Car Model Guide/ Volkswagen/ Passat/ B6/ 2.0 TDI
Volkswagen·Passat·B6 sedan

2.0 TDI BKD / CBAB

Sold with 2 different engines in this chassis, BKD 2005–2008, CBAB 2008–2010. Both are on this page; they differ in exactly the ways that cost money.

Overview

The 2.0 TDI is the BKD diesel version of the Volkswagen Passat sedan (B6), sold 2005–2008 with 140 PS and manual or automatic. Demands diligence at level 3. The pump-duse injector loom and injector wear are the recurring faults, and this 16-valve engine avoids the later balance-shaft failure. 13 failure modes are recorded against its engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components. Prices on this page are illustrative placeholders rather than a sourced market sample. See the methodology for how the bands are derived.

Volkswagen Passat sedan (B6)

Volkswagen Passat sedan (B6) · photo VW Passat B6 Limousine 2.0 TDI DSG Highline Reflexsilber by Thomas doerfer · CC BY 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Power140 PS
Torque320 Nm
Years2005–2010
Fueldiesel
DriveFWD
EnginesBKD / CBAB
2.0 TDI BKD · biggest risks

Ranked by probability × repair cost. 13 recorded in total.

52Demands diligence
  1. Front control arm bushing wear€300–€700checkable
  2. Plenum drain blockage and module water damage€0–€1,200checkable
  3. Run-flat tyres and kerbed or cracked wheels€150–€900checkable

Risk level −22 · Likely spend vs price −26 · all issues →

2.0 TDI CBAB · biggest risks

Ranked by probability × repair cost. 14 recorded in total.

25High risk
  1. Oil-pump balance-shaft drive failure€700–€3,000not checkablewalk away
  2. DPF clogging and forced regeneration€250–€1,800partly checkable
  3. Front control arm bushing wear€300–€700checkable

Risk level −33 · Walk-away failures −12 · Likely spend vs price −26 · Undetectable big repairs −4 · all issues →

2.0 TDI BKD · system by system9 systems reviewed · 3 with no recurring fault reported
Engine✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.
Fuel system✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.
Intake & air✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.
CoolingwatchCoolant expansion tank cracking, €120–€250.
EmissionswatchEGR cooler leak, €400–€1,000.
TransmissionwatchDQ250 wet-clutch DSG mechatronic and service neglect, €700–€1,500.+1 more in this system
ElectricswatchPlenum drain blockage and module water damage, €0–€1,200.+4 more in this system
Suspension & brakeswatchFront control arm bushing wear, €300–€700.+2 more in this system
Body & interiorwatchCorrosion at the rear subframe and arch seams, €300–€2,000.
2.0 TDI CBAB · system by system9 systems reviewed · 2 with no recurring fault reported
Engine⚠ attentionOil-pump balance-shaft drive failure, €700–€3,000. Walk away without proof.
Fuel system✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.
Intake & air✓ clearNo recurring fault reported for this system on this engine.
CoolingwatchCoolant expansion tank cracking, €120–€250.
Emissions⚠ attentionDPF clogging and forced regeneration, €250–€1,800.+1 more in this system
TransmissionwatchDQ250 wet-clutch DSG mechatronic and service neglect, €700–€1,500.+1 more in this system
ElectricswatchPlenum drain blockage and module water damage, €0–€1,200.+3 more in this system
Suspension & brakeswatchFront control arm bushing wear, €300–€700.+2 more in this system
Body & interiorwatchCorrosion at the rear subframe and arch seams, €300–€2,000.

Which engine

EngineYearsFaceliftPowerTorqueRiskIssuesGood buyIn one line
BKD2005–2008pre140 PS320 NmR313€2,100The engine the B6 was designed around, and the version without the oil-pump gamble.
CBAB2008–2010pre140 PS320 NmR414€2,500Refined and economical, with the one failure in this family that ends engines.
Engine BKD

2.0 TDI BKD 2.0 TDI PD 2005–2008

The 140 PS pump-düse 2.0 TDI: the pre-facelift diesel, unit-injector rather than common-rail. Strong and torquey, with the pump-düse family's injector-loom fault and, unlike the 1.9, sixteen valves and a chain-driven oil pump that spares it the later engine's balance-shaft failure.

