Turbocharged cars are more likely to break down and are more expensive to repair, according to data from the UK’s leading car warranty supplier, Warranty Direct.
It found the average incidence rate of turbo failure to be 27.8 per cent – around 2.5 times that of engine failure overall at 11.3 per cent.
The average repair cost to fix turbo failures was £875 (AUD$1566) – more than 40 per cent higher than the figure for engine failure repairs overall, £619 (AUD$1108).
Warranty Direct’s Duncan McClure Fisher said it was important that motorists informed themselves about their cars and its specific needs.
“The vast majority of owners probably don’t even realise their vehicle is equipped with a turbocharger.
“As they become even more prevalent, it’s important that motorists make sure they have adequate protection, should the unwanted happen,” he said.
But reliability and affordability should start to improve with predictions that more than 70 per cent of new cars sold in the UK will be fitted with a turbocharger over the next 10 years.
Turbochargers – which push compressed air into the engine – deliver up to 40 per cent better fuel economy for diesels and 20 per cent for petrol-powered cars, leading to smaller engines and fewer harmful emissions.
Today, 50 per cent of all cars built in Europe have turbocharged engines, but data suggests that figure could rise to as high as 85 per cent by 2020.
Well its hardly a surprise that the “popularity” of turbo-charged engines is increasing. As ALL diesel engines in todays new cars are turbo-charged, I would suggest that the increase in popularity of turbo-charged engines is directly linked to the increase in popularity of diesel-engined cars. Not really rocket science is it?
Diesels would make up the vast majority of the numbers but using a smaller turbocharged petrol engines is becoming increasingly popular too.
“But reliability and affordability should start to improve with predictions that more than 70 per cent of new cars sold in the UK will be fitted with a turbocharger over the next 10 years”
How can you possibly believe what reportedly comes out of the mouths of experts. In breath one he says turbos have a high rate of failure. In breath two he claims reliability will improve, just because more are used.
What a lot of crap. They will become more reliable when owners use the correct (expensive) oil rather than filling with bargain basement recycled oils……
However, the use of turbos will increase dramatically because they are so beneficial. VW has stolen the march to smaller engines, though – supercharger and turbocharger for zero lag and luvly power all through the reve range.
So true reckless1 , proper servicing and dont thrash the hell out of it for sustained periods , logic .
I have had three VAG turbos not lost one yet , one in the hands of friend now over 100k no problems .
I think he is refering to the latest models, they all require special oil ( yes Expensive) plus driving habits also dictate the longevity of an engine. Use the wrong oil and drive like a dick and your engine will die early. Driver education is needed as in most cases relating to cars. Get ignorant dicks off the road so the more informed can enjoy Automobiles.
My brother in laws Golf Mark 5 GTI Turbo died at 66,000km and was correctly serviced and maintained by VW dealer. He didnt drive the car hard at all.
These unfortunate things can happen to anyone I suppose.
I’ve had 3 petrol turbos, all volvos (4th about to be delivered), and have never had a turbo related issue with them (or in fact any engine issue with them) though we dont do more than 15000km pa. The low down torque is great and they are easy to effectively mod for low cost, but you lose a lot of power on very hot days (I dont know whether that happens with superchargers). I wouldnt be racing out to buy a used one with high clicks, though.
It’s amazing how these pundits believe that Turbo charging (or foarced air induction of any type) is so new. Engine manufacturers have been using it on all types of ICU’s forever… The first marine diesel I worked on was from the 50′s and had an eatons Screw type Supercharges on it, whilst that boats ship had Turbo Diesel generators as Back up systems in case of a steam failure…. Hell I’ve enven stood inside a Turbo housing…
The main reason of the failures of Turbo’s has been the high performance engines being driven to extreme.. Ask Saab (whilst they are still around) how unreliable their low blow Turbo’s have been. (thye have had them for as long as I’ve known about Saab… This report is just someone trying to sound official
Turbos are reliable if taken care of. I owned a turbo Skyline and replaced the Ceramic Turbo at 178,000 kms. I always used good oils and replaced it every 5000 kms without fail. Never thrash the car from start up as the engine and turbo need to warm up and fit a turbo timer to let the turbo slow down before loosing oil pressure when the engine is shut off. Don’t run stupid boost pressures as this stresses the turbo and is probably where the majority of break downs occur. Young kids running 25 pounds of boost for general street driving is pretty stupid in my books.
Pretty basic rules really and you get good performance from a small capacity engine.
Hm, had a SAAB 900 Turbo, Toyota MR2 turbo, and Toyota Chaser turbo. None have had the turbo fail, but the turbo is a wear item. I’d agree with Safety dude and Ken in that only pushing them past the oem engineered safety margins is likely to reduce life to less than 200,000 kms. 5000K oil changes are the only downside, that MR2 doesn’t use oil but wears it out fast. This article is a bit of a joke, an insurance company saying “you better pay more for an extended warranty!” BS unless they want to offer a ten year drivetrain warranty for less than the cost of a turbo+engine.
I agree with Ken, Safety First and Ironoredude.
I’ve had a turbo Falcon’s since they came out in 2002, and currently enjoy a BF2 Typhoon. The observations made are quite right, the oil does get worn quickly due to the very high temperatures in the turbocharger and I change mine every 5,000 km’s and no problems.
Where the problems come with turbo failure are people who thrash their cars and don’t let the turbo either warm up or cool down sufficently.
I bought a brand new turbo 2 years ago a gt3540. cost me $2200. An engine failure is going to cost a lot more than $1108. A reconditioned v6 petrol costs $6000 for a pajero thats about five years old. Ask GEM or REPCO.
I agree, these figures are utter crap. This ‘info’ is coming from an insurance company? If the market share of turbocharged vehicles is increasing this sounds like a good way for them to artificially increase premiums for turbo cars.
