TDI: the vanes of the variable geometry (VNT) turbo stick
It does not show up on every car. Check before you buy.
expensive
severity
not available
mileage
2
sources
2 sources next to the write-up.
The fault
How you spot it
The vanes of the variable geometry turbo are glued together by soot and oil arriving through the EGR. First you get overboost or a lack of boost, then loss of power above 2,000 rpm, and finally limp mode. Caught in time it is enough to remove the turbo, clean it and fit a new actuator rod. Short urban trips and gentle, low rev driving speed up the deposits.
Which model
Who it affects
The card opens the generation, the engine or the transmission.
Engines and transmissions
Engine
ALH
Engine
AHF
Engine
ASV
Engine
AJM
Engine
ATD
Engine
AUY
Engine
AXR
Engine
ASZ
Engine
AFN
Engine
ARL
Engine
ATJ
Engine
AVB
Engine
AVF
Engine
AVG
Engine
AWX
Engine
BJB
Engine
BKC
Engine
BLS
Engine
BXE
Engine
BSU
Engine
BMM
Engine
CAYD
Engine
CAYE
Engine
CFHC
Engine
CFHE
Engine
CFHF
Engine
CFJA
Engine
CLCA
Engine
AXB
Engine
AXC
Engine
BRR
Engine
BRS
Engine
AXD
Engine
AXE
Engine
BNZ
Engine
BPC
Engine
CAAA
Engine
CAAB
Engine
CAAC
Engine
CAAD
Engine
CCHA
Engine
BJJ
Engine
BJK
Engine
BJL
Engine
BJM
Engine
CEBA
Engine
CEBB
Engine
CECA
Engine
CECB
Engine
CKTB
Engine
CKTC
Engine
CKUB
Engine
CKUC
Engine
CSLB
Engine
CBDB
Engine
ANY
Engine
AYZ
Engine
CFWA
Engine
CAYA
Engine
CFHD
Engine
CLCB
Engine
BSW
Engine
1Y
Engine
1Z
Engine
AVQ
Engine
AYM
Engine
BEE
Engine
BGW
Engine
BHW
Engine
BPX
Engine
BPZ
Engine
BSS
Engine
BSV
Engine
BUK
Engine
BVE
Engine
BWV
Engine
CBDA
Engine
CEGA
Engine
CFFA
Engine
CFFE
Engine
CFHB
Engine
CFJB
Engine
CHWA
Engine
CRLD
Engine
CRUA
Engine
CRVA
Engine
CUVA
Engine
CYKB
Engine
CYZA
Engine
CYZB
Engine
DCYB
Engine
DDYB
Engine
DEJB
Engine
DGTC
Engine
DLTB
Engine
DLUB
Engine
DSUB
Engine
DTRA
Engine
DTRC
Engine
DXNB
Engine
DXPA
Engine
DXRB
Engine
DXRC
Engine
AKE
Engine
BCZ
Engine
BFC
Engine
BKE
Engine
BKQ
Engine
BLB
Engine
BPW
Engine
BRB
Engine
BRD
Engine
BRE
Engine
BTR
Engine
BUY
Engine
CCFA
Engine
CCFC
Engine
CCGA
Engine
CDSB
Engine
CGLC
Engine
CGLE
Engine
CMGB
Engine
CNHA
Engine
CSUD
Engine
CSUE
Engine
CTEC
Engine
CXMA
Engine
CZAC
Engine
CZHA
Engine
DBGA
Engine
DDDA
Engine
DESA
Engine
DETA
Engine
DETB
Engine
DEUA
Engine
DEUC
Engine
DEZB
Engine
DEZD
Engine
DEZE
Engine
DFBA
Engine
DTNA
Engine
DTPA
Engine
CAGA
Engine
CAGB
Engine
CAGC
Engine
CAHA
Engine
CAHB
Engine
CAMA
Engine
CAPA
Engine
CCWA
Engine
CGKA
Engine
CGLD
Engine
CJCA
Engine
CJCB
Engine
CJCC
Engine
CJCD
Engine
CKVB
Engine
CKVC
Engine
CKVD
Engine
CMEA
Engine
CMFB
Engine
CSUA
Engine
CSUB
Engine
AFF
Engine
BMK
Engine
BSG
Engine
CANA
Engine
CANC
Engine
CDYA
Engine
CDYC
Engine
CGLA
Engine
CGLB
Engine
CLLB
Engine
CPNB
Engine
CUVB
Engine
CUVD
Engine
CVUC
Engine
DEHA
Engine
DFUA
Engine
ANU
Engine
BRT
Engine
BTB
Engine
BVK
Engine
CFHA
Engine
CLNA
Engine
DFSA
Engine
CTCC
Engine
CZVE
Engine
DKMD
Checklist
TDI: the vanes of the variable geometry (VNT) turbo stick
What you would check for this fault. Take it to the car.
Before you buy
Checklist
What you tick stays on this device only.
Sources
How we know
Auto Gas GagaVW Golf 4 1.9 TDI: What Still Breaks After All These YearsVW Golf 4 1.9 TDI common faults across ALH, AHF, AGR and PD engine variants. What still breaks, what to inspect when buying, and which version is most reliable.- uk-mkivs.netVNT TDI Turbo — how to adjust actuator, cure boost problemsuk-mkivs.net
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.