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Volkswagen Phaeton 3.0 TDI V6 4Motion 5-seater Highline common faults.

2010–2015, saloon, diesel, 245 HP.

The fault list covers: CEXB engine.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

3 fault write-ups. All are important. 2 recalls.

If you know the year, pick it. Faults for other years drop out of the list.

Before you buy

Known faults

3 important faults

critical2

3.0 TDI V6: the high-pressure pump sends metal debris into the fuel system

critical

The common rail high-pressure pump is lubricated and cooled by the diesel itself, because the pump produces over 2,000 bar and has no separate lubrication circuit. If that lubricating film breaks down, the internal running surface of the pump eats itself and metal debris is produced. The debris travels through the whole system with the diesel, the rail, the injectors and the tank as well, because the return line carries it back and the lift pump draws it in again at every start. From there flushing the injectors does not help, all of them have to be replaced and the tank cleaned too. The failure is reported between 120,000 and 160,000 km, and the repair runs from 1,500 to 15,000 euro depending on how far the debris got. The lubricating film is broken by misfuelling and by long runs with an almost empty tank, because below 5 litres the lift pump also draws air. Plain wear of the pump is a different case: there is no debris and only the pump has to be replaced.

between 120,000 and 160,000 km1,500–15,000 EUR

What to check

  • Ask when the fuel filter was last changed, and ask for the old filter if it is kept
  • Look for silvery, shiny metal particles in the filter housing and on the filter
  • Ask whether there has been a misfuelling, and whether the car often ran on an almost empty tank
2 more steps in the write-up

Air suspension: the bellows and the compressor

critical

The rubber bellows of the air spring loses its elasticity between 80,000 and 120,000 km, the compressor is overloaded, and the control unit reports a fault. The rear settles while the front stays at the correct height. On a twenty year old car the repair can cost more than the car.

What to check

  • Look at the car cold, after standing a night
  • Watch whether the rear settles while the front stays up
  • Raise it to the highest, then the lowest setting, and time it
2 more steps in the write-up

expensive1

Powered tailgate: seizing servo motor

expensive

The tailgate opening mechanism seizes between 60,000 and 100,000 km, or only works erratically. The cause is the servo motor.

What to check

  • Open and close the tailgate five times, from the button and the key
  • Watch whether it stops halfway or hesitates
  • Listen to the servo motor: a straining, stuttering noise

Checklist

Volkswagen Phaeton 3.0 TDI V6 4Motion 5-seater Highline

First what you would check on any car. Then the faults of this model.

Before you buy

Checklist

The printed sheet starts with what you would check on any car. What you tick stays on this device only.

On every car

Ask the owner

Faults of this model

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

Official recall2 recallsShow

The manufacturer fixes these for free at a franchised dealer. Ask with the VIN whether it was done.

A12/00787/24Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

Cars initially used for internal purposes of Volkswagen AG might not have been correctly modified before they were sold to the general public. There is a possibility that certain safety systems of these cars are not correctly modified for street use. The product does not comply with the Regulation on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles and their trailers, and of systems, components and separate technical units intended for such vehicles.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

A12/01570/20Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The adhesion of the glass cover on the sliding roof may be insufficient due to contamination during the manufacturing process. As a result, the glass cover may completely detach while the vehicle is in motion, posing a risk to the following traffic.

Remedy: Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: Unknown

We could not check this: model year. The authority's notice

Engine and transmission

CEXB · 3.0 V6 TDI

180 kW (245 HP) · diesel

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
5-seater Highline
Body
saloon
Fuel
diesel
Transmission
automatic
Engine size
2967 cc
Power
180 kW (245 HP)
Drive
AWD
Production
2010–2015

Factory service interval

The manufacturer specifies this for this version. Of the mileage and the time, the one that comes first is the one that counts.

  • Air filter

    • 60,000 km or 4 years

  • Cabin (pollen) filter

    • 30,000 km or 2 years

  • Engine oil and oil filter

    • LongLife30,000 km or 2 years(valid only with LongLife-approved oil)
    • 15,000 km or 1 year

  • Brake fluid change

    • first: 3 years, then 2 years(first change at 3 years, then every two years)

  • Coolant (antifreeze) change

    • first: 193,000 km or 10 years, then 97,000 km or 5 years(G13 / G12++: first change at 120,000 miles or 10 years, then every 60,000 miles or 5 years)

  • Fuel filter, diesel

    • 60,000 km or 2 years
All 3D versions

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