Audi A3 Turbo

From the 1.8 T of the early A3s to today's TFSI and TDI units: every turbo on this page is sold new

The Audi A3 section contains no reconditioned turbos: every available reference is supplied as a new part, sold on a straightforward sale basis, with no old unit to return. This is directly linked to the manufacturer references concerned, which cover both the 1.8 T engines of the 8L generation with their engine codes AGU, AJQ, APP, AQA, ARX, ARY, ARZ, ATC, AUM, AUQ, AWD and the diesel units — 1.9 TDI, 1.6 TDI, 2.0 TDI — as well as the more recent TFSI/TSI engines.

Diesel: 1.9 TDI, 1.6 TDI and 2.0 TDI — families with clearly distinct references

The 1.9 TDI covers a wide power range (90, 100, 105, 110, 115, 130, 150 hp) and an equally wide range of distinct engine codes: ARL for the 150 hp, ASZ for the 130 hp, AGR, ALH for the 90 hp, and also BJB, BKC, BLS, BRU, BXE, BXF, BXJ for the 105 hp. The same quoted power output can therefore take different turbos depending on the code stamped on the block. The 2.0 TDI also spans numerous variants, from 110 hp up to 184 hp, including the 30 TDI 116 hp (engine codes DSUD, DTRC, DTRE, DTRF, DXRA, DXRD) and the 184 hp (engine codes CUNA, CUPA, CUWA, CYLA, DFMA, DFUA, DGCA, DJGA). The 1.6 TDI comes in engine codes CAYB, CAYC for the 90/105 hp versions and CLHA, CRKB, CXXB, DBKA, DDYA for the 105 to 115 hp versions: two distinct reference families, not one.

Petrol: from the 1.8 T fixed-geometry turbo to the 300 hp TFSI — the engine code is the only reliable guide

On the petrol side, the A3 has gone through several generations of fixed-geometry turbochargers. The 1.4 TFSI/TSI engines fall into two groups of engine codes: CAXA, CAXC, CMSA, CMSB, CNVA on one side, CMBA, CPVA, CPVB, CXSA, CXSB, CZCA, CZDD on the other — same engine capacity, same quoted power output, different turbo references. The 1.8 TFSI 170/180 hp (CNSB, CPKA, CPRA, CXB) and the 2.0 TFSI 220 hp (CHHB, CHHC, CNTC, CWZA) follow the same logic. At the top of the range, the 2.0 TFSI 280, 286 and 300 hp (engine codes CJXA, CJXB, CJXC, CJXF) use a variable-geometry IS38 turbo with an integrated wastegate and electronic actuator — an architecture that differs from the fixed-geometry turbos fitted to the less powerful versions. Before any replacement, it is essential to address the root cause of the failure (lubrication quality, degraded oil, contamination): fitting a new turbo to an engine whose underlying problem has not been resolved will lead to another premature failure.