CriticalCommonEngine

Volkswagen Scirocco: Timing chain stretch and tensioner failure (1.4 TSI twincharger EA111 CAVD/CTHD)

Timing chain stretch and tensioner failure (1.4 TSI twincharger EA111 CAVD/CTHD) is a common engine fault on the Volkswagen Scirocco on the 2008–2014 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $2,200 to $8,500 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 5 documented faults on the Volkswagen Scirocco.

Vehicle: Volkswagen Scirocco
Engine: 1.4L
Years: 2008–2014
Fuel: petrol
System: Engine

This page covers the Volkswagen Scirocco 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 Scirocco faults5 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

What goes wrong

The pre-facelift 1.4 TSI twincharger (EA111, codes CAVD and later CTHD) drives its cams with a chain whose tensioner lets the chain run slack for a moment on each cold start. Over time the chain stretches and can jump a tooth, which bends valves and can write off the engine. Stretch is often seen from 60,000 to 100,000 km, sooner on cars with long oil change intervals. VW revised the chain and tensioner during production, and the 2014 facelift moved to the EA211 1.4 TSI with a belt, which does not share this fault. There is no recall or extended warranty in NZ/AU.

What you would notice

Rattle or chain clatter for 1 to 3 seconds on a cold start
Engine warning light with camshaft timing codes
Rough idle or hesitation after the rattle
Engine will not start after a loud clatter (chain jumped)

How to check it

Where to look. Right-hand end of the engine (passenger side of the engine bay), behind the timing cover

Ask the seller not to start the car before you arrive, and put your hand on the bonnet to confirm it is cold. Stand by the open bonnet while it is started from cold and listen at the right-hand (timing) end of the engine for a rattle in the first few seconds. Any rattle is a walk-away or price-the-repair signal. Check the dash for an engine warning light once running. Ask for invoices showing a timing chain, tensioner and guide replacement and the parts date, and look for oil changes at least every 15,000 km or 12 months. If a workshop inspection is possible: have a VW specialist read camshaft/crankshaft correlation values with a scan tool and check for timing fault codes, which shows chain stretch before it becomes audible.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$2,200 to $8,500 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, and do you have the invoice?”
“How often was the oil changed, and what oil was used?”
“Has it ever rattled on a cold start?”

Now check the Volkswagen Scirocco 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.

Scirocco Central forum: 1.4 TSI Timing Chain thread (t=19940)
Grant Walker Parts (AU): Volkswagen CAVD 1.4 Litre TSI Engine Problems
Star Garage Mansfield: Volkswagen Timing Chain Problems 1.2 TSI, 1.4 TSI and 2.0 TDI

Volkswagen Scirocco buyer questions

Is timing chain stretch and tensioner failure (1.4 tsi twincharger ea111 cavd/cthd) serious on a Volkswagen Scirocco?

We rate it critical and common on the Volkswagen Scirocco. The pre-facelift 1.4 TSI twincharger (EA111, codes CAVD and later CTHD) drives its cams with a chain whose tensioner lets the chain run slack for a moment on each cold start. Over time the chain stretches and can jump a tooth, which bends valves and can write off the engine. Stretch is often seen from 60,000 to 100,000 km, sooner on cars with long oil change intervals. VW revised the chain and tensioner during production, and the 2014 facelift moved to the EA211 1.4 TSI with a belt, which does not share this fault. There is no recall or extended warranty in NZ/AU.

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

$2,200 to $8,500 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 Scirocco years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2008–2014 Volkswagen Scirocco. 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.