VW T6 1(SG)

EA288 Biturbo with 150 kW. Known for engine block cracks and turbo issues in early examples. Always check service history.

• !! Defective Piston Rings: Blocked Oil Drain Holes from 90,000 km

  Piston rings have oil drain holes that are too small and become coked. Oil enters the combustion chamber and particles score the cylinder bore. Total engine failure frequently occurs between 80,000–130,000 km.

  Symptoms: Oil consumption over 1 L/500–1,000 km, blue smoke, power loss, continuous DPF regeneration
  12,000–21,000 $
  Ad piston rings CXEB BiTDIKurzmotor CXEB T6 204PS
• !! Small Turbocharger: Bearing Failure and Oil Ingestion from 80,000 km

  The small turbocharger bearing fails prematurely. Oil is drawn through the intercooler into the intake. Intercooler, DPF and catalytic converter become contaminated.

  Symptoms: Blue smoke, power loss, DPF overfill, whining from turbocharger
  2,000–4,000 $
  Ad turbocharger klein CXEB BiTDI T6Turbine 2.0 BiTDI 204PS T6
• !! Cylinder Head Cracks from EGR Overheating from 100,000 km

  Cracks in the cylinder head arise through recall 23Z7 and the design of the high-pressure EGR system. VW revised the part number (041 103 403 A → M).

  Symptoms: Falling coolant level, white smoke, overheating warning
  2,000–5,000 $
  Ad cylinder head CXEB T6 BiTDI041103403M cylinder head T6

+ 2 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses

Revised BiTDI with 146 kW, successor to the problematic CXEB. Improved reliability but same basic design.

• !! Elevated Oil Consumption from Piston Rings from 100,000 km

  The CXEC 2.0 TDI (146 kW/199 hp, VW T6) improved reliability over the CXEB but still shows elevated oil consumption from around 100,000 km. Coked oil control rings prevent a clean seal toward the combustion chamber. Goodwill claims against VW were successfully pursued.

  Symptoms: Rising oil consumption from 80,000–100,000 km, bluish smoke, power drop, occasional coolant loss
  3,000–16,000 $
  Ad piston rings CXEC VW T6 199PSpiston Ringe 2.0 TDI T6 146kWreplacementmotor CXEC T6
• !! Biturbo Unit Leaks Oil Through Shaft Seal from 100,000 km

  In the CXEC BiTDI (146 kW), turbocharger shaft seals leak oil into the intake. Oil contaminates the intercooler and DPF. Repair was at times not possible without VW OEM parts since originals were unavailable.

  Symptoms: Power loss, limp mode, clearly elevated oil consumption, bluish smoke, oil leaking from turbocharger visible
  2,000–8,000 $
  Ad turbocharger CXEC T6.1 BiTDI 199PSWellendichtring Turbo CXECreplacementturbo 2.0 BiTDI T6.1
• !! Residual Piston Ring Oil Consumption Risk from 120,000 km

  Revised version of the CXEB with improved piston rings. Generally rated as problem-free in forums. High risk only with short-trip use and excessively long oil change intervals.

  Symptoms: Oil consumption over 0.5 L/1,000 km, occasional blue smoke
  1,500–6,000 $
  Ad piston rings CXEC BiTDIoil control ringe 2.0 BiTDI 199PS

+ 2 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses

EA288 entry diesel with 62 kW and AdBlue/SCR. Severely underpowered for the T6.

• !! EGR Valve Coked Up — Worsened by Recall 23Z7 from 100,000 km

  The high-pressure EGR in the EA288 T6 is put under more stress by recall 23Z7, accelerating coking. Valve permanently jams open.

  Symptoms: Engine warning light, power loss, limp mode, juddering
  300–1,500 $
  Ad EGR valve CXGA T6EGR-radiator T6 TDI
• !! Recall 23Z7: EGR Recalibration

  KBA recall 23Z7 affects T6 EA288 up to model year 2017. Software alters EGR control and thermal window. Drivers report more EGR failures after the update.
• !! Particulate Filter Blocked by Short-Trip Driving from 120,000 km

  The CXGA 2.0 TDI (62 kW, VW T6/T6.1) tends toward DPF clogging with frequent short-trip driving since exhaust temperatures for active regeneration are rarely sufficient. A damaged DPF from substrate breakage causes power loss and fault codes.

