Timing Belt Advice Changed by Skoda

[nbramwel]

I recently read on the Octavia mk4 forum that Skoda's advice on changing the timing belt on 1.5TSI engines had changed from 5 years or 50,000 miles to 144,000 miles with no elapsed time stated.  I therefore contacted Skoda support and asked whether they had changed their advice for the 1.0TSI engine.  I have this engine in my 2018 Octavia and so does my son who has a 2017 Octavia.  They responded as follows:

 

'Thank you for your recent enquiry regarding the recommended interval for changing the timing belt on your vehicle.
 
I can confirm that the ŠKODA recommendation for the timing belt servicing on both vehicles is below:

Inspection every 15 years or 180000 miles which ever comes first.'

 

I thought this would be of intertest to mk3 owners with this engine and no doubt Fabia owners as well.  Thanks.  

[cp123]

I have a 2016 1.4TSI purchased in 2021, had the Cam Belt  changed at 5 years, with only 40K on clock, as per service routine, car is now on 104k miles.

As per nbamwel, I too contacted Skoda Support and this was was there response:

"I can confirm that timing belts are considered 'wear-and-tear' components and are not covered by warranty outside of the initial three-year/60,000-mile warranty. Consequently, there is no 'Lifetime Guarantee' for timing belts. However, due to the improved reliability and extended change intervals of timing belts, Škoda is shifting away from the recommendation to replace the timing belt every five years. Instead, we are transitioning to time/distance intervals, where applicable. For some vehicle variants, this may mean there is no specific service interval for the timing belt, as they are designed to last significantly longer, often up to 15 years or 180,000 miles"

So its 15 years or 180k, what do the experts on the forum think about the new intervals also, are there any signs when your belt needs replacing.

Thanks in advance. 

[micro]

Maybe to align the UK with europe? There was always a disparity with the 1.6 TDI, UK advice was 5 years or 100k, but then europe was 10 years.

 

I wonder if its been changed for these engines too... hmm.

[robs12]

When the EA211 engine was introduced, the marketing stated "Thanks to its high-end material specification, this toothed belt's service life reliably spans the entire life of the vehicle."

 

That from the VW press newsroom, about half way down - paragraph starting "Renaissance of the toothed belt...":

 

https://www.volkswagen-newsroom.com/en/the-new-golf-das-auto-international-driving-presentation-2797/the-new-golf-powertrain-structure-engines-and-gearboxes-2835

 

The SKODA Mk3 maintenance manual (albeit an old 2013 version, don't know if anyone has a more recent version?) is here and clear:

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/zh8n0y4sz6jsxcd/Maintenance.pdf?dl=0

 

See page 16/17 for 1.2/1,4 Tsi, cambelt maintenance schedule. It says check "At 240 000 km, then every 30 000 km".

 

For the 1.2/14 TSI, the VW EA211 engine ' service training manual' is here:

 

https://procarmanuals.com/vag-ssp-511-new-ea211-petrol-engine-family/

 

Page 13 actually says the camshaft toothed belt is 'maintenance free'.

 

This is all official VW/Skoda literature and is years old. There have been many threads on here about it. Seems the dealers/stealers have finally caught up...or have been having us on... 😉

[J.R.]

29 minutes ago, robs12 said:

this toothed belt's service life reliably spans the entire life of the vehicle."

 

Pretty accurate methinks, when the belt snaps the engine self destructs and most of the vehicles are scrapped due to the high repair costs, the belts lasted the entire life of the vehicles.