Toothed Belt ( Cambelt Change ) Vrs TDi

[Auric Goldfinger]

Just been looking through the service book at the different service/inspection times for different Items that need doing and when.

The only entry I can find for the Cambelt ( toothed belt ) is on page 9 of the book and it says

In addition every 150Km

Replace toothed Belt (diesel engines)

I can find no section that says it needs to be done every 4 years or 60K or whichever came first. I will be getting mine done in the near future at 4 years and about 45K

It is not in the section

Every 60,000Km or after 4 years ( whichever comes first ) which I thought it would be

Confusing

Edited 15 January, 2011 by Auric Goldfinger

[Auric Goldfinger]

Anyone else beg to differ what it says

[dan yeates]

Mine was done when it was 4 years old and had 80k on the clock, but only because it needed a water pump as the old one was leaking. I don't think it needed to be done.

[KevC]

Personally I think its better to do the belt and pump at 60k miles. I'm sure the belt will last for longer than that but it's not something I'd be taking a chance on. I think the water pumps are much more prone to failure than the belt. If you are doing the belt it would be silly not to do the water pump too.

[matt_theforce]

The books always seem to confuse, i'm just sticking to 4yr/60k which meant mine needed changing when I bought the car, at least I know its done

[sherlocks VRS]

Skoda recommends 60k or 4 years on cambelt intervals, and i would always recommend waterpump change even if it looks ok as ive seen the destruction that a pump failure will do, NOT NICE!!! and for the sake of around £60.00 for a pump and antifreeze, no extra labour charges are added as theres nothing else to remove apart from the pump.

[Auric Goldfinger]

Skoda recommends 60k or 4 years on cambelt intervals, and i would always recommend waterpump change even if it looks ok as ive seen the destruction that a pump failure will do, NOT NICE!!! and for the sake of around £60.00 for a pump and antifreeze, no extra labour charges are added as theres nothing else to remove apart from the pump.

I know the cambelt needs changing at 4years/60K miles so do you but to a novice the Book says nothing about a change until 150Km

How would you stand with skoda if you only went with what it said in the Book??

[ajex]

Official reply which i got for my 07,Octy ,105 BHP diesel is as follows...

I refer to your e-mail dated the ................ 2010.

I have been advised by Technical Support that the correct change interval for your cam belt is 95,000 miles or 4 years,

whichever comes first.

Thank you again for contacting Skoda Customer Services.

[Wardy]

There's what the book says, and then there's what's prudent and best for the car, and the owner

I know which guideline I'd be following :yes:

[studmuffin]

Official reply which i got for my 07,Octy ,105 BHP diesel is as follows...

I refer to your e-mail dated the ................ 2010.

I have been advised by Technical Support that the correct change interval for your cam belt is 95,000 miles or 4 years,

whichever comes first.

Thank you again for contacting Skoda Customer Services.

i have been getting itchy feet, wheather to get mine done, as it is 3 years old and done 69k. so many conflicting reports on here, 3yrs..4yrs..60k..80k.....???

So i rang skoda up and they told me it is 4years and 95k, on a vrs pd tdi, so i will be getting mine done at the next service, which will be about june and 78kish. i will be taking mine to a indy garage and it will cost about £250. skoda wanted £450...

[Auric Goldfinger]

There's what the book says, and then there's what's prudent and best for the car, and the owner

I know which guideline I'd be following :yes:

I totally agree Steve

But the book does not give a definate answer the my original post, no where does it say 4 years

[HopeImRight]

This is an Email I sent to Skoda HQ in Mlada Bolaslav

"My car is 4 years old. It has travelled 40,000 Km. I took it to a big local VAG dealer and asked them to change the cam-belt.

They could not understand what I was talking about. They said they would never change a cam-belt until 60,000 km.

I said in UK it is four years. They seemed amazed and 4 different people including a Director of the Company all told me not to worry about years only about distance travelled.

Please can you tell me---Should the cam-belt be changed now the car has is 4 years old or not?

Or should I wait till the car has done 60,000 km?"

This is the reply

"Concerning your question I would like to confirm the statement given to you by our Spanish representative – the replacement of the cam belt depends on the mileage.

In your case – Octavia II 1.9 TDI PD BJB – the interval for the cambelt replacement is on 120.000 km so you still have many kilometres to run...

Best regards,

Customer care"

[anw]

hi

I have a 7 year old fabia vrs 1.9 diesel, 60,000 miles

Have just been advised by dealer that belt should be replaced at 4 years.

As others have found the handbook is confusing, makes no ref to 4 years.

phoned Skoda UK. they said that Skoda UK recommend 80,000miles or 4 years whichever is soonest.( They 4 years only introduced 2 years ago). However they also said that the manufacturer recommends 80,000 miles only.

So still confused!!!

[sdmegawuk]

And yet SEAT recommend 60k or 5 years on the same spec engine FFS.

[Web Ferret]

I received this email today from an indy responding to the same question for my 2.0 TDI 140bhp

Your vehicle manufacturer recommends the cam belt is replaced every 48months or 80,000 miles.

I have quoted for renewing the cam belt, tensioner, idler, waterpump, seal and antifreeze using genuine parts. The total cost would be £337.75 + VAT (£405.30).

Next question is hows this quote?

[Aspman]

Seems dear for an indy.

VW will do it for £399

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/fixed-price-servicing

I had my MOT done at the local VW this year and they had no problem with extending the offers to other VAG cars.

I had mine done at an indy (TFSI so not quite the same) and it was £320 inc VAT.

[Web Ferret]

Seems dear for an indy.

VW will do it for £399

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/owners/servicing/fixed-price-servicing

I had my MOT done at the local VW this year and they had no problem with extending the offers to other VAG cars.

I had mine done at an indy (TFSI so not quite the same) and it was £320 inc VAT.

Thanks for the link.

[jrw]

After 2007 its 100k miles and no age limit. Don't know why people can't seem to understand this. It is quite clear in the book.

Dealers will tell you it is 60k or 4 years blah blah blah, they are just out to make a quick buck. VW tried to get my dad to book his car in for a cambelt the other week as it is 4 yrs old..........strange thing is, it is a 1.4TSI 140

[silver1011]

Dealers will tell you it is 60k or 4 years blah blah blah, they are just out to make a quick buck.

It isn't just the dealer though, it's Skoda UK too.

As has been argued in several other threads the handbook contains a disclaimer that states that the information contained in it is subject to change. It therefore doesn't matter if the handbook was printed three days or three years ago the onus is on you, the owner, to ensure you have the latest information whether that be from a visit to your dealer or a call or email to Skoda directly.

Agreed, there is every chance Skoda have changed the intervals to suit themselves and their dealers and that a belt could easily last well beyond the four years or 60,000 miles but I've seen the damage a snapped cambelt can do to an engine and therefore prefer to air on the side of caution that supports preventative maintenance rather than luck.

OK it's going to cost a few more hundred pounds over the life of the car, but as with the fixed versus variable service debate the extra reassurance suits some better than others.

[jrw]

It isn't just the dealer though, it's Skoda UK too.

As has been argued in several other threads the handbook contains a disclaimer that states that the information contained in it is subject to change. It therefore doesn't matter if the handbook was printed three days or three years ago the onus is on you, the owner, to ensure you have the latest information whether that be from a visit to your dealer or a call or email to Skoda directly.

Agreed, there is every chance Skoda have changed the intervals to suit themselves and their dealers and that a belt could easily last well beyond the four years or 60,000 miles but I've seen the damage a snapped cambelt can do to an engine and therefore prefer to air on the side of caution that supports preventative maintenance rather than luck.

OK it's going to cost a few more hundred pounds over the life of the car, but as with the fixed versus variable service debate the extra reassurance suits some better than others.

And totally conflicting info from Skoda CZ (1.9TDI i know but 2.0 will be no different):

This is the reply

"Concerning your question I would like to confirm the statement given to you by our Spanish representative – the replacement of the cam belt depends on the mileage.

In your case – Octavia II 1.9 TDI PD BJB – the interval for the cambelt replacement is on 120.000 km so you still have many kilometres to run...

Best regards,

Customer care"

[silver1011]

Yep, I don't dispute the mixed messages. It's certainly not good practice from Skoda, especially considering the mixed and conflicting advice from the dealers.

Despite this they do now seem to be sticking to 4 years or 60,000 miles for the diesel Octavia.

As I mentioned above if it ends up being 6+ years and 100,000 miles before you get round to having it done then great, if it snapped at 65,000 miles or a few months after it's fourth birthday I'd be gutted.

Although out of warranty having it changed at the correct interval may also make goodwill gestures more likely for any unrelated failures...

[jrw]

I can't see anywhere in my book about 'subject to change'. It is quite clear in black and white the interval and I doubt it would stand up favourably if you took a belt failure to court on Skoda/VAG's behalf with the goalposts being changed every few months and them not notifying you.

I would say changing an interval from 100k and no time limit to 4 years and 60k as a considerable change and a justifiable one for SUK or the dealer to write to you to advise.....backed up with offical correspondance from VAG before your car is 4 years old instead of the usual 'your car is coming up to 4 years old and is due a cambelt' template that all the dealers use......even if you have a chain!

[cheezemonkhai]

Skoda told me 80k miles or 4 years is current, but many say that's the UK only and sure enough in the EU it's 80k miles.

FWIW I'd either take a view on 80k/4 years or 80k. Certainly wouldn't be doing it at 60k/4 years as you'll be changing it far too regularly.

150k km is about 92k miles anyway, so you're already leaving plenty of margin.

[silver1011]

I doubt it would stand up favourably if you took a belt failure to court on Skoda/VAG's behalf with the goalposts being changed every few months and them not notifying you.

I guess that's the thing, Skoda know that the vast majority of a very small minority of owners experiencing premature failures will not take it further let alone to court. The risks are minimal and easily offset by those that will simply abide by the 60,000 / 4 year recommendation.

Not sure how I can expect Skoda to keep me updated of changes to the service intervals on my 4 year old vRS when I am not the original owner.

Edited 8 November, 2011 by silver1011

[jrw]

Not sure how I can expect Skoda to keep me updated of changes to the service intervals on my 4 year old vRS when I am not the original owner.

If it is bought from a Skoda dealer then it would be on the central DB and if not the onus is on you to let them know you are the owner or when you take it in for servicing and/or buy parts it would be updated then.