What VW 504 00 and 507 00 are
VW 504 00 and 507 00 are oil approvals issued by Volkswagen Group, used across several of its brands. They identify long-life, low-SAPS oils — meaning oils with reduced sulphated ash, phosphorus, and sulphur — that are designed to support extended service intervals while protecting emissions hardware such as catalytic converters and particulate filters.
The two approvals are aimed at different engine types. VW 504 00 is intended for petrol engines, while VW 507 00 is intended for diesel engines. Because both share a low-SAPS approach, many oils on the market are formulated to carry both approvals at once, which makes a single product suitable across a wide range of Volkswagen Group vehicles.
How they relate to viscosity
An approval like VW 504 00 or 507 00 tells you the performance and chemistry level an oil has been validated to meet, but it does not by itself tell you the viscosity grade. The grade — for example 5W-30 — describes flow behavior and is a separate piece of information.
For your engine, the oil must meet the approval your manual calls for AND the correct grade. Treating the approval as a complete specification on its own can lead to using an unsuitable grade.
What to follow
The owner’s manual is the authority on which Volkswagen Group approval and which viscosity grade your specific vehicle needs. Engine type, model year, and emissions hardware all influence the requirement, so the manual is the source to defer to rather than a general assumption.
If a product lists the right approval and the right grade, it is a strong match — but confirming against the manual is always the safest step.