A few notes about the VW Polo IV (2002 – 2009)
Engine Oil
For this particular series of Polo, VW lists several specifications for engine oil which should be covered by Comma Prolife 5W30, Comma Syner-G 5W40 and Comma Diesel PD 5W40.
Most of the engines in this series of Polo have quite small sumps – the Polo 1.2 (2005-2007) for example has a 2.4L. With the normal service interval of around 9.000 miles and the extended service of around 18.500 miles, oil top up between services can be critical. Supplying the customer with a top up pack and reminding them that they should be checking the engine oil regular (see handbook for guidance) might also be prudent here particularly if you have noticed that the oil needed topping up when it was brought in. A quick check before you change might be a good way of reinforcing the importance of top up to the customer. Combined with longer service intervals and the increased use of sensitive components like turbochargers, a smaller sump size makes checking your oil more critical than ever before.
Brake Fluid
VW use one of two specifications for brake fluid for this series of Polo and again you need to identify which product is suitable for the vehicle you are servicing.
Most people don’t think of brake fluid as a service item however, as with many manufacturer’s, VW specify a change interval of 24months for this series of Polo. Brake fluid degrades over time by absorbing water from the atmosphere (even when it is apparently sealed inside the system) which lowers its boiling point. Boiling point is a critical factor in brake fluid performance because of the amount of heat generated during braking. If the boiling point of the fluid is too low then continuous or hard braking may cause the brake fluid to vapourise which in turn can result in a loss of hydraulic pressure within the system (ie your brakes don’t work when you most need them too). The message here is that brake fluid is a safety critical item so check and change when specified – don’t assume that it will just be OK.
Power Steering Fluid
VW use one or two specifications for power steering fluid for this series of Polo and again you need to identify which product is suitable for the vehicle you are servicing.
Coolant
VW use one or two specifications for coolant for this series of Polo which should be covered by Xstream G30 and Xstream G40.
Transmission
For this particular series of Polo, VW use a range of transmissions that includes manual and automatic which results in various specifications. As well as the different fluid requirements, change intervals and capacities will vary depending on the type of transmission so we would advise you to either consult the handbook to ensure that you get the right product for the vehicle you are servicing.
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