1989 Volkswagen Jetta Oil Type & Capacity
The 1989 Volkswagen Jetta oil type depends on the engine: the Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 A, Automatic takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 A, Standard takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 B, Automatic takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 B, Standard takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the Base, 4D Sedan, 1.6 G takes 10W-30 (4.8 quarts with filter); the Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 A, Automatic takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 A, Standard takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 B, Automatic takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 B, Standard takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the Carat, Automatic takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the Carat, Standard takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the GL, Automatic takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the GL, Standard takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter); the GLI takes 5W-20 (4.3 quarts with filter), per the factory service manual.
Factory-spec answer
It depends on the engine:
- Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 A, Automatic: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 A, Standard: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 B, Automatic: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 B, Standard: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- Base, 4D Sedan, 1.6 G: 10W-30, 4.8 quarts with filter
- Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 A, Automatic: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 A, Standard: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 B, Automatic: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 B, Standard: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- Carat, Automatic: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- Carat, Standard: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- GL, Automatic: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- GL, Standard: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
- GLI: 5W-20, 4.3 quarts with filter
Oil capacity by engine
| Engine | Oil Type (viscosity) | Capacity w/ Filter | Capacity w/o Filter | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 A, Automatic — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 A, Standard — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 B, Automatic — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 B, Standard — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| Base, 4D Sedan, 1.6 G — 1.6L Eng | SAE 10W-30 or 10W-40 (60Deg.F and Below), 15W-40 or 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.80 QTS. | 4.30 QTS. | — |
| Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 A, Automatic — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 A, Standard — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 B, Automatic — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 B, Standard — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| Carat, Automatic — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| Carat, Standard — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| GL, Automatic — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| GL, Standard — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
| GLI — 1.8L Eng | SAE 5W-20 or 5W-30 (20Deg.F to -20Deg.F), 10W-30 or 10W-40 (0Deg.F to 60Deg.F), 15W-40, 15W-50 (10Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F), 20W-40 or 20W-50 (20Deg.F to Above 90Deg.F) | 4.30 QTS. | 3.70 QTS. | — |
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More specs & repair guides for your Jetta
1989 Volkswagen Jetta factory service manualAll fluid capacities (transmission, coolant, brakes)Powered by factory manual data from our partner site AllOEMManuals.com.
Coolant capacity
1.7 quarts (6.43 L) — 50/50 mixture of Ethylene Glycol Base Antifreeze and water
Frequently asked questions
What type of oil does a 1989 Volkswagen Jetta take?
It depends on the engine: Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 A, Automatic uses 5W-20; Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 A, Standard uses 5W-20; Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 B, Automatic uses 5W-20; Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 B, Standard uses 5W-20; Base, 4D Sedan, 1.6 G uses 10W-30; Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 A, Automatic uses 5W-20; Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 A, Standard uses 5W-20; Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 B, Automatic uses 5W-20; Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 B, Standard uses 5W-20; Carat, Automatic uses 5W-20; Carat, Standard uses 5W-20; GL, Automatic uses 5W-20; GL, Standard uses 5W-20; GLI uses 5W-20.
How much oil does a 1989 Volkswagen Jetta take?
Capacity depends on the engine: Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 A, Automatic holds 4.3 quarts with filter; Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 A, Standard holds 4.3 quarts with filter; Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 B, Automatic holds 4.3 quarts with filter; Base, 2D Sedan, 1.8 B, Standard holds 4.3 quarts with filter; Base, 4D Sedan, 1.6 G holds 4.8 quarts with filter; Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 A, Automatic holds 4.3 quarts with filter; Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 A, Standard holds 4.3 quarts with filter; Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 B, Automatic holds 4.3 quarts with filter; Base, 4D Sedan, 1.8 B, Standard holds 4.3 quarts with filter; Carat, Automatic holds 4.3 quarts with filter; Carat, Standard holds 4.3 quarts with filter; GL, Automatic holds 4.3 quarts with filter; GL, Standard holds 4.3 quarts with filter; GLI holds 4.3 quarts with filter.
Can I use synthetic oil in my 1989 Volkswagen Jetta?
Yes. 5W-20 is widely available as a full synthetic, and synthetic is safe (often recommended) for the 1989 Volkswagen Jetta. What matters most is matching the factory viscosity and specification, then changing the oil and filter on schedule.