Second Hand Volkswagen Tiguan Camshaft

Yes, every Tiguan has at least one camshaft — all petrol and diesel engines fitted to the Tiguan are internal combustion engines and rely on camshafts to operate the valves. Most Tiguan engines use a dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) layout, meaning there are separate inlet and exhaust camshafts per cylinder bank, so it is worth knowing which specific camshaft (inlet or exhaust) you need before requesting quotes. All variants from the first-generation through to the current MQB-based second-generation carry this part.

These two vehicles belong to different generations — the first-generation Tiguan ran from 2007 to 2016, and the second-generation (on the MQB platform) launched in 2016, so a 2013 car is Mk1 and a 2018 car is Mk2. Even if both carry the same engine displacement badge (for example both badged 2.0 TDI), the engine codes are different between the two platforms and the camshafts will not interchange. Always match by engine code, which you can find on your V5C or via a VIN check, and confirm compatibility with the breaker against your registration.

The engine code matters far more than the badge — Volkswagen fitted several different 2.0 TDI variants to the Tiguan across its lifetime, including engines coded CBAB, CFFD, CFFB, DFGA and others, and each can have different camshaft profiles, phaser arrangements or timing specifications. A camshaft from one 2.0 TDI engine code will not necessarily fit or perform correctly in a different 2.0 TDI engine code even within the same generation. Locate your engine code on the V5C or via a VIN check and supply it to the breaker when requesting a quote.

Yes, fuel type is a fundamental factor — petrol and diesel camshafts are engineered to completely different valve timing profiles and are not interchangeable under any circumstances. Within diesel variants there are further differences between engine codes, and petrol Tiguans similarly span multiple engine codes such as the 1.4 TSI and 2.0 TSI families, each with their own camshaft specification. Always specify both fuel type and engine code when approaching a breaker.

No, trim level has no bearing on camshaft fitment whatsoever — the camshaft is determined entirely by the engine fitted, not by whether the car is a base S, a mid-range SE, an SE Navigation, an R-Line or a top-spec Elegance. Two Tiguans of completely different trim levels but sharing the same engine code will use the same camshaft. Focus your search on engine code, fuel type, and generation rather than trim badge.

Gearbox type can sometimes influence engine specification, as certain engine variants were paired exclusively with specific gearboxes and may carry subtle differences in tune or ancillary configuration. However, the camshaft itself is driven by the engine and its specification follows the engine code rather than the gearbox type directly. Confirm with the breaker against your registration to be certain there are no mid-production ancillary changes relevant to your specific combination.