CBZB 1.2 TSI
The small turbo petrol that made these superminis genuinely quick. Early examples wore their timing chain tensioner, which is why a start-up rattle matters more here than anywhere else in the range.
| Configuration | I4, turbocharged | Displacement | 1197 cc |
| Fuel | petrol | Injection | direct |
| Shared components | direct injection | ||
Cars using this engine
Engine and component issues
A rattle in the first seconds after a cold start, then a misfire or a no-start once the chain has jumped a tooth. The original tensioner can release its tension when the engine is stopped, which lets the chain go slack. On restart the chain can skip, and on this engine that bends valves. Volkswagen supplied an updated tensioner, so which part is fitted decides the risk.
Check: Start from stone cold and listen through the first five seconds, then ask whether the updated tensioner has been fitted and get it in writing. Treat an early car with no paperwork as carrying an engine bill.
Later parts: Updated chain tensioner fitted from later production and available as a retrofit
Rough cold idle, slow throttle response, misfires, gradual loss of low-end response. Direct injection puts no fuel over the intake valves, so crankcase vapour deposits bake on undisturbed.
Check: Not visible without a borescope. Treat it as a service item that's due unless there's a receipt. It's not a fault, it's an unbudgeted maintenance cost.
Chassis, gearbox and body issues aren't listed here. They depend on which car the engine is fitted to. Open a variant page for the merged list.