The 2.0 TFSI (also badged 2.0 TSI) covers two engine families. The older EA113 (about 2004-2013) has a timing belt, and its known weak point is the cam follower that drives the high-pressure fuel pump. The chain-driven EA888 that replaced it from 2008 is known, in its first two generations, for burning oil through faulty piston rings on engines built from 2008 to mid-2011, and for timing chain tensioners that lose their hold; the PCV valve, coolant leaks and carbon on the intake valves affect it too. The third-generation EA888 that followed from about 2013 has a better record on oil use and is not covered here. Check the engine code, the oil consumption and the chain history before anything else.
At a glance
Displacement
2.0 L (1,984 cc), 4 cylinders, turbo petrol
Engine families
EA113 (about 2004-2013) and EA888 generations 1 and 2 (from 2008)
Timing drive
EA113: toothed belt. EA888: chain
Fuel system
Petrol direct injection; on the EA113 the high-pressure pump is driven by a camshaft lobe through a cam follower
EA888: Golf VI GTI, Passat B6/B7 and CC, Tiguan (first generation), Scirocco
2008-2016
Škoda, SEAT
EA888: Octavia II RS, Superb II, Leon II FR
2008-2015
Known problems
EA888 built 2008 to mid-2011: high oil consumption from the piston rings
What happens
EA888 engines built from early 2008 to mid-2011 were fitted with oil control rings that were too narrow, with drain holes that clog with carbon. The rings then stop scraping oil off the cylinder walls and the engine burns it: AUTO BILD documented cases of roughly 1 to more than 3 litres per 1,000 km. The fault is reported mainly on the second-generation engines, and the fix is new pistons with revised rings.
Symptoms
Frequent top-ups or an oil level warning between services
Blue smoke, especially after idling or when accelerating hard
Oily spark plugs, misfires and a check-engine light
Consumption that keeps rising with mileage
When
Often showing from about 40,000-70,000 km on affected engines and getting worse with mileage
Fitted cost
from €2,000 to €6,000
The fix
A measured oil consumption test confirms it. The lasting fix is new pistons and rings; independent engine rebuilders quoted about €3,200-4,800 in AUTO BILD's 2017 report. AUTO BILD also reported that Audi generally refused to pay for cars older than five years, so today the owner pays.
EA888 generations 1 and 2: timing chain tensioner and chain stretch
What happens
The hydraulic chain tensioner works on engine oil pressure and can lose its hold. The chain then rattles, wears its guides and stretches, and in the worst case skips a tooth, which lets the valves hit the pistons. Old oil, long-life service intervals and a low oil level make it more likely. A revised tensioner and chain guide are available.
Symptoms
Rattle for a few seconds after a cold start
Check-engine light with a camshaft/crankshaft correlation code
Rough running or loss of power
Engine will not start after the chain has jumped
When
Any mileage; most likely on engines run on long-life oil intervals or with the oil level often low
Fitted cost
from €1,000 to €2,500
The fix
Replace the chain, the tensioner (latest version), guides and sprockets, and check the cam adjuster. If the chain has already jumped, the head or the whole engine may need rebuilding (roughly €2,000-6,000+).
The crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve has a diaphragm that hardens and cracks with age. A failed valve lets unmetered air into the intake, which upsets the idle and the mixture, and it can pull oil into the intake and the intercooler, adding to oil consumption.
Symptoms
Rough or hunting idle
Whistle or hiss from the top of the engine
Check-engine light for a lean mixture
Oil in the intake pipes or intercooler, higher oil use
When
Any age, more likely as the rubber parts get older
Fitted cost
from €150 to €500
The fix
Replace the PCV valve or the oil separator assembly and check the breather hoses.
The water pump and thermostat housings are plastic, and with age they can distort or crack and leak, while the thermostat itself can stop working properly. The coolant loss is often slow and easy to miss until the engine overheats.
Symptoms
Coolant level dropping, crusty coolant traces around the pump
Sweet coolant smell in the engine bay
Engine temperature too low or jumping around
Overheating warning
When
Any age; check at every purchase
Fitted cost
from €150 to €450
The fix
Replace the water pump or the thermostat module as a unit, refill with the specified coolant and bleed the system.
All versions: carbon build-up on the intake valves
What happens
These engines inject fuel straight into the cylinder, so no fuel washes over the intake valves. Oil mist from the crankcase ventilation bakes onto them as hard carbon, which disturbs the airflow and can cause misfires. Fuel additives do not reach these deposits.
Symptoms
Rough idle, especially from cold
Misfires and a check-engine light
Gradual loss of power and higher fuel use
When
High mileage, earlier on cars used for short trips or with a failing PCV valve
Fitted cost
from €140 to €300
The fix
Clean the intake ports and valves (walnut blasting or a similar induction clean) and check the PCV valve.
On the belt-driven EA113 2.0 TFSI the high-pressure fuel pump is driven by a lobe on the intake camshaft through a small cam follower. The follower's hard coating wears through with mileage; once it does, the pump plunger grinds into the camshaft lobe, the pump and the camshaft are damaged and metal particles get into the oil.
