2011 Tiguan - Timing Chain / Class Action Lawsuit?

Hey folks....

So, 2011 Tiguan with 101kms, had its timing chain just go and basically destroyed the engine, needing a rebuild and replacing valves/tensioner/gaskets. About a 5-6K job at the dealership. How long should a timing chain / tensioner generally last in a car?

I've been on calls with VW of Canada on just-out-of-warranty car that doesn't have any value with an engine, so trying to hold in any rage as we try and figure it out... any one else had one of these go? I see a class action settled in the US, however, looks like the Canadian dont take heed to the US side.

https://topclassactions.com/lawsuit...rivers-faulty-engine-class-action-settlement/

Same engine as the MK6 GTI I believe. That tensioner is a known problem that has destroyed many GTI engines, but I’ve never heard of VW stepping up and offering assistance. The best bet is probably to source a used engine (with the upgraded tensioner and find an independent shop to put it in.

Strange that a tensioner/timing chain would fail at 101K on the Tiguan, and really no way to have been able to have prevented a full engine rebuild with a car just out of warranty.

Would understand if a car was severely neglected and that would have been the cause into the blowout, however, a car is properly maintained with regular oil changes should last to 100k and beyond you'd think? A shame to spend that much on a vehicle, especially from a company i've been pretty brand loyal, to not stand behind a 5K repair at 100kms.

Seeing the US arm of VW settle with the customers based on the issue, and have the VW Canada side claim "WE DONT KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT SORRY", is a bit frustrating. Have those MK6 owners just bitten the repair, or have any of those defects been dealt with, in regards to VW Canada?

Sorry to hear of your bad luck. Like many here (or were here), people are making choices away from VW once the vehicle is passed off.

The tensioners on those are a weak point. Some fail early, some last a reasonable time.

however, the overall fail rate is higher and earlier than average, and the damage caused totals the engine in most cases.

I've got a 2011 EOS in the family with the same tensioner. 60k km and parts are sitting on the shelf - I'll get it done this summer.

A friend has a Jetta with the same engine at 250k km - original tensioner :-O

Seen it happen, VW is not very helpful when it does. We had a customer with a Tig that lost the tensioner and destroyed valves. 70K on car. I suggested she contact VW customer relations as I knew this was the 5th VW she had bought new in her lifetime so I figured they would treat her well.



They towed the car to the dealership and after two months she got it back. They went back and forth on blame and cost and in the end it cost her nearly what our original estimate had been after VW paid what they would.



Had a CC go down and an A4 too. We are quick to recommend to customers with running cars to have the timing tensioner replaced before this happens. It is not too bad of a job to do if only that is needed. Much like the cost of a fairly expensive timing belt in the old days.



Hopefully the new tensioner is up to the task.

Insufficient Valve Clearance = TimeBomb

Building an engine without appropriate valve clearance is a recipe for disaster when the chain or belt, driving the camshaft, inevitably fails. Every car buff, mechanic and engineer knows this. VW knows it too.

It becomes apparent, based on the design of the 2.0-liter EA888 engine, that VW intentionally engineered its cars that were equipped with this power-plant, to self-destruct at some point down the road.

A Class-Action lawsuit is underway in Canada.
https://www.merchantlaw.com/class.../vw-timing-class-action

A Class-Action lawsuit on this issue was resolved recently in the USA.
https://timingchainlitigation.com/?...1WlUhdyW_wHRUhFv5vy3Aa90RTlPo3lMpYQofBxz9A7wc

Very common. The EA888 engine has all kinds of weak spots. I see about a dozen of these a year with blown up chain drives.

Gotta love a law firm that only goes after big money class actions That's quite the list there....