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Volkswagen Jetta: 1.4 TSI twincharger timing-chain tensioner and supercharger failure (CAVD)

1.4 TSI twincharger timing-chain tensioner and supercharger failure (CAVD) is a common engine fault on the Volkswagen Jetta on the 2006–2017 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $2,500 to $6,000 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 6 documented faults on the Volkswagen Jetta.

Vehicle
Volkswagen Jetta
Engine
1.4L
Years
2006–2017
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Volkswagen Jetta 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 Jetta faults6 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 1.4 TSI 'twincharger' (supercharged and turbocharged, engine code CAVD) fitted to the Jetta is one of the most failure-prone petrol engines VW ever sold. Its timing chain tensioner loses tension - often from around 100,000 km - letting the chain rattle and, in the worst case, jump teeth and destroy the valves and pistons. The belt-driven supercharger clutch also fails, causing lost low-end power. VW issued an upgraded tensioner and a recall for many cars, but plenty are still on old parts. A cold-start rattle on this engine must be taken seriously.

What you would notice

  • Rattle from the front of the engine on cold start (1-3 seconds)
  • Chain / rattling noise that returns as it warms
  • Engine warning light for camshaft/crankshaft correlation
  • Loss of low-end power (supercharger clutch)
  • Misfires or rough running

How to check it

Where to look. Timing chain and tensioner at the front (timing) end of the engine; supercharger on the side

Be there for a genuine first-start of the day and listen hard at the front of the engine for a rattle - this is the key test. Ask specifically whether the uprated timing-chain tensioner has been fitted and get invoices. Any correlation fault code (P0016/P0017) is a serious warning. Prefer a car with documented tensioner work.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$2,500 to $6,000 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 uprated timing-chain tensioner been fitted, with proof?”
  • “Does it rattle on a cold first start?”
  • “Has the supercharger ever been worked on?”

Now check the Volkswagen Jetta 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 Jetta buyer questions

Is 1.4 tsi twincharger timing-chain tensioner and supercharger failure (cavd) serious on a Volkswagen Jetta?

We rate it critical and common on the Volkswagen Jetta. The 1.4 TSI 'twincharger' (supercharged and turbocharged, engine code CAVD) fitted to the Jetta is one of the most failure-prone petrol engines VW ever sold. Its timing chain tensioner loses tension - often from around 100,000 km - letting the chain rattle and, in the worst case, jump teeth and destroy the valves and pistons. The belt-driven supercharger clutch also fails, causing lost low-end power. VW issued an upgraded tensioner and a recall for many cars, but plenty are still on old parts. A cold-start rattle on this engine must be taken seriously.

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

$2,500 to $6,000 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 Jetta years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2006–2017 Volkswagen Jetta. 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?

Be there for a genuine first-start of the day and listen hard at the front of the engine for a rattle - this is the key test. Ask specifically whether the uprated timing-chain tensioner has been fitted and get invoices. Any correlation fault code (P0016/P0017) is a serious warning. Prefer a car with documented tensioner work. Look here: Timing chain and tensioner at the front (timing) end of the engine; supercharger on the side