Volkswagen Golf: EA111 timing chain stretch and tensioner failure - 1.4 TSI (CAXA) and 1.2 TSI single-turbo (Mk6)
EA111 timing chain stretch and tensioner failure - 1.4 TSI (CAXA) and 1.2 TSI single-turbo (Mk6) is a common engine fault on the Volkswagen Golf on the 2010–2013 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $1,400 to $3,000 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 49 documented faults on the Volkswagen Golf.
- Vehicle
- Volkswagen Golf
- Engine
- 1.4L / 1.2L
- Years
- 2010–2013
- Fuel
- petrol
- System
- Engine
What you are looking at
Example of the part — not this vehicleThe front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.
What goes wrong
The Mk6-era single-turbo EA111 engines - the 1.4 TSI (CAXA family) common in NZ-new and Japanese-import Golfs, and the 1.2 TSI - stretch their timing chains and wear the tensioner. The warning is a rattle for the first second or two of a cold start; the failure is the chain jumping teeth, which bends valves and writes off the head. It can happen well under 100,000 km. Kits with revised tensioners exist precisely because demand is constant. This is the same EA111 chain weakness known from the earlier twincharger engines, carried into the 2010-2013 single-turbo cars that dominate the NZ import fleet.
What you would notice
- Metallic rattle for the first 1-2 seconds of a cold start
- Rattle when restarting warm after a short stop
- Check-engine light with camshaft/crankshaft correlation codes (e.g. P0016)
How to check it
Where to look. Timing chain on the right-hand (cambelt-cover) end of the engine, behind the engine mount
Cold start is everything: arrive early, put your hand on the bonnet to confirm the engine is cold, and listen at the right-hand side of the engine bay while someone starts it. Any brief metallic rattle at the moment of start is the tensioner warning. Restart it again after the test drive and listen once more. Ask for an invoice showing the chain and tensioner have been replaced with the updated parts - on an NZ import with no history, price the job in. If a workshop inspection is possible: a scan for stored P0016-type correlation codes and a check of chain stretch via cam timing values gives a definitive answer.
What it costs to put right
$1,400 to $3,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.
Ask the seller
- “Has the timing chain and tensioner been replaced with the updated parts?”
- “Does it rattle on cold start?”
- “Is there any NZ service history, or is it a fresh import with none?”
Now check the Volkswagen Golf 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.
Where this comes from
- GolfMk6.com thread 'DIY: Timing chain, guides, & tensioner resources'
- STR Performance reinforced EA111 1.4 TSI (CAXA/CAVD/CAXC) timing chain kit (product documentation)
- SD European (NZ) 'VW Golf Mk6 reliability guide: common problems'
Volkswagen Golf buyer questions
Is ea111 timing chain stretch and tensioner failure - 1.4 tsi (caxa) and 1.2 tsi single-turbo (mk6) serious on a Volkswagen Golf?
We rate it critical and common on the Volkswagen Golf. The Mk6-era single-turbo EA111 engines - the 1.4 TSI (CAXA family) common in NZ-new and Japanese-import Golfs, and the 1.2 TSI - stretch their timing chains and wear the tensioner. The warning is a rattle for the first second or two of a cold start; the failure is the chain jumping teeth, which bends valves and writes off the head. It can happen well under 100,000 km. Kits with revised tensioners exist precisely because demand is constant. This is the same EA111 chain weakness known from the earlier twincharger engines, carried into the 2010-2013 single-turbo cars that dominate the NZ import fleet.
How much does it cost to fix on a Volkswagen Golf?
$1,400 to $3,000 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 Volkswagen Golf years are affected?
Our research records this fault on the 2010–2013 Volkswagen Golf. 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 is everything: arrive early, put your hand on the bonnet to confirm the engine is cold, and listen at the right-hand side of the engine bay while someone starts it. Any brief metallic rattle at the moment of start is the tensioner warning. Restart it again after the test drive and listen once more. Ask for an invoice showing the chain and tensioner have been replaced with the updated parts - on an NZ import with no history, price the job in. If a workshop inspection is possible: a scan for stored P0016-type correlation codes and a check of chain stretch via cam timing values gives a definitive answer. Look here: Timing chain on the right-hand (cambelt-cover) end of the engine, behind the engine mount