Buy with conditionsGood buy at€2,100€1,550 – €4,350
R3 Demands diligence13 issues

Risk 3, Demands diligence. The pump-duse injector loom and injector wear are the recurring faults, and this 16-valve engine avoids the later balance-shaft failure.

Known issues, ranked by expected cost

Faults recorded against this engine, its components and its chassis, ranked by likelihood × repair cost. Costs are indicative ranges with a stated labour basis.

Front control arm bushing wearE9x chassis€300–€700
Knocking over bad surfaces, vague or wandering steering, uneven front tyre wear, steering shimmy under braking. The front lower arm bushings are a known wear item on this chassis and go well before the ball joints.
Check: Drive over a rough road at low speed with the windows down and listen. Check the inside edges of the front tyres for feathering.
SuspensionuniversalDetectable at viewingevidence: documented80–150k km
Plenum drain blockage and module water damagePassat platform€0–€1,200
Damp or soaked carpets, misted windows, and electrical faults that come and go as water reaches the control modules under the seats and in the footwells. The drains in the plenum chamber under the windscreen block with leaves and debris, and water then overflows into the cabin. The comfort control module sits low enough to be soaked, which is where a cheap fault turns expensive.
Check: Lift the carpets front and rear and press for damp, check under the seats for corroded module connectors, and clear the plenum drains yourself before you buy.
ElectricalcommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented80–200k km
Run-flat tyres and kerbed or cracked wheelsE9x chassis€150–€900
Harsh ride, vibration at speed, slow punctures. Stiff-sidewall run-flats transmit impacts straight into the rim, and these alloys crack rather than bend.
Check: Inspect the inner rim edge of every wheel for cracks and hairline splits, not just the face for kerbing. Budget for a set of conventional tyres; most owners switch and the ride improves markedly.
SuspensioncommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented
Corrosion at the rear subframe and arch seamsE9x chassis€300–€2,000
Bubbling at the rear arch lip, scaling on subframe mounting points and rear suspension components. Age plus road salt. This generation isn't a notorious rotter, but nothing from 2005–2013 is immune in a salted market.
Check: Put it on a lift and look at the rear subframe mounting points and the arch lips from behind. Largely a non-issue on cars from southern Europe, a real one on northern and Baltic cars.
Body & corrosionoccasionalDetectable at viewingevidence: documented
DQ250 wet-clutch DSG mechatronic and service neglectVW group DQ250 six-speed wet-clutch DSG€700–€1,500
Jerky or harsh shifts, clutch flare or judder, an occasional drop to neutral or limp mode, and gearbox fault codes. Mechatronic valve-body and pressure-accumulator faults, aggravated by a missed 60,000 km oil-and-filter service. The wet six-speed is the more durable of the DSGs but not maintenance-free.
Check: Confirm the DSG oil-and-filter history, test-drive for harsh or flaring shifts at low speed and under load, and scan for gearbox faults.
TransmissionoccasionalPartly detectableevidence: documented80–160k km
Footwell module (FRM) failureE9x chassis€150–€700
Headlights, indicators, windows, wipers and central locking stop working at once, usually right after a battery change or a jump start. The module's memory corrupts when supply voltage dips. It is the single most common electrical failure on this generation.
Check: Test every window, both mirrors, the wipers, all exterior lights and the central locking before you drive. If any cluster of these is dead, this is why.
ElectricalcommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented
Rear shock mount wearE9x chassis€250–€500
Knock from the rear over speed bumps, a hollow thump from the boot area. The rubber mounts perish. On hard-used cars the mount can crack the surrounding turret metal, which is a far bigger job.
Check: Lift the boot floor and look at the top of the shock towers for cracking or a lifted mount. Listen for a knock over bumps.
SuspensioncommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented100–180k km
xDrive transfer case actuator failureE9x chassis€600–€1,200
Grinding or binding at low-speed full lock, 4x4 warning lights, a shudder when manoeuvring. The actuator motor and the transfer case's internal chain wear, especially on cars run with mismatched tyre sizes.
Check: Full-lock circles in both directions in a car park, slowly, listening for binding. Check all four tyres are the same brand and wear, mismatched tyres destroy these.
DrivetrainoccasionalDetectable at viewingevidence: documented120–220k km

Ranked by probability × repair cost, not by how loudly a failure is discussed. Inherited from the engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components, each written once. All 13 issues in full →

Pre-purchase inspection

The same issue records, reordered into the sequence you can actually check them in: cold start, static, drive, paperwork.

