2015 Sportwagen Timing Belt Failure

[vdubtc]

First time poster.

2015 TDI Sportwagen lost power at ~40 mph, glow plug lights flashed prior to engine shutting down and unable to restart / turnover. Had the vehicle towed to the dealership and was told engine was catastrophically damaged as the timing belt broke off. 127k miles on the vehicle and planned to replace timing belt at 130k, looks like a pretty expensive mistake to not do it earlier. Vehicle is paid off so I don't have to worry about that.

Quotes from the dealership for a used CRUA with 88k miles around 11k for engine replacement installed and out the door.
Replacement engine (brand new) 17k with labor and fees out the door.

I really enjoy this car and have done all the maintenance up to this point and was planning to keep it for another 5 years or so.

Looking for input or if anyone has any recommendations. Looking to see if I can source an engine myself and have a local shop do the job or if the time / effort required for such a job is worth it. Only downside is if I invest in the replacement, that the emissions equipment will eventually cause follow on repairs and at that point im in over my head on the vehicle in terms of sunken costs.

Standing by for any questions or input if anyone is able to offer advice. Located in Jacksonville, Florida and unfortunately do not have the time to do the swap/repair myself due to work and family obligations.

 

[oilhammer]

Here is the part number:

04L-100-033-D

That is for a NEW long block, if one is available. The list I show for that is less than $5400, which seems too cheap to be true. Say 16hr to R&R, plus fluids, etc. I could certainly do it for a lot less, but I'm nowhere near you.

Edit:

No reman CRUAs, all new (I figured that).

Current list price is $5884.15, and the Volkswagen warehouse in Jacksonville has one on the shelf.

So if they are quoting you $17k out the door for a new one installed, I really hope they are at least giving you a reach-around while they have you bent over. I'd probably be able to do that same job for less than $10k.

 

[ticaf]

You might get away with replacing camshaft housing. Search this forum, timing belt failure happened already ( dealer fault though...)

 

[tristan81491]

Yikes. Did you have any other issues that may have contributed to the failure or do you think it can just be chalked up to the age of the belt? I am wondering as my parents have a 2015 Passat TDI with 80K or so on the original belt.

 

[ticaf]

I'd bet it's a tensioner failure or maybe a water pump failure.
Personally I would do a timing belt kit at 10years regardless of mileage.

 

[vdubtc]

I'd bet it's a tensioner failure or maybe a water pump failure.
Personally I would do a timing belt kit at 10years regardless of mileage.

Vehicle was a stop sale so in service date was May of 2017 so figured I’d have a few more miles to make it to 130k. Great recommendation. Will be taking the vehicle to independent mechanic for a more thorough assessment. Turns out dealership didn’t even do a tear down to look at it and just removed the upper toothed belt cover, saw broken belt and stopped there.

 

[Bob S.]

Scott Krout
tintspecialistwest@att.net
(904) 772-6700
major or minor repairs
Jax, FL

 

[turbodieseldyke]

Turns out dealership didn’t even do a tear down to look at it and just removed the upper toothed belt cover, saw broken belt and stopped there.

What else is there to know? Engine is wrecked. Any warranty remaining?

 

[whizznbyu]

If you find that everyone is more expensive than Oilhammer, consider flatbedding your car to him, have the parts drop shipped to him, fly one way and drive it back. You'd still come out ahead. With the peace of mind that it was done correctly. And your drive back would be a good break in procedure. (No affiliation to Oilhammer)

 

[franklinstower]

Damn it. This is concerning too me too. I also have a stop sale with an in service date May 2017. I just turned 90,000 miles this week. I was going to ask about the belt replacement at 10 years rather than mileage. But just looked up my maintenance schedule and it is specifically a mileage interval in the manual...Have you tried VWOA about this since you were still technically under mileage for the timing belt service? If a tensioner or water pump failed, might you have a chance at this being a warranty claim?

 

[MB2VW]

Link to that PN for $4,894.14

vw.oempartsonline.com

New long block, that almost sounds reasonable...

 

[Nuje]

Well, if I ever need a complete engine, rest assured I will be looking there and NOT from VW here in Canada.

04L100092N - Engine Long Block - Genuine Volkswagen Part

Genuine Volkswagen Part # 04L100092N (04L-100-092-N, 04L100033D, 04L100033DX) - Engine Long Block. Fits A3, Golf, Jetta, Passat, SportWagen

www.vwpartsandservice.ca

**!!SIXTEEN THOUSAND DOLLARS!!**

 

[tdidieselbobny]

Damn it. This is concerning too me too. I also have a stop sale with an in service date May 2017. I just turned 90,000 miles this week. I was going to ask about the belt replacement at 10 years rather than mileage. But just looked up my maintenance schedule and it is specifically a mileage interval in the manual...Have you tried VWOA about this since you were still technically under mileage for the timing belt service? If a tensioner or water pump failed, might you have a chance at this being a warranty claim?

Guess I better get mine done when I get the '03 back, I'm at 143k and also was a stop sale purchase in May 2017... I'd love to take it to Anchor Motorworks for the job, but work schedule not gonna be able to. I'll probably have my dealer do it, hoping they find front crank seal leaking and it'll partially be covered under Dieselgate warranty....if not, well ,we'll see

 

[funoutdoors121]

Hi all!
Planning to get our timing belt replaced shortly on a 2015 GSW TDI S with 98,000 miles, at the same time we get phase 2b done.
So I open up the erWin repair manual covering the engine (D4B80416622-Engine_Mechanical__Fuel_Injection_and_Ignition.pdf) to review the steps needed, and to my surprise it mentions the 2015 has a timing chain, and not a belt!?
Quite confused.
Anyone notice this on the erWin service manual?
Thanks!

