2.0 TSI Injector Failure... How Common?

There have been lots of intake manifold failures described here, also some mention of injector issues for the TSI. Any clue how common the injector failures might be?

On an evening last week, my wife and I were returning home from dining out. The engine in the 2010 GTI (with 23K miles) suddenly started shaking badly with a dramatic loss of power accompanied by a lot of exhaust smoke and occasionally strong odor of gasoline. Next morning I checked the oil and sure enough, it reeked of fuel. With difficulty, I restarted the car and crept to the dealership less than a mile away.

The technician told me that injectors 3 and 4 were stuck open. They found faults P087 (low fuel rail pressure) , P0300 (random misfire), P053F (cold start pressure). There were also codes for misfires in cylinders 1, 3, and 4. (I've copied those codes from my copy of the service record, hope I got them right.) They replaced all the injectors and seals, changed out the contaminated oil and filter with my GC 0W-30. BTW, the intake valve deposits were reported to be quite mild, despite more urban driving than I would like. (Using Shell V-Power, for what it's worth).

Surprised the bloody thing functioned at all. Seems odd that two injectors would fail simultaneously.

Not a lot of fun when this one happens.

I doubt both injectors failed. But they replaced all of them, so no worries. To answer your question, injector failure happens, but it isn't extremely common. Most of the forum hypochondriacs don't worry about it, if that makes you feel better.

i had one die and leave me stranded at 35k. vw replaced all 4. i hear its a common failure. injectors should last 100k. Be sure to do VWs injector service to keep them clean including the fuel lines and TB

I had one fail and get stuck open at a track event. For two to fail at the same time I would think that something external was involved, like fuel contamination clogging the injector.

allset said:

... injectors should last 100k. Be sure to do VWs injector service to keep them clean including the fuel lines and TB

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Injectors should last the life of the vehicle. Yes, a fuel additive every oil change is not a bad idea. There are probably a few threads out there on which ones are most recommended.

Additives?

Killswitch24 said:

Injectors should last the life of the vehicle. Yes, a fuel additive every oil change is not a bad idea. There are probably a few threads out there on which ones are most recommended.

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Thanks all.

I'll probably try using a product like Redline SI-1. Yes, I've just unearthed some of those prior threads. Apparently some cleaning agents work fairly well, at least as occasional treatments. Don't mean to lead this thread into the bushes of a different topic.

Somehow, I suspect all the fuel contamination doesn't do anything particularly good to the cat converter. At the time, seemed to be subjective impression of more heat than usual radiating from under the car when I parked the shuddering, smoking thing.

My hypochondria is easing a bit, but rethinking my initial decision to skip the extended warranty on this GTI. Can't help liking the car a lot.

I have always had excellent luck with Lucas injector addititive. I usually buy a big bottle and add some every third or fourth tank, so essentially once a month.

But my better senses are telling me this failure is not due to a dirty injector, but a faulty part...... Glad the problem was quickly repaired.

Only weeks after I purchased my car ('09 w/30K miles), I had one injector completely fail while two others were having major diffuculty. I am very happy that the dealer replaced all four injectors.

Mike

I had an injector fail at around 15k miles that left me stranded, like OP it was stuck open.
Fuel was in the intake manifold, and in the oil.

I use a bottle of Techron every 6 months with a full tank of gas. While it doesn't do anything to clean carbon buildup, it probably cleans the injectors a little bit. Who knows. No one, I mean no one can agree on this

Wow, what a coincidence. Just today, I had exactly the same symptoms. Limped my way to the dealer. They took the car in, but since it was late on a Saturday of a 3 day weekend, I dont expect to get it bavpck until Tuesday.

I have a couple buddies at the dealership, and they seemed to agree it was probably an injector issue(relatively common on TSI one guy said).

Mine is 2010 with inservice date of 10/2009, with 14,000 miles.

I just went K04 about 3 weeks ago, so I worry, they will blame that, although all my buds at the dealership seem to think no snd told me not to bring it up etc.

When I dynod the new K04, I was getting alot of detonation at the top, so if an injector was failing, looking forward to a new dyno run.

So, should I ask for all injectors to be replaced? Sounds like oil change is a must also? Anything else to insist on?

swfloridamk6 said:

Wow, what a coincidence. Just today, I had exactly the same symptoms. Limped my way to the dealer. They took the car in, but since it was late on a Saturday of a 3 day weekend, I dont expect to get it bavpck until Tuesday.

I have a couple buddies at the dealership, and they seemed to agree it was probably an injector issue(relatively common on TSI one guy said).

Mine is 2010 with inservice date of 10/2009, with 14,000 miles.

I just went K04 about 3 weeks ago, so I worry, they will blame that, although all my buds at the dealership seem to think no snd told me not to bring it up etc.

When I dynod the new K04, I was getting alot of detonation at the top, so if an injector was failing, looking forward to a new dyno run.

So, should I ask for all injectors to be replaced? Sounds like oil change is a must also? Anything else to insist on?

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I had mods in sig while on an out of state trip when mine died, it was towed to a dealer that I had never visited before. They asked if I was tuned to which I said yes. They still covered it under warranty.
New oil and all new spark plugs were put in mine. And IIRC they only replaced the 1 bad injector.

Good luck!

Edit-
Having had my intake manifold coated in fuel, should I have to worry about the integrity of the plastics? When I removed my boost tap after the incident, that sucker was soaked inside.

VW just called and said my car is ready. They said it was NOT my injectors, rather a bad coil.....hmmm...wondering?

They also said no oil change is required for that?

^ Oil change not necessary. The amount of fuel these injectors put out when stuck open is ridiculous compared the amount you will get with just an ignition misfire.

My dealership wants to charge me 1027.43+tax on one injector, repair kit and gasket ( 6 hours labor = 750) and want me to pay for it because of the tune (they have no proof as of yet and tried flashing my edu back to factory but failed to do so) my car is a 2012 and still under warranty