13 checks · saved in this browser ·

1Cold startYou get one. If the engine is warm when you arrive, come back another day.

2Static checksEngine off, ideally on a lift.

3On the driveInclude low-speed manoeuvring, not just an open road.

4PaperworkOn these cars the folder is most of the value.

Mileage and servicing

What the odometer does and doesn't tell you here, plus the service items whose neglect causes the expensive failures above.

Scan the injector correction values, then check the DSG history if it has one. Those two things matter more than mileage.

Service itemIntervalCost
Timing belt + water pump
A belt failure is terminal
per schedule€500–700
Injector loom and injectors
The recurring pump-duse fault
if it stumbles when cold€150–400
DSG oil + filter
The wet-clutch box needs its service
60,000 km on DSG cars€200–350

What to pay

What this engine sells for, against the median of every engine in the chassis. All figures are illustrative placeholders. See the basis chips.

Enter an asking price to get a verdict against this variant's band: cheap, fair, good buy or overpriced.

United States vs Europe

1 EUR = 1.08 USD ·
🇪🇺 Europe · EUR€2,100band €1,550–€4,350
🇺🇸 United StatesNot sold2.0 TDI BKD was never a US-market car
What that meansNo US band exists to compare. Any car you find there's a private import, parts and specialist knowledge are thinner, and the price says more about import cost than about the market.

US figures are the EU band converted at a stated rate. No US market differential is modelled: we hold no sourced US asking prices, and inventing one would be worse than saying so. What the comparison does show for real is availability. Most of this range was never sold in the US.

  • ModelVolkswagen Passat 2.0 TDI
  • ChassisB6
  • EngineBKD
  • Years2005–2008
  • MarketCentral EU
  • Windowrolling 12 months to 2026-07
€2k€3k€4kB6 median, all 5 engines €2,650Pre-faceliftPre-facelift: low €1,550, good buy €2,100, average €2,650, high €4,350€2,650€1,550€4,350€2,100
Good buy at or under the marker · Median asking price · bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile · dashed line is the b6 median, all 5 engines

Good buy isn't the same as cheapest. The good-buy figure assumes the known failure items are either done with receipts or verifiably not yet due. Full breakdown by facelift phase →

Buyer notes

Our judgement, kept separate from the records it's built on.

Our read, not a record
The BKD is the right engine for a Passat: enough torque to move the car properly, real economy on a run, and the chain-driven oil pump that keeps it clear of the balance-shaft failure of the later common-rail engines. What it does share with the pump-duse family is the injector loom and injector wear, both of which show up as a stumble when cold. So get it scanned, keep the timing belt in date, and confirm the gearbox service on DSG cars.

Everything above this line comes from the issue and specification records. This paragraph is our judgement on top of them. See how we reach it.

Full specification

Manufacturer figures for this engine and body, as recorded in the variant and engine data.

Engine codeBKD 2.0 TDI PD
ConfigurationI4, turbocharged · 1968 cc
Fuel / injectiondiesel · pump-düse
Model years2005–2008
Facelift phasePre-facelift only, to -1
Power / torque140 PS · 320 Nm
Transmissions6-speed manual · 6-speed wet-clutch DSG/S tronic
Gearbox familiesVW group DQ250 six-speed wet-clutch DSG
DrivetrainFWD
Economy (real-world)5.5–6.8 l/100 km mixed
MarketsEU
Engine CBAB

2.0 TDI CBAB 2.0 TDI CR 2008–2010

The common-rail 2.0 TDI that replaced the pump-düse engine at the facelift: quieter and cleaner, and the one carrying the notorious oil-pump balance-shaft drive that can round off and seize the engine. A genuinely good engine with one catastrophic caveat.

