Volkswagen Up: common faults & what to check

Which Volkswagen Up are you looking at?

3 generation variants documented. Pick the shape you recognise: the faults, the servicing and the timeline below all narrow to it. Free, no account needed.

Petrol

2 variants documented

2011–20231222011–20231221.0 petrolPetrolDocumented issues4 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Vauxford via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

2011–20231222011–20231221.0 turbo petrolPetrolDocumented issues4 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Vauxford via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Electric

1 variant documented

2011–20231222011–2023122electricElectricDocumented issues1 knownSee faults & what to checkPhoto: Vauxford via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Now narrow it to the engine

A 1.8 and a 2.4 of the same car do not fail the same way, so the faults below narrow to the engine as well as the year. Free, no account needed.

Start your free check on this Volkswagen Up

No plate needed. You get the risk score, the buyer's checklist and the guided inspection for the exact car you picked above — not the whole nameplate.

The checks worth doing on a Volkswagen Up before you hand over any money. Every documented fault is listed below, each with its own page.

• Costly issue

  Check the oil dipstick level and note whether it matches the stated service history.

  See why

  1.0 MPI Excessive Oil Consumption from Piston Ring Wear

  The 1.0-litre three-cylinder MPI (multi-point injection) engine fitted to the Up! (engine code CHYA/CHYB/CHY) has documented piston ring and cylinder bore wear that results in oil being drawn past the rings into the combustion chamber and burned. The root cause is a combination of marginal oil control ring tension, aluminium bore susceptibility to glazing during low-load short-trip usage, and a factory fill oil that degrades relatively quickly in three-cylinder engines with high thermal cycling rates. Consumption rates of 1 litre per 1,000 km have been recorded in affected units, well above VW's 0.5 L/1,000 km threshold. Running low on oil due to unreported consumption risks bearing and cam damage. VW extended warranty coverage for this issue in several markets following consumer complaints.

  What you would notice

  • Oil level dropping below minimum between scheduled services
  • Blue-tinged smoke from exhaust, especially on startup or deceleration
  • Oily residue or carbon deposits around exhaust tip
  • Occasional misfires if oil fouls spark plugs
  • Oil warning light illumination due to low level

  Typically $180–$4,800 to put right.

• Costly issue

  On the test drive from cold, pull away gently then briskly in traffic and feel for excessive lurching, long shift pauses or drive dropping out.

  See why

  ASG automated-manual gearbox — jerky, hesitant shifts and clutch-actuator wear

  The optional ASG (a single-clutch robotised manual, badged 'automatic') is the Up's most complained-about drivetrain. Owners report slow, jerky gear changes, a distinct pause and power drop-off between shifts, no creep function in stop-start traffic and awkward hill starts. Roughness typically worsens from around 40,000 km and can be caused by the clutch-actuator and clutch itself wearing, worn synchro/selector components, or software/adaptation that has drifted out of range. Some cars throw shift-related fault codes and drop into limp mode. It is mechanically a manual with a robot clutch, so much of the behaviour is design, but genuine actuator and clutch failures do occur. The SEAT Mii and Skoda Citigo twins share this box.

  What you would notice

  • Jerky or lurching gear changes, especially at low speed
  • Long pause and loss of drive between shifts
  • No creep — car rolls back on hills
  • Awkward, hesitant hill starts
  • Shift warning light or intermittent limp mode

  Typically $900–$2,800 to put right.

• Costly issue

  Pull away in first and reverse feeling for judder or a slipping bite.

  See why

  Manual clutch judder and premature wear from city use

  The 5-speed manual is the pick over the ASG, but the clutch takes a hammering in the stop-start urban driving these cars mostly do. Owners report clutch judder or shudder when pulling away, a high or vague biting point and, on higher-mileage examples, clutch slip under load. Difficulty selecting reverse is also common and is usually down to worn synchro rings or a tired clutch rather than the gearbox itself. On a light 1.0 city car a clutch that has lived its whole life in traffic can need replacement earlier than the same part in a highway car.

  What you would notice

  • Judder or shudder pulling away in first
  • High, vague or slipping biting point
  • Revs rise faster than road speed under load
  • Crunch or refusal selecting reverse
  • Burning smell after hill or heavy-traffic driving

  Typically $900–$1,800 to put right.

• Common issue

  Cycle the infotainment/dock and Bluetooth and watch for freezes.

  See why

  Infotainment freezes and intermittent warning-light gremlins

  The Up's electrics throw up a range of niggly, mostly non-mechanical faults. Owners report the infotainment or dash-dock unit freezing, Bluetooth dropping out and navigation errors, plus intermittent sensor and instrument-cluster warning messages that clear on restart. Many are resolved by a dealer software update or by re-seating connectors, but some trace to genuine sensor faults or low battery voltage — small city cars driven on short trips are prone to a flat or weak battery, which itself triggers a scatter of spurious warnings. Rule out a tired battery before chasing electrical ghosts.

  What you would notice

  • Infotainment or dock screen freezing or rebooting
  • Bluetooth disconnecting, navigation errors
  • Warning lights that appear then clear on restart
  • Flickering lights or dash messages
  • Slow or reluctant starting from a weak battery

  Typically $150–$700 to put right.

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