Volkswagen Rabbit Timing Belt Replacement at your home or office.

Our mobile mechanics offer services 7 days a week. Upfront and transparent pricing.

Estimate price near me

Service Location

Customer Ratings

(92)

Included for free with this service

Online Booking

Mechanic comes to you

12-month / 12k-mile warranty

Free 50 point safety inspection

Our certified mobile mechanics can come to your home or office 7 days a week between 7 AM and 9 PM.

Customer Ratings

(92)

Timing Belt Replacement Service

How much does a Timing Belt Replacement cost?

On average, the cost for a Volkswagen Rabbit Timing Belt Replacement is $512 with $134 for parts and $378 for labor. Prices may vary depending on your location.

CarServiceEstimateShop/Dealer Price
Show example Volkswagen Rabbit Timing Belt Replacement prices

What is a timing belt and how does it work?

An engine timing belt is a fiber reinforced, toothed drive belt manufactured using durable compounds such as highly saturated nitrile. The timing belt allows the crankshaft to drive the camshafts in the cylinder head at half the RPMs of the crankshaft. The camshafts then open and close the engine’s intake and exhaust valves in time with the movement and position of the pistons in the engine.

Timing Belt

When to replace the timing belt?

  • Every 60k-90k miles. If an engine is equipped with a timing belt, the timing belt must be replaced at the service interval specified by the vehicle manufacturer regardless of whether or not any problem is visible, typically in the range of 60,000 to 90,000 miles. Your vehicle owner’s manual should state the specific service interval.
  • Engine stops abruptly or will not start. Occasionally, timing belts can break, or skip, while the engine is running.
  • Rough engine operation. The molded, reinforced teeth on the timing belt engage gears on the crankshaft and camshafts. After many tens of thousands of miles, the teeth can wear or break, or the belt can stretch, thus causing the belt to jump position on the crankshaft or camshaft gears. Should the belt jump, the engine will run poorly and perhaps not at all.
  • Banging or clanking engine noise. On some engines, if the timing belt has jumped, the pistons and valves can collide and there will be noise and damage. These engine designs are referred to as interference engines. If your car has an interference engine, replacing the timing belt according to the maintenance schedule will minimize the chance that a belt failure will cause engine damage.

How do mechanics replace the timing belt?

Engine designs vary, and thus the replacement procedure will vary, but broadly, the procedure is as follows:

  • Disconnect the battery ground cable.
  • Once the engine is cold, set the crankshaft to top dead center with the number one piston on the compression stroke. Remove crankshaft pulley.
  • Remove all accessories interfering with the removal of the timing belt covers.
  • Remove timing belt covers. Lock camshafts, as required, and note position of camshaft timing marks. Remove timing belt tensioner and idler pulleys. Remove timing belt.
  • If replacing the water pump, do so at this time, and of course drain the cooling system first. If the engine cooling system thermostat is only accessible with water pump replacement, the thermostat should be replaced as well.
  • Installation of the new timing belt includes all of the above steps, performed in reverse, following strict guidelines to assure camshaft and crankshaft (and balancing shaft, if equipped) are in perfect alignment after tensioner has been set.
  • Upon completion of the installation, the engine crankshaft is turned by hand 720 degrees and the correct position of the timing marks on the crankshaft and the camshafts is confirmed.
  • The vehicle is road tested to confirm normal operation and a service sticker is affixed to the engine noting the date of belt replacement and the vehicle mileage.

Is it safe to drive with a timing belt problem?

No, were a worn out timing belt to snap while underway, perhaps on a highway, it creates a risk of complete loss of engine power while surrounded by fast moving vehicles. Once your vehicle has reached the recommended replacement mileage for the belt, you can eliminate the risk of sudden and unexpected timing belt breakage by having it replaced. If your engine is of the interference type, it is especially important to replace the belt according to the maintenance schedule because sudden breakage of the timing belt, while the engine is running, will likely cause significant damage to internal engine components such as the valves and pistons.

When replacing the timing belt keep in mind:

  • An interference engine should be carefully inspected before a broken timing belt is replaced because it may have sustained damage that will have to be repaired prior to installing a new belt.
  • The timing belt system includes idler pulleys and a belt tensioner. These components should be replaced along with the belt.
  • On some cars, the timing belt drives the engine’s water pump. Mechanics will usually recommend replacing the water pump at the same time that the timing belt is replaced.

Fast and easy service at your home or office

Backed by 12-month, 12.000-mile guarantee


Meet some of our expert Volkswagen mechanics

Real customer reviews from Volkswagen owners like you.

Excellent Rating

(92)

Rating Summary
89
0
2
0
1
89
0
2
0
1

Jason

18 years of experience
429 reviews
Jason
18 years of experience
Volkswagen Rabbit L5-2.5L - 100,000 Miles Maintenance Service - Vallejo, California
Jason performed great work, and now my car is running great!

David

29 years of experience
142 reviews
David
29 years of experience
Volkswagen Rabbit L5-2.5L - Oil Change - San Diego, California

Wesley

17 years of experience
277 reviews
Wesley
17 years of experience
Volkswagen Rabbit L5-2.5L - Serpentine/Drive Belt - Aurora, Colorado
I Do recommend Yourmechanic.com to all. The service was excellent. The price also very competitive. Wesley (the mechanic)drove all the way back to his shop to bring a special tool he need. The work took more time than he expected and still only charged the initial price. The work was all well done. Thank you Wesley.

Jason

33 years of experience
617 reviews
Jason
33 years of experience
Volkswagen Rabbit L5-2.5L - Valve Cover Gasket - Menlo Park, California
Jason is awesome. I'll only be using Jason & YourMechanic from now on :) Top notch service. Thanks!

Excellent Rating

(92)

Rating Summary
89
0
2
0
1
89
0
2
0
1
Number of Volkswagen Rabbit services completed
1012+
services done by our mechanics
TOTAL NUMBER OF EXPERT Volkswagen MECHANICS
1000+
experts on our platform

Recent articles & questions

How to Buy a Good Quality ABS Control Module
The The ABS (anti-lock brake system) control module, which is also known as an EBM (electronic brake module) or EBCM (electronic brake control module) works almost like an engine control computer. This microprocessor receives input from sensors to prevent wheel...
Symptoms of a Bad or Failing Cruise Control Switch
If you use cruise control and the light doesn't illuminate or the car cannot maintain a set speed, you may have to replace the cruise control switch.
Why Washing Your Car in Winter is Important
Keeping your car clean in winter makes your car last longer. Wash your car in winter to prevent rust under your car and keep ice off your windshield.

My car jerks when I'm going 50-60mph and sometimes dies right after I start it up, when I'm in park or reverse.

Hi there: On late 1990's Nissan's and Infinity models, there are sometimes issues with electrical relays that transmit electrical signals from the power source to individual components. I'm not sure if this is exactly what is going on with your...

Security light on car wont start

Try another key if you have one. If the vehicle starts, then the first key is bad. The keys have a transponder in it that the ignition switch reads and allows the car to start. If you do have a...

my 2012 ford explorer wont start it say no key detected i got a regular key not no push button start

This can be caused by the key itself is not recognized by the theft system and you may want to try another extra key to see if it works. If extra key does not work then you have a fault...

How can we help?

Our service team is available 7 days a week, Monday - Friday from 6 AM to 5 PM PST, Saturday - Sunday 7 AM - 4 PM PST.

1 (855) 347-2779 · hi@yourmechanic.com