TURBO: 2012-2014 Passat turbo failures [discussion thread]

[jrm]

We've had a really cold winter and no big jump in turbo failures like there was last winter. This is Feb 17.

We can speculate on why that is. Maybe they just had a binch of turbos that were lemons?

We now have another year of driving on the 2012-2014"s, one would think if it was a regen issue or cold start issue alone, we would be seeing more failures now, especially on the 12 & 13's which would have had the original OE model turbo.

Maybe for the east coast- here in the west its the warmest winter on record, normal winter our ski resorts have 100" of snow today I went for a hike under the chair lifts in a T-shirt at 60F live cam of where I hiked today
http://www.skibowl.com/winter/mt-hood-web-cams#prettyPhoto

 

[psd1]

We've had a really cold winter and no big jump in turbo failures like there was last winter. This is Feb 17.

We can speculate on why that is. Maybe they just had a binch of turbos that were lemons?

We now have another year of driving on the 2012-2014"s, one would think if it was a regen issue or cold start issue alone, we would be seeing more failures now, especially on the 12 & 13's which would have had the original OE model turbo.

Wow, not a chance on the West Coast, record highs here.

Maybe for the east coast- here in the west its the warmest winter on record, normal winter our ski resorts have 100" of snow today I went for a hike under the chair lifts in a T-shirt at 60F live cam of where I hiked today
http://www.skibowl.com/winter/mt-hood-web-cams#prettyPhoto

T Shirts and shorts most of the month around here for people. Gonna be a tough fire season.

 

[atc98002]

T Shirts and shorts most of the month around here for people. Gonna be a tough fire season.

As one of the people that has to coordinate getting a temporary tower and air traffic controllers to these remote fields to support fire fighting, I'm dreading it. Messes up many a pleasant evening when my Blackberry rings.

That and of course, the potential for loss of property or (far worse) life.

 

[passsattdi]

The whole point for the shutdown restart, you can stop the regen and cool it down. This is what I do now. I will do it religiously, Would rather be late than fry my turbo.

 

[jrm]

yup, works well, just did it 10 minutes ago as the wife pulled in, in regen- interesting on how the fan slows down gradually and not just on/off

 

[JdC Machine]

I believe the fans are thermostatically controlled. One being high-speed and the other low. Once coolant temps. fall below the 'start' setpoint for the high-speed, it shuts off. The same case for the low-speed, of course.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

The fans are infinitely variable speed and will turn exactly whatever speed the computer wants them to for whatever reason the computer has (coolant temp, intake air temp, regeneration status, etc.).

You can monitor cooling fan speed in VCDS. If you could figure out the correct PID, you might even be able to view it on a ScanGauge.

 

[JdC Machine]

Gotcha. I figured there would be other PIDs that would be considered other than just coolant temps. during a regen or normal conditions.

 

[mamau]

Mine died last night. 2013 with 30,000km. real cold start yesterday, turbo made loud whine for about 30 seconds coming home 3 hours in the drive, started losing power and as I pulled over, the flashing glow-plug indicator came on. Lots and lots of smoke around and trail of oil coming out of exhaust. Sound of the 30 seconds before it actually failed as I was crossing a bridge and could not pull over.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6ycUHJ4GmlTLW5KU3lGbmlKM2c/view?usp=sharing

 

[Busydiver]

thanks

Thanks for posting the sound bite..now I can give a closer ear to what I should be hearing just in case....when I first played the file it sounded like my recent dentist office visit as she was going at the cavity with the drill...

Mine died last night. 2013 with 30,000km. real cold start yesterday, turbo made loud whine for about 30 seconds coming home 3 hours in the drive, started losing power and as I pulled over, the flashing glow-plug indicator came on. Lots and lots of smoke around and trail of oil coming out of exhaust. Sound of the 30 seconds before it actually failed as I was crossing a bridge and could not pull over.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6ycUHJ4GmlTLW5KU3lGbmlKM2c/view?usp=sharing

 

[VeeDubTDI]

That's definitely the turbo death whine.

