Service Bay
2012 VW TIGUAN 2.0 TURBODIESEL
Rob Hawkins services the all-wheel-drive diesel-powered Tiguan from Volkswagen.
Volkswagen’s compact all-wheeldrive SUV appears to be ageing well and is still a reliable and affordable workhorse, so it’s worthwhile keeping on top of maintenance, especially because, as we discovered, most of the jobs are very straightforward to complete on a DIY basis. Diagnostic equipment is required to communicate with the electronic park brake (handbrake) and switch the rear brakes to service mode should you want to work on them, and replenishing the oil inside the Haldex unit that’s fitted to the rear differential is quite a squeeze, but the routine servicing and checks are easy to get to grips with.
We visited independent Jaguar specialist, Ken Jenkins, who has a suitable Tiguan that needed servicing, so we volunteered to help. The following steps outline everything we found.
UNDERBONNET CHECKS
It’s not necessary to remove the engine cover for most of the initial steps in this Service Bay, but it does help to be able to look for leaks and detached hoses. The cover is clipped into position, so needs a little leverage to release it.
Spray a light grease inside the bonnetlocking mechanism on the top centre of the slam panel. Lubricate all other locks and hinges for the doors and tailgate.
The battery is in the nearside rear of the engine bay. Push the plastic lid back a little to release it, then lift it off to see the battery and its terminals. Check the battery voltage with a multimeter or use a battery tester.
Look for the fusebox on the nearside of the engine bay, concealed inside a plastic housing with a locked lid. Slide the two plastic latches on the sides of the lid to release it and see the fuses inside. Look for blown fuses, water ingress and corrosion.
If th
