# VW Tiguan 2009 Changing Haldex,Differential,Manual Transmission and Engine Fluids



## motozi (May 18, 2012)

Hi, I'm new to the forum. I've got a lot of help from the writings of this forum. So, I guess it's my turn now. My Tiguan is 2009 125kw Diesel 6SP manual transmission. I have 120k kilometers ~74k miles on my Tig. 

*Changing Haldex,Differential,Manual Transmission and Engine Fluids:*

You will need at least the following:

10/5mm hex key (front & rear differential/Haldex and manual trasmission fluid plugs)

4mm hex key (Haldex filter IV only)

32mm Socket/Ratchet (Engine oil filter change)

T20 Torx Bit and Driver (You need to remove that black plastic plastic cover under the car oil pan to see manual transmission fill plug. If I remember correctly you can use 20-tox bits.)

commet:
ALWAYS remove the fill plug before you remove the drain plug.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fluids.







[/url]
Fluids_Engine_Differential_Haldex_ManualTransmission by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Rear Haldex & Rear Differential 







[/url]
Rear_Haldex_Differential by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Rear Haldex & Rear Differential. Close up picture







[/url]
1_2_Rear_Haldex_Differential by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Rear Differential Fluid flows. Close up picture.







[/url]
1_5_Back_DifferentialFluid by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Rear Haldex Filter. Filter was stuck. I did not get it out. 







[/url]
1_3_Rear_HaldexFilter by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Rear Differential Fluid







[/url]
1_4_Rear_DifferentialFluid by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Front Differential & Engine Oil.







[/url]
2_1_Front_Differential_EngineOil by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Front Differential. Close up picture.







[/url]
2_2_Front_Differential by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Front Differential oil flows. Close up picture.







[/url]
2_3_Front_Differential by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Front Differential Oil.







[/url]
2_4_Front_DifferentialOil by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Front Manual Transmission.You need to remove that black plastic plastic cover under the car (Oil pan) to see manual transmission fill plug. If I remember correctly you can use 20-tox bits.







[/url]
2_5_Front_ManualTransmission by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Front Manual Transmission oil flows.







[/url]
2_6_Front_ManualTransmission by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Front Manual Transmission oil.







[/url]
2_7_Front_ManualTransmissionOil by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]

Front Engine Oil Filter.







[/url]
2_7_Front_EngineOilFilter by testipenkki, on Flickr[/IMG]


----------



## Lordboost (Dec 31, 2005)

WOW! Excellent first post! :thumbup:

Welcome to the forum


----------



## liquidvw (Mar 20, 2003)

agree. good first post. One comment. ALWAYS remove the fill plug before you remove the drain plug. :thumbup:


----------



## shawng (Jul 28, 2007)

Well done, thanks!


----------



## chicoze (Jan 9, 2010)

Thanks for the images.

I noticed that you did not post a picture of "Haldex Fluid Flowing". Was it too bad? Is it the first Haldex Fluid change (120K Km)? Did you give up changing the filter?


----------



## motozi (May 18, 2012)

chicoze said:


> Thanks for the images.
> 
> I noticed that you did not post a picture of "Haldex Fluid Flowing". Was it too bad? Is it the first Haldex Fluid change (120K Km)? Did you give up changing the filter?


We had a little rush when we changed the oil. For this reason, I forgot to photograph every oil change. Haldex oil had been changed once 60k km but they we still quite messy and black. I did not have a new filter. I think Neuspeed kit is too expensive. I would have cleaned the filter but I did not get it out of the slot.


----------



## Apexxx (Nov 10, 2011)

USA Edge 5w-30 worked great in my Tig. I had a Caterpillar UOA done.

A note on the MTL, new VW MTL is VERY thin, thinner than an ATF at 6cSt! 

As much as I like thin fluids, I actually went up in visc to about 10cSt with a blend of Redline MTL. Redline now offers a midweight MTL 85 or so. I went up in visc due to my extra power from APR, plus thicker fluid makes it a lil quieter and smoother. 

Bottom line, 75w-90 in the man trans is a mistake. Carry on.


----------



## motozi (May 18, 2012)

Apexxx said:


> USA Edge 5w-30 worked great in my Tig. I had a Caterpillar UOA done.
> 
> A note on the MTL, new VW MTL is VERY thin, thinner than an ATF at 6cSt!
> 
> ...


I live Northern Europe and in the winter outside temperature is up to -35 degrees. So at least here I would not recommend thicker oil in manual trasmission. In cold weather I have to use Webasto auxiliary heater and Defa engine heater to warm up engine cooling water.


----------



## VR6Now (Dec 31, 2000)

motozi said:


> I live Northern Europe and in the winter outside temperature is up to -35 degrees. So at least here I would not recommend thicker oil in manual trasmission. In cold weather I have to use Webasto auxiliary heater and Defa engine heater to warm up engine cooling water.


Smart choice and thanks for the pictures.


----------



## Dietmar (Sep 3, 2006)

Thanks for this post... I am about to change the haldex oil... plus filter...

Haldex oil I already have but I do have trouble as others to locate the filter as VW does not have a part number in their system. The only way I found would be to purchase the NEUSPEED kit which sucks $90 out of your wallet; which is quite expensive as I just need a paper filter for not even $1 production cost.

Does anybody have the filter part number; maybe a VOLVO part number ?