  Symptoms: DPF warning light, power loss, juddering, fault message particulate filter damaged, increased consumption
  800–2,000 $
  Ad particulate filter DPF CXGA T6 2.0 TDI 85PSDPF VW Transporter T6 62kWDieselparticulate filter T6.1

+ 2 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses

EA288 diesel with 75 kW. Adequate for light use; watch the SCR/AdBlue system.

• !! EGR Valve Coked Up — Worsened by Recall 23Z7 from 100,000 km

  Identical high-pressure EGR design as all T6 EA288. Recall 23Z7 increased cycling and thermal stress.

  Symptoms: Engine warning light, power loss, limp mode, juddering
  300–1,500 $
  Ad EGR valve CXGB T6 75kWEGR valve EA288 T6
• !! Recall 23Z7: EGR Recalibration

  KBA recall 23Z7 affects T6 EA288 up to model year 2017. After update, increased EGR frequency; more EGR failures reported in forums.
• !! Particulate Filter Blocked by Short-Trip Driving from 120,000 km

  With the CXGB 2.0 TDI (75 kW, VW T6/T6.1), short-trip driving causes incomplete DPF regeneration due to insufficient exhaust temperatures. A clogged or damaged particulate filter causes power loss and elevated emissions.

  Symptoms: DPF warning light, power drop, juddering especially under load, particulate filter fault codes
  800–2,000 $
  Ad DPF particulate filter CXGB T6 2.0 TDI 102PSparticulate filter VW T6 75kWdiesel particulate filter Transporter CXGB

+ 2 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses

EA288 diesel with 110 kW, best-selling T6 engine. Solid base, AdBlue system and DPF as maintenance points.

• !! Cylinder Head Cracks: Coolant Loss from 100,000 km

  VW changed the cylinder head (041 103 403 A → 041 103 403 M). Thermal overload cracks cause internal coolant loss without visible external leaks.

  Symptoms: Falling coolant level without visible leak, white smoke from exhaust, overheating warning
  1,500–4,000 $
  Ad cylinder head CXFA T6cylinder head 041103403M T6 TDI
• !! Elevated Oil Consumption from Piston Rings from 100,000 km

  The CXFA 2.0 TDI (110 kW, VW T6) shows elevated oil consumption from around 100,000 km through coked piston rings. Along with the design similarity to the CXEB, premature engine damage is documented. Lawyers have secured VW goodwill contributions of up to 84 percent.

  Symptoms: Oil consumption over 0.5 litres per 1,000 km, bluish smoke when pulling away, power drop, coolant loss
  4,000–20,000 $
  Ad piston rings CXFA VW T6 2.0 TDIpiston CXFA Transporter 150PSreplacementmotor CXFA T6
• !! EGR Valve Coked Up — Faults P0101/P046C/P0402 from 150,000 km

  The CXFA 150 hp is known for EGR problems in the T6. Valve permanently sticks at around 150,000 km. Complete replacement of cooler, pipes, and gaskets needed (approx. 850 € parts plus labour).

  Symptoms: Engine warning light, juddering, power loss, limp mode
  850–1,550 $
  Ad EGR valve CXFA T6 150PSEGR-radiator EA288 110kW T6

+ 2 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses

EA288 diesel with 84 kW, BlueMotion variant of the T6. Good compromise between economy and performance.

• !! EGR Valve Coked Up — Worsened by Recall 23Z7 from 100,000 km

  Identical design to CXGA/CXGB. High-pressure EGR more heavily stressed by recall 23Z7. Premature coking and jamming known.

