Turbo Charge Pressure Positioner failure

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Deleted member 123580

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Seat Leon Technology 1.2 TSI registered September 2016.

After driving my car up to normal temperature, the EPC light came on, followed by the Engine light.

Garage has advised that they think it is the Charge Pressure Positioner,which in this car is motor driven, rather than pneumatic. They also believe that it is necessary to replace the turbo as they say in this model, it is a variable vane arrangement that is driven by the Positioner, rather than a Wastegate valve, and that the vanes may be sticking, and have burned out the motor in the Positioner.

They cleared the fault light and gave me the car back until they can get the parts.
They said it was ok to drive the car and all I would notice is a lack of power.

Since then I have driven the car, the fault lights have not come back on, and there doesn't seem to be a lack of power.

It seems surprising that a major fault like this could occur on a car only just over 3 years old and less than 40,000 miles on the clock.

1. Has anyone else experienced this problem?

2. Can anyone explain why I would still have good acceleration with the motor on the positioner burned out?

3. The top of the electrical connector on the Positioner seems to be able to turn about a quarter turn. Shouldn't this be solid. i.e., not be able to turn?

Thank you.

GMAC
 

chrisRibiza

Active Member
Sep 27, 2007
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Common fault, have a search on here for Turbo actuator failure.

There are steps which the dealer should follow to diagnose the exact fault, luckily mine didn't need the full turbo although it was covered under the extended warranty anyway.
 

Deleted member 123580

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Thanks Chris for your reply.
Have read the thread you pointed to.
Recently I retired and the car isn't being used as much. I wonder if this has allowed the turbo variable pressure vanes to clog up.
Even so, it doesn't sound like a good design, for a relatively new car to fail like this.
With the variable vane type, would it be good practice to put the turbo under some hard acceleration on a regular basis?

GMAC
 

chrisRibiza

Active Member
Sep 27, 2007
1,194
51
Strangely when mine went, the car had also sit for quite a few weeks pretty much unused as I had broke my shoulder and couldn’t drive.

I drive 25miles each way for my commute so no issues since.
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
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South Scotland
I was of the impression that none of these TSI engines have variable vane turbos, they should be fixed vane technology with a wastgate/bypass system to prevent over boosting.

Now the early 1.2TSI 8V engines with chain driven cams and the turbo fitted to the front side of the engine, did have an issue where the new assembly needed to be matched to the turbo - calibration if you like, and dealerships were not equipped to perform that task so a complete refurbished turbo was needed on failure - the required parts were never made available as spares - ebay etc was the only source it seems!

Later 1.2TSI 16V engines with belt driven cams and the turbo fitted to the rear of the engine might have been able to get a wastegate/bypass system replaced as a spare part without much need for re-calibrating on a test bench.

So, which version of engine does your Leon have fitted?
 

Deleted member 123580

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The engine is a 1.2TSI , engine ref. CYVB. The turbo is at the rear of the engine compartment.
The garage reckoned the turbo had a variable vane arrangement, but they may be wrong, as the turbo hasn't been removed yet.
Is there anyway of telling from the outside of the turbo whether it is variable vane or a wastegate valve?
 

Deleted member 123580

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Chris,
Thanks again for your reply.
Interesting web site showing exploded views of parts.
Can't tell though from the exploded view if it is variable vane or wastegate valve.
Car goes into garage next week. Will see if the replacement turbo and actuator resolves the problem.
Found more information on the motor driven actuator and it appears that it is spring loaded, which if it fails, the spring will return the actuator to a position which will cause the turbo exhaust to be bypassed or open the vanes (if vane type). The resultant being the turbo will not be spinning, i.e., failsafe condition for the engine.
If this is the case I don't see how I would still be able to accelerate uphill without the assistance of the turbo. Perhaps it is some kind of intermittent fault.
 
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RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
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South Scotland
What sort of garage are you dealing with, is it a proper VAG Indie or just a general repair place - sounds like the second type. If you have no warranty support for this repair, why not use a proper VAG Indie as they should have "same as dealership" diagnostic equipment and technical support access and their hourly rate will be a lot lower than a SEAT dealership.
 

