A3 1.5 tsi - timing belt change

[IJWS15]

Daughter has been quoted nearly 900 for a timing belt change (Audi dealer)

Is this doable at home or alternately can anyone recommend a good independent in the Stafford area?

[journeymanpro]

Midland VW in Norton Canes

[stevemcs]

I've not looked at the 1.5 but some of the modern engines are horrific when it comes to belt changes, the Ford ecoboost as an example gives a book time of 9 hours.

[DanSkoda]

They're horrible things to do.
Really finicky to do even with the correct tools. The correct piece of equipment to set them up is circa £1700. Throws EML on if it's out of spec (iirc they're allowed to be +-1° from spec)

Audi say it's fit for life belt (shows no time or mileage interval on the official systems), but Audi UK recommends a belt change every 5 years.

[Smiljan]

https://www.pscautocentre.co.uk/products/audi-timi...

Smidge over £400 but they’re about an hour or so drive from you, could be worth a day out to save £500 though.

[stevemcs]

DanSkoda said:

They're horrible things to do.
Really finicky to do even with the correct tools. The correct piece of equipment to set them up is circa £1700. Throws EML on if it's out of spec (iirc they're allowed to be +-1° from spec)

Audi say it's fit for life belt (shows no time or mileage interval on the official systems), but Audi UK recommends a belt change every 5 years.

We have turned the ones away with the ACT because of this, IRC it needs to be set up with diagnostics and at TDC 0.0 not 0.1

[Dr G]

DanSkoda said:

Audi say it's fit for life belt (shows no time or mileage interval on the official systems), but Audi UK recommends a belt change every 5 years.

If true I suspect it's because they don't wish to step on the toes of franchisees quite happy fleecing their customers out of additional cash.

This is the factory schedule:




Unless it's done a load of miles leave it alone. 5 years is excessive even if viewed purely as preventative maintenance.

Glace at erwin suggests it's 4 hours of labour, that at main dealer rates is a lot.

[IJWS15]

Thanks for the responses, not sure it has even done 20k so will show her this and talk her through the options.

[Audis5b9]

Did you end up doing the cam belt?

I'm just about to start looking into this for my wife's car.

It seems like Audi UK say 5 year change, Audi HQ say no change required. Independents may or may not have the correct £1700 tool to do the job!?

Its a minefield

[acme]

Intrigued on this one too.

My Mother’s 2016 1.4 A1 was due in 2021 timewise, but on 8k miles!

I too was told by Audi UK they recommend every five years but Audi themselves said it was about every 147k ie lifetime pretty much.

An independent did it for about 500 I think, Audi wanted 700+

Interestingly my old company Golf with the 1.4 ACT was on 86k and VW never suggested a belt change, though it was 4.5 years old at that time.

[IJWS15]

Waiting for daughter to make a decision, car isn’t doing many miles at the moment as she is wfh

[Whataguy]

If it's the same 150hp 1.5TSI as my Golf, the recommendation is also every 5 years regardless of mileage.

Cost at the main dealer is around £1k! I've already started saving

But I see VW now price match garages within 5 miles that use genuine parts, and some main dealers also have special cambelt offers occasionally for around £600 so there is scope to get the cost reduced. Maybe the same with Audi dealers?

[Tony1963]

Whataguy said:

If it's the same 150hp 1.5TSI as my Golf, the recommendation is also every 5 years regardless of mileage.

Cost at the main dealer is around £1k! I've already started saving

But I see VW now price match garages within 5 miles that use genuine parts, and some main dealers also have special cambelt offers occasionally for around £600 so there is scope to get the cost reduced. Maybe the same with Audi dealers?

If an Audi dealer says no to a reasonable discount, take it to a VW or Skoda dealer? That used to be a common way to play the game.

[stevemcs]

Whataguy said:

If it's the same 150hp 1.5TSI as my Golf, the recommendation is also every 5 years regardless of mileage.

Cost at the main dealer is around £1k! I've already started saving

But I see VW now price match garages within 5 miles that use genuine parts, and some main dealers also have special cambelt offers occasionally for around £600 so there is scope to get the cost reduced. Maybe the same with Audi dealers?

Be very wary as you need a certain tool to set the cams up with diagnostics

[Audis5b9]

Just to follow up on this, my local Audi (Soton) confirmed that the cam belt on our 2018 doesn't have a service interval... so obviously we won't be doing it now.

[TwinKam]

I note that a previous post in this thread referenced a 1.4. Be aware that the 1.5 is a very different kettle of fish to the 1.4 & 1.2. All obviously need accurate setting, but whereas the smaller ones 'only' need the appropriate lump of iron to lock the cams, the 1.5 has no such facility on the rear ends of the shafts, and uses a unique electronic measuring device linked to a laptop to view the cam positions.
It allegedly costs nearly £2K and it really has to be seen to be believed. That's some investment for an Indy even if they specialise in VAGs, imagine how many they've got to use it before it's paid for itself.
And unless VW use this head on all future engines (maintaining the details of the casting and the distance between the cams) it will only be usable on this one engine!
I've attached a YouTube link for your information/consternation/amusement.

https://youtu.be/ZXPTn6Yxttw

[stevemcs]

TwinKam said:

I note that a previous post in this thread referenced a 1.4. Be aware that the 1.5 is a very different kettle of fish to the 1.4 & 1.2. All obviously need accurate setting, but whereas the smaller ones 'only' need the appropriate lump of iron to lock the cams, the 1.5 has no such facility on the rear ends of the shafts, and uses a unique electronic measuring device linked to a laptop to view the cam positions.
It allegedly costs nearly £2K and it really has to be seen to be believed. That's some investment for an Indy even if they specialise in VAGs, imagine how many they've got to use it before it's paid for itself.
And unless VW use this head on all future engines (maintaining the details of the casting and the distance between the cams) it will only be usable on this one engine!
I've attached a YouTube link for your information/consternation/amusement.

https://youtu.be/ZXPTn6Yxttw

We just refer them to main dealer as its not worth the investment.

[Whataguy]

Apparently this week it's been announced that the UK is dropping the 5 year requirement and following the European guidelines.

I wonder if cambelt failures are covered under VWs/Audis extended warranty?

If so, then it's £1k saved.

[Sheepshanks]

I've been having a conversation with SEAT UK over Twitter this week. Related to daughter's 1.0TSi Ateca.

SEAT UK: Hi Sheepshanks, thank you for contacting SEAT UK regarding the cambelt change for your Ateca. The improving reliability and extended change intervals of cambelts means that VWG is removing the recommendation to replace the cambelt every five years. This will be replaced by time or distance intervals.

This includes SEAT UK.

Me: What does "This will be replaced by time or distance intervals" mean? That's how it is now, isn't it?

SEAT UK :This means that it will be according to your mileage.

Me: So not time, just distance?

SEAT UK: It is measured on both, whichever comes first.

Me: OK, so if the time interval is not five years any more, what is it now, please?

SEAT UK: We can confirm as of 1 July 2023, the cambelt intervals have been updated to remove the five-year intervals on all cars across the Volkswagen Group. The cambelt replacement will now be based on the mileage.

Me: Thanks, Just so as I have this clear, "time or distance intervals" is wrong. It's just distance?

SEAT UK: It is based on mileage.

[stevemcs]

Why not say every 100k ? I think 10 years/100k is acceptable on a belt driven engine - unless 2.0 tdi VW engine.