Injector wear and bore washing
Attaches to K9K at engine level · Fuel · carried by 5 variants across 5 chassis
Overview
Injector wear and bore washing is a common fault recorded against K9K at engine level, typically from 130–230k km. It shows up as a rough idle, smoke on start-up, uneven running and in the worst case low compression on one cylinder. Where it's documented, the repair runs €400–€1,200 (injectors at an independent; far more if a bore has been damaged, costs dated 2026-07), and it can be partly checked before you buy. 5 variants across 5 chassis in this database inherit it.
What happens
Symptom. A rough idle, smoke on start-up, uneven running and in the worst case low compression on one cylinder.
Cause. The injectors wear and can leak, letting combustion gases and fuel past the seat. Left alone, fuel washes the oil film off the bore and damages it, which turns an injector job into an engine one.
How to check it
OBD scan
Read the injector correction values on a diagnostic and look for one cylinder out of line with the rest. Ask what injector work has been done, because most high-mileage examples have had some.
Mandatory. A seller who refuses a scan has answered the question.
Every variant that carries this
| Variant | Chassis | Body | Years | Risk | Good buy | Cost as % of good buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 dCi K9K | J10 | crossover | 2007–2013 | R3 | €1,950 | 41% |
| 1.5 dCi K9K | III | hatchback | 2008–2016 | R3 | €1,100 | 73% |
| 1.5 dCi K9K | HS | SUV | 2010–2017 | R3 | €5,500 | 15% |
| 1.5 dCi K9K | X85 | hatchback | 2005–2014 | R3 | €3,200 | 25% |
| 1.5 dCi K9K | F15 | crossover | 2010–2019 | R3 | €6,500 | 12% |
The last column is the point. The same repair is an inconvenience on one variant and a reason to scrap the car on another. A failure costing a quarter of the vehicle's value changes the purchase decision regardless of how rare it is.