctures you’re experiencing.

Even though the 50-series tyres on your car are not what most would call super-low profile, they don’t feature the same depth of sidewall as a `taller’ high-profile tyre. At that point, the sidewall has to be more rigid and there’s less flex in it. Which, in turn, makes the sidewall sometimes more susceptible to copping a stray rock or even a kerbside gutter and not being able to flex to prevent damage to the rubber itself. So, in some cases, going to a smaller wheel but a tyre with a higher profile (deeper sidewall) can be a good move.

What will limit this will be the brakes on your Tiguan. Fundamentally, you need to have a wheel rim with a large enough inside diameter that it clears the brake calipers. If the wheel diameter is smaller than the brake package, you physically won’t be able to fit the new wheel-tyre combination. There are also the issues of ground clearance and speedometer calibration, both of which can be compromised with a different wheel-tyre package and, therefore, a different rolling diameter. The trick is to use, say, an 18-inch wheel and match that with an 18-inch tyre that has a deeper sidewall that gets you back to the original tyres’ rolling diameter. That will retain your speedo accuracy and your ground clearance and should also give you a tyre that’s less prone to sidewall damage and cheaper to replace if the unthinkable does happen again.

A good tyres shop should be able to help you with the necessary measurements and sizing.

All Australian-delivered, fuel-injected Volkswagens built after 1986 can run successfully on E10 petrol. Most E10 petrol in Australia has an octane rating of 94RON, and that’s the lowest you’d want to go. Back in the day, VW said the Jetta was better off with 95RON ULP and was not able to use the standard 91RON stuff that many cars could/can use.

Firstly, check that it's the coolant overflow bottle you're referring to and not the windscreen washer bottle; it sounds basic, but they can look similar from above.

If there is a milky looking fluid and it is in the radiator overflow bottle, then you potentially have a head gasket problem on your hands. The first thing to do is take the car to a workshop which can confirm or rule out the gasket drama, and take it from there. Most workshops will probably conduct what's called a TK test which checks the radiator's coolant for traces of the chemicals that are created during the engine's combustion process. In a normal engine, these chemicals can't reach the coolant, but if the head gasket has failed, the combustion and cooling systems can intermingle. When this happens, a murky, milky coolant is often the result.

The recent cold, wet weather across much of Australia has meant that many car owners are suddenly finding milky deposits under their engines' oil filler caps, too. This is also a classic symptom of a blown head gasket, but it can also be simple a build up of condensation in the engine thanks to the prevailing weather conditions. This is especially true if the vehicle is used only for short trips. A decent run at highway speeds will often be enough to get the engine hot enough to evaporate these harmless deposits.

But don't assume that this is the case, as a car that really does have a failed head gasket can easily overheat in such conditions and that can lead to complete engine failure. Have the car checked by a professional and you'll know how to proceed.

The Gross Vehicle Mass (GVM) of your vehicle is 2890kg. That is, the total mass of the vehicle and its payload (including passengers) must not exceed this figure. The Gross Combination Mass (GCM) is the absolute weight limit for the vehicle, it’s payload and whatever it’s towing.

A modern automatic transmission is an incredibly complex piece of equipment and failure to select gears can be anything from low fluid level to broken clutches or bands, right through to a problem with the valve body.

A trip to a transmission specialist will probably be worth the investment, if only to rule out the cheap fixes from the potentially expensive ones. As you’ve already discovered, changing random parts in the hope that the problem will disappear is a fast way to empty your wallet and still have a faulty car.

The first thing to do, however, is to check the fluid level in the transmission. This is often overlooked, but can produce the symptoms you’re seeing.

The trade recommends a fully synthetic oil for either the diesel or petrol engines of the Golf Mk 7. The correct grade and specification is 5W30 which will give you maximum engine protection and performance.

The other engine-oil recommendation for this car is to not skimp on checking the oil level with the dipstick. These engines – in particular the 2.0-litre petrol unit – are designed to sip a little oil between changes, so don't be caught out with too little oil in the sump as that can cause catastrophic damage to the engine. The engine does this because it's a low-friction design, but the small amount of oil you'll use will be more than offset by the fuel savings engines designs like this can deliver.

