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My daughters 2014 1.4 Diesel Polo has developed a water pump fault and the VW garage has said to replace the water pump the must first remove the timing belt and as such want to change the timing belt. They’ve said there’s no way to replace the pump without removing timing belt. Total cost nearly £500!!!

Can anyone confirm that this is a must do or can the pump can be replaced with tampering with timing belt?

The pump is driven by the timing belt if I'm not mistaken. So they are indeed correct to remove it. As far as changing it goes, I think it makes sense to replace it after 4 years, since it's already removed, opposed to the 5-year prescribed interval.

iichel, thanks for the quick response. Looks like I’m stuck with the repair then.

I seem to remember that with the Ford Zetec Yamaha engine, if a timing belt was removed it had to be replaced, though in this case, as iichel says, it makes no sense to refit this belt for a year or so.

Rum4mo,

Thanks. Thinks that's it decided them.

I suppose on the plus side I can say not to change the belt at next service and hope to save a bit in the service cost

Also, depending on how long you keep this car, this belt change is a job that was always to need doing while in your ownership, so now one thing less to think/remember about.

I hope that you are right that a VW garage, or other, would prompt/warn you about belt changing when it was needed, I am not so sure about that, the belt change should get recorded in your service booklet.

Go independent garage for it and provide your own genuine vw parts, the belt is about £78 and the pump £32 from TPS.

Willni wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 5:59 pm Go independent garage for it and provide your own genuine vw parts, the belt is about £78 and the pump £32 from TPS.

Thanks Willni - I was getting quotes from independent garages anyway, but this will help

Pete_Oz wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 6:21 pm

Willni wrote: Tue Oct 09, 2018 5:59 pm Go independent garage for it and provide your own genuine vw parts, the belt is about £78 and the pump £32 from TPS.

Thanks Willni - I was getting quotes from independent garages anyway, but this will help

I'm going down on Thursday to get service parts on Thursday, so I'll give you proper prices then.

Just be careful because if you only change the timing belt and not the tensioners etc then any future failure of the timing belt would not be covered under vw warranty.
Always change the timing belt as a kit form , available from vw/tps that way you are covered for any damage to engine as long as the independent is vat registered and you have a vat receipt.

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Thanks all for the replies. Eventually went with replacing pump and belt. Consolation is that next service requires a timing belt change, so won't have to do it as part of the service

Good, so was it a cambelt kit plus a new water pump that you got fitted, as dipstr has said all these other parts need to be replaced along with the belt as it is normally the belt that fails due to age or mileage, but the tensioner or pulleys that fail and cause the belt to fail.

Yes, pump and belt kit fitted.

dipstr wrote:Just be careful because if you only change the timing belt and not the tensioners etc then any future failure of the timing belt would not be covered under vw warranty.
Always change the timing belt as a kit form , available from vw/tps that way you are covered for any damage to engine as long as the independent is vat registered and you have a vat receipt.

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This is a must while your changing the belts it's common sense even for a qualified mechanic! Am surprised they didn't mention this.....

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I have just got my 2014 Polo Blue GT back from the VW main dealer after a service and MOT.
The mileage is only 34,000 but it’s five years old so the dealer said that the cam belt was due to be changed. £494 or £549 if the water pump is done at the same time.
They said that it is easy to change the water pump when the car is stripped down for the cambelt change. So I said to change the water pump.
When I got the car back, I was looking at the list of parts used and noticed that the water pump wasn’t listed. I queried this, and the service assistant went to speak to the mechanic.
He came back and said that on the BlueGT engine, the water pump is on the other side of the engine and is not affected by the cambelt change. Hence no benefit from doing the water pump at the same time.
Has anyone any thoughts on this?
Is the water pump driven by a different belt?