How to Find Out if Your Car Has a Timing Chain or Timing Belt
FixMyCar explains the key differences between a timing chain and timing belt.
Book a car repair nowEllie Dyer-Brown
Thursday August 07 2025
6 min read
All manual vehicles have a timing belt (also known as a cambelt), timing chain or wet belt. It's easy to find out which one your car has - this guide explains how.
In a nutshell: You can find out if your car has a timing chain or timing belt by checking your owner's manual, which will also provide a recommended replacement interval for the part.
What's the difference between a timing belt and a timing chain?
Timing belts and chains perform the same function - controlling the engine's timing so that the valves and cylinders open and close at the right time. Learn more about how an engine works in this guide.
However, there are two key differences between them: what they are made of and where they are located. A timing chain is made of metal, so it tends to last a lot longer. It is housed in the engine and lubricated with engine oil.
A timing belt is typically made of reinforced rubber, which can stretch and crack with old age. It is found outside the engine and is usually quieter than a timing chain.
What's the difference between a timing belt and a wet belt?
A wet belt performs the same job as a timing belt. The main difference is that a timing belt it housed outside the engine and operates without engine oil, whereas a wet belt is housed in the engine because it requires engine oil for lubrication.
Learn more about wet belts in this guide.
How to tell if your car has a timing belt or timing chain
The easiest way to find out which timing component your car has is to check your owner's manual. If you've lost it or don't have access to it, the other option is to have a look in the engine bay.
Cars with a timing belt have a plastic cover near the engine block (often to the left-hand side), which provides easy access to the belt. It needs changing at regular intervals, which is why the removable cover is necessary.
In cars with a timing chain, you won't see a plastic cover. There is no easy access to the engine block - it has a sealed metal cover for two reasons. Firstly, the timing chain needs to be lubricated with engine oil, which must be sealed into the system, and secondly, the chain needs to be replaced far less often than a belt.
How to tell if your car has a wet belt
Once you've ruled out a timing belt, you're left with two possibilities: a timing chain or wet belt, both of which are housed in the engine. You'll have to check your owner's manual to determine which timing component your car uses.
Manufacturers known to use wet belts in some models include Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen
Does my car have a cambelt or a timing chain?
Cars with a timing chain
| Make/engine | Models | Belt type |
|---|---|---|
| Audi EA888 1.4 / 1.5 / 1.8 / 2.0 TFSI (2008-onwards) | A1, A3, A4, A5, Q2, Q3, Q5 | Chain. |
| Audi 3.0 V6 TDI | A4, A6, Q7 | Chain is at the rear of block – gearbox out for replacement. |
| Mercedes M274/M264 petrol & OM654/656 diesels (all 4- & 6-cyl models, 2015-onwards) | C-, E-, A/B-Class, GLA/GLC, etc. | Rear-mounted simplex/duplex chain. |
| BMW & MINI B-series modular 3-/4-/6-cyl petrol & diesel | 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-Series; MINI F56 etc. | Chain; early N47 diesels also chain. |
| Ford 2.0 EcoBoost | Mondeo, S-Max, Galaxy | Chain-driven camshafts. |
| Jaguar–Land Rover Ingenium 2.0 petrol & diesel; 3.0 i6 P400 | XE, XF, F-Pace, Defender, Discovery Sport, Evoque | Dual chains (front & rear); premature stretch on early 2.0D units. |
| Kia / Hyundai 1.0/1.5/1.6 T-GDi petrol & 2.2 CRDi diesel | Ceed, Sportage, Tucson, i20 N, Santa Fe, Sorento | Chain on petrols; diesel version can be belt or chain. |
| Honda L15B7 1.5 VTEC-Turbo, R18 1.8 i-VTEC, K20C 2.0 (Civic Type R) | Jazz, Civic, CR-V, HR-V | All use roller chains. |
| Nissan / Renault HR13DDT 1.3 DIG-T & HR10DDT 1.0 DIG-T | Qashqai, X-Trail, Juke, Micra | Chain (Qashqai e-POWER 1.5 has wet belt). |
| Mazda Skyactiv-G / -D petrol & diesel | Mazda2, 3, 6, CX-3, CX-30, CX-5 | Chain (no belt models in UK range). |
| Toyota hybrids (1.5, 1.8, 2.0 & 2.5 Atkinson-cycle) + GR Yaris/GR86 1.6 turbo | Yaris, Corolla, Prius, C-HR, RAV4, UX, GR Yaris/86 | Zero auxiliary belts on hybrids. |
Cars with a timing belt
| Make/engine | Models | Belt type |
|---|---|---|
| Ford 1.0 EcoBoost | Fiesta, Focus, Puma | Wet (oil-immersed) belt; early failures widely reported. |
| Ford 2.0 EcoBlue diesel | Mondeo, Galaxy, S-Max | Dry belt. |
| VW-Group EA211 1.0 & 1.5 TSI | VW Polo/Golf, Škoda Fabia/Octavia, SEAT Ibiza/Leon, Audi A1/A3 | Dry belt. |
| VW-Group EA288 1.6 & 2.0 TDI (2013-on) | VW, Skoda, SEAT, Audi | Dry belt. |
| Early EA888 Gen 2 2.0 TSI (Golf Mk6 GTI, Scirocco R) | VW, Audi | Dry belt. |
| Stellantis 1.2 PureTech (EB2) petrol | Peugeot 208/2008/3008, Citroen C3/C4, Vauxhall Corsa/Mokka | Wet belt – known delamination issue. |
| Stellantis 1.5 BlueHDi diesel | Peugeot 3008, 508; Citroën C5 Aircross; Vauxhall Astra/Grandland | Dry belt. |
| Renault / Dacia 1.5 dCi & 1.3 TCe | Clio