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Volkswagen Passat: EA888 Gen1/2 1.8 and 2.0 TSI timing chain tensioner failure (118TSI and 147TSI, built before May 2012)

EA888 Gen1/2 1.8 and 2.0 TSI timing chain tensioner failure (118TSI and 147TSI, built before May 2012) is a common engine fault on the Volkswagen Passat on the 2008–2012 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $2,500 to $5,500 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 26 documented faults on the Volkswagen Passat.

Vehicle
Volkswagen Passat
Engine
1.8L / 2.0L
Years
2008–2012
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 plastic timing chain tensioner on the EA888 2.0 TSI (Gen1 2008–2011, Gen2 2011–2015) degrades and loses hydraulic pressure retention, allowing the chain to rattle and eventually jump a tooth on the camshaft sprocket. VW issued recall 23R6 in several markets covering this fault. Failure causes P0016/P0017 (camshaft–crankshaft correlation) codes and, if ignored, results in piston-to-valve contact and catastrophic engine destruction. Very common on imported B6/B7 Passats with unknown service history.

What you would notice

  • Metallic rattling or ticking from the engine immediately on cold start
  • P0016 or P0017 fault codes (camshaft/crankshaft correlation)
  • Rough idle or misfires during warm-up
  • Check engine light, sometimes intermittent

How to check it

Where to look. Front of engine, inside timing cover on the driver's side of the engine bay

  1. Cold-start the engine and listen for chain rattle for at least 30 seconds before it warms.

  2. Rattle that fades after 30–60 s confirms tensioner wear.

  3. Scan all ECUs for P0016/P0017.

  4. Request service history documenting timing chain kit replacement using updated hardware.

  5. Inspect the front of the engine for oil seepage around the timing cover.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$2,500 to $5,500 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 and tensioner been replaced with the updated kit?”
  • “Any history of P0016 or P0017 fault codes?”
  • “What was the oil change interval, and what spec oil was used?”

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 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 Passat buyer questions

Is ea888 gen1/2 1.8 and 2.0 tsi timing chain tensioner failure (118tsi and 147tsi, built before may 2012) serious on a Volkswagen Passat?

We rate it critical and common on the Volkswagen Passat. The plastic timing chain tensioner on the EA888 2.0 TSI (Gen1 2008–2011, Gen2 2011–2015) degrades and loses hydraulic pressure retention, allowing the chain to rattle and eventually jump a tooth on the camshaft sprocket. VW issued recall 23R6 in several markets covering this fault. Failure causes P0016/P0017 (camshaft–crankshaft correlation) codes and, if ignored, results in piston-to-valve contact and catastrophic engine destruction. Very common on imported B6/B7 Passats with unknown service history.

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

$2,500 to $5,500 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 Volkswagen Passat years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2008–2012 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?

Cold-start the engine and listen for chain rattle for at least 30 seconds before it warms. Rattle that fades after 30–60 s confirms tensioner wear. Scan all ECUs for P0016/P0017. Request service history documenting timing chain kit replacement using updated hardware. Inspect the front of the engine for oil seepage around the timing cover. Look here: Front of engine, inside timing cover on the driver's side of the engine bay