Timing belt tensioner

[Nicky1988city]

Hello,

 

I am the owner of a 2014 SKODA RAPID 1.2 tsi.

 

i bought the car in May 2017 from a Skoda dealer under the impression it was a an approved used Skoda and subject to a 12 month warranty. However I have now found it is not an approved used Skoda!

 

over the last few months the vehcile has spluttered on start and therefore I dropped into the dealer to check over.

 

i was then informed the vehcile requires a timing belt tensioner fitted. This is a known fault and subject to a technical product information (TPI). But as the vehicle was only subject to a 6 month warranty I would be liable for full repair bill £255.

 

as the vehicle was only just out of warranty I appealed this charge and was basically told tough luck. 

 

After going around the houses making complaints to both the dealer and Skoda UK they offered me as a good Will gesture a whole £22 discount of the work!!!!! 30% discount on the parts. Obviously I told them no, given the car has 30000 on the clock and I’ve owned for less than 12 months. 

 

Furthermore since going into the garage the EPS has come on and is now in low power/limp mode and therefore I can not drive it! 

 

Firstly anyone had similar issues?. If so how did it end? 

 

Is is this a common fault?

 

and is the price of £255, sorry £233 with their amazing discount a fair price? 

 

Thanks in advance 

 

Edited 24 January, 2018 by Nicky1988city

[camelspyyder]

I had a 2014 1.2TSi from new and there was no Service campaign about the top end relating to mine. I remember just one for steering and another one for the accelerator pedal.

 

The 2014 engine does not have a timing belt...but a chain. Does it have a mechanical rattle on start?

 

The limp mode is often turbo pressure actuator related. You should read the fault codes (without paying the stealer obviously) and check the cause before paying the garage to (maybe) fix it?

 

Maybe others on here have had chain issues with 2014 engines but I understood those problems were years before that.

 

 

Edited 24 January, 2018 by camelspyyder

[theandywaite]

I've been a victim of this sort of dodgy behaviour in the past.  Bought a car sold at a main dealer, so you assume it's part of the manufacturer used car scheme - and then told later that actually it wasn't.  Highly misleading.

 

I've also had huge problems with getting things fixed under warranty - I got so fed up with fighting about various issues with both Skoda and Ford dealers I've vowed never to have another new / nearly new car.  And that's when they were IN warranty.  Nowadays I just buy cheaper older cars and put some money aside for fixing them with a local specialist when they break.  It's much less stressful.

 

I know it's not pocket change, but to me £255 doesn't seem a huge bill in the context of running a car.  While I really hope it doesn't, if something major went wrong (e.g. turbo) you could easily be looking at 5-10 times that.  Personally I'd just accept it, and pay it rather than go through the hassle of fighting.

 

If it's out of warranty any way, have you considered looking for a local independent VW group specialist?  I can't think of a reason why you'd give the job to the main dealer that has screwed you over.  Even if an indi also wants £250ish to fix it, in my experience they care enough to do a good job (unlike dealers) and will be happy of your business.  You'll also get a second opinion on the fault before they fix it.

 

Where are you based? Maybe someone can recommend a good one.

Edited 24 January, 2018 by naxtek

[camelspyyder]

This isn't what you need to hear, but the last petrol car I had that actually spluttered on start had a hairline head gasket failure and water was getting into one cylinder.

 

As soon as it got slightly warm the motor ran fine.  Until the glorious day 4 months later

 

An older petrol with similar syptoms over a long period was simply cured by set of HT leads

 

 

Edited 24 January, 2018 by camelspyyder

[johnny cabbage head]

If your car has been rattling from cold start it could be a worn chain tensioner as Camelspyder said  - though they fixed that with two modifications - in 2011 and again 2013 along with a  further development in the production line modifications with later  engines oil galleries being bored to a larger size plus a second modification to the timing chain assembly. once the tension of the chain goes outside a certain tolerance the car will go into limp mode.

 pulling up G163  and G28  measuring blocks on VCDS showing incorrect / intermittant correlation will point you in the right direction if the  faulty tensioner is  making the chain loose or maybe a p1347 generic code  from a bog standard code reader.

If its intermittant engine misfire on EG cylinder 2 ( as was with my daughters car then look at the ignition coil packs) as thats what made my daughters drop into limp mode -  I replaced a coil pack and it ran like a Rolex

 

If you have recently had an oil filter change and the car started rattling after the service -it could be that the wrong oil filter was  used - apparently there is a difference in between certain types that have -or dont have a non return flap in the oil filter.

Here is a link to all things related to the mysteries of the 1.2tsi timing chain set up and different mods.

