VW Tiguan oil type and capacity

A 2018–2021 Volkswagen Tiguan takes 0W-20 oil that meets VW 508 00, 6.0 quarts with the filter. A 2009–2018 1st-generation Tiguan (including the 2018 Tiguan Limited) takes synthetic oil that meets VW 502 00, in 5W-40 or 5W-30, about 4.9 quarts. VW’s schedule calls for an oil change every 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first.

Published November 13, 2026 · Sources · Share

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Tiguan oil type and capacity by year

Find your model year. For 2018 there are two cars: the new, longer Tiguan (0W-20, VW 508 00) and the older Tiguan Limited (VW 502 00). Quarts are with a new filter, from Volkswagen’s service data.

Volkswagen Tiguan oil type and capacity by year
YearEngineOilOil specCapacityOil change
20262.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)Check your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first7
20252.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)Check your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first7
20242.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), FWDCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20242.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), 4Motion AWDCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20232.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), FWDCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20232.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), 4Motion AWDCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20222.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), FWDCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20222.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), 4Motion AWDCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualCheck your owner’s manualevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20212.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), FWD0W-2014VW 508 006 qt (5.7 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20212.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), 4Motion AWD0W-2014VW 508 006 qt (5.7 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20202.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), FWD0W-2013VW 508 006 qt (5.7 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20202.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), 4Motion AWD0W-2013VW 508 006 qt (5.7 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20192.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), FWD0W-2013VW 508 006 qt (5.7 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20192.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), 4Motion AWD0W-2013VW 508 006 qt (5.7 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20182.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), FWD0W-2013VW 508 006 qt (5.7 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20182.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), 4Motion AWD0W-2013VW 508 006 qt (5.7 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first5
20182.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI), Tiguan Limited5W-40 or 5W-3012VW 502 004.9 qt (4.6 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first1
20172.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)5W-40 or 5W-3011VW 502 004.9 qt (4.6 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first1
20162.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)5W-40, 5W-30 or 0W-4010VW 502 004.9 qt (4.6 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first1
20152.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)5W-40, 5W-30 or 0W-4010VW 502 004.9 qt (4.6 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first1
20142.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)5W-40, 5W-30 or 0W-409VW 502 004.9 qt (4.6 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first1
20132.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)5W-40, 5W-30 or 0W-409VW 502 004.9 qt (4.6 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first1
20122.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)5W-40, 5W-30 or 0W-409VW 502 004.9 qt (4.6 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first1
20112.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)5W-40, 5W-30 or 0W-408VW 502 004.9 qt (4.6 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first1
20102.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)5W-40, 5W-30 or 0W-408VW 502 004.9 qt (4.6 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first1
20092.0L turbo 4-cylinder (TSI)5W-40, 5W-30 or 0W-408VW 502 004.9 qt (4.6 L) with filterevery 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first1

VW lists the 1st-generation capacity as 4.6 to 4.7 liters, which is about 4.9 US quarts. Fill a little short, check the dipstick, and top up.

What VW 502 00 and VW 508 00 mean

Volkswagen tests and approves oils against its own standards, and the number on the bottle matters more than the brand:

  • VW 502 00 is an approval for gasoline engines, used with grades like 5W-40 and 5W-30. VW lists 5W-40, 5W-30, or 0W-40 for the 2009–2016 Tiguan, and 5W-40 or 5W-30 for 2017–2018.
  • VW 508 00 is a separate approval for low-viscosity oil; for the Tiguan it comes as 0W-20. It is not the same as an ordinary 0W-20: look for “VW 508 00” printed on the label.

Use the approval your engine lists: the two are not interchangeable. If the bottle does not show the VW number, it has not been approved for your Tiguan.

Newer Tiguans: read the label

We could not find a public VW source for the 2022–2026 Tiguan oil, so those cells are blank. Newer Volkswagen owner’s manuals, such as the Jetta’s, point to an oil label in the engine compartment that names the spec. Check it, or ask a VW service department, before buying oil.

How often to change Tiguan oil

Every 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first, on VW’s schedule. The Tiguan’s service interval display shows when the next one is due. Hard use, such as towing or dusty roads, can call for earlier changes; VW’s schedule lists the conditions. General guidance: how often to change oil, and if the display already shows a service, when your next oil change is due.

