VW Sharan
EA188 unit injector with 85 kW. Robust TDI with good torque. Camshaft and PD unit injectors as typical wear items at high mileage.
Solid PD TDI Sharan
AUY 1.9 TDI PD with 115 hp is a reliable base engine in the Sharan I. Economical and adequate.
Engine Weaknesses 5
Like all early PD-TDI engines, the AUY suffers from camshaft wear. Oil gallery plugs in rocker arms can come loose.
Symptoms: Ticking engine noise, power loss, increased consumption
The friction-damped tensioner pulley has a known pin breakage risk. Failure leads to engine damage just like a timing belt failure.
Symptoms: No prior symptoms. Detectable preventively at belt replacement
PD elements can fail from approximately 150,000 km, often accompanied by wiring harness defects. Reconditioning approx. 170–250 € per element.
Symptoms: Limp mode, power loss, misfires on individual cylinders, starting problems
The aluminium blanking plugs (6.15 mm) in the rocker arms of the PD unit can fall out. Oil pressure in the cylinder head collapses, camshaft bearings run dry and are damaged. Leads to engine damage if not stopped immediately.
Symptoms: Loud clatter and rattle from the cylinder head, oil pressure warning light, rough running. A stiff camshaft during head work is an early sign.
The 1.9 TDI PD AUY in the Sharan is prone to a contaminated EGR valve that sticks at high mileage. The vehicle hesitates and occasionally enters limp mode. No fault codes stored.
Symptoms: Hesitation at around 1,500 rpm, power loss, occasional limp mode, no stored fault codes
Vehicle Weaknesses 7
The Sharan 7M rusts at sills, wheel arches, and door lower edges through dirt accumulation behind trim. Rust is almost always to be expected on vehicles with over 150,000 km and 10+ years.
The manual and electric sliding doors of the Sharan 7M wear at rollers, rails, and locks. Doors no longer close cleanly or are difficult to move.
Defective actuator motors in door locks and corroded wiring harnesses in door grommets lead to partial or complete central locking malfunction.
The Sharan 7M's AC compressor fails at higher mileages. Common causes are a defective drive plate, control valve, or condenser damaged by stone chips. Compressor replacement €700–1,000.
Control arm bushings and ball joints wear prematurely on the heavy Sharan 7M. Rear axle control arms on older examples are prone to corrosion.
The Sharan 7M weighs over 2 tonnes when fully loaded. Brake discs and pads therefore wear significantly faster than on smaller vehicles.
The Sharan 7M's headlight lenses yellow and become opaque, significantly reducing light output. A common failure at MOT inspections.