CautionGood buy at€2,500€1,850 – €5,050
R4 High risk14 issues1 walk-away

Risk 4, High risk. The oil-pump balance-shaft drive can round off and seize the engine, and it gives no warning you can detect at a viewing.

Known issues, ranked by expected cost

Faults recorded against this engine, its components and its chassis, ranked by likelihood × repair cost. Costs are indicative ranges with a stated labour basis.

Oil-pump balance-shaft drive failureCBAB 2.0 TDI CR€700–€3,000
A sudden oil-pressure warning followed quickly by engine seizure, usually with little or no prior warning. The hex coupling that drives the oil pump off the balance-shaft module can round off, stopping oil delivery. The undersized early hex is the weak point; an updated module addressed it.
Check: You can't see it on a viewing, this is a paperwork check. Look for the updated oil-pump module in the history, or a specialist who has inspected it; treat an undocumented high-miler as carrying the risk.
Later parts: Updated oil-pump module with a larger hex drive
EngineoccasionalNot detectable at viewingwalk away without proofevidence: documented100–200k km
DPF clogging and forced regenerationDPF€250–€1,800
Warning light, limp mode, oil level rising above the maximum mark from fuel dilution. The filter needs sustained hot running to regenerate. A car used for short urban trips never completes a regeneration cycle.
Check: Read the DPF soot load and the distance since the last regeneration on a scan tool, and check the engine oil level and smell it for diesel. Ask what the car was used for. A short-trip city diesel is the wrong car regardless of mileage.
EmissionscommonPartly detectableevidence: documented120–250k km
Front control arm bushing wearE9x chassis€300–€700
Knocking over bad surfaces, vague or wandering steering, uneven front tyre wear, steering shimmy under braking. The front lower arm bushings are a known wear item on this chassis and go well before the ball joints.
Check: Drive over a rough road at low speed with the windows down and listen. Check the inside edges of the front tyres for feathering.
SuspensionuniversalDetectable at viewingevidence: documented80–150k km
Plenum drain blockage and module water damagePassat platform€0–€1,200
Damp or soaked carpets, misted windows, and electrical faults that come and go as water reaches the control modules under the seats and in the footwells. The drains in the plenum chamber under the windscreen block with leaves and debris, and water then overflows into the cabin. The comfort control module sits low enough to be soaked, which is where a cheap fault turns expensive.
Check: Lift the carpets front and rear and press for damp, check under the seats for corroded module connectors, and clear the plenum drains yourself before you buy.
ElectricalcommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented80–200k km
Run-flat tyres and kerbed or cracked wheelsE9x chassis€150–€900
Harsh ride, vibration at speed, slow punctures. Stiff-sidewall run-flats transmit impacts straight into the rim, and these alloys crack rather than bend.
Check: Inspect the inner rim edge of every wheel for cracks and hairline splits, not just the face for kerbing. Budget for a set of conventional tyres; most owners switch and the ride improves markedly.
SuspensioncommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented
Corrosion at the rear subframe and arch seamsE9x chassis€300–€2,000
Bubbling at the rear arch lip, scaling on subframe mounting points and rear suspension components. Age plus road salt. This generation isn't a notorious rotter, but nothing from 2005–2013 is immune in a salted market.
Check: Put it on a lift and look at the rear subframe mounting points and the arch lips from behind. Largely a non-issue on cars from southern Europe, a real one on northern and Baltic cars.
Body & corrosionoccasionalDetectable at viewingevidence: documented
DQ250 wet-clutch DSG mechatronic and service neglectVW group DQ250 six-speed wet-clutch DSG€700–€1,500
Jerky or harsh shifts, clutch flare or judder, an occasional drop to neutral or limp mode, and gearbox fault codes. Mechatronic valve-body and pressure-accumulator faults, aggravated by a missed 60,000 km oil-and-filter service. The wet six-speed is the more durable of the DSGs but not maintenance-free.
Check: Confirm the DSG oil-and-filter history, test-drive for harsh or flaring shifts at low speed and under load, and scan for gearbox faults.
TransmissionoccasionalPartly detectableevidence: documented80–160k km
Footwell module (FRM) failureE9x chassis€150–€700
Headlights, indicators, windows, wipers and central locking stop working at once, usually right after a battery change or a jump start. The module's memory corrupts when supply voltage dips. It is the single most common electrical failure on this generation.
Check: Test every window, both mirrors, the wipers, all exterior lights and the central locking before you drive. If any cluster of these is dead, this is why.
ElectricalcommonDetectable at viewingevidence: documented