 

[enatman]

I was driving on friday (temp was about 0 to 6 degrees) and I started getting a whistle...corresponding with the turbo.. It got a little louder today..I called VWoA and they made an appointment with the dealer... this is a 2014 passat...is this a sign of bad turbo? I see they extended the warranty to 120k for the 2012 and 2013..Why not the 14? is this an oil issue? design flaw? are they putting the same part back in?

 

[jrm]

yup, same sound as this (really nice and no way a clunker) S80 had after the 2:40 minute mark of running without oil as per the CFC engine death program- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waj2KrKYTZo

 

[VeeDubTDI]

I was hoping to not come across that video again.

 

[VeeDubTDI]

I was driving on friday (temp was about 0 to 6 degrees) and I started getting a whistle...corresponding with the turbo.. It got a little louder today..I called VWoA and they made an appointment with the dealer... this is a 2014 passat...is this a sign of bad turbo? I see they extended the warranty to 120k for the 2012 and 2013..Why not the 14? is this an oil issue? design flaw? are they putting the same part back in?

If you think the turbo is on its way out, don't keep driving it. Have it towed to the dealer.

 

[tncrom]

Iowa is cold and my turbo is whining about it!

Got the whine last night at about 1 mile out as I was driving the family to a basketball game (and no, it wasn't the kids in the back seat!). Turned around immediately and parked it in the garage. This event also happened about this time last year so I'm expecting this to be turbo number two replacement when it's all said and done. I talked to the dealership this morning and we agreed to have it towed in. Fortunately, the mileage is around 35K miles, so VW gets to tow it rather than my wallet. I had not gotten the s/w update. Waiting to hear back from the dealership today as to the verdict. Will keep you guys posted. Not a happy camper as I have been babying it this winter during warm up periods. Thanks again for everyone's time and efforts on this forum...really a great bunch here.

 

[tdiatlast]

tncrom: "...I have been babying it this winter during warm up periods..."
Could you describe your cold-start process? 2 failures just shouldn't be happening, unless the replacement process was flawed.

 

[tncrom]

My definition of "babying it"...

tncrom: "...I have been babying it this winter during warm up periods..."
Could you describe your cold-start process? 2 failures just shouldn't be happening, unless the replacement process was flawed.

Hi tdiatlast...well, nothing scientific here, but what I've done is to keep it below 1500 rpm for a couple of miles. I also do not make my way to 6th until about 3/4 miles down the road. No major hills initially. Nice and easy backout from the garage. And probably 45 seconds before I've gotten out of my lane to get on the hiway..usually idling forward in second at most on my lane. Once on hiway...nice and easy shifts, no heavy acceleration (rarely do that anyway). Nothing above 50-55 until a couple of miles down the road...and the temp gage is moving off the bottom by then.

I agree, two failures shouldn't happen, but we've both seen them here and there throughout this thread. I'm easy on my cars and have a 98 toyota going at 305k and still strong. So when I say I baby it, I have been going beyond my normal easy driving.

Wish I had a monitor to sense engine PIDs and could provide more definitive numbers, but don't.

By the way...the dealership called late this afternoon and confirmed I need a turbo.

 

[kjclow]

Not to wish you bad luck but remember that the new turbo will have a minimum of twelve months or 12k miles.

 

[psd1]

Not to wish you bad luck but remember that the new turbo will have a minimum of twelve months or 12k miles.

What do you mean, "minimum of twelve months or 12K miles"? Is there a warranty on replacement turbos? Would'nt that be maximum? If so, I guess I missed that.

 

[Trvln Canuk]

I would think that the warranty on the replacement turbo would be the remainder of the 10 year / 120,000 mile extended warranty that has been put on the turbo.

 

[kjclow]

That's why I said minimum. In dealing with other manufacturers, I've seen where the replacement part only got the 12/12k warranty when the car had more than that left on the original bumper to bumper.

