vinkodex.
Known fault

1.4 and 1.6 petrol: the plastic belt tensioner breaks

It does not show up on every car. Check before you buy.

critical

severity

not available

mileage

1

sources

1 source next to the write-up.

The fault

How you spot it

In the 1.4 and 1.6 litre petrol engines the timing belt tensioner is plastic. If it breaks, the belt jumps and the engine is badly damaged inside.

The tensioner and the rollers have to be replaced along with the belt. But many cheap belt changes replace only the belt, and the next owner knows nothing about it for years.

Saying "the belt change was done" is not enough. The tensioner has to be on the invoice too.

Which model

Who it affects

The card opens the generation, the engine or the transmission.

Generations and models

2 generations.

Checklist

1.4 and 1.6 petrol: the plastic belt tensioner breaks

What you would check for this fault. Take it to the car.

Before you buy

Checklist

What you tick stays on this device only.

vinkodex.com · Before you buy it, see what can go wrong.

Sources

How we know

Information, not an expert opinion

We write the descriptions, and we put the source next to them. A person reviews them before they go out. They are still information, not a technical expert opinion.

  • A fault on the list does not mean the car you are looking at has it.
  • A fault missing from the list does not mean the model is fault-free. Write-ups are made model by model. Not all of them are done.
  • You decide whether to buy. This is no substitute for an inspection. That needs a workshop and a history check.
Details in the terms