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Skoda Yeti 1.4 TSI 122hp Greentech Active common faults.

2014–2017, SUV, petrol, 122 HP.

The fault list covers: CAXA, CMBA, CPVA engine, MQ200 transmission.

What you save stays on this device only. My saves

5 fault write-ups. 3 important. 5 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

critical1

1.2 / 1.4 TSI (EA111): timing chain and chain tensioner

critical

A few seconds of chain rattle on a cold start, later a permanent noise; the chain stretches and the tensioner does not hold it. If the chain jumps, the engine is badly damaged inside, and the repair is a rebuild. The tensioner is driven by oil pressure, so it does not hold with the engine stopped: a car left rolling in gear is the typical trigger for the chain jumping.

between 65,000 and 100,000 km

What to check

  • Start it cold, and in the first 2 to 3 seconds watch for the rattle from the chain side
  • Ask whether the chain and the tensioner have been replaced, and ask for the invoice
  • Check the oil change history in the service book: stretched intervals speed up the wear
1 more steps in the write-up

expensive2

MQ200 / MQ250 manual gearbox: differential bearing and synchros

expensive

The light, magnesium cased MQ200 and the MQ250, sized for higher torque, are the most widespread manual gearboxes in the transverse engine VAG models. Both have the same two weak points, and both depend on use.

Show the rest

The first is the differential bearing: as it wears you first get a droning, then a whine from the thrust bearings of the output shaft. Left alone, the planetary shaft can fail and in extreme cases punch through the gearbox casing: from then on it is not a repair but a replacement.

The second is the synchros: they can start crunching at around 50,000 km with aggressive driving. This type does not like dumping the clutch or slipping it, and on a used car that is exactly what you have to listen for.

above 50,000 km

What to check

  • On the test drive with the window down, listen to the gearbox both off and on the throttle: droning or whining is suspect
  • Shift up and down quickly, especially into 2nd and 3rd: crunching means synchro wear
  • Try engaging 1st and reverse when cold: resistance here means wear
2 more steps in the write-up

EA211 (1.0 to 1.5 TSI): water pump and thermostat module leak

expensive

In the EA211 the water pump and the thermostat are one plastic module, and the pump is driven not by the timing belt but by a separate toothed belt behind the exhaust camshaft. There are usually two problems with it: the plastic housing warps or cracks (slow coolant loss, a sweet smell, rising temperature), or the drive belt ages (a chirping noise, then an engine left with no cooling). The housing is particularly sensitive if oil reaches it: for example from a leaking crankcase ventilation. The module has to be replaced whole: dismantling it warps it in itself.

What to check

  • Check the level in the expansion tank, and ask whether it needs topping up
  • After a cold start smell the engine bay: a sweet smell means coolant
  • Look for dried, whitish pink deposits on the exhaust side of the cylinder head
2 more steps in the write-up

cheap repair2

Overnight battery drain: a control unit that will not sleep

cheap repair

On some cars the control units do not go into sleep mode after the car is switched off, and the battery goes flat within days. The owner typically replaces the battery, and then the fault returns, because the battery is not the problem. The search starts with measuring the quiescent current, and the labour makes up the bigger part of the bill.

What to check

  • Ask specifically: has the car ever stood for a few days and then not started
  • Check whether a battery was replaced, and if so, how many times
  • After locking it, watch how long it takes for the onboard systems to go to sleep
1 more steps in the write-up

Tailgate: slow remote release, a tailgate that will not close

cheap repair

The tailgate responds with difficulty or not at all to the remote, sticks mechanically, or does not close properly. A tailgate that does not close also causes water ingress, and the boot electronics get wet.

What to check

  • Open and close the tailgate several times, with the remote and by hand
  • Watch whether it closes fully, or whether it has to be pressed
  • Look at the boot seal and the rust on the sill
1 more steps in the write-up

Checklist

Skoda Yeti 1.4 TSI 122hp Greentech Active

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 recall5 recallsShow

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

Most recent: 1 June 2026

SR/01853/26Safety recallInjuries1 June 2026 · EU Safety Gate

The propellant in the driver airbag may deteriorate over time. If the airbags deploy, it could result in fragments from the inflator injuring the vehicle's occupants. 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: 01/06/2026 Type of economic operator taking notified measure(s): Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Request to stop driving Date of entry into force: Unknown

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

A12/0893/17Safety recallInjuries22 June 2017 · EU Safety Gate

Due to a faulty connection, parts of the front-seat belts tensioners could become detached on deployment in an accident and enter the vehicle interior, putting the occupants at risk of injury.

Remedy: Type of economic operator to whom the measure(s) were ordered: Manufacturer Category of measure(s): Recall of the product from end users Date of entry into force: 22/06/2017

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

A12/00787/23Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The airbag may deteriorate over time and if deployed, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator body to burst and metal fragments could pass through the cushion material causing injury to occupants. 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

A12/1689/19Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

The screws on the camshaft adjuster may become loose. As a result, engine oil will leak onto the road, 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

SR/00680/26Safety recallInjuriesno date · EU Safety Gate

A defect in the inflator of the driver airbag may cause uncontrolled inflation and the release of metal fragments when the airbag is activated, causing injury to the occupants. 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): Importer 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

3 engines · 1 transmissions

CAXA · 1.4 TFSI

90 kW (122 HP) · petrol

MQ200 · 5- or 6-speed manual

manual · 5–6 speed

Torque limit200 Nm
MakerVolkswagen

We built the code from the model and the gear count. The factory sheet does not state it. More than one engine code is possible. The fault list shows the faults of each.

Variant data

What is in this version

Factory data

Trim
Greentech Active
Body
SUV
Fuel
petrol
Transmission
manual
Engine size
1390 cc
Power
90 kW (122 HP)
Drive
FWD
Production
2014–2017

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)

  • Spark plugs, petrol

    • 60,000 km or 6 years
All I.5 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