 

[jrm]

I belong to many pickup and semitruck forums and this isn't just a VW thing- here is a brand new Duramax that lost a turbo- and unlike VW's pickups can actually run off the engine oil that's being ingested into the intercooler until there is no more oil and it locks up- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRG_T580Heo

 

[VeeDubTDI]

I belong to many pickup and semitruck forums and this isn't just a VW thing- here is a brand new Duramax that lost a turbo- and unlike VW's pickups can actually run off the engine oil that's being ingested into the intercooler until there is no more oil and it locks up- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRG_T580Heo

TDIs can do that, too... it just isn't common on the commonrails. ALHs will run away on engine oil easily.

 

[tdiatlast]

Hi tdiatlast...well, nothing scientific here, but what I've done is to keep it below 1500 rpm for a couple of miles. I also do not make my way to 6th until about 3/4 miles down the road. No major hills initially. Nice and easy backout from the garage. And probably 45 seconds before I've gotten out of my lane to get on the hiway..usually idling forward in second at most on my lane. Once on hiway...nice and easy shifts, no heavy acceleration (rarely do that anyway). Nothing above 50-55 until a couple of miles down the road...and the temp gage is moving off the bottom by then.

I agree, two failures shouldn't happen, but we've both seen them here and there throughout this thread. I'm easy on my cars and have a 98 toyota going at 305k and still strong. So when I say I baby it, I have been going beyond my normal easy driving.

Wish I had a monitor to sense engine PIDs and could provide more definitive numbers, but don't.

By the way...the dealership called late this afternoon and confirmed I need a turbo.

Sadly, the way I read your description, I think you're STILL not giving this under-engineered part a long enough warm up. 45 seconds from cold start to highway cruising (if I read your post correctly) sounds too aggressive for the OEM setup of this engine.

 

[jrm]

TDIs can do that, too... it just isn't common on the commonrails. ALHs will run away on engine oil easily.

Don't common rails have intake butterfly throttle valves? Yes, ALH and even the one below in my signature would totally run away- my old 1.6 would take off on me on hot days whenever I was above 70MPH as it ran off blowby alone- strange feeling to let completely off the pedal and have it continue to pull
Until I re-ringed it of course

 

[jrm]

Sadly, the way I read your description, I think you're STILL not giving this under-engineered part a long enough warm up. 45 seconds from cold start to highway cruising (if I read your post correctly) sounds too aggressive for the OEM setup of this engine.

I think one of the reasons why my turbo is still going strong is because im on a 1 mile long gravel road, forced to stay slow in 2nd gear and the blowtourch only runs for a fraction of the time as the thing is pretty warmed up by then

 

[Jbdesigns]

Here is my warm up (no turbo issues and I'm not expecting any).
In real cold weather, 20f and below, I let it idle for 2-3 minutes. 1st gear down my road 200yds to the main road. 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear accel very slowly to 30mph. Then slowly accel to 40mph and get to 4th. Stay in 4th at 40mph for 5-6 miles before I have to turn and go up a long steep hill. By the time I'm turning, water temp at normal but I don't know where oil temp is yet. I go up the hill in 4th at 40mph and it's 1.5 mile climb. Top of hill is entrance to freeway. I am certain engine is warm now. 65mph freeway.

I make sure at all starts that I hold 4th gear at 40mph for a couple to three miles to get it warmed up gently. And still am gentle for aWhile even after coolant is warm since oil temp lags the coolant temp.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chris]

jbdesigns,

I'd argue that your warmup is hardly an option for many (most?) owners.
Slow accelerations to 40 mph max for the first six miles?

 

[jrm]

I know when my wife had our youngest as I left the concrete jungle parking garage I was on the throttle pretty heavy within 1 minute of startup, I tell ya- hearing the blowtorch warmup in a tunnel with the windows down was pretty interesting, sounded like one of those model airplane turbine engines that spin 100,000 RPM