Cam Belt Tensioner failures

[morrismen]

We've all seen there appears to be problems with Cam Belt Tensioners

Some VW Polo GTi owners have reported this causes symptoms such as poor revving, not allowing the car above certain revs, limiting engine revs and also the possibility of engine damage due to the timing be put out adversely due to the cam belt tensioner disintegrating. All of these issues can cause the car to become unstable when driving as well and not fit for purpose when driving.

This is not a general wear-and-tear issue as the cam belt tensioner can fail at any time it appears.

What we need is feedback to present a case to VW to have these replaced by VW free of charge, and to get some redress for people who have had to spend large amounts of time and money on a replacement cam belt tensioner, due to this part becoming faulty.

Information we need:

1. Symptoms encountered - How did you notice it

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

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

4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed

5. Year of car

6. Cost of replacement

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

If we can collect enough information, we may be able persuade VW that this is a major manufacturing fault and that they need to address it and recall the VW Polo GTi cars to have the Cam Belt Tensioners replaced with either new ones or modified updated replacement ones.

[neilw]

1. Symptoms encountered - Ratteling noise from drivers side of the engine, engine vibrating and moving lots on it mounts.

2. How/Who diagnosed the problem - VW Assistance, and VW Dealer

3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself - None luckly.

4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed - 37000

5. Year of car - 2000

6. Cost of replacement - Replaced under warrenty

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

[DMWRIGHT]

1. Symptoms encountered - How did you notice it
Rattle noise, intermitent loss of power
2. How/Who diagnosed the problem - dealer, yourself
Dealer suspected lose heatshield - taken in and diagnosed as cambelt tensioner
3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself
No damage apart from parts replaced
4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed
50 ish
5. Year of car
2000
6. Cost of replacement
Replaced under warranty (extended) quoted just under a thousand if not under warranty
7. Any other information you want to share on this fault

Its a "charaterstic" like the pedal box, VW sort it out[/i]

[poussou]

Well i know this may not be of any use to you in the UK but it just happens i am also suffering from the tensioner problem..

I have been having odd days with loss of power, where the engine just seemed to rev without the expected power...

Upto now i thought it was the change in camshafts, but recently i have began to hear some whistling noise from the engine bay.Upon opening the hood, i could hear the noise was originating from the cam gear cover.The following days the sound turned into a grinding noise, kinda like the one made ny two metal-oiled surfaces scrubbing one another.My dealer said it could be the tensioner, since it is due for replacement at 75000 km.I am now at 65000, and will take the car for a check till the end of the month...

Hope i helped a bit.Will let you know how it goes...

[VR6 South]

1. Rattling from beneath the cam belt cover

2. Returned to independant dealer who diagnosed the problem. Replaced tensioner and belt under warranty

3. No damage

4. Mileage of car - 46k

5. Year of car -2000

6. Cost of replacement - Not known

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

Also experienced:
a) clutch failure/breakdown at relatively low miles??
b) BBS rims - peeling/corrosion
c) Temp guage reading -33 on a mild day!!!
d) Rear wiper with a mind of its own
e) Crank sensor failure

Not bad for a 4 1/2 year old car....................

[Si_GTi]

1. Symptoms encountered - How did you notice it
Noticed a high-pitched whine at speed (approx 70pmh) and pulled over to investigate. Whining noise appeared to be coming from the area around the alternator/fanbelt. Turned engine off and made some phone calls before restarting to return home - no whining sound. Noise returned above approximately 2500rpm and then increased with revs, silent at idle.

2. How/Who diagnosed the problem - dealer, yourself
Took the car to local VW dealer, they examined the car and found no fault. Advised the technician to take the car out for a spin and he came back (driving gingerly!) with the news that the cambelt tensioner had failed and would need replacing.

3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself
Thankfully no damage to myself or the car, save for the damaged toothed belt(s) and failed tensioner.


4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed
Roughly 54,000 miles

5. Year of car
2000 'W'

6. Cost of replacement
All repair work was performed under 12-month used car warranty, no idea on proce but I understand it to be a very expensive fix!

7. Any other information you want to share on this fault
In the two days between the tensioner failing and the car going to the garage, the car remained 'normal' to drive, ie. no faults or malfunctions, save for the whine that started at medium-high revs. The EPC light never came on either.

[vinau_uk]

Hello All,

How do I know if the tensioner is failing? does it have sudden power lost? or just make some funny noise?

[poussou]

Yo vinau....Dude....

Read a little of the above man...

[vinau_uk]

Well I dont know, may be I just worry too much. Is only lately, when I started the car up, I hear this wissing noise, dont notice inside the car, only when I have the windows down or stand outside the car, i hear it. Is that normal? I have only experence lost of power once when I was driving around london for over 3hrs the other week when it was like 20'C outside. That could just well be not enougth cold air feeding in as I can only roll around at 10mph max in traffics.

[andyg]

the noise you hear does it change when u depress the brakes or clutch?

could just be the noise of the fuel pump or something, if ur worried its the tensioer take it to a dealer and as them to check it out.

[Dangerous Dave]

Think thats my cam belt tensioner failed making a fairly loud noise from the cambelt cover, got a feeling this is going to be expensive as its not under warranty anymore although there is a good VAG independent garage near me (Star Performance) that I am going to ask for a qoute. Does anyone know if the GTi has the water pump running off the cambelt as if it is I may aswell change this with the timing belt and tensioner at the same time.

1. Symptoms encountered - How did you notice it
Rattle noise from cambelt cover
2. How/Who diagnosed the problem - dealer, yourself
myself garage still to confirm
3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself
No damage yet, going to tow it to the garage
4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed
55k
5. Year of car
2000
6. Cost of replacement
Will let you know tomorrow !

[Si_GTi]

D'oh! I had the water pump replaced at the same time as the cambelt assembly, I would guess its part of the job?

[Dangerous Dave]

I know a 1.4 Polo has the water pump running off the cambelt so it appears the 1.6 is the same. I may change the timing belt myself depending on what the quote is.

[Dangerous Dave]

Just got the price from the VW dealer (Inch of Bathgate) came in at just over £300 which I think is pretty resonable thats replacing the waterpump, coolant and belts etc

Star came in around the same price so its off to the VW dealer in the morning. Also hoping if VW finally see the light and carry out a recall it will be easier for me to get a refund if I get the work down at a VW dealer. Although I am not too bothered as it was due to be changed in 5k anyway there are still to confirm its the tensioners causing the noise but whatever it is its coming from under the timing belt cover so its a good bet it is.

[ttaw2]

Damn it's been a while...

1. Symptoms encountered -Started as bad running, then engine management light would come on 20 mins into journey, accompanied by nasty misfire at 2.5k , rev limiter dropped to about 3k when engine light came on, finally on final journey the above happened followed shortly by large flames out of the exhaust on misfire

2. How/Who diagnosed the problem - VW specialist

3. Any damage or injury sustained to your car or yourself - Valve issues (still ongoing)...

4. Mileage of car when cam belt tensioner failed - 43k

5. Year of car - x reg (import)

6. Cost of replacement - £1000 not on waranty, included cam belt, new waer pump (see below) VW Main stealer quoted £1750 (wanted £250 to confirm diagnosis.....)

7. Any other information you want to share on this fault - make sure the garage don't break your water pump as it's easy to do and it seems that it's easy to do

Also, if you have some or all of the symptoms above make sure you get it looked at asap, better safe than sorry, and £1k is a lot better than the £6000 VW wanted for a new engine