VW Caddy Exhaust Smoke Points to Faulty PCV Valve

I had a similar malfunction with my 2019 VW Golf 1.5 TSI. Having some experience with basic car repairs, I initially tried diagnosing the issue myself but quickly realized this needed professional attention when I noticed the same symptoms, reduced power and smoke from the exhaust. The emissions issue turned out to be caused by a defective crankcase ventilation system. The workshop confirmed this after running diagnostics, explaining that when the PCV system fails, it can cause excessive pressure in the crankcase, leading to oil being pushed into places it shouldnt be. The repair involved replacing the complete ventilation unit. Total cost was 360€, including parts and labor. The maintenance took about 3 hours, and the difference in engine performance was immediately noticeable, no more smoke, proper idle, and power was fully restored. To provide more specific advice for your situation, could you share: Have you noticed any oil consumption issues? Does the smoke appear more during cold starts? Are there any unusual engine sounds, particularly at idle? Has the fuel consumption increased? Getting this information would help determine if your symptoms align exactly with what I experienced and could confirm if youre dealing with the same ventilation system problem.

Last service was at 15000km, and currently showing 18977km. Thanks for the detailed response and sharing your experience. After reading your comment, I checked my oil consumption, seems fine with no visible leaks. The smoke appears consistently during acceleration, not just at cold starts. No unusual sounds at idle that I can notice. The fuel consumption has increased by about 15% over the past month. Given these symptoms match what you described, it does sound like the valve and ventilation system need attention. Based on the cost you mentioned, I will look into booking a workshop appointment to get this sorted before it potentially causes more issues. One question: did your repair come with any warranty on the parts and labor?

Thanks for those additional details. Yes, my repair included a 2-year warranty on both parts and labor, which is standard for authorized workshops when dealing with ventilation system components. Based on your mileage and the symptoms you described, especially the consistent smoke during acceleration and increased fuel consumption, this strongly matches my experience with the PCV system failure. The timing also fits, these units sometimes develop issues around the 15000-20000km mark on our TSI engines. The fuel consumption increase you mentioned is actually a bit higher than what I experienced, mine was closer to 8-10%. This could indicate your ventilation issue might be slightly more advanced than mine was when I got it fixed. Getting it addressed soon is definitely the right call to prevent any potential damage to other engine components. Just a maintenance tip from my experience: after the repair, I noticed the engine running much smoother when using higher grade fuel for the first tank or two. This helped clear any residual emissions issues that had built up during the time the PCV was malfunctioning. The workshop should definitely perform a complete diagnostic check to verify its the ventilation system, but given the matching symptoms and vehicle type, I would be surprised if its anything else.

Thanks for the helpful details and thorough description of your experience. Yes, after checking my oil consumption it shows no visible leaks. The smoke appears consistently during acceleration, not just at cold starts, and there are no unusual sounds at idle. The fuel consumption increase of about 15% over the past month along with the symptoms you described makes me fairly confident its the crankcase ventilation system that needs attention. Good to know about the 2-year warranty coverage on both parts and labor, thats definitely reassuring. Your point about the timing of these issues occurring around 15000-20000km with TSI engines is particularly relevant since Im right in that range. Given that my fuel consumption increase is higher than what you experienced, I will prioritize getting this maintenance done soon to prevent any additional engine problems. Appreciate the tip about using higher grade fuel post-repair to help clear any remaining emissions issues. I will schedule an appointment with a workshop for a complete diagnostic check first thing tomorrow. The estimated 360€ repair cost seems reasonable considering the potential consequences of leaving this unaddressed.