If you have a 2008-2013 Audi A3/A4 or Volkswagen Jetta/GTI/Passat with a 4 cylinder turbo charged engine, there is a design flaw with serious consequences that we want you to be informed about.
Modern vehicles are equipped with either a timing belt or timing chain that connects that top half of the engine to the bottom half and keeps them synchronized. Failures in this system can result in very expensive repairs or engine replacement. Most timing belt systems are suggested to be replaced at 70,000-100,000 miles. Vehicles with timing chain systems can be maintenance free.
To determine if your 2008 to 2013 vehicle is affected, feel free to call us. Or, you can open your hood and if you see the letters "TSI" on your engine cover then it's very likely your engine is affected. The TSI engine produced by Volkswagen/Audi Group between the years of 2008 and newer is equipped with a timing chain system. The lower tensioner in this engine has been re-designed in newer models to account for a significant failure rate. Volkswagen and Audi have not recalled this item, they will not replace it preventatively, and generally do not recognize it as an issue. We have seen this failure happen as early as 50,000 miles and we recommend replacing it preventatively as soon as possible if your vehicle is affected.
We replace these tensioners on a regular basis. On some occasions, we have been able to replace the tensioner after failure symptoms have begun but before major damage has occurred. In other cases, we have still been able to repair the engine after complete failure without replacing it. If you are told that your engine needs to be replaced, please get a second opinion from us. With the updated tensioner installed, we feel great that your 2.0t engine will take you many miles without the fear of major failure.
We don't want to see this happen to you! Day in and day out we service vehicles exactly like yours. It is this experience that allows us to offer a much higher level of service. Recommendations such as this are one of the many ways we save our customers money in the long run.