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Autopapyrus · Volkswagen Polo
https://autopapyrus.com/guides/volkswagen/polo/wheel-replacement/
Compiled automatically from service literature and owner experience. Specs are for the typical configuration — check them against your exact car before you start.

Volkswagen Polo: Wheel Replacement

The wheel on a VW Polo can be replaced using the factory tool kit. The wheel bolt torque is 120 N·m (89 lb-ft) for both steel and alloy wheels. The procedure is the same for all Polo generations since 2010.

Difficulty: Easy Time: 15-20 minutes Steps: 9 Tools: lug wrench (from the factory tool kit), jack, torque wrench, wheel chocks

Part

  • 🔩 Not required (for a seasonal wheel swap). If needed: wheel bolts (length depends on wheel type, steel or alloy)
There's a full repair manual for this car Every system, wiring diagrams and torque specs — not just this job. Haynes and 15 more. See manuals →

Step by step

9 steps
  1. Park the car on a level, hard surface, set the parking brake, and select first gear (P on an automatic). Place wheel chocks under the wheels on the opposite axle.
  2. Loosen the wheel bolts about one turn with the lug wrench. Do NOT remove them completely while the car is on the ground.
  3. Position the jack at the designated jacking point (the reinforced point on the sill, marked with a triangular mark on the plastic cover). Raise the car until the wheel is 2-3 cm off the ground.
  4. Fully remove the wheel bolts while supporting the wheel with your other hand. Remove the wheel.
  5. Place the new wheel on the hub, aligning the holes. Thread all the bolts in by hand in a crisscross pattern (first the top one, then the bottom one, then the side ones).
  6. Snug the bolts with the lug wrench in a crisscross pattern. This is a preliminary tightening only, NOT the final torque, since the car is still on the jack.
  7. Lower the car to the ground and remove the jack.
  8. Do the final tightening with a torque wrench in a crisscross pattern to 120 N·m (89 lb-ft). Sequence: start with any bolt, then the one diagonally opposite, then the remaining two, also crisscross.
  9. After 50-100 km of driving, re-check the torque with a torque wrench.

Common mistakes and warnings

  • Never lubricate the threads of the bolts or the hub with oil or grease. This can cause the bolts to loosen on their own while driving, even if the torque is correct. The threads must be clean and dry. Do not use an impact wrench for final tightening. Use only a manual torque wrench.