Deleted member 123580

Guest
I am new to this Forum. Such a shame I have received an answer like this.
I wish the Forum all the best.
Thank you again Chris Ribiza.
Goodbye.
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
I suppose most people would rather you stayed with the forum and told us what the outcome was, that is really how these forums hope to work, ie try to answer questions to problems, give help where possible and receive back information - ie a two way process.

No annoyance was meant on my part, I was simply trying to help you if you read that posting again.
 

Legojon

I only wanted a remap
Staff member
Moderator
Jul 7, 2015
5,284
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I am new to this Forum. Such a shame I have received an answer like this.
I wish the Forum all the best.
Thank you again Chris Ribiza.
Goodbye.

Sorry you feel that way. I've read through this thread from start to finish and can't see anything but members trying to help you and save you money. What in particular did you take offense with?
 

Deleted member 123580

Guest
I appreciate your response, and position as moderator.
My choice of garage is very limited due to my location, but has served me well for over 35 years.
The comment "What sort of garage are you dealing with" was not helpful.
The comments from other participants were interesting and in the spirit of this forum, and allowing the readers of this thread, a conclusion, I will perhaps add a final post to this thread next week when the cars returns from the garage.
My aim in joining the forum was not to save money, but to understand the technical aspects and operation of the Seat Leon. I was an engineer for over 40 years and studying car systems is a hobby now.
 

cupra14

Active Member
Aug 31, 2017
332
63
England
What do you mean not helpful??? It looks like you were asked for a factual bit of info. Up to you but normally people just answer with the info.

I'm puzzled why you didn't but you still can.

It's harder to help people who when asked for more info don't provide it...
 

Deleted member 123580

Guest
The garage I am dealing with is not a VAG Indie, but the mechanic served his apprenticeship with a VW garage.
As I previously said I am only interested in understanding the technical operation of the Seat Leon and in particular the turbocharger and actuator, and whether it is variable vane or wastegate.
 

RUM4MO

Active Member
Jun 4, 2008
7,784
983
South Scotland
Curiously I too worked as an engineer all my working life!

One other thing that might interest you with these Skoda built engines is, so far 3 members on the main Skoda motoring forum have suffered high pressure petrol leakage from the fuel rail securing bolts popping their heads off, well only a single bolt in each case, but enough for a flood of petrol to run down the front of the engine, in all 3 cases, for speed and convenience, these cars were recovered to an "all marques" workshop for repair, so that means that Skoda were not too interested, okay one owner threatened taking Skoda to a small claims court, so they coughed up the spent cash without accepting any liability.

That concerns me quite a bit as my wife has a 2015 VW Polo 1.2TSI 110PS, and so the same Skoda built engine and same bolts. The bolts are M6 X 16mm cap headed 8.8 grade and their quoted tightening torque is 9Nm, so something is not right, in case you didn't know, the 4 securing bolts for the fuel rail hols the injectors down into the cylinder head so their loading will vary with the combustion process.

Don't let anyone tell you that any of these 1.2TSI engines are built by VW or SEAT, it is only a couple of CZ factories owned by Skoda that build them for all the VW Group marques that use them.
 

Deleted member 123580

Guest
Thanks for reply.
I think this now ends this thread.
To the moderator - can you please remove me from your forum or advise how I can do it myself.
Again thanks to all who tried to help.
 

Legojon

I only wanted a remap
Staff member
Moderator
Jul 7, 2015
5,284
2,713
I appreciate your response, and position as moderator.
My choice of garage is very limited due to my location, but has served me well for over 35 years.
The comment "What sort of garage are you dealing with" was not helpful.

Ah right. I can see how that might be interpreted. I've been a member on here for quite a few years now and interact with a lot of the members here daily. I don't believe that comment was having a dig at you or your mechanic. We just tend to see a lot of mechanics taking advantage of people and try to protect people as best we can. If your confident and it sounds like where your taking it is more than competent. That's what we were trying to assess. Also a lot of main dealers tend to charge high rates and not be as good as independent garage which is what I believe he was pointing out.

If you still want your account deleting, I can sort that out for you.
 

Deleted member 123580

Guest
Moderator thanks for your reply.
I don't think this has been a good experience for any of us so it is better that I leave your forum and not upset anybody else.
Please remove my account.
Again thanks to Chris for his comments.
 
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