I have a faulty turbo on my Passat - what can I do? | Ask Honest John

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I have a faulty turbo on my Passat - what can I do?

I have owned a Passat since new in 2009 and done 86k. The engine management system advises that the turbo is failing and it cuts out when accelerating uphill on the motorway.

The garage says it is clogged due to me not driving the car hard enough. Can it be flushed out with a cleaner, and do you think a better quality diesel than a supermarket brand may help going forward?

Or am I doomed to an expensive new turbo unit and putting off the inevitable?

Asked on 22 September 2014 by Stephen Nixon

Answered by Honest John

More likely that the diesel particulate filter is clogged and that can be cleaned out by the Ceramex process. Once that's sorted out the engine will run better on Shell V-Power Nitro Plus, but diesels with first generation diesel particulate filters are not suitable for repeated short runs from cold because that does not give the DPF enough chance to burn off the soot it collects on the start ups.

Tags: technical issues turbo engines

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