Owners of other VW Group vehicles such as the Beetle, CC, Tiguan, Golf, Touareg, Jetta, GTI, SportWagen, Eos, Rabbit, Bora, Vento, Lavida, Coccinelle, Maggiolino, Fusca, Audi A3, A4, S4, A6, S6, A7, A8, Q5, Q7, A5, S5, and TT may also find these DIY instructions to be helpful.

The OEM spark plugs in this 2015 Passat TSI are Genuine VW / Audi part number 06K-905-601-D or 06K905601D.

A few other compatible replacement spark plugs with their part numbers are as follows: Autolite 3923, Autolite AP3923DP2 Autolite XP5325 and Champion KC8WYPB4 (9805).

The tools needed to complete this procedure include a deep well 10mm socket, a flathead screwdriver, a 5/8" spark plug socket, a 6" extension bar, a 3/8" drive ratchet and a tube of dielectric grease.

Set the plastic engine cover aside in a safe place.

Loosen the nuts on the top of each ignition coil or "coil pack" by turning them counterclockwise with a 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet.

Lift the ground cable metal loop connector off the top of each ignition coil bolt.

Use a pair of pliers to squeeze together the metal tabs on the hose clamp to release the air intake tube attached to the engine air filter box.

Pull the air intake hose off the air box and move it back towards the rear of the engine bay.

Push the release tabs on the four electrical connectors for the spark plug ignition coils which are attached to a bracket.

Push the electrical connector bracket back towards the rear of the engine bay.

I recommend only checking or changing one spark plug at a time to prevent the risk of having debris fall down in to the spark plug well or in to the cylinder.

Remove the ignition coil bolt by turning it counterclockwise with a 10mm socket and a 1/4" drive ratchet.

Set the ignition coil bolt aside in a safe place.

Rotate the ignition coil back and forth a few times to make sure that the rubber boot at the bottom of the ignition coil is not stuck or "frozen" to the top of the old spark plug.

Lift the ignition coil straight out of the spark plug well and set it aside in a safe place.

I like to wrap some painter's tape or masking tape around the spark plug socket and the extension bar to prevent from having it get stuck down in the spark plug well.

Gently loosen the old spark plug by rotating it counterclockwise.

Try to avoid using excessive force to loosen the old spark plug to prevent from cracking the ceramic portion of the plug.

If you have trouble loosening the old spark plug, spray a small amount of penetrating oil such as PB Blaster, Liquid Wrench or Kano Kroil and wait at least 15-30 minutes before attempting to loosen it again. If you don't have any penetrating oil, try spraying some WD-40 or warm up the engine for about 10-15 minutes to help expand the metal engine block.

Once the old spark plug is loose, detach the ratcheting wrench from the extension bar and spin it out the rest of the way by hand.

Inspect the old spark plug.

If the electrode end of the old spark plug looks ashy white, the plugs might have been exposed to high temperatures such as overheating or they might be the incorrect heat range for your driving conditions or local climate.

On the other hand, if the old spark plug is dark grey or covered in black soot, the engine may be burning oil and should be examined by a professional mechanic.

An optional step is to apply some anti-seize lubricant grease to the threads on the new spark plug. Most spark plug manufacturers recommend that you should not use anti-seize since it can lead to over tightening.

I chose to use the OEM VW # 06K905601D spark plugs.

Push the new spark plug in to the 5/8" socket attached to the extension bar.

Your spark plug socket should have a rubber insert or a magnet to hold it securely in place.

Spin the new spark plug by hand in the clockwise direction until it makes contact with the cylinder head. Spinning it in by hand will help prevent from having the spark plug become cross threaded.

Attach the 3/8" drive ratcheting wrench to the 6" extension bar and continue tightening the new spark plug in the clockwise direction.

If you are re-installing the old spark plug, tighten it to a small fraction of a turn past hand tight.

If you are installing a brand new spark plug, tighten it to just past the point when you feel the new crush washer collapse.

Do not over tighten the spark plug to prevent from cracking the ceramic body or stripping the aluminum threads.

If you used anti-seize grease lubricant, be very careful to not over tighten the spark plug.

Double check that the new spark plug is tight before moving on to the next steps.

The dielectric grease will keep out any debris or moisture to ensure a reliable electrical connection.

Lower in the ignition coil and rotate it a few times back and forth to help distribute the dielectric grease.

Line up the hole in the ignition coil with its corresponding hole on the top of the engine.

Re-insert the 10mm ignition coil bolt and spin it in a few turns in the clockwise direction by hand to prevent it from becoming cross threaded.

Tighten the bolt with a 10mm wrench to just past hand tight. Try to avoid over tightening the bolt to prevent from cracking the plastic ignition coil housing.

Replace the four 10mm nuts and tighten them in the clockwise direction.

Line up the four rubber friction fasteners on the underside of the plastic engine cover with the four pegs on the top of the engine and push it back in to place.

Start the engine and listen for any strange sounds that may indicate an issue such as a faulty ignition coil, a disconnected power plug or a loose spark plug.

For more, check out all of my Volkswagen Passat DIY Repair & Maintenance Guides.