  Symptoms: Engine warning light, limp mode, power loss, juddering
  300–1,500 $
  Ad EGR valve CXGC T6 84kWEGR-radiator EA288 T6
• !! Particulate Filter Blocked by Short-Trip Driving from 120,000 km

  The CXGC 2.0 TDI (84 kW, VW T6.1) is susceptible to DPF clogging with short-trip driving like the entire CXG family. High ash loading prevents effective regeneration. Damaged substrate shows as fault code and juddering under load.

  Symptoms: DPF fault code, DPF ash content too high, juddering on acceleration, engine warning light
  800–2,000 $
  Ad DPF CXGC T6.1 2.0 TDI 114PSparticulate filter VW Transporter 84kWDPF Substrat defekt T6.1
• !! EGR Cooler Cracking from 100,000 km

  Like all EA288 T6 engines, the CXGC shows EGR cooler cracking leading to coolant loss. The 23Z7 software update increased EGR rate and accelerates thermal stress.

  Symptoms: Coolant loss, white smoke, EGR fault code, engine protection mode
  400–1,200 $
  Ad EGR radiator CXGC T6 TDIEGR radiator VW T6 EA288 90PS

+ 1 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses

EA888 turbocharged petrol with 110 kW, rare in the Transporter. Timing chain and water pump as known weaknesses of the EA888 platform.

• !! Oil pump undersized for high load from 100,000 km

  The oil pump is intermittently undersized during aggressive acceleration. Brief oil pressure drops can damage the turbocharger and camshaft bearings.

  Symptoms: Turbo noise at full load, engine oil pressure warning, power loss
  400–900 $
  Ad oil pump EA888 T6oil pump CJKB
• !! Crankshaft bearings sensitive to oil pressure loss from 80,000 km

  The CJKB 2.0 TSI (VW T5.2) is extremely sensitive to brief oil pressure drops. Even a few hundred metres without adequate oil pressure — for example from the wrong oil filter — can permanently damage the crankshaft bearings. Bearing shells are less robust than on the CHHA/CHHB.

  Symptoms: Oil pressure warning light, metallic rattling under acceleration, unusual noise in the low RPM range
  2,500–7,000 $
  Ad Lagerschalen crankshaft CJKBconnecting rod bearingschale 2.0 TSI T5crankshaftnlager VW T5 CJKB
• !! Timing chain: rattling on cold start from 50,000 km

  Stretched timing chain and faulty chain tensioner generate metallic rattling on cold start. VW revised the tensioner and chain from a specific chassis number. Late consequence: chain skip.

  Symptoms: Metallic rattling in the first 10–15 seconds after cold start
  800–1,200 $
  Ad timing chain CJKBchain tensioner 2.0 TSI T6

+ 2 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses

EA888 turbocharged petrol with 150 kW, strongest petrol engine in the T5.1/T6. Same timing chain topic as the CJKB, but fitted less frequently.

• !! Turbocharger bearing damage from oil pressure drop from 120,000 km

  In the 150 kW variant the oil pump is borderline under high load. Frequent full-load operation without a warm-up phase promotes turbocharger bearing wear.

  Symptoms: Whistling from the turbocharger, power loss, blue smoke
  1,200–2,500 $
  Ad turbocharger CJKA 2.0 TSITurbolager EA888 150kW
• !! Timing chain: rattling on cold start from 50,000 km

  Same chain tensioner fault as the CJKB. Without repair, chain skip with total engine damage is possible.

  Symptoms: Rattling on cold start for 10–15 seconds
  800–1,200 $
  Ad timing chain CJKAchain tensioner 2.0 TSI 150kW
• !! Elevated oil consumption from thin piston rings from 80,000 km

  By design, narrow oil control rings in the EA888 result in measurable oil consumption. With extended oil change intervals the risk of chain and turbocharger damage increases.

  Symptoms: 0.3–1 L oil consumption per 1,000 km, occasional bluish smoke
  1,500–3,500 $
  Ad piston rings CJKA EA888oil control ringe 2.0 TSI 150kW

+ 2 more engine weaknesses + vehicle weaknesses