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IS20 Turbo Longevity

How are the stock IS20 turbos holding up to long term use?

  • > 80,000 miles - tuned - no issues

    Votes: 32 62.7%
  • < 80,000 miles - tuned - turbo replaced

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • > 80,000 miles - no tune - no issues

    Votes: 13 25.5%
  • < 80,000 miles no tune - turbo replaced

    Votes: 5 9.8%

  • Total voters
    51

elamothe15

Ready to race!
Now that the original Mk7 GTIs have been out for ~5 years now we should start seeing people hit higher mileage. Curious to see how people's turbos are handling stock conditions / tunes.

I know there were some original turbo issues on the early revisions, but I haven't heard many issues since.
 

Subliminal

Autocross Champion
Location
Vegas
Car(s)
Slow FWD VW Hatch
I don't think your < > makes sense, is this only for people above 80,000 miles?
Lol there's two options for people UNDER 80k but none of them are for tuned w/ original turbo


The only is20's I've heard of blowing was back during the early testing/tuning days. And from what I remember those were mostly from spooling up the turbo too quickly. Unless you're just running a crazy/garbage tune then of course anything can happen. My tune peeks around 24-26psi and I haven't had any problems other than the clutch finally beginning to slip a little (after over a year of being tuned)
 

elamothe15

Ready to race!
I don't think your < > makes sense, is this only for people above 80,000 miles?

Lol there's two options for people UNDER 80k but none of them are for tuned w/ original turbo


The only is20's I've heard of blowing was back during the early testing/tuning days. And from what I remember those were mostly from spooling up the turbo too quickly. Unless you're just running a crazy/garbage tune then of course anything can happen. My tune peeks around 24-26psi and I haven't had any problems other than the clutch finally beginning to slip a little (after over a year of being tuned)

I am really only tailoring this thread to longevity so looking at data essentially greater than 80k miles.
 

Gtiguy222

New member
Location
Denver
Car(s)
2016 SE
I have 86k with a jb4 tune for the last 30k - recently I have been getting EPC codes regularly ( resets immediately after restart) for turbo boost - can't find a leak - but am still investigating the cause.. hope it is not starting to go.
 

IanCH

Autocross Champion
Location
MA
Car(s)
'20 GTI
I am really only tailoring this thread to longevity so looking at data essentially greater than 80k miles.

And you chose an arbitrary mileage that wont give you good information. The only legit way to aggregate this data is to ask and record this question - Did your turbo fail? At what mileage? Wastegate or other?
 

GTI Jake

Autocross Champion
Location
Charlotte, NC
Made it to 92,600 miles on my is20, APR tuned since before it’s first oil change.

...then I went is38, since no issues from the ol trusty is20
 
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