Seat Arosa belt handover problem

Whoa, sounds familiar! I had a similar headache with my old Renault Clio, a totally different beast, but the symptoms were almost identical. The timing belt handover went kaput. Does the engine performance feel off, like it's struggling a bit, especially on inclines? A defective belt tensioner can mess with the entire belt drive system. Imagine a bicycle chain constantly skipping – that's kinda what's happening in your engine. Have you checked the tensioner itself for any visible damage or excessive play?

Interesting analogy! I haven't noticed any visible damage, but I also didn't remove the timing belt cover for closer inspection. When you say 'kaput', was it the tensioner itself that failed, or something else related to the belt drive? Did you end up replacing the whole timing belt kit, or just the tensioner?

Yep, 'kaput' meant the tensioner spring had given up the ghost. It wasn't providing enough tension, causing the timing belt to slacken and misalign. I’d bet a beer that's what's happening to your Arosa. I initially thought it was just the belt, but the mechanic pointed out the dodgy tensioner. I ended up replacing the whole timing belt kit – belt, tensioner, and water pump – because it's generally recommended to do it all at once. Given the age of your Arosa, and that you're expecting that cost anyway, I'd say just bite the bullet and get it checked by a pro. It's not worth risking engine damage over a few euros. Don't play around with the timing belt yourself unless you really know what you are doing.

Thanks for the insights! I took it to a trusted mechanic, and you were spot on. The belt tensioner was indeed the culprit. New tensioner installed, timing belt checked, and now she's running smoothly again. The bill came to 455€, which is what I expected. Really appreciate your help!