CBA Engine

[Anker22]

Just wondering if someone might be able to confirm whether the CBA engine in a 2010 Passat is a PD or CR? Also wondering if the CBA has any common issues to look out for? Car has a DSG auto box.

Thanks in advance.

[DieselMonster]

Common rail, you can quickly tell from engine cover. If the lines that run across are at an angle, it's a CR engine.

[Crasher]

Most are CBAB but there is CBAA and CBAC and CBDC ohh and CBBB.... They suffer from injector failure (yes, common rail) plus turbo actuator failure and now we are seeing the turbo clog and causing a good actuator to stick, had one today in a Golf, same unit. As usual the DMF starts to rattle and sudden water pump failure inside cam belt interval is becoming common, did another this week, he had just done 2k across Europe and it started leaking when he got home.....

[Anker22]

Thanks for the detailed info. It seems then that it’s not as cut and dry as I was hoping with regards to PD vs CR. Is there any particular model/era/engine code Passat or Golf that is more reliable than the average? I’d like an estate and want to buy as well as realistically possible. Thanks

[Rob69]

Be sure you really need to buy a diesel, they're all less reliable than what used to be considered average these days. I gave up on them earlier this year.

[Crasher]

Is there any particular model/era/engine code Passat or Golf that is more reliable than the average?

The last Golf that ticked that particular box was the Golf 2 8v GTI with the PB Digifant engine, tough cars that lasted well, the last well built strong Passat was the 3B5 estate upto 2005 with the V6 Audi 3L petrol and proper robust Audi quattro four wheeel drive, not silly part time electronic misery.... The best built modern Golf is called an Octavia and for the Passat read Superb..... For annual mileage under 10k and city use, Diesel is a dead duck unless you can afford one with EU6 spec emissions but when their £500 each injectors fail or it needs a new number 3 glow plug at £80 or the £1k high pressure pump fails, or the turbo jams or......

[Rob69]

have to agree with above - I reluctantly replaced my 2005 B5 passat pd 1.9tdi estate with a low mileage 2014 Octavia estate petrol earlier this year, so far so good, although it won't last anywhere near as long or go as far as the passat. I've seen too much common rail trouble and expense with friends and family to have bought one.

[Crasher]

Just to clarify my stubborn and belligerent instance on using type numbers and not class generation numbers, a type 3B5 is a facelift B5 Passat estate, a saloon would be a 3B3 and others would call it a B5.5 estate or not..... Pre B5.5 would be a 3B1 or 3B3....

[DieselMonster]

I feel that the CR engines are pretty well built. They don't suffer engine destroying flaws their predecessors did such as the PD balance shaft, porous cylinder heads etc. I reckon the 2005-8 2.0 pd engines were the worst. As long as they been looked after and high mileage done per year they should be good up to 250k. After that, I don't know what happens to them but not many make it after that mileage. I've seen none make it past the 300K line.

I know someone who has an 09 Passat. It's just reached 200K, drives absolutely fine and it gets an oil change every 25K miles and fuel filter every 50K miles. Additionally it is driven till it has very little fuel in it and has had no major components changed besides the standard clutch/dmf and timing kit. If they are anything like my friends, CR engines are bullet proof.

[Gazwould]

Just to clarify my stubborn and belligerent instance on using type numbers and not class generation numbers, a type 3B5 is a facelift B5 Passat estate, a saloon would be a 3B3 and others would call it a B5.5 estate or not..... Pre B5.5 would be a 3B1 or 3B3....

Facelift B5.5 is generally 3BG .

Saloon 3B3

Estate 3B6 .