Issue with Mk6 Golf highline 118kw engine

[triplef777]

Hi Guys,

My 2009 Mk6 Golf's 118kw engine light came on recently, I took it to local mechanic as well as VW dealer and both came back with same comment that one of the cylinders has low compression.

Would anyone know what the problem might be and cost to have it fixed?

[GLIDN]

I'm afriad to advise welcome to 1.4tsi ownership.
Will need a replacement engine or new pistons and rings etc.

these engines runs very lean on factory state unfortunately many owners will I'll advised that these engines can run 91 or 95 octane which in most cases are true. The exception to the rule thou is that the 1.4 need 98 octane only. 

either a landing ring let go or pistons ring is fried due to detonation. Could even potentially have a damaged piston.

[The Red Warrior]

Yeah, as GLIDN above stated above most likely.
My wife's one did the same at 26,000km. She was the second owner and warranty had expired by about 3 months. New base engine needed. Quoted price of $6500. She bitched to EMD and dealer rang back to say it would be covered under goodwill program. We only had to pay $650 labour. Went ahead with it and traded car in straight away. Had since learned about issues with that models DSG box too.

Interestingly, a month earlier I had taken the car in to dealer (different branch of same chain) as I could feel issue with the gearbox. They couldn't replicate it but said it needed new spark plugs. This cost $300. After having the engine issue a bit of research found that they had changed the spark plugs to a different version that they should have had initially, probably in the hope that things would be alright. This annoyed me as they shouldn't have charged me.