How do you feel about changing the transmission fluids ? Many people told me not to change the transmission fluid at all just check the level and add if needed ? 

Thanks, Dietmar


----------



## BrutalDictator (Jun 28, 2012)

Changing the ATF and MTF is essential. 

I'm looking at Pennzoil Syncromesh for my next MT fluid. It's pretty thin, but -35f is supercold. Some guys in Canada use Mobil 1 ATF for MTF in supercold, I can see the logic.

I have this graph I can share. M1 ATF should be somewhere below Syncromesh...


----------



## BrutalDictator (Jun 28, 2012)

Ok, I generated a new graph with M1 ATF at a bit lower temp. It is literally a hair thinner than Syncromesh across the board. That gives you an idea of how nice and thin Syncromesh is in cold, and how advanced of a product it is.











I couldn't include the two oils in this graph because it'd skew the range up.


----------



## andrew_p (Feb 27, 2013)

*Thanks and Question*



motozi said:


> Hi, I'm new to the forum. I've got a lot of help from the writings of this forum. So, I guess it's my turn now. My Tiguan is 2009 125kw Diesel 6SP manual transmission. I have 120k kilometers ~74k miles on my Tig.
> 
> Thanks Motozi - a comprehensive guide which will help no end!!! A quick question, did you change the Haldex coupling drain plug at oil change or did you reuse the old one?
> 
> ...


----------



## fintanlalorlad (Jan 24, 2016)

*Haldex/rear diff refilling*

I just wanted to add to this already great thread about how to best refill the two oils. There is a special tool for about $100, but I went instead to Lowe's and bought a $7 plant sprayer and about 2 ft of vinyl hose for about .70 cents. I heated the end of the hose and pushed it over the nipple of the sprayer. I filled the sprayer, pumped it up, and voila! Took about 3 minutes to fill up each reservoir. So for about $15 all together (I bought two, one for the Haldex oil and 1 for the diff oil) I had awesome refilling tool.


----------



## TIGSEL (Dec 22, 2011)

fintanlalorlad said:


> I just wanted to add to this already great thread about how to best refill the two oils. There is a special tool for about $100, but I went instead to Lowe's and bought a $7 plant sprayer and about 2 ft of vinyl hose for about .70 cents. I heated the end of the hose and pushed it over the nipple of the sprayer. I filled the sprayer, pumped it up, and voila! Took about 3 minutes to fill up each reservoir. So for about $15 all together (I bought two, one for the Haldex oil and 1 for the diff oil) I had awesome refilling tool.


or you can buy this: http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d...0_-1_-1&keyword=fluid+pump&pt=N0410&ppt=C0139


----------



## TIGSEL (Dec 22, 2011)

Just finished replacing both differential fluids, Haldex fluid/filter and transmission fluid. Everything went smooth including the Haldex filter change. The trick to remove the filter is to remove the metal cover, start the engine, a few seconds later the white plastic plug will be pushed out by the inside pressure and you can easily remove it with pliers or trim removal tool. Yes it's that easy, no more screwing in 2x4's to remove it :laugh::thumbup: The haldex and diff fluids did not look bad at all, tranny fluid was dark-ish red which meant it needed replacement, magnets were covered in some goo but not bad alt all. I used Aisin OEM fluid and it took a little over 4qts. For diffs I used Liqui Moly (1qt for each axle) and original VW fluid for haldex (it took around 750ml). Over all I am very pleased with how everything worked out, thanks to this forum and to my Russian connection. :thumbup::wave::heart:


----------



## SAITCHO (Jun 29, 2009)

Is there a risk to have the plastic plug completely come out and oil splashing everywhere?


----------



## TIGSEL (Dec 22, 2011)

SAITCHO said:


> Is there a risk to have the plastic plug completely come out and oil splashing everywhere?


Not at all. The plug does not pop out like a champagne cork, it gets gently pushed out about half the way and the oil starts seeping from around it. At that point shut off the engine and simply pull it out with the help of plastic trim removal tool. It was super easy, thanks to our Russian comrades who came up with this ingenious idea to use pressure from within to push it out. You can also use VCDS to turn on haldex pump to create pressure but I think turning the car on/off is simpler.

Here is the video that I found a while back, it shows you how it's done. Mine however came out faster and easier:


----------



## SAITCHO (Jun 29, 2009)

Thanks for the info.


----------



## Arctra (Jun 4, 2009)

Dude, you are a LEGEND for posting this up. Thank you VERY much! :thumbup:


----------



## mobilemaddness (Mar 3, 2018)

*OIL*

Great write up. I have a 2010-59 plate tigger, 2.0tdi 170 4motion. Is this the same procedure? Also what gen is it? seeing different things regarding different gens but nothing to distinguish which is which. And finally thanks for putting which oils needed but can you confirm how much is needed for each job, Many thanks


----------



## wil.brown.7359 (Aug 17, 2015)

Would anyone happen to know if and when the haldex in the Tiguan moved to a filterless design? I have a 2014 and I can't seem to find the housing for filter. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## BsickPassat (May 10, 2010)

wil.brown.7359 said:


> Would anyone happen to know if and when the haldex in the Tiguan moved to a filterless design? I have a 2014 and I can't seem to find the housing for filter.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


Gen4 haldex has a filter. 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk


----------

