My vehicle is a 2011 VW Tiguan 2.0 TDI DSG 4Motion with a Haldex Generation 4 Coupler.
The engine code is CFFB. It has been with our family since 2013 and is mainly used as our second vehicle, covering about 5000 miles per year, having covered 58,000 miles from new.
I have done most of the ser vicing since the manufacturer’s warranty expired, but in the past, used a well-respected specialist for the more involved jobs.
The Haldex oil and filter were changed by a VW Specialist 30,000 miles ago. Like many of you, I have done most of the maintenance at home using either VW original parts or more recently, OE specification parts from several online sources. I have also used the internet to purchase all the parts and as my resource for this article, which I hope demonstrates that as home mechanics, we can also carry out some of the more complex jobs that we may have otherwise paid a specialist or main dealer to carry out.
I purchased the Ser vice Kit from Auto Fault Finder Ltd (www.haldexrepairs. co.uk), who have supported me with the graphics and background information for this article. Their website is a good source of information for repairing and ser vicing Haldex units.
The Generation 4 Haldex can be identified by the ECU module having the appearance shown (top right pic) when viewed on the nearside of the unit.
Background and design of the Gen 4 Haldex Coupler
The Generation 4 Haldex is a proactive system. It is fitted to many vehicles throughout the VAG ranges and also other manufacturers such as Volvo and Land Rover. When the ABS/TC/ESP ECU detects the front wheels are rotating faster than the rear wheels by the ABS wheel speed sensors, the Haldex ECU is told to engage the Haldex Clutch pack, thus engaging the 4WD system. It is very fast at responding; it typically engages the 4WD system after around 90° of front wheel slippage. It then holds the
