How 'safe' is the VAG 2.0tdi engine?

How 'safe' is the VAG 2.0tdi engine?

Author
Discussion

NAAHD

Original Poster:

146 posts

24 months

Monday 30th May 2022
quotequote all
Hi,

Having come off the back of a bad experience with another car (blown engine) I've become a bit more aware....or maybe OCD about making sure my main car doesn't follow the same fate.

I always thought the VAG diesels were pretty robust, considering the mass market of them.

However a quick poke around on the internet throws up failed oil pumps or blown turbos left right and centre. Although not as bad as Porsche bore score lol

That said I'm now a bit paranoid for my 2012 TT with the TDI engine. Never had any issues with it since it joined the family back in 2019. 55,500 miles on the clock with 10,000 done by yours truly.

Car didn't have full service history when we got it except the recent one the dealer had done which included an AA warranty so cambelt, water pump and tyres had also been changed out.

Been serviced annually and passed mot's without any bother.

So how worried should I be?

I'm just paranoid after my recent 'experience" with Mazda ans really don't want to mess up my decent car

Thanks in advance

Leon R

3,183 posts

95 months

Monday 30th May 2022
quotequote all
Like all engines they have problems but I wouldn't read too much into internet stories.

If you believe the internet my M3's engine should explode twice per day.

Glosphil

4,337 posts

233 months

Monday 30th May 2022
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I owned a 2012 Skoda Octavia diesel for 6 years. The only problem was 2 replacement rear wiper motors (a known problem).


No engine or DPF faults at all.

rottenegg

342 posts

62 months

Monday 30th May 2022
quotequote all
Leon R said:
Like all engines they have problems but I wouldn't read too much into internet stories.

If you believe the internet my M3's engine should explode twice per day.
Yeah, and as with most internet scare mongering, there is rarely any context provided.

Turbos and oil pumps don't just blow left, right and centre. There's usually always neglect and/or abuse behind a lot of these stories.




Mikehig

735 posts

60 months

Monday 30th May 2022
quotequote all
We've run 1.9 and 2.0 VAG diesels in a variety of family cars for over 20 years: 2 VWs; 1 Audi; 3 SEATS; 1 Skoda.
Never had a "major" engine problem. The only things than come to mind are a failed alternator at about 120k and a malfunctioning air-flow sensor at around 100k (on different cars). There have been other, non-motor, faults but not many and nothing which made the car unusable.
Quite a few family and friends run them - not heard of any significant issues.

NAAHD

Original Poster:

146 posts

24 months

Monday 30th May 2022
quotequote all
Leon R said:
Like all engines they have problems but I wouldn't read too much into internet stories.

If you believe the internet my M3's engine should explode twice per day.
Fair enough, always hear horror stories of M3s, 911s, Caymans and land rovers. I suppose you always hear bad news as it travels faster than the good

Belle427

8,858 posts

232 months

Monday 30th May 2022
quotequote all
We have had a few in the family with over 100k on them without major issues.
I quite like the later common rail engine but the pd was great too.
They can suffer with egr and dpf issues like everything else but I wouldn’t worry about it, access is a nightmare to these parts on certain cars.

BikeSausage

396 posts

67 months

Monday 30th May 2022
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There was an era of the 2.0 TDI engines that had a very weak hex drive in the engine oil pump. The hex edges sometimes rounded off, the pump failed and well……my wife managed to stop the car before the engine ate itself. Cost a lot to fix and was a “known” weakness according to forums.

Was apparently fixed for the C7 generation - maybe 2011 onwards?

My A6 was a C6 2007 model and this happened after 110k miles with me since new.

Drive Blind

5,076 posts

176 months

Monday 30th May 2022
quotequote all
I'm on my 3rd 2l CR diesel.

CR140 I covered 54K miles in it, and currently 92K miles in 2 CR184's.
All 3 bought at 3yo and ran to 70-80K miles.
  • touch wood* no major engine issues.
Just checked the mot history on the CR140 and it was at 145K at its last MOT.

The oil pump issues was the 2l PD engine ??



Edited by Drive Blind on Monday 30th May 20:45

aka_kerrly

12,416 posts

209 months

Monday 30th May 2022
quotequote all
rottenegg said:
Leon R said:
Like all engines they have problems but I wouldn't read too much into internet stories.

If you believe the internet my M3's engine should explode twice per day.
Yeah, and as with most internet scare mongering, there is rarely any context provided.

Turbos and oil pumps don't just blow left, right and centre. There's usually always neglect and/or abuse behind a lot of these stories.
Good replies.

I've always said no one goes on the internet to update owners clubs of how many trouble free miles they've done.

Yes mechanical failures can occur but manufacturing processes and tolerances are that good that generally you have to be very unlucky or as mentioned above you've neglected an engine perhaps thinking short term £50oil changes are too much hassle until it becomes a £3k new engine.



Gunk

3,302 posts

158 months

Friday 3rd June 2022
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They do use a drop of oil, so they need checking regularly. Cam belt and water pump needs changing between 80 and 100k but if serviced properly by a decent specialist with OEM parts they are a reliable old lump. My 2015 GTD has now done 110,000 miles and I would still happily still jump in it and and do a 1000 mile trip without any concerns.

Most older VAG cars suffer the same fate, and that is that as the values drop, subsequent owners have a smaller budget, so often routine servicing is then done on a shoestring and they then pick up a unfair reputation for unreliability.

Ryan_T

228 posts

104 months

Friday 3rd June 2022
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They’re trusted by lots of the nations taxi companies so can’t be too bad.

My shed Audi A4 has the CR170, and it’s on 180k - Feels perfect and it get it in now and drive anywhere in the world.

Edited by Ryan_T on Friday 3rd June 22:09

stogbandard

366 posts

49 months

Sunday 5th June 2022
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Even if the 2.0TDi is good, it’s other things that could go wrong to watch out for.

Our 2006 Audi A6 2.7TDi is getting long in the tooth. The turbo went a few years ago, rear window regulators both knackered, parking sensors work when they feel like it, and now the climate control has decided now and again to pump heat at a trillion degrees on the divers side even when set at LO in both zones. The sills towards the front are beginning to show rust. I know these things are fixable but it’s done 267,000 miles now, and the cost will exceed its value. Hence, it’s a bangernomics strategy now of managed decline, dealing with those things that only really matter to it running safely and smoothly and not worrying about those that more peripheral.

The engine is brilliant - still pulls well, it’s just the other parts of the car that are developing its “character”. Come MOT time it will be tested early to buy time to decide whether to part company or keep for another year.

In short, it’s still likely that issues other than the engine will be a key factor in how long you keep it.

DodgeeDave

507 posts

194 months

Sunday 26th June 2022
quotequote all
stogbandard said:
Even if the 2.0TDi is good, it’s other things that could go wrong to watch out for.

Our 2006 Audi A6 2.7TDi is getting long in the tooth. The turbo went a few years ago, rear window regulators both knackered, parking sensors work when they feel like it, and now the climate control has decided now and again to pump heat at a trillion degrees on the divers side even when set at LO in both zones. The sills towards the front are beginning to show rust. I know these things are fixable but it’s done 267,000 miles now, and the cost will exceed its value. Hence, it’s a bangernomics strategy now of managed decline, dealing with those things that only really matter to it running safely and smoothly and not worrying about those that more peripheral.

The engine is brilliant - still pulls well, it’s just the other parts of the car that are developing its “character”. Come MOT time it will be tested early to buy time to decide whether to part company or keep for another year.

In short, it’s still likely that issues other than the engine will be a key factor in how long you keep it.
The climate control issue (if it’s the same issue as my a4) is an easy diy fix. Under the dash are little motors that control the flaps which direct the hot and cold air. These motors are connected to little gearboxes which can be opened up & re greased (which fixed my problems) or replacement motors can be fitted. There are helpful guides on YouTube as well.

e21Keith

198 posts

29 months

Sunday 14th August 2022
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I've run a number of 1.9tdi some to over 200k miles, found them to be really robust.

On the other hand my current 2.0tdi 140 at now 170k miles is absolutely the worst VW I've ever had. It's all main dealer serviced to 140k miles, by then it had already had the oil pump, DMF and an EGR valve, since then and with servicing at half the recommended mileage its chomped through everything else, steering lock, DPF, turbo actuator, two more EGR valves, this and that sensors. The only things that haven't gone yet are the injectors, the turbo is on it's last legs as well.

It may sound OK for a 170k mile car to be this troublesome but I'm used to driving 6 cylinder BMW diesels and found them to be way more reliable, like the 1.9tdi is more reliable.

My experience, the 2.0tdi is a backward step for VW.

Wheatsheaf

106 posts

67 months

Sunday 14th August 2022
quotequote all
e21Keith said:
I've run a number of 1.9tdi some to over 200k miles, found them to be really robust.

On the other hand my current 2.0tdi 140 at now 170k miles is absolutely the worst VW I've ever had. It's all main dealer serviced to 140k miles, by then it had already had the oil pump, DMF and an EGR valve, since then and with servicing at half the recommended mileage its chomped through everything else, steering lock, DPF, turbo actuator, two more EGR valves, this and that sensors. The only things that haven't gone yet are the injectors, the turbo is on it's last legs as well.

It may sound OK for a 170k mile car to be this troublesome but I'm used to driving 6 cylinder BMW diesels and found them to be way more reliable, like the 1.9tdi is more reliable.

My experience, the 2.0tdi is a backward step for VW.
Can't resist offering a counter-opinion smile

I've owned both a 1.9tdi and a 2.0 common rail (both A4 estates). The 1.9 whilst a shade more economical is rougher, noisier and has a very abrupt power delivery.

The 2.0 is very quiet by diesel standards.

Reliability-wise, my 2.0 has just ticked over 200,000 miles (admittedly I've only owned it since 130k) and has been mechanically excellent. I have cleaned out the EGR valve once, that's the only engine work I've ever done apart from regular servicing. Here it is reaching the magic double ton in Holland. The 54.3 is the average over about 400 miles, all motorway.

TBF the 1.9tdi is also very reliable (ex-wife has it, on 194k). Shame about the bodywork (she has scraped every panel) and the interior (awash with gallons of spilt coffee) vomit


Bobupndown

1,738 posts

42 months

Sunday 14th August 2022
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150k on Tiguan 170 tdi.
EGR delete by indy when engine management light appeared. Other than that and 10000 mile diy servicing its been brilliant.

Classy6

419 posts

176 months

Sunday 14th August 2022
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Mazda's range of engine, in particular the Sky Active are genuinely well known to be terrible engines.

VAG 2.0 are pretty good, don't see many internal issues *if* well maintained.

Fusion777

2,211 posts

47 months

Sunday 14th August 2022
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123k on 2.0 CR 140 Golf, had it since 42k. Only engine/gearbox/emissions issue has been slightly sticking throttle body- light on dash but didn't affect the driving of the car. Just needed a good clean, was fine after that.

Serviced every 10k miles/year, mostly ran on V-Power (apart from when prices have recently been daft).

ninjag

1,827 posts

118 months

Monday 15th August 2022
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Leon R said:
Like all engines they have problems but I wouldn't read too much into internet stories.

If you believe the internet my M3's engine should explode twice per day.
haha read this and thought snap! According to some people, I should have rebuilt my engine three times by now. I do service it myself though and stay well clear of main dealers.