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Volkswagen Passat: 2.0 TSI/TFSI oil consumption and timing-chain tensioner rattle (EA888)

2.0 TSI/TFSI oil consumption and timing-chain tensioner rattle (EA888) is a common engine fault on the Volkswagen Passat on the 2006–2014 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,500 to $5,000 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 26 documented faults on the Volkswagen Passat.

Vehicle
Volkswagen Passat
Engine
2.0L
Years
2006–2014
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Volkswagen Passat 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 Passat faults26 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 1.8 and 2.0 TSI/TFSI (EA888 gen 1/2) petrol engines in the B6/B7 Passat are known for two things: heavy oil consumption from worn/coked piston rings and PCV issues, and a timing-chain tensioner that can lose tension and let the chain rattle - or, worst case, jump and bend valves. Oil burning means constant top-ups; a rattly chain on cold start is the more dangerous of the two. Both are well documented across the VAG EA888 family.

What you would notice

  • Needing to add oil between services
  • Rattle from the front of the engine on cold start
  • Blue smoke on start-up or hard acceleration
  • Engine warning light for cam/crank correlation
  • Low-oil warnings

How to check it

Where to look. Pistons/rings inside the engine; timing chain and tensioner at the front of the engine

  1. Ask how much oil it uses between services - a litre every 1,000-2,000 km is a known EA888 problem.

  2. Be there for a cold first start and listen for a chain rattle at the front of the engine.

  3. Check the oil level and colour.

  4. Ask whether the tensioner has been updated to the later part.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$1,500 to $5,000 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

  • “How much oil does it use between services?”
  • “Has the timing-chain tensioner been updated?”
  • “Does it rattle on a cold start?”

Now check the Volkswagen Passat 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 the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

  • VW Owners Club 'defective timing-chain tensioner in 2.0 TSI engines'
  • shopdap.com '2.0T VW and Audi TSI timing-chain tensioner problems'
  • PassatWorld EA888 oil-consumption threads

Volkswagen Passat buyer questions

Is 2.0 tsi/tfsi oil consumption and timing-chain tensioner rattle (ea888) serious on a Volkswagen Passat?

We rate it major and common on the Volkswagen Passat. The 1.8 and 2.0 TSI/TFSI (EA888 gen 1/2) petrol engines in the B6/B7 Passat are known for two things: heavy oil consumption from worn/coked piston rings and PCV issues, and a timing-chain tensioner that can lose tension and let the chain rattle - or, worst case, jump and bend valves. Oil burning means constant top-ups; a rattly chain on cold start is the more dangerous of the two. Both are well documented across the VAG EA888 family.

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

$1,500 to $5,000 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 Passat years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2006–2014 Volkswagen Passat. 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 how much oil it uses between services - a litre every 1,000-2,000 km is a known EA888 problem. Be there for a cold first start and listen for a chain rattle at the front of the engine. Check the oil level and colour. Ask whether the tensioner has been updated to the later part. Look here: Pistons/rings inside the engine; timing chain and tensioner at the front of the engine