Ranked by probability × repair cost, not by how loudly a failure is discussed. Inherited from the engine, gearbox, chassis and shared components, each written once. All 14 issues in full →

Pre-purchase inspection

The same issue records, reordered into the sequence you can actually check them in: cold start, static, drive, paperwork.

14 checks · saved in this browser ·

1Static checksEngine off, ideally on a lift.

2On the driveInclude low-speed manoeuvring, not just an open road.

3PaperworkOn these cars the folder is most of the value.

4OBD scanMandatory. A seller who refuses a scan has answered the question.

Mileage and servicing

What the odometer does and doesn't tell you here, plus the service items whose neglect causes the expensive failures above.

Only the history protects you here. Look for the updated oil-pump module or a sump-off inspection in the record.

Service itemIntervalCost
Oil-pump module
The balance-shaft drive can seize the engine
check for the updated part€700–1,300 preventively
Timing belt + water pump
A belt failure is terminal
per schedule€500–700
DPF regeneration
Town driving blocks the filter
avoid short-trip-only use€300–1,000 if blocked

What to pay

What this engine sells for, against the median of every engine in the chassis. All figures are illustrative placeholders. See the basis chips.

Enter an asking price to get a verdict against this variant's band: cheap, fair, good buy or overpriced.

United States vs Europe

1 EUR = 1.08 USD ·
🇪🇺 Europe · EUR€2,500band €1,850–€5,050
🇺🇸 United StatesNot sold2.0 TDI CBAB was never a US-market car
What that meansNo US band exists to compare. Any car you find there's a private import, parts and specialist knowledge are thinner, and the price says more about import cost than about the market.

US figures are the EU band converted at a stated rate. No US market differential is modelled: we hold no sourced US asking prices, and inventing one would be worse than saying so. What the comparison does show for real is availability. Most of this range was never sold in the US.

  • ModelVolkswagen Passat 2.0 TDI
  • ChassisB6
  • EngineCBAB
  • Years2008–2010
  • MarketCentral EU
  • Windowrolling 12 months to 2026-07
€2k€3k€4k€5kB6 median, all 5 engines €2,650Pre-faceliftPre-facelift: low €1,850, good buy €2,500, average €3,100, high €5,050€3,100€1,850€5,050€2,500
Good buy at or under the marker · Median asking price · bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile · dashed line is the b6 median, all 5 engines

Good buy isn't the same as cheapest. Any car without documentation for oil-pump balance-shaft drive failure should be priced as if the repair is still owed. Full breakdown by facelift phase →

Buyer notes

Our judgement, kept separate from the records it's built on.

Our read, not a record
The common-rail 2.0 is the quieter, cleaner engine and in a Passat it suits the car well. The problem is the oil-pump balance-shaft drive, whose hex coupling can round off and stop oil delivery, seizing the engine with essentially no warning. Nothing on a test drive reveals it. So buy on paperwork: an updated module, or a specialist who has had the sump off, is what makes this car safe. Add the usual particulate filter care and it's a strong diesel with one serious caveat.

Everything above this line comes from the issue and specification records. This paragraph is our judgement on top of them. See how we reach it.

Full specification

Manufacturer figures for this engine and body, as recorded in the variant and engine data.

Engine codeCBAB 2.0 TDI CR
ConfigurationI4, turbocharged · 1968 cc
Fuel / injectiondiesel · common rail
Model years2008–2010
Facelift phasePre-facelift only, to -1
Power / torque140 PS · 320 Nm
Transmissions6-speed manual · 6-speed wet-clutch DSG/S tronic
Gearbox familiesVW group DQ250 six-speed wet-clutch DSG
DrivetrainFWD
Economy (real-world)5.2–6.5 l/100 km mixed
MarketsEU