Make it a habit to check the oil level every Saturday morning; it's a simple thing to do and something that we all once had to do in the old days when most engines burned a little oil.

Rather than concentrate on a particular brand, the best advice is to find a vehicle with a full service history and signs that it has lived an easy life. Too often, commercial vehicles like vans are bought by their first owner and used and abused. They’re nearly always purchased with a job in mind, and that job can often wreck them or at least shorten their lives.

Sometimes, the down-time associated with proper servicing means that maintenance is skipped, other times the sheer weight of the cargo being carried puts a lot of strain on mechanical components. A van that has been used by, say, a pool chemical company might have been exposed to highly corrosive chemicals every day of its life and could be hiding lots of rust. Even a florist’s van might have every nook and cranny filled with potting mix, waiting to become damp and start the rusting process.

Another good idea is to buy a van that has already been converted to a camper. This conversion is not an inexpensive process, so letting the previous owner spend the money is a terrific concept. Keep an eye on the classifieds for a van that has done a tour of duty with a grey nomad or van-lifer, and is now up for sale as the owner moves on to something new.

There’s no real trick on how to change oil on a VW Golf, but the procedure is critical, as getting it wrong can ruin the engine. The best advice is to obtain a workshop manual for the exact model Golf, and use that as a step-by-step guide to what is a great DIY home maintenance task.

Fundamentally, though, the first thing to do is determine how often to change oil, otherwise known as the correct oil change interval. For most of us, this will be based on the distance travelled since the last oil change service. Late model Golfs have a 12-month or 15,000km (whichever comes first) service interval.

From there, it’s a case of using the correct size spanner or socket (not an adjustable wrench) to undo the drain plug at the bottom of the engine and drain out the old oil. Replacement of the oil filter is next, followed by refilling the engine with the correct VW Golf oil type. Since much of this work happens from below the car, a torch or auxiliary light is a handy thing to have, as are drain pans and clean rags to mop up spills. Don’t forget that disposing of the old oil and filter environmentally is part of the deal.

The correct Volkswagen Golf engine oil will depend on whether your car is a petrol or diesel and whether it’s turbocharged or not. The exact specifications of the oil you need should be listed in your car’s owner’s manual. Broadly speaking, most Golfs, whether petrol or diesel, from the last few years require a fully synthetic 5W30 oil to operate properly. Depending on model, the Golf has an oil capacity of between four and five litres, so a five-litre pack will give you a little left over for top ups.

If you’re not confident with tackling this job, then a trip to a local mechanic or service centre is your best option. But if you’re prepared to have a go, then this is a great home maintenance project for the first timer. Having a mechanically-minded friend guide you through the process the first time is another good idea.

The upgrade to your navigation system can be done at a Volkswagen dealership and would be part of the work carried out at your next service (assuming you use a VW workshop). What most people tend to find, however, is that the Tiguan’s Apple CarPlay facility allows you to use the navigation services on your phone which, based on consumer feedback, are more accurate anyway since they’re updated in real time.

You’re right, there’s a lot of commonality between the various engines from Skoda, VW and Audi. There are many examples of engines from these brands that all use the same basic bottom-end (crankshaft and pistons) architecture. And yes, in some cases, the main differentiator is the turbo-boost pressure.

But that doesn’t mean that’s the only difference; differing boost levels require different engine management, so the electronic control of the various engines can be very different. There can also be hardware differences such as the actual turbocharger unit and fuel injectors. That’s why it’s not quite as simple as raising boost pressure to arrive at a higher output. Revising engine management to do this requires somebody who really knows what they’re doing. Even then, a moderately powered version of an engine might not have the oil-cooling or strengthened internals of what appears to be the same engine with a higher output.

The VW-Audi group is not the only manufacturer to take this approach, of course, and many other car-makers use the same strategy of producing a variety of different engine tunes from the one basic unit. It’s a great way of differentiating models within a range and, of course, saving money in terms of research and development.