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CriticalCommonEngine

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque: 2.0 Si4 Timing Chain Tensioner Failure

2.0 Si4 Timing Chain Tensioner Failure is a common engine fault on the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque on the 2011–2019 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $2,800 to $6,500 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 15 documented faults on the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque.

Vehicle
Land Rover Range Rover Evoque
Engine
2.0L
Years
2011–2019
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

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

All Land Rover Range Rover Evoque faults15 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The 2.0-litre Si4 turbocharged petrol engine in the first-generation Evoque L538 uses a timing chain with a hydraulic tensioner. The tensioner loses pressure during cold starts or when oil changes are infrequent, allowing momentary chain slack. Over time the tensioner mechanism wears and can no longer maintain adequate tension. A slack or jumping chain causes cam timing deviation, misfires, and eventual valve damage on this interference engine. The fault has been widely reported in both the Evoque and related Ford EcoBoost applications sharing the same engine architecture.

What you would notice

  • Brief metallic rattling on cold start from the front of the engine, often disappearing once oil pressure builds
  • P0016 or P0017 cam-crank correlation fault codes
  • Misfires or rough running particularly when cold
  • Engine management warning light

How to check it

Where to look. Front of the 2.0 Si4 engine, timing chain and tensioner assembly behind the front cover

Cold-start the engine and listen for a brief rattle from the front of the engine in the first few seconds. Scan for cam timing or chain-related fault codes. Check the oil change history – infrequent changes accelerate tensioner wear. High-mileage examples above 100,000 km without documented tensioner or chain inspection are higher risk.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$2,800 to $6,500 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 timing chain or tensioner been replaced or inspected?”
  • “Any brief cold-start rattle from the engine before it settles?”
  • “How frequently has the engine oil been changed?”

Now check the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque 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.

Land Rover Range Rover Evoque buyer questions

Is 2.0 si4 timing chain tensioner failure serious on a Land Rover Range Rover Evoque?

We rate it critical and common on the Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. The 2.0-litre Si4 turbocharged petrol engine in the first-generation Evoque L538 uses a timing chain with a hydraulic tensioner. The tensioner loses pressure during cold starts or when oil changes are infrequent, allowing momentary chain slack. Over time the tensioner mechanism wears and can no longer maintain adequate tension. A slack or jumping chain causes cam timing deviation, misfires, and eventual valve damage on this interference engine. The fault has been widely reported in both the Evoque and related Ford EcoBoost applications sharing the same engine architecture.

How much does it cost to fix on a Land Rover Range Rover Evoque?

$2,800 to $6,500 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 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2011–2019 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. 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?

Cold-start the engine and listen for a brief rattle from the front of the engine in the first few seconds. Scan for cam timing or chain-related fault codes. Check the oil change history – infrequent changes accelerate tensioner wear. High-mileage examples above 100,000 km without documented tensioner or chain inspection are higher risk. Look here: Front of the 2.0 Si4 engine, timing chain and tensioner assembly behind the front cover