 

[oilhammer]

No idea about that, but I can assure you that the EA288 engine most certainly has a timing belt.

 

[gearheadgrrrl]

I would argue for coverage under the emissions warranty, VW has programmed these engines to run hot with 100 degree C sustained oil temps common- Those high temps shorten the life of everything in the engine that ain't metal!

 

[Nuje]

So I open up the erWin repair manual covering the engine (D4B80416622-Engine_Mechanical__Fuel_Injection_and_Ignition.pdf) to review the steps needed, and to my surprise it mentions the 2015 has a timing chain, and not a belt!?
Quite confused.

I’d advise you to go back and get the proper manual.
No mention of CRUA in the list of engines that are in the manual (D4B80416622) you quoted.
(IOW, you're looking at a manual for gas engines; I believe the "engine" manuals for the TDIs include "glow plugs" in the title.)

 

[funoutdoors121]

Thanks Nuje!

Indeed, seems I downloaded the wrong engine file.
The TDI engine file is D4B8045BD25
Hate to resubscribe at erWin for just that one file but may do so just to have it.

 

[MattRabbit]

I always do my belts a little early. My dad beat it into my head that if the timing belt goes, you're in for a bad day. you can buy a lot of timing belts for the difference in cost of a new engine.

I did mine at 10 years/100K miles. I've got 125K on it now, and assuming I keep the car, I'll do the next one at 200K.

Good luck with the engine repair. If you like the car, I'd probably try to get it fixed, but if not I'd probably sell it for parts and get something else. It'd be nice if Oilhammer lived near all of us!

 

[bmwM5power]

ive got 2 2015 tdis with around 65K mi on both, thinking if need to do this at this point? what do you think?

 

[Nuje]

I've got three that I take care of (two for friends), all around 150K km (90K miles).

Speaking with a VW tech, he said he's never seen a timing belt disaster that had failed due to age - it was always mileage. Not saying it's never happened, but that the miles matter more than the years. (And VW doesn't spec a time interval in the manual.)

All that said, 10yrs feels "long enough". So probably will get them done this summer.

 

[Mozambiquer]

First time poster.

2015 TDI Sportwagen lost power at ~40 mph, glow plug lights flashed prior to engine shutting down and unable to restart / turnover. Had the vehicle towed to the dealership and was told engine was catastrophically damaged as the timing belt broke off. 127k miles on the vehicle and planned to replace timing belt at 130k, looks like a pretty expensive mistake to not do it earlier. Vehicle is paid off so I don't have to worry about that.

Quotes from the dealership for a used CRUA with 88k miles around 11k for engine replacement installed and out the door.
Replacement engine (brand new) 17k with labor and fees out the door.

I really enjoy this car and have done all the maintenance up to this point and was planning to keep it for another 5 years or so.

Looking for input or if anyone has any recommendations. Looking to see if I can source an engine myself and have a local shop do the job or if the time / effort required for such a job is worth it. Only downside is if I invest in the replacement, that the emissions equipment will eventually cause follow on repairs and at that point im in over my head on the vehicle in terms of sunken costs.

Standing by for any questions or input if anyone is able to offer advice. Located in Jacksonville, Florida and unfortunately do not have the time to do the swap/repair myself due to work and family obligations.

I just did one for a customer with an engine from Cascade German. They've got Couple in stock still last I heard.

 

[Nuje]

You're saying you did a TB on a new engine from CG for someone who waited too long (or too many miles?) on theirs, thus necessitating the new engine?
And kindly mentioning that CG has a couple spare engines available for me if I my roll of the dice comes up snake-eyes....?

 

[MattRabbit]

ive got 2 2015 tdis with around 65K mi on both, thinking if need to do this at this point? what do you think?

I did my wife's 2014 Beetle at 48K miles because it was 10 years old. It's not just the belt you have to worry about, it's the water pump, rollers, etc.

 

[turbodieseldyke]

I can't imagine the pump and rollers going bad with age. The belt, yes.

 

[oilhammer]

I've done timing belts that were over 20 years old, they still looked fine. *shrug*.

 

[pkhoury]

I can't imagine the pump and rollers going bad with age. The belt, yes.

You'd be surprised. With all the used mk4's I've bought over the years, I've seen all kinds of conditions, but the rollers and water pump almost always original.

 

[Mozambiquer]

You're saying you did a TB on a new engine from CG for someone who waited too long (or too many miles?) on theirs, thus necessitating the new engine?
And kindly mentioning that CG has a couple spare engines available for me if I my roll of the dice comes up snake-eyes....?

Sorry, I replaced an engine on a 2015 for a customer. It had timing failure..I purchased the long block from Cascade German parts, and they still have more in stock last I knew.

 

[turbodieseldyke]

I've done timing belts that were over 20 years old, they still looked fine. *shrug*.

Is there any data on how "good" belts look right before breaking?

 

[Mozambiquer]

Is there any data on how "good" belts look right before breaking?

I've seen a couple that had visible cracks... One was on a 1.8t Passat, it had 230k miles and original belt and water pump. Water pump was bad and leaking, and the belt was super close to breaking...