VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160

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Mon 31 Jan 2011 08:23
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - Disenchanted

My 1.4 TSI (160) Mk VI golf suddenly displayed the engine warning light. Straight into my local VW dealer and investigations so far have showed a considerable drop in compression on two cylinders. Not very impressive after only 20000 miles! Now waiting to see what is going to be done about it, at least it’s under warranty, but does make me wonder if the technology is pushing the engine too hard. They are taking the head off today so will post the findings shortly.

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Mon 31 Jan 2011 13:24
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - zango

Snap - exactly the same as mine.

I presume your car was built in early 2009 when there appears to have been a batch build issue with these engines.

The pistons / rings / bores will be damaged. The proper fix is a new engine. Don't let them fob you off with anything less, as it will just fail again at a later date.

Mine was repaired and is showing the same symptoms after only 1300 miles.

I won't be buying a VAG again. Not because they have had a production issue (most manufacturers do), but because they refuse to acknowledge or deal with the problem.

Good luck - Peter

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Thu 3 Feb 2011 11:12
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - Disenchanted

Yes an early 2009 engine Peter. Well, the checks have all been done, (took a week) and at last VW have agreed to supply a new engine. What a disgrace - 20000miles and a knackered engine. Certainly won't be buying any VAG car with this engine again, thank heaven it happened in the warranty period. However, having lost confidence entirely in the car, have already began negotiations to trade it in for an Audi A3.

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Thu 3 Feb 2011 11:23
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - Disenchanted

Intersting addition to above: Google: "Autocar vw engine"

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Thu 21 Jul 2011 21:52
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - SteveLee

Don't buy another VAG group car then! Vote with your feet.

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Fri 4 Feb 2011 00:18
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - Avant

This is a problem with a particular batch, and none the less infuriating.

But in general I'm still not convinced about the longevity of these small highly-tuned engines. For some time many of the experts have been saying that the view 'there's no substitute for cubic capacity' is Luddite and outmoded. We wait to see who's right.

Meanwhile I'll carry on buying the biggest engine size available for the car. I have particularly fond memories of high, trouble-free mileages done in a Laguna V6 and an Audi A4 Avant 2.5 TDI V6. Next car will be an Octavia 2.0 vRS petrol (replacing a diesel vRS).

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Fri 4 Feb 2011 00:48
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - unthrottled
That 2.0l turbo has a very high specific output...

Still, it won't be being worked as hard as a 1.4
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Fri 4 Feb 2011 07:23
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - zango

Small high output engines are the future - Mr Gordini was right.

Ford ecoboost, Alfa multiair are two examples. It is shame that VW had a batch quality problem and did not do the right thing and issue a recall notice.

Cheers Peter

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Fri 4 Feb 2011 09:06
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - sparcki

Hi I am also experiencing white smoke from my golf 1.4TSi .

My car is a 122bhp model and is only 9 months old, I have been back to the dealers to show them the problem and their response is all is normal!!! When it is cold outside that is feasible bit yesterday it was 11c, I think it may be a turbo related problem as i am not losing any fluids and have seen a clip on youtube where the guy had his turbo replaced and the smoke problem stopped, what about others with this problem?

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Fri 4 Feb 2011 09:41
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - Ian91

Snap again - I have the 1.4 TS DSG 122bhp model 6 months old and also have this problem. Its my 3rd golf and this is the first one that puts out white smoke even when the engine has warmed up and the outside temperature is above 10c. I would be interested to know if there are any VW mechanics who have checked this, its a bit worrying when you see smoke in your rear view mirror when accelarating! I have the car booked in next week to check it out but not too confident they will come up with anything other than it is normal.

The 122bhp DSG is acheiving @ 38-42 mpg under normal driving (ie motorway/urban) not too techy but could it be the smoke is unburnt fuel which is why my mpg is a bit low.

Edited by Ian91 on 04/02/2011 at 09:43

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Thu 14 Jul 2011 09:36
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - Disenchanted
See my first message. Update: The engine was replaced and was running fine, pity they couldn't put the gearbox linkage back correctly, lost reverse gear shortly after so back in the workshop. Now, 4000 miles later - the new engine has started misfiring and so back to the workshop. What a load of rubbish.
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Thu 21 Jul 2011 12:17
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - Disenchanted

OK, it was found to be a faulty plug, they had not fitted new ones when they changed the engine as VW would not pay for them! Not very impressive, vehicle off the road again for a simple fault which could so easily have been avoided. Do VW really give a damn about their customers?

Edited by Disenchanted on 21/07/2011 at 12:18

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Thu 21 Jul 2011 14:13
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - zango

SNAP - same thing with my new engine.

They put the old plugs back in it, but entered a plug change in the service records.

A few thousand miles later it was misfiring and running like a pile of poo.

They changed two plugs under warranty. I changed the other two when I got home. Another 1.5 days off the road to add to the existing 42, bringing the total up to 43.5.

If only everything in life was as reliable as a VW.

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Thu 21 Jul 2011 21:55
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - SteveLee

Take your car to your local MOT garage and get them to put it on their emissions test machine, high hydrocarbon figures will point to piston/ring issues and will supply you with the required evidence to force them to change your faulty engine.

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Thu 21 Jul 2011 22:04
VW Golf - VW 1.4 TSI 160 - unthrottled

I'm not sure HC emissions can be seen as a reliable test of ring/bore wear. A leakdown test would be a better measure.

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