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CriticalCommonEngine

Audi A6: 2.0 TFSI Cam Follower / HPFP Wear

2.0 TFSI Cam Follower / HPFP Wear is a common engine fault on the Audi A6 on the 2008–2015 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $500 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 34 documented faults on the Audi A6.

Vehicle
Audi A6
Engine
2.0L
Years
2008–2015
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Audi A6 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Audi A6 faults34 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the High-pressure fuel pump yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

In the 2.0 TFSI (CAEB/EA888), the high-pressure fuel pump piston is driven by an intake camshaft lobe through a small bucket-type cam follower. The contact patch operates under extreme load at fuel rail pressures of 150–200 bar and wears through the unhardened base of the follower in as little as 30,000–80,000 km. Once the follower is fully perforated, the camshaft lobe contacts the HPFP plunger stem directly, rapidly destroying the camshaft and requiring pump plus camshaft replacement. The follower is a scheduled inspection item that many owners are unaware of.

What you would notice

  • Hard start or extended cranking, especially when hot
  • Fuel pressure fault codes P0087 (low fuel rail pressure) or P2293
  • Power loss and hesitation at high RPM under load
  • Metallic clicking from the camshaft area when the engine is at operating temperature

How to check it

Where to look. Top of cylinder head, beneath the HPFP mounting flange on the intake camshaft

Inspect the follower base for a wear groove or central perforation — a serviceable follower is flat and smooth. If worn, immediately inspect the camshaft lobe below for scoring. A new follower costs under $50 NZD; ignoring inspection risks a $5,000–9,000 repair. If a workshop inspection is possible: Remove the two bolts securing the HPFP on top of the cam cover and withdraw the pump to expose the cam follower beneath it.

Parts involved: High-pressure fuel pump.

What it costs to put right

$500 to $9,000 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.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the cam follower been inspected or replaced, and at what mileage?”
  • “Any history of hard starts or loss of power at high RPM?”
  • “Have fuel pressure-related fault codes ever appeared?”

Now check the Audi A6 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

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.

Audi A6 buyer questions

Is 2.0 tfsi cam follower / hpfp wear serious on a Audi A6?

We rate it critical and common on the Audi A6. In the 2.0 TFSI (CAEB/EA888), the high-pressure fuel pump piston is driven by an intake camshaft lobe through a small bucket-type cam follower. The contact patch operates under extreme load at fuel rail pressures of 150–200 bar and wears through the unhardened base of the follower in as little as 30,000–80,000 km. Once the follower is fully perforated, the camshaft lobe contacts the HPFP plunger stem directly, rapidly destroying the camshaft and requiring pump plus camshaft replacement. The follower is a scheduled inspection item that many owners are unaware of.

How much does it cost to fix on a Audi A6?

$500 to $9,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Audi A6 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2008–2015 Audi A6. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Inspect the follower base for a wear groove or central perforation — a serviceable follower is flat and smooth. If worn, immediately inspect the camshaft lobe below for scoring. A new follower costs under $50 NZD; ignoring inspection risks a $5,000–9,000 repair. If a workshop inspection is possible: Remove the two bolts securing the HPFP on top of the cam cover and withdraw the pump to expose the cam follower beneath it. Look here: Top of cylinder head, beneath the HPFP mounting flange on the intake camshaft