Free repair guides for Volkswagen vehicles including Golf, Polo, Caddy, Tiguan and Transporter - written by a professional UK mechanic. VW's common rail TDI diesels are some of the most widely used engines in the UK, and most models share components across the range - experience on a Golf translates well to a Tiguan or Transporter. From EGR valve replacement on the T5 to electric parking brake procedures on the Golf MK7, these guides cover the VW jobs that catch owners out.
Under-dash access, slide-off cover. No tools needed on most versions. Quick 5-minute job.
Standard VW Group sliding-pin caliper setup with 7mm Allen key pins. Covers disc cleaning, pad fitting and the near-side wear sensor.
Slide tabs inward, pull cover down, swap filter. No tools, under 5 minutes. Same concept across many VAG group cars.
Aeroplane-like droning noise from the rear. Diagnosis of which side is faulty and complete bolt-on bearing unit replacement.
Rear brake pad replacement on VW MQB models with electronic parking brake. Requires EPB reset tool.
Cabin / pollen filter replacement on the VW Tiguan MK2. No tools required, takes 10 minutes.
Multiple EGR sensor fault codes returning after clearing. Full removal, bench clean and EGR adaptation reset.
Guides cover brake disc and pad replacement on the Golf MK6, pollen filter replacement on the Polo, Caddy and Tiguan, rear brake service with electric handbrake wind-back procedure on the Golf and Tiguan, rear wheel bearing replacement on the Polo, EGR valve replacement on the T5/T6 Transporter, and rear brake pads and discs on the Tiguan. The electric handbrake guide is one of the most searched VW DIY topics - the caliper piston must be wound back rather than pushed, and the correct tool makes the job simple.
On the petrol side, the engine code matters more than the badge. The early 1.2 and 1.4 TSI engines (EA111, roughly 2008–2014) use a timing chain with a tensioner that is a known weak point - a rattle on cold start needs investigating immediately, because a jumped chain destroys the engine. The later EA211 versions of the same engines switched to a conventional dry cambelt, which is far less dramatic but still needs changing on schedule. If you are unsure which unit you have, check the engine code before assuming anything. All TSI engines want the correct VW 504.00/507.00 oil and annual changes - and the plastic water pumps across the range age out at around 80,000 to 100,000 miles, so budget for one with the cambelt.
The TDI diesels are long-lived workhorses with the usual modern-diesel caveats: EGR valves and DPFs clog on short-journey work - the T5/T6 Transporter EGR guide above covers the worst-case version of that job - and strict oil changes protect the turbo. Cars with the DSG automatic need a fluid and filter service roughly every 38,000 miles; skipped DSG services are the single most common cause of jerky shifts and expensive mechatronic failures on used VWs, so ask for proof when buying.
At MOT time, the recurring UK advisories on Golfs, Polos and Tiguans are front lower arm bushes, anti-roll bar drop links and corroded, lipped brake discs on low-mileage cars. One cheap autumn job worth adding to your routine: clear the leaves from the plenum drains under the windscreen scuttle, because blocked drains let rainwater pool and leak onto control modules under the carpet - a £0 job that prevents a four-figure electrical fault. Parts support is as good as it gets: the OE suppliers (Bosch, INA, LuK, Lemförder, Sachs) sell the production-line parts through every UK motor factor, and the same components fit across VW, Škoda, SEAT and Audi equivalents.