VW TL 774-F Coolant

For the coolants of the VAG group, i.e. Volkswagen, Skoda, Audi and Seat, manufacturer’s own coolants are recommended in the vehicle manuals, should you have this refilled or even replaced altogether. The VW standards are mainly known by their abbreviated names, such as VW G11, VW G12 or VW G13. Behind these abbreviations, however, are official VW approvals that define the chemical composition of a coolant. VW TL 774-F is one of these approvals. The VW TL 774-F is therefore a G12+ coolant.

In 2000, Volkswagen introduced the G12+ standard and thus replaced the G12 coolant (VW TL 774-D). However, the G12+ coolant has also been replaced by the G12++ (VW TL 774-G) since 2005. The G12+ coolant is therefore an obsolete standard. Since 2018, the VW G12evo (VW TL 774-L) has been the most current standard.

An overview of these releases can be found in the following table:

Shortcut	VW approval	Used since
G11	TL-774 C	1994
G12	TL-774 D	1996
G12+	TL-774 F	2000
G12++	TL-774 G	2005
G13	TL-774 J	2012
G12 evo	TL-774 L	2018

Approval vs. recommendation

If you buy an original VW coolant, you certainly have a guarantee from the manufacturer that it is suitable for your car – as long as your vehicle manual also states that you need a coolant with VW approval. However, many drivers also want to be able to fall back on alternatives. Be it for reasons of availability or price. Here, however, you should pay attention to whether the VW TL 774-F standard is stored as a release or recommendation for the alternative coolants. In the case of approval, the coolant has the proven chemical properties of the VW TL 774-F. In the case of a recommendation, on the other hand, there is no certified proof of this.

VW TL 774-F and the color

A much-discussed topic is the color of a coolant and that this is automatically accompanied by a release. However, it is wrong to say that a red coolant, for example, always corresponds to a G11 or G13 coolant. This is because every coolant manufacturer is free to decide which color to use for its coolant. A good example is the well-known manufacturer Glysantin. The pink Glysantin G30 has VW TL 774-F and Mercedes Benz MB 325.3 approval. Two different approvals, but one color.

Buy VW TL 774-F (G12+) coolant

As seen in the table above, the G12+ standard has already been superseded by the G12++, G13 and G12evo. If you are looking for an original VW coolant with the exclusive VW TL 774-F release, you will not find it. Since Volkswagen only makes the latest G12evo coolant, you will have to buy it. However, to buy a coolant that exactly meets the G12+ standard, you have a choice of high-quality alternatives, such as those from Ravenol, Febi Bilstein or even Glysantin.

Febi Bilstein G12+ 1,5L

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Mannol G12+ 5L (Ready-Mix)

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Ravenol OTC C12+ 5L (Concentrate)

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Latest standard: VW G12evo (VW TL 774-L)

With the latest G12evo coolant, you can fall back on the original VW G12evo. Like its predecessor, the G13, this has a pinkish-pink color and is mixable with older standard, such as the VW TL 774-G. However, in order for the fluids to perform to their full potential, a whole coolant change is recommended. In addition to the original VW product, but also the Glysantin G65 has the latest VW release.

Original VW G12evo 1L (Ready-Mix)

original vw volkswagen g12evo kühlmittel

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Mix concentrate with water

Radiator antifreeze is always available as a concentrate or ready-mix. The latter already contains a proportion of water, so that it can be filled directly into the cooling system. With the concentrate, however, you have to dilute it with water. Here you can orient yourself to a mixing ratio of 1:1. If you increase the proportion of water, the entire liquid can freeze faster at subzero temperatures. When diluting, you should use a distilled water, as it does not lead to lime deposits in the cooling system.