Audi A4: EA113 2.0 TFSI Cam Follower Disintegration and HPFP Failure

The EA113 2.0 TFSI (B7 A4 and early B8 A4 to approximately 2012) is notorious for cam follower failure. The small mushroom-shaped follower driving the high-pressure fuel pump wears through completely if not inspected every 20,000 km. Once the follower is destroyed, the HPFP cam lobe machines directly into the cylinder head, scattering metal into the oil system and destroying the pump. This is one of the most extensively documented Audi engine faults in NZ/AU and globally — multiple TSBs and forum megathreads exist. Proactive inspection and follower replacement costs very little; ignoring it risks engine replacement.

• P0087, P1093, or P1094 high fuel pressure fault codes
• Hard or extended cranking before starting, especially hot starts
• Loss of power under acceleration
• Ticking noise from the HPFP area at the top of the engine
• Engine damage and oil contamination if follower has fully disintegrated

Scan all ECUs for fuel pressure codes. Request documentary evidence that the follower has been inspected at regular intervals. If no records exist, inspect before purchase and factor the cost into negotiations. If a workshop inspection is possible: Physically remove the cam follower via the HPFP access port and measure its thickness — reject anything below 2.5 mm or showing a concave/pitted face.

Parts involved: High-pressure fuel pump.

$400 to $8,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

• “Has the cam follower been inspected within the last 20,000 km, and is there a receipt?”
• “Any fuel pressure fault codes or HPFP replacements in the service history?”
• “What oil specification and brand has been used, and at what change interval?”

The failure described above is documented in published sources — owner forums, technical service bulletins, recall notices and workshop write-ups — held in our fault database. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them, and it is a starting point for an inspection rather than a manufacturer statement.