More moving parts means more potental for failure.Basic mechanics.
Most logical reason given so far!!
Two extra moving parts?
turbos impeller/copressor wheels can spin up to 150000rpm at over 1000°c which means its under alot more stress than lifter.
Not necessarily – if its balanced and has been designed for such temps no problem. Lifters have huge compression loads, high hydraulic pressure and are trying to seal using dirty oil – and are rubbing against the cam lobes if non-roller type. I hear what your saying but one shaft and a wastegate as against a few hundred parts is hardly statistically relevant. Like I’ve said elsewhere this data seems flawed to me, but hey – I could be wrong.
C’mon Robin,your trying too argue a lifter is under more stress than a turbo shaft and bearing.The shaft can be bent,the wheels can crack,the bearing can grind into the housing.Turbos are best as a performance option,which appeal more to car/driving enthusiasts and who are more likely too maintain there car properly.The average joe is likly to be less stringant with there servicing and letting the turbo warm up and cool down.
All I’m trying to say is lifters can and do fail as well. Trucks, tractors, earthmoving equipment, boats all have used turbos for years and cover millions of kilometers, but they tend to maintain strict servicing and warm up / cool down regimes.
You can’t buy a Golf in Australia without a turbo charger these days.
Of course you can, the R32 is naturally aspirated.
Well, PogO is right if you only count the Mk VI, just like you are right if you include the Mk V! ;-)
as the Mk V is still available in the R32 to buy new, I think I’m right, so this if you only include this or that is not a valid argument.
But thank you for pointing that out.
Engine oil in a turbocharged engine will be pushed to the extreme due to high temperatures caused by heat-soak and the flawed thermal efficiency of gasoline engines (25% efficiency, 75% lost via heat). People have forgotten the old trend of running a car on idle for a minute or two before shut off. This reduces the potential wear on turbo bearings by keeping the oil flowing, slowly taking away the heat from the source (turbo), compared to an immediate shut down where the oil around the bearings is stagnant and basically breaking down from the high temperature it is trying to absorb.
This is the same way that coolant temperature rises after engine shut off.
The path to reliability with turbo chargers is to-
1) Make sure they are working in their efficient range ( boost pressure and optimal compressor & turbine sizing and housing A/R ratio to avoid surge and overheating)should not be an issue with a standard car.
2) Use top quality oil which is replaced with the filter at least every 5000km (car manufacturers do not make the turbocharger so their scheduled servicing will not take long term turbo life into account!)
3) Warm up and cool down a turbo engine ( it really is not that hard to do if you invest in a $200 turbo timer), do not forget to give the car a little thrashing now and then to avoid carbonation from low engine speeds. There is nothing wrong with exercising the engine as any motorcyclist will tell you, it keeps the clean internally by minimising carbon build up.
4) Ensure the air filter is of good quality, kept clean or changed as often as possible.
During my time with turbocharged engines, I have never lost a turbocharger due to the turbo itself being unreliable, I have lost a couple from using them out of their efficiency bands with boost spikes in performance engines which is perfectly acceptable as they were not designed for that. Most new generation turbochargers are rated for a over 2000000km service life when used accordingly by their manufacturers. All these so-called problems with turbo charged engines out there have more reasons to them than just the turbocharger themselves.
The report does not distinguish between repairs caused by variances like there is more chances of detonation with the use of a low octane or quality of fuel in a turbocharged engine that can lead to blown head gaskets, or the quality of consumables (oil, filters, coolant) and the adherence to the servicing schedules.
Totally 100% smells of VW Golf
Yes you are correct, cause people in the UK who own Turbo cars only have Golfs!
You Moron!
Europes # 1 lemon brand, slammed by owners.
WELL DONE VW!!!
and your proof clown boy? Cause VW faired alright in the European J.D Power surveys, so I don”t know where you are getting your wild claims from!
Prove your wild claims or you will feel my Wrath!!!! By the power of greyskull!!!!!!
of course they will statisticlly become more reliable the more on the roads.
As they are nowdays not just being used on high performance “boosted like anything” performance vehicles, but also smaller capacity low boosted engines, that will level the stats out.
When there are more main stream (every day, not flogged) turbo vehicles, that will bring the average down
Read this article about the torture testing Ford have been using on the ecoboost engine. Sensible habits and a brief 30 second pause before shutting off the engine is all thats required with modern turbos and oils. Back off when pulling into your own street to allow the turbo to settle.
http://autospeed.com/cms/A_111.....larArticle
Ive got no doubt the stats are out balanced by heavily modified turbos being flogged
Would be nice to know which manufacturers are responsible.
Not only that, but also the actual models, and whether or not the failures were on modified versions
Just be very careful when buying 2nd hand turbo cars like the GTI.I would say that the engine will most likely give out before the turbo.
Now with the “direct injection craze”it is even more important to regularly service a turbo car and have top notch oil etc because of the higher than normal carbon build up in the valves/valve seats.
From what I have seen QwkEddi, it is not the same kind of “scale like” ‘fuel based’ deposit that forms on the back of an inlet valve in a port injection/carby fuelled engine. It is more like a “sticky” oil based deposit caused by blow-by and/or crankcase ventilation and the like. This IMHO is due to no fuel “cleaning” the back of the inlet valves like you get in a port injected/carby engine. It is one of those things where removing cause of the carbon ‘fuel based’ “scale like” deposits by using direct injection has caused an even more gruesome “oily” deposit on the back of inlet valves. Not to mention it is also harder to prevent/clean than the “scale like” deposits on the back of port injection/carby engine. You are not wrong with it being even more important to use a good oil and replace it often!
Turbo + supercharger = more things to go wrong.