Skip to content
KickTyres
CriticalCommonEngine

Volkswagen Amarok: 2.0 BiTDI Crankshaft Pulley Hub Bolt Loosening

2.0 BiTDI Crankshaft Pulley Hub Bolt Loosening is a common engine fault on the Volkswagen Amarok on the 2011–2022 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $800 to $1,800 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 18 documented faults on the Volkswagen Amarok.

Vehicle
Volkswagen Amarok
Engine
2.0L
Years
2011–2022
Fuel
diesel
Gearbox
auto
System
Engine

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

All Volkswagen Amarok faults18 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

No photograph available

We do not hold a verified photograph of the Steering rack yet. We would rather show none than show a picture of a different part.

What goes wrong

The 2.0 BiTDI (CNFA, CDBA engine codes) crankshaft pulley hub bolt can back out under operational torque, allowing the pulley to migrate forward, contact the auxiliary belt, and ultimately shear the belt drive. VW Australia initiated service campaign VNA requiring hub bolt replacement with an updated part and thread-lock compound. Unaddressed vehicles risk loss of all auxiliary drive (charging, power steering, cooling) without warning.

What you would notice

  • Auxiliary serpentine belt shredding or jumping off the pulleys
  • Sudden battery, power steering, or cooling warning lights
  • Metallic knocking from the front of the engine at idle
  • Pulley visibly misaligned or wobbling relative to other pulleys

How to check it

Where to look. Front of engine, crankshaft pulley and hub assembly behind the auxiliary belt

  1. Ask the seller for VW dealer records confirming campaign VNA completion.

  2. Cross-check with a VW dealer using the VIN.

  3. Inspect the crankshaft pulley with engine running (safely from above) for any wobble or lateral movement.

Parts involved: Steering rack.

What it costs to put right

$800 to $1,800 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 VW Amarok crankshaft hub bolt campaign (VNA) been completed?”
  • “Any history of the auxiliary belt coming off or sudden warning lights?”

Now check the Volkswagen Amarok 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.

Volkswagen Amarok buyer questions

Is 2.0 bitdi crankshaft pulley hub bolt loosening serious on a Volkswagen Amarok?

We rate it critical and common on the Volkswagen Amarok. The 2.0 BiTDI (CNFA, CDBA engine codes) crankshaft pulley hub bolt can back out under operational torque, allowing the pulley to migrate forward, contact the auxiliary belt, and ultimately shear the belt drive. VW Australia initiated service campaign VNA requiring hub bolt replacement with an updated part and thread-lock compound. Unaddressed vehicles risk loss of all auxiliary drive (charging, power steering, cooling) without warning.

How much does it cost to fix on a Volkswagen Amarok?

$800 to $1,800 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 Volkswagen Amarok years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2011–2022 Volkswagen Amarok. 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?

Ask the seller for VW dealer records confirming campaign VNA completion. Cross-check with a VW dealer using the VIN. Inspect the crankshaft pulley with engine running (safely from above) for any wobble or lateral movement. Look here: Front of engine, crankshaft pulley and hub assembly behind the auxiliary belt