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Known fault

3.0 TDI: timing chain and tensioner at the rear

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

critical

severity

not available

mileage

2

sources

2 sources next to the write-up.

The fault

How you spot it

The timing chain of the V6 3.0 TDI is at the rear of the engine, at the gearbox end. Replacing the chain and the tensioner means removing the gearbox and effectively the engine too. One of the most expensive chain repairs in the industry.

The precursor is a few second rattle on a cold start that then goes away. Many sellers say this is normal. It is not: the tensioner is not holding the chain, and if the chain jumps, the engine is finished. Long oil change intervals and neglected oil speed it up.

Which model

Who it affects

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

Generations and models

2 generations.

Checklist

3.0 TDI: timing chain and tensioner at the rear

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