Check the level between changes

A turbo engine can use some oil between changes. VW has published service procedures for measuring oil consumption, so it is worth checking the dipstick every few fill-ups and noting what you add. Use oil with the same VW number to top up.

FAQ

What oil does a VW Tiguan take?

0W-20 meeting VW 508 00 for 2018–2021 models, and synthetic oil meeting VW 502 00 (5W-40 or 5W-30) for 2009–2018 1st-generation models. For 2022 and newer, check the oil label under the hood.

How much oil does a Tiguan hold?

About 6.0 quarts with the filter for 2018–2021 models, and about 4.9 quarts (4.6–4.7 liters) for 2009–2018 1st-generation models.

Can I use any 0W-20 in a 2018–2021 Tiguan?

No. It must meet VW 508 00, printed on the bottle. A generic 0W-20 without that approval is not what VW specifies.

How often does a Tiguan need an oil change?

Every 10,000 miles or 1 year, whichever comes first, on VW’s schedule. Check your owner’s manual for severe-use conditions.

Sources

  1. 2012 VW Service: Volkswagen of America maintenance schedule (covers Tiguan 5N) (checked November 12, 2026)
  2. 2009 VW Service: Volkswagen of America USA maintenance schedule (checked November 12, 2026)
  3. 2018 VW Service: Volkswagen of America maintenance schedule (checked November 12, 2026)
  4. 2019 VW Maintenance Schedule, all models except e-Golf (Volkswagen of America, filed with NHTSA) (checked November 12, 2026)
  5. 2024 VW Service: Volkswagen of America maintenance schedule (checked November 12, 2026)
  6. 2025 VW Service: Volkswagen of America maintenance schedule (Tiguan RM1) (checked November 12, 2026)
  7. 2026 VW Service: Volkswagen of America maintenance schedule (Tiguan RM1) (checked November 12, 2026)
  8. 2009–2011 Tiguan Service Express sheet, oil and filters (Volkswagen of America, filed with NHTSA) (checked November 12, 2026)
  9. 2012–2014 Tiguan Service Express sheet, oil and filters (Volkswagen of America, filed with NHTSA) (checked November 12, 2026)
  10. 2015 Tiguan Service Express sheet, oil and filters (Volkswagen of America, filed with NHTSA) (checked November 12, 2026)
  11. 2017 Tiguan Service Express sheet, oil and filters (Volkswagen of America, filed with NHTSA) (checked November 12, 2026)
  12. 2018 Tiguan Limited Service Express sheet, oil and filters (Volkswagen of America, filed with NHTSA) (checked November 12, 2026)
  13. 2020 Tiguan Service Express sheet, oil and filters (Volkswagen of America, filed with NHTSA) (checked November 12, 2026)
  14. 2021 Tiguan Service Express sheet, oil and filters, revised 6/22/2021 (Volkswagen of America, filed with NHTSA) (checked November 12, 2026)
  15. 2014 Volkswagen Tiguan Technical Specifications (media.vw.com, archived copy) (checked November 12, 2026)
  16. 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan Specifications (media.vw.com, archived copy) (checked November 12, 2026)
  17. 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan Technical Specifications (media.vw.com, archived copy) (checked November 12, 2026)
  18. 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan Technical Specifications (VW US media site, archived copy) (checked November 12, 2026)
  19. 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan Technical Specifications (media.vw.com, archived copy) (checked November 12, 2026)
  20. 2024 Volkswagen Tiguan press kit (media.vw.com, archived copy) (checked November 12, 2026)
  21. Trailer Towing Quick Tip: Atlas, Touareg and Tiguan, version 1.0, 06/2017 (Volkswagen of America, filed with NHTSA) (checked November 12, 2026)
  22. 2018 Volkswagen Tiguan press kit (media.vw.com, archived copy) (checked November 12, 2026)
  23. 2021 Volkswagen Tiguan press kit (media.vw.com, archived copy) (checked November 12, 2026)
  24. 2026 Volkswagen Tiguan model page, vw.com (checked November 12, 2026)
  25. Owner’s Manual Correction: Maximum Permissible Trailer Weights, certain 2015–2016 Tiguan (Volkswagen of America owner letter, filed with NHTSA) (checked November 12, 2026)