2.0T Cam Follower Failure: My Experience
#1
05-11-2010, 11:32 AM
2.0T Cam Follower Failure: My Experience
Sorry to create another thread about this, but I feel this should be addressed for those who don't have a warranty.
I purchased an 07 A4 2.0T with 48,250 miles on it. After the initial test drive we took it home and started noticing some hesitation in the acceleration. It felt like it was an inconsistent wave, something you could feel. I literally could feel myself moving back and forth as the car accelerated at full throttle. Also, at some point after enough hesitation the car would stop accelerating all together, almost like a limp mode until I would turn the key off and back on.
After visiting two dealerships, the second one found the issue. Cam follower failure. He said there is a TSB out about it, so you might consider visiting the dealership regardless of the miles. As a result of the cam follower failing here is what was replaced, and thankfully under warrant. Really dodged a bullet here being so close to the warranty expiration.
Cam Follower
Intake Camshaft
High Pressure Fuel Pump
Full Oil Change
Those of you who know, probably shrieked when you heard the high pressure fuel pump had to be replaced. That thing is REALLY expensive, and I can only imagine what the intake camshaft cost.
Bottom line is, if you don't have a warranty on your car, or have gone 40-50k miles and haven't replaced the cam follower, you need to do so ASAP. I'm sure this repair work would have been $2,000+ dollars had it not been under warranty.
I purchased an 07 A4 2.0T with 48,250 miles on it. After the initial test drive we took it home and started noticing some hesitation in the acceleration. It felt like it was an inconsistent wave, something you could feel. I literally could feel myself moving back and forth as the car accelerated at full throttle. Also, at some point after enough hesitation the car would stop accelerating all together, almost like a limp mode until I would turn the key off and back on.
After visiting two dealerships, the second one found the issue. Cam follower failure. He said there is a TSB out about it, so you might consider visiting the dealership regardless of the miles. As a result of the cam follower failing here is what was replaced, and thankfully under warrant. Really dodged a bullet here being so close to the warranty expiration.
Cam Follower
Intake Camshaft
High Pressure Fuel Pump
Full Oil Change
Those of you who know, probably shrieked when you heard the high pressure fuel pump had to be replaced. That thing is REALLY expensive, and I can only imagine what the intake camshaft cost.
Bottom line is, if you don't have a warranty on your car, or have gone 40-50k miles and haven't replaced the cam follower, you need to do so ASAP. I'm sure this repair work would have been $2,000+ dollars had it not been under warranty.
#2
05-11-2010, 12:39 PM
out of curiosity i had my follower replaced at 32,000 miles (50,000 km) and it didn't look bad. i did it at my expense (~$350) and the black "anti-friction" coating was worn away and there didn't appear to have any wear on the metal follower or cam. i do plan on replacing it every 50,000 km though just to be on the safe side. the fuel i save in this high efficiency FSI technology is probably going to be splurged on the replacement of the follower every 2.5-3 years. i wonder if BMW uses the same type of fuel pump (ie direct contact with the cam). i know they also have direct injection.
i love the tiguans and the only reason i didn't trade in my golf for one was because of the follower in the 2.0T. however, i read that the 08+ 2.0T engines have a roller type follower that is better than the previous designs. i read on vwvortex that someone went 100,000 miles with their original follower with the older follower design. he had a modded GTI and he removed it and inspected it and it looked fine. maybe it comes down to oil quality and change frequency. i change my oil every 5000 miles (8000 km).
apparently the fuel pump design is japanese. maybe this was a way for them to stick it to their german competitors. if a mechanical design isn't good, why not a sensing type or electromagnetic type? maybe those are not as reliable as mechanical. in my previous years of modding mustangs, the idle position sensors sometimes tend to get fouled up and give wrong readings.
i love the tiguans and the only reason i didn't trade in my golf for one was because of the follower in the 2.0T. however, i read that the 08+ 2.0T engines have a roller type follower that is better than the previous designs. i read on vwvortex that someone went 100,000 miles with their original follower with the older follower design. he had a modded GTI and he removed it and inspected it and it looked fine. maybe it comes down to oil quality and change frequency. i change my oil every 5000 miles (8000 km).
apparently the fuel pump design is japanese. maybe this was a way for them to stick it to their german competitors. if a mechanical design isn't good, why not a sensing type or electromagnetic type? maybe those are not as reliable as mechanical. in my previous years of modding mustangs, the idle position sensors sometimes tend to get fouled up and give wrong readings.
#4
05-11-2010, 06:10 PM
I have an 06 b7 and have 128k on my car. Never touched the cam follower and havent had a problem. Soooo is there a 95% chance that I have a hole in the top of mine? Looks like I know what I'm doing this weekend. I know the 05's had cam follower problems... is it possible Audi upgraded them under the table?
#5
05-11-2010, 11:19 PM
I have an 06 b7 and have 128k on my car. Never touched the cam follower and havent had a problem. Soooo is there a 95% chance that I have a hole in the top of mine? Looks like I know what I'm doing this weekend. I know the 05's had cam follower problems... is it possible Audi upgraded them under the table?
I would be willing to put money on it that you are near catastrophic failure. Why not spend the 20 minutes to replace it?
#7
05-12-2010, 12:13 AM
http://www.kmdtuning.com/index.php?_...productId=1426
is the upgraded one worth it and a good choice?
is the upgraded one worth it and a good choice?
Last edited by Otter11; 05-12-2010 at 01:23 AM.
#8
05-12-2010, 10:52 AM
http://www.kmdtuning.com/index.php?_...productId=1426
is the upgraded one worth it and a good choice?
is the upgraded one worth it and a good choice?
#9
05-12-2010, 10:58 AM
Sorry to create another thread about this, but I feel this should be addressed for those who don't have a warranty.
I purchased an 07 A4 2.0T with 48,250 miles on it. After the initial test drive we took it home and started noticing some hesitation in the acceleration. It felt like it was an inconsistent wave, something you could feel. I literally could feel myself moving back and forth as the car accelerated at full throttle. Also, at some point after enough hesitation the car would stop accelerating all together, almost like a limp mode until I would turn the key off and back on.
After visiting two dealerships, the second one found the issue. Cam follower failure. He said there is a TSB out about it, so you might consider visiting the dealership regardless of the miles. As a result of the cam follower failing here is what was replaced, and thankfully under warrant. Really dodged a bullet here being so close to the warranty expiration.
Cam Follower
Intake Camshaft
High Pressure Fuel Pump
Full Oil Change
Those of you who know, probably shrieked when you heard the high pressure fuel pump had to be replaced. That thing is REALLY expensive, and I can only imagine what the intake camshaft cost.
Bottom line is, if you don't have a warranty on your car, or have gone 40-50k miles and haven't replaced the cam follower, you need to do so ASAP. I'm sure this repair work would have been $2,000+ dollars had it not been under warranty.
I purchased an 07 A4 2.0T with 48,250 miles on it. After the initial test drive we took it home and started noticing some hesitation in the acceleration. It felt like it was an inconsistent wave, something you could feel. I literally could feel myself moving back and forth as the car accelerated at full throttle. Also, at some point after enough hesitation the car would stop accelerating all together, almost like a limp mode until I would turn the key off and back on.
After visiting two dealerships, the second one found the issue. Cam follower failure. He said there is a TSB out about it, so you might consider visiting the dealership regardless of the miles. As a result of the cam follower failing here is what was replaced, and thankfully under warrant. Really dodged a bullet here being so close to the warranty expiration.
Cam Follower
Intake Camshaft
High Pressure Fuel Pump
Full Oil Change
Those of you who know, probably shrieked when you heard the high pressure fuel pump had to be replaced. That thing is REALLY expensive, and I can only imagine what the intake camshaft cost.
Bottom line is, if you don't have a warranty on your car, or have gone 40-50k miles and haven't replaced the cam follower, you need to do so ASAP. I'm sure this repair work would have been $2,000+ dollars had it not been under warranty.
I had 2 days left on my warranty and the specialist shop told me to get it back to the dealer quick-like...I didn't look at the paperwork but I got a feeling they did the same work...either that or they just replaced the follower and left the pump damaged, as I still had some fuel pressure regulation codes last time I checked them.
For reference of this thread, I was at 48k miles.
#10
05-13-2010, 01:47 AM
What someone needs to develop is a hardened camshaft to go along with that stronger follower bucket. Until that happens though, get the OEM follower.
Im curious to see how other manufactures do in FSI territory as well, its just a matter of getting the metals to match in hardness. As long as one is weaker than the other, wear will be unavoidable.
Im curious to see how other manufactures do in FSI territory as well, its just a matter of getting the metals to match in hardness. As long as one is weaker than the other, wear will be unavoidable.