Hope this helps and hope its just a coil pack - though if £250 ish gets you out of the mire then its not bad as I believe originally skoda were asking £700 for a chain and tensioner replacement.

Plus if a skoda garage repairs it and you have further grief - chuck it straight back at them.

[johnny cabbage head]

1 minute ago, johnny cabbage head said:

If your car has been rattling from cold start it could be a worn chain tensioner as Camelspyder said  - though they fixed that with two modifications - in 2011 and again 2013 along with a  further development in the production line modifications with later  engines oil galleries being bored to a larger size plus a second modification to the timing chain assembly. once the tension of the chain goes outside a certain tolerance the car will go into limp mode.

 pulling up G163  and G28  measuring blocks on VCDS showing incorrect / intermittant correlation will point you in the right direction if the  faulty tensioner is  making the chain loose or maybe a p1347 generic code  from a bog standard code reader.

If its intermittant engine misfire on EG cylinder 2 ( as was with my daughters car then look at the ignition coil packs) as thats what made my daughters drop into limp mode -  I replaced a coil pack and it ran like a Rolex

 

If you have recently had an oil filter change and the car started rattling after the service -it could be that the wrong oil filter was  used - apparently there is a difference in between certain types that have -or dont have a non return flap in the oil filter.

Here is a link to all things related to the mysteries of the 1.2tsi timing chain set up and different mods.

Hope this helps and hope its just a coil pack - though if £250 ish gets you out of the mire then its not bad as I believe originally skoda were asking £700 for a chain and tensioner replacement.

Plus if a skoda garage repairs it and you have further grief - chuck it straight back at them.

 

[Nicky1988city]

Hi all,

 

thanks so much for thw prompt response!!!!! Sorry I didn’t return the courtesy. I’ve been away with no internet.

 

i took this matter straight to Skoda customer services who have thankfully been forced/agreed to pay for 100% of labour and 80% of parts! I’m hoping this solves the issues! Fingers crossed. Should be going into Skoda any day, so will keep you posted.

 

thanks again!! 

[bigjohn]

On 1/30/2018 at 14:46, Nicky1988city said:

Hi all,

 

thanks so much for thw prompt response!!!!! Sorry I didn’t return the courtesy. I’ve been away with no internet.

 

i took this matter straight to Skoda customer services who have thankfully been forced/agreed to pay for 100% of labour and 80% of parts! I’m hoping this solves the issues! Fingers crossed. Should be going into Skoda any day, so will keep you posted.

 

thanks again!! 

 

I think a 2014 Rapid 1.2tsi still has the EA111 engine with a timing chain - not belt. The timing chain has a hydraulic tensioner which is probably the issue (should have been sorted by 2014 though). 

 

It may be worth checking the oil filter was fitted correctly at the last service (also check if it's OEM) . If overtightened a drain back valve in the filter can be deformed causing oil to run back overnight and also a reduction in oil pressure when running (very bad for all sorts of reason and affects the tensioner).

Saying that if the dealer is sorting it you may have ducked a bullet as if the tensioner fails it can cause the chain to jump lunching the engine!

 

 

 

 

Edited 2 February, 2018 by bigjohn

[Nicky1988city]

Finally after many battles we the dealer they diagnosed the turbo was faulty but refused to foot the repair bill!

 

thankfully Skoda uk did and they replaced they paid dealership to replace the turbo.

 

now there is a strong smell of petrol in the cab! Normal after replacement of turbo? 

 

Cheers

[Rooted]

Only normal if someone messed up.

 

So since the Warranty Expired and there was no 12 Month Skoda Approved used car warranty, just Skoda UK paid the job should have a Guarantee on it.

ie Skoda supposedly paid.   Not Warranty so covered.

 

Have a main dealership check why there is a petrol smell since that is Safety Critical.

Be sure to tell Skoda UK, and have them arrange a Dealership to check the issue, as you are not paying.

http://skoda.co.uk/about-us/contact-us 

 

?

How did you get the impression it was a Skoda Approved Used car you were buying, did you not ask and get paperwork for a 12 month Warranty?

[Nicky1988city]

Thanks for the reply.

 

This isn’t the first car I have bought from this Skoda main dealer, and  I thought they only sell approved used! Reading the reviews I am not first to fall foul of this tricky selling!

 

salesman clearly a very tricky character going by the reviews in Facebook/google and alike.

 

It’s in the small print which I failed to read!!! (My fault). You would hope these sort of tricks don’t exist at main dealers, but clearly do!

 

i have a Skoda uk case manager who has been brill, so I’m going back to them now. 

 

the saga continues!

 

cheers again!