Author Topic: Timing Chain tensioner Failure List (timing issue)- Please Update with Your Info  (Read 362426 times)

Offline Chris B

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Hello. Just bought a 2012 GTi and looking through I am horrified about this potential failure. FVWSH. I checked my handbook and all it says is change chain every 120,000 miles. After reading this, I rang my local VW dealer and they checked the chassis no on their database and nothing has popped up. What would be next advice?

I have noticed that when it is at temperature, it sounds like the tappits have gone but I had a few cars where the tappits have sounded loud once started and warm. Anyone else got this on theirs? Or could this be an indication that the chain tensioner/chain is starting to go?
« Last Edit: 07 June 2016, 23:43 by Chris B »

Offline chor808

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If you're replacing the tensioner you may as well replace the chain, most of the work would already be done in just the tensioner, and then it would be longer before it needs attention and you also have increased peace of mind.

Is there a good place to buy the parts from to replace the whole lot. I expect I just need to engine number?

Offline SunnyGTI

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Hello. Just bought a 2012 GTi and looking through I am horrified about this potential failure. FVWSH. I checked my handbook and all it says is change chain every 120,000 miles. After reading this, I rang my local VW dealer and they checked the chassis no on their database and nothing has popped up. What would be next advice?

I have noticed that when it is at temperature, it sounds like the tappits have gone but I had a few cars where the tappits have sounded loud once started and warm. Anyone else got this on theirs? Or could this be an indication that the chain tensioner/chain is starting to go?

There are YouTube videos for the noise when the chain tensioner is about to go

But the gti engine is also quite noisy anyways (a ticking noise) due to the injectors

Offline Chris B

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Cheers for the reply. I've trolled through all 58 pages of this trying to find out more info about this. I don't mean to bore people even more I'm just trying to put my mind at ease.

From what I read it is more noticeable I a cold start once the pressure is out the system. Do you hear the sound on a warm engine or just cold? If that is the case ours sounds like what a lot of other people are saying it should sound like (ie like a normal quiet engine)

Does anyone have a video of their engine when warm just on tick so I can compare. All the videos I see are of people with the problems or a quick how it should sound sat in the car and not near the engine bay

Offline SunnyGTI

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Chris- just to check you have the 2012 GTI? The tensioners were redesigned slightly as only the earlier ones were prone to failure. So given you have 2012 model you should already have the new tensioner fitted from factory!

Regarding engine noise, if you are able to record a video of your car and put up on here then maybe people can comment to see if it sounds normal or not

Offline Chris B

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I say 2012 as in it said on advert. 2012 golf GTi on a 61 plate so it be Jan to march registered then won't it so before the revised ones were fitted

Offline BlinGTIes

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Chris, I went through exactly the same thing. Bought my 2011 (61 plate) GTI in Jan then read all the horror stories with the tensioner. I was bricking it even to a point I was afraid to start the blooming car.

Having gone through these pages it looks like the ones that have had problems are 2009/2010 cars, not seen a 2011 model have a failure yet, I think we should have at least had the revised tensioner fitted but I know other revisions have been issued since.

In the end I decided that I'm just going to enjoy the car, I bought from a VW dealer and came with a year's warranty so I'll worry about it later. I've taken the car in for the machines to fix other little issues twice and when I asked them about the tensioner one was unaware of the problem and the other said he'd only seen one need fixing in all this time.  Doesn't mean it's not going to ever happen but I guess what I'm saying is try to enjoy the car because it's a lovely car.

Offline SunnyGTI

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Maybe see how much a VW warranty is (if you don't have one already). There is a phone number on the VW extended warranty site and at least that way you are covered for other things that could go wrong

Offline o`Neil

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What`s the cost replace the timing chain tensioner and is is worth replacing any other items at the same time?

Offline mikegti77

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For those of you with 2009 / 10 GTI's and who have not yet changed your tensioners...

I was at my local VW indie last week having a minor service carried out, another mk6 GTI was in there, 10 plate with around 65k on clock... failed tensioner, bent valves etc.  Also, a 2009 Audi A4 2.0 TFSI (same EA888 engine) in for exactly the same failure, this time requiring a complete engine replacement such the damage.

Sadly as time goes by and mileages increase, more 09 / 10 2.0 TSI tensioners will fail. I am still yet to see any real evidence of 2011 onwards GTI's having wide spread tensioner failures, some good news I guess. 

If you plan on keeping your car for any length of time, IMO budget to replace the timing chain as well, read my experience on page 56 of this thread of not chaging the chain as well.

Pays your money, takes your chance...
« Last Edit: 11 August 2016, 12:18 by mikegti77 »
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