Hi all im new to this forum, its great. Here goes i found a leak coming from the aux belt tensioner so i had it replaced with an OEM part from Eurocar parts, then i started hearing a rattling noise in the engine comp so i lifted the bonnet and found that the new part had snapped right on the cast. So having taken the car back to the garage to get it replaced 2months down the line its snapped yet again?? Does anyone know why this maybe happening as the old one never had a problem other than an oil leak from the seal. Should i buy the part from a vw dealer or am i paying over the odds for the same product. Alls i know is i cant afford to keep buying new ones this shouldnt be happening!!

Is it the bolt that fixes it thats snapping? or the tensioner its self thats breaking?? Was the bolt renewed like it should be?? There have been batch problems in past with this. When you by from companies like Euro car parts specify OEM manufacturer and not pattern part!!!

Is this a TDI? The chances are that the freewheel pulley on the alternator is siezed. Thus when you pop the car out of gear, etc the tensioner breaks rather the freewheel pulley doing its job.

This problem has been covered a number of times on here. In my case, the tensioner did not fail, but the pulley broke off instead, so I was left with no PAS, alternator or AC.

You will need to get the alternator out, and then it require a special tool to change the pulley (or a friendly garage!).

http://www.matthewames.co.uk/briskoda/index.php?loc=./20110211_alternator

Alternator and pulley:

Edited 18 April, 201115 yr by mbames

Is it the bolt that fixes it thats snapping? or the tensioner its self thats breaking?? Was the bolt renewed like it should be?? There have been batch problems in past with this. When you by from companies like Euro car parts specify OEM manufacturer and not pattern part!!!

Its the casting that keeps breaking but just spoke to a guy who reakons its prob the over running alt pulleys that has locked up and causing the prob??

Its the casting that keeps breaking but just spoke to a guy who reakons its prob the over running alt pulleys that has locked up and causing the prob??

As per my 14:47

Linky to when I had problems with mine: http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/190777-clonk-hello-battery-light-and-intermittent-power-steering/

Edited 18 April, 201115 yr by mbames

It could be the sprague clutch on the alternator (qv), or a bad casting. I might be able to diagnose which, but I'd need good photos of the broken casting.