When to change timing belt on VW 2.0 TDI (EA288)

[davidI]

We're looking at buying a 2016 VW Touran 2.0TDI with ~90k kms in Spain and I'm finding conflicting information all over the 'net as to when the timing belt should be changed.

Some say 5 years / 90k kms. Others 135k miles (210k kms). Used car salesman is saying 210k kms (but he's a used car salesman).

I found this maintenance chart for a Golf Sportsvan saying 130k - presumably miles given it's from the US. https://pics.tdiclub.com/data/500/2015_Golf_GSW.pdf

What say Beyond?

[muse017]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

We're looking at buying a 2016 VW Touran 2.0TDI with ~90k kms in Spain and I'm finding conflicting information all over the 'net as to when the timing belt should be changed.

Some say 5 years / 90k kms. Others 135k miles (210k kms). Used car salesman is saying 210k kms (but he's a used car salesman).

I found this maintenance chart for a Golf Sportsvan saying 130k - presumably miles given it's from the US. https://pics.tdiclub.com/data/500/2015_Golf_GSW.pdf

What say Beyond?

When I had my 2012 TDI, my go to shop's recommended interval was 200,000km for the timing belt and water pump and DSG service every 120k km but it might be different for the European models.

[darthVWader]

I believe they have a chain and not a belt. No change needed if it's a chain.

If it's a belt I would do it ever 120,000 km. That's what I did on my Jettas. But the owners manual should have the exact km interval.

Join the TDI forum. Lots of great info

[davidI]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

When I had my 2012 TDI, my go to shop's recommended interval was 200,000km for the timing belt and water pump and DSG service every 120k km but it might be different for the European models.

Thanks! Seems to line-up with what I'm reading/hearing.

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I believe they have a chain and not a belt. No change needed if it's a chain.

If it's a belt I would do it ever 120,000 km. That's what I did on my Jettas. But the owners manual should have the exact km interval.

Join the TDI forum. Lots of great info

I think the diesels are belt and petrols are chain but I will take a look myself when if we look at a Touran.

I've been searching a variety of VW forums - it seems a lot of the mis-information is coming from the stealerships. One of the posts I found:

As a reminder, the manual gives no time limit and a maximum mileage of 133,000 miles. Audi UK have revised that themselves and suggest 5 years or 75,000 miles.

I messaged Audi in Germany last week and asked them what the reason was, given that the cars are all made on the same production line, etc. Here is their response:

"The information in the manual is only recommendations, which may vary from country to country for different reasons, such as weather conditions, road conditions, geographical location, warranty conditions and other factors. These factors affect the service life of timing belts, so there is no general and fixed replacement interval for all countries. In principle, it is the responsibility of the Audi partner to check the timing belts and replace them if necessary. For further questions or information, please contact your local Audi partner of your choice. Your Audi Germany team."

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

If it has the owners manual I’d go off of that.

[ThePenIsMightier]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

If it has the owners manual I’d go off of that.

This^

I am starting to formally believe that The Internet was created by people who profit from premature timing belt replacements. The absolute hysteria from the few people who have had bad luck with a failure is omnipresent.

At some point, the "insurance" costs more than the asset it's protecting. My friend has a fancy car in which the factory owner's manual written by the company that made the damn car says "50,000km for a timing belt". That fucking car has had the timing belt changed twice, by the dealer. The car has less than 35,000km on it. The job is over $8k. They want to change it again.

[My_name_is_Rob]

Most of the new common rail TDI's are right around the 200,000 km mark. It seemed a little high for a belt and made me a little nervous with my last one, so I changed it at 190,000 and swapped it with OE parts.

[ricosuave]

Do you know the engine code?

[davidI]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

Do you know the engine code?

The one I'm looking at is DFGA.

https://www.automovilesgabilondo.com...confortline-2/

[tonytiger55]

I called two of the VW dealers here(London) to ask. Neither of the service department picked up.

[davidI]

This quote is hidden because you are ignoring this member. Show Quote

I called two of the VW dealers here(London) to ask. Neither of the service department picked up.

Wow, thanks for the effort! Part of the reason for my question is that it seems VW leaves it up to each country's stealerships to determine the intervals and that is why there is so much debate online over what the actual interval should be.

I posted above one of the responses a guy one guy received: "The information in the manual is only recommendations, which may vary from country to country for different reasons, such as weather conditions, road conditions, geographical location, warranty conditions and other factors. These factors affect the service life of timing belts, so there is no general and fixed replacement interval for all countries.

While I can see weather potentially having an impact, Spain can be as dry and hot as Morocco or cold and wet as the UK - so it doesn't make sense for it to vary much on a country-by-country basis.

From what I've read it seems like I can safely stretch it out to 160k kms at which point I'll probably look at selling it anyway...

[cancer man]

Anytime when warranty is over if you want..or 160,000 kms or 10 years..or until it breaks..your choice. you will never receive a straight answer because there are none. Fluids leaking on belt immediate repair and replacement.