Cam Belt Tensioner failures

Chat about your MKV (6N2) Polo GTi
GavPolo
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Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2005 10:49 pm
Location: Falkirk

Hi

Post by GavPolo »

I have just bought a GTi and drove it for about 30 miles when the cam belt tensioner failed, its still under warranty though so its not so bad. Towed by the aa to a local dealership tonight will pop down tomorrow to see whats happening.

1. Symptoms encountered - Rattling from beneath the cam belt cover

2. How/Who diagnosed the problem - Switched the engine off as soon as i heard it, sounded like timing issues.

3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself - Well i guess the tensioners will be damaged :P

4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed - 49790ish

5. Year of car - 2000

6. Cost of replacement - Under warranty... dont know yet.
andyd
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Location: Warwickshire

Post by andyd »

Just had mine done whilst it was in for its annual service. I think this is really bad - my car is hardly high mileage!

1. Symptoms encountered - Occassional belt rubbing/squealing sound from engine.

2. How/Who diagnosed the problem - Diagnosed during my VW Service

3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself - None to myself...only to my wallet.

4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed - 34,000

5. Year of car - 2001 - X reg

6. Cost of replacement - around £300

7. Any other information you want to share on this fault -
phat6n16v
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Location: Pompey

Post by phat6n16v »

Just to let you guys Know that the top cambelt tensoner on the 16v engine is prone to failing on the 1.4 and 1.6 as they are the same set up with two belts a cambelt and a cam drive belt seen this many time with the top tensoner crumbles and throws plastic every were under the covers.
hex_da_rex
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Post by hex_da_rex »

1. Symptoms encountered - How did you notice it
Rattling Noise on drivers side of engine at between 2000-3000rpm.
At idle, no noise. At high speeds, a whining noise...

2. How/Who diagnosed the problem - dealer, yourself
Took the car to local VW specialist, they examined the car and thought there was something loose. On further inspection, found out that two of the cambelt tensioners had lost all the rubber around them.

3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself
Thankfully no damage to myself or the car... Really Lucky!!!!

4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed
37,000 miles

5. Year of car
2000 'W'

6. Cost of replacement
All repair work was performed under 12-month used car warranty. £293 inc VAT.

7. Any other information you want to share on this fault
In the two weeks between the tensioner failing and the car going to the garage, the car remained 'normal' to drive, ie. no faults or malfunctions, except for the whine that started at medium-high revs. The EPC light never came on either. The car had only just had a pedal bx recall done recently...
Timox
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Joined: Sun May 28, 2006 11:36 am

Post by Timox »

To Dangerous Dave
Water pump seems to run of cambelt as dealer says if the axle is loose it should be changed at same time as belt
ccjjGTI
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Joined: Wed Jul 19, 2006 3:39 pm

Post by ccjjGTI »

So does VW fit better tensioners back in or are they the same ones, meaning we will all have this problem again sooner or later?

:oops:
Tigz
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Posts: 766
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2005 9:45 am
Location: South Yorkshire.

Post by Tigz »

1. Symptoms encountered - How did you notice it
Opened the window on the way home from work and heard a tapping sound.
Opened the bonnet and could hear the tensioner rattling about.

2. How/Who diagnosed the problem
As above.

3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself
None that I know of as yet.

4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed
44k miles

5. Year of car
2001 X Reg

6. Cost of replacement
£279 Although once complete I have told the dealer to put it through for a good will gesture, I'll keep you updated.
Edit. Water Pump pully has broke apart also. £60 for this.

7. Any other information you want to share on this fault
The dealer were aware of the fault, although did not admit to it.
I have Elsa and Auto Data I use for work, and although there is no mention of it on Elsawin, Auto Data has a large warning to check the tensioners on every service.

Update. 22nd Sep
Call today from VW to say they don't have a water pump in stck, so I'll be without the car for the weekend.

Update. 25th Sep
Dealer "having problems" so its not finished, as my car is 6 months and 5 years old, no help with the cost fromVWUK, just trying another angle with a claime against the factory hopfully should have an answer tommorrow.
Just hope the car is fixed, they gave me a Beetle!

Update 26th Sep.
Complete.

Been argueing with a (not technical) VW UK for an hour or so all afternoon.
They can not see that even though my car is 5 years 3 months old (past the 5 year cut off good will point) I should receive some help.

5 Years ago when my car was new, the cam belt and tensioner should last 6 years, or 60'000 miles.

One year ago, this was changed to 4 years, 40'000 miles.

She tried telling me this was because its a rubber belt, and because it came into contact with engine oil, and power steering fluid (!!!) it wears.
I explained my belt was not worn, but the plastic tensioner had failed, but she could not understand what I was talking about.

After half hour of going round in circles, she finally passed me through to a customer service manager, who guess what?
She wasn't technically minded either.

"We get our technical information from our dealers"

Great idea that, VW well done.
randy
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Posts: 206
Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2006 12:21 am
Location: Edinburgh

Post by randy »

Just spotted this now!

When getting the new gti engine fitted to my car, my mechanic did a full service and when he when to change the timing belt he found the timing belt had jammed into the belt tensioner. The case was cracked, not fully sure what else he told me but he warned me the engine might be knackered!!!!

Hes ordered a new tensioner kit (not sure if that what he called it) which came with all the pulleys... sorry details are vague as im only going on what he said.

The kit cost £90 and hes going to replace this at weekend and then check engine for damage. Feel a little bit better after reading this as im hoping there isnt any major problems with the engine as a result of this.

Will keep you updated, also happy hes managed to get the kit for £90 as he wont charge much more on top for labour.
dubpolo
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Location: ellesmere port

Post by dubpolo »

mine went at the weekend! 39000.

i was 250miles away from home and stuck in a one way system!
jimmadee
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Posts: 40
Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2004 11:50 pm

Post by jimmadee »

1. Symptoms encountered - How did you notice it
none..

2. How/Who diagnosed the problem - dealer, yourself
VW , Whilst in for (40k) cam belt replacement.

3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself
belt 'warn' , tensioner caseing cracked.

4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed
37,000 miles

5. Year of car
2000 'W'

6. Cost of replacement
TBD!! quote 80 pounds as already working in the area.

7. Any other information you want to share on this fault
the car remained 'normal' to drive, ie. no faults or malfunctions. :wink:
Mouse_GTI
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Post by Mouse_GTI »

After reading a lot of these it probably should be emphasised that your belts should be changed if your belt is over 4 years old AND/OR it has done 40 k miles
MaxZ
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Post by MaxZ »

Just done mine.. So glad I got it taken care with
Sharp GTi
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Post by Sharp GTi »

1. Heard a slight tapping noise from underneath the bonnet while travelling at 70 on the motorway.

2. Stopped at the next services and popped the hood. Sounded like the tappets were knocking. I then removed the upper cambelt cover and noticed the belt was very slack but still in tacked. I then noticed the tensioner had failed.

3. No injuries or damage to the car only the upper tensioner in a thousand pieces.

4. Mileage was around 30,000 miles

5. 2000 `W`

6. Changed the belt myself. Parts bought from local VW dealer not much change from £100.

7. No reduction in performance only the noise.

Other car faults

1. Drivers window lifting mechanism broke (Yet to do - £80 at dealers)
2. Drivers interior door handle worn and eventually gave up.(Replaced)
3. Water pump failure (Replaced)
4. Gearbox failure (Repaired)
5. Clutch cable stiff in operation. (replaced)
6. Wheels shot
7. Glove box handle broken ( Yet to do)
womble68
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Posts: 119
Joined: Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:07 pm
Location: Chester

Post by womble68 »

1. Symptoms encountered - How did you notice it

Tapping noise coming from side of the engine with the Belt on it.

2. How/Who diagnosed the problem - dealer, yourself

My diagnosis, although luckily this only happened last night, and I'd arranged to have the Cambelt and Tensioners, and Water Pump replaced.

3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself

None.

4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed

43K Miles

5. Year of car

7 Years, 6 Months Approx

6. Cost of replacement

Approx £300 Parts and Labour

7. Any other information you want to share on this fault

The Cambelt itself was in good condition with no signs of problem. Idle Tensioner shattered, which would have caused the problem. Obviously it should have been changed earlier but the previous owner hadn't done it, and I'd only got round to doing it. Lucky I'd got it arranged.
madmatt
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Post by madmatt »

Sharp GTi wrote:1. Heard a slight tapping noise from underneath the bonnet while travelling at 70 on the motorway.

2. Stopped at the next services and popped the hood. Sounded like the tappets were knocking. I then removed the upper cambelt cover and noticed the belt was very slack but still in tacked. I then noticed the tensioner had failed.

3. No injuries or damage to the car only the upper tensioner in a thousand pieces.

4. Mileage was around 30,000 miles

5. 2000 `W`

6. Changed the belt myself. Parts bought from local VW dealer not much change from £100.

7. No reduction in performance only the noise.

Other car faults

1. Drivers window lifting mechanism broke (Yet to do - £80 at dealers)
2. Drivers interior door handle worn and eventually gave up.(Replaced)
3. Water pump failure (Replaced)
4. Gearbox failure (Repaired)
5. Clutch cable stiff in operation. (replaced)
6. Wheels shot
7. Glove box handle broken ( Yet to do)
please correct me if am wrong u said that u had water pump failure ??? was this before the tensioner ??? if so why wasent the cambelt and tensioners changed when you had the water pump done ???
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