Symptoms
Loss of power at high revs, as if the fuel is being cut
Check-engine light with a low fuel pressure code
Ticking from the pump side of the engine when hot
When
Any mileage; treated as a routine inspection item, and worn sooner on tuned engines
Fitted cost
from €80 to €250
The fix
Inspect the follower and replace it (the part itself is cheap) at regular intervals. If the lobe is already worn, the intake camshaft and the high-pressure pump are replaced as well, which can reach about €2,000.
+Stored and pending engine codes such as P0016 and P0011 (cam and crank timing), P0171 (lean mixture), P0087 (low fuel pressure), P0128 (engine running too cold) and the P0300-P0304 misfire codes
+The freeze-frame snapshot saved with a code: rpm, load, coolant temperature and speed at the moment it set
+Live coolant temperature, to see whether the engine overheats or warms up too slowly
+Live intake manifold pressure (MAP), which shows whether the engine builds boost when you accelerate
+Short- and long-term fuel trims: high positive trims at idle point to an air leak such as a failed PCV valve
+Readiness monitors: several incomplete monitors on a car for sale suggest the codes were cleared recently
Needs manufacturer-level software
−How far the timing chain has stretched: the camshaft deviation value workshops use is read with VAG software (VCDS, OBDeleven), not generic OBD2
−Oil consumption or the condition of the pistons and rings: that needs a measured consumption test and a compression or leak-down test
−Per-cylinder misfire counters, specified boost and actual high-pressure fuel values, which need manufacturer software
−Wear on the EA113 cam follower, which is only visible with the fuel pump removed
−Coolant leaks at the water pump or thermostat housing, or carbon on the intake valves, which need a visual inspection
−Which engine code the car has: check the service book, the vehicle data sticker or the engine itself
Buying checklist
Identify the engine first: EA113 codes include AXX, BPY, BWA and BWE; EA888 codes of this era include CAWA, CAWB, CBFA, CCTA, CCTB, CCZA, CCZB, CAEA, CAEB, CDNB and CDNC. The code is in the service book, on the data sticker and on the engine.
On an EA888 built from 2008 to mid-2011, ask whether oil is topped up between services and whether the pistons and rings were replaced; if unsure, have a workshop run a measured oil consumption test before you pay.
Start an EA888 fully cold (ideally parked overnight) and listen for a rattle in the first seconds; ask for an invoice for a chain and tensioner replacement with date and mileage.
Look for oil changes every 10,000-15,000 km or once a year rather than long-life intervals, which are hard on the chain tensioner.
On an EA113, ask when the cam follower was last inspected and when the timing belt, tensioner and water pump were last changed.
Look for coolant traces around the water pump and thermostat housing, and check the coolant level with the engine cold.
Scan for stored and pending codes and check the readiness monitors and the fuel trims at idle before the test drive.
On the test drive, pull hard through the rev range: the engine should build power smoothly with no stumble at high revs and no blue smoke afterwards.
Checking a car with this engine?
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Frequently asked questions
Is the 2.0 TFSI a good engine?
It depends on the generation and the history. The EA888 engines built from 2008 to mid-2011 are known for burning oil through faulty piston rings, and the first two EA888 generations for timing chain tensioner problems. The older belt-driven EA113 has one well-known weak point, the cam follower of the fuel pump, which needs regular inspection. A car with normal oil use and invoices for the key repairs is a sensible buy.
Which 2.0 TFSI engines burn oil?
The well-documented problem affects EA888 engines built from early 2008 to mid-2011, mainly the second generation, whose oil control rings were too narrow. AUTO BILD documented consumption from roughly 1 to more than 3 litres per 1,000 km. The fix is new pistons with revised rings.
How much oil consumption is normal on a 2.0 TFSI?
A healthy engine should not need regular top-ups between services. If you have to add oil every few thousand kilometres, have a workshop run a measured consumption test and check the PCV valve before assuming the worst: a failed PCV valve also raises oil use and costs far less to fix than pistons and rings.
Does the 2.0 TFSI have a timing belt or a timing chain?
The older EA113 2.0 TFSI, used from about 2004 in cars such as the Golf V GTI and Audi A3 8P, has a toothed timing belt. The EA888 that replaced it from 2008 has a timing chain. The engine code tells you which one you have.
How much does a 2.0 TFSI timing chain replacement cost?
At an independent workshop, a chain kit with the latest tensioner and guides on the 2.0 TFSI typically costs about €1,000-2,500 fitted. If the chain has already jumped and damaged the valves or pistons, the bill rises to roughly €2,000-6,000 or more.
How can I tell an EA113 from an EA888 2.0 TFSI?
Check the engine code in the service book, on the vehicle data sticker or on the engine. Codes such as AXX, BPY, BWA and BWE are EA113; CAWB, CCTA, CCZA, CCZB, CAEB and CDNC are EA888. As a rough guide, the EA113 has a timing belt and the EA888 a chain, and cars built from 2008 onward increasingly have the EA888.
