VW Golf GTI - Golf GTI timing belt

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Wed 20 Jul 2011 22:11
VW Golf GTI - Golf GTI timing belt - spanna

I have a 6 year old Golf GTI. One of the engine mounting bolts has just sheared off at great expense to me. It has a full dealer service history. The only way I can think of this happening is that when I had the timing belt changed a few months ago. Is the engine removed from the car when the timing belt is changed? If this is the case I think there is a strong possibility they have over tightened the bolt which has lead to it shearing off. Your help please.

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Wed 20 Jul 2011 22:13
VW Golf GTI - Golf GTI timing belt - unthrottled

Nice try, but the belt is changed with the engine in situ.

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Thu 21 Jul 2011 00:02
VW Golf GTI - Golf GTI timing belt - 659FBE

The engine mount has to be removed to change the belt which runs around it.

The bolts holding the mount are TTY (torque to yield) and must be changed at each belt renewal. Breakage of various parts, including a lug on the cylinder block is a direct result of either re-using the bolts or tightening new ones incorrectly.

Check your invoice to see if the bolts were renewed.

659.

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Thu 21 Jul 2011 00:46
VW Golf GTI - Golf GTI timing belt - unthrottled

I thought you could get the belt off without removing the mount??

I stand corrected though.

OP-sorry!

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Fri 22 Jul 2011 22:26
VW Golf GTI - Golf GTI timing belt - spanna

Thank you very much, That is incredibly helpful.

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Mon 25 Jul 2011 16:44
VW Golf GTI - Golf GTI timing belt - spanna

An update - Great news, the dealership has admitted full liability. It didn't use new bolts, as specified by the VW workshop manual, when replacing the cambelt. We have just picked up a full refund plus a couple of free services, flowers and a meal out by way of an apology. Thanks for your advice and information, without it we wouldn't have pursued the matter and got our money back.

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Mon 25 Jul 2011 16:56
VW Golf GTI - Golf GTI timing belt - 659FBE

Well done - it's a rare event when a dealer will admit to a problem of his own making and put it right. I give all credit to him.

It's also satisfying to see that Forums such as this excellent one can be used to achieve worthwhile results for agrieved consumers. As a generality, vehicle makers and dealers seem to be oblivious to the Internet - ignoring the fact that we can all now compare experiences, faults and their resolution. This will cost them dear in the long run and I suspect the Japanese makers are more aware of this than many others and are thus more open with their problems.

The days of dealers hiding behind "I've never heard of this fault before" are surely numbered.

Thanks for the feedback.

659.

Edited by 659FBE on 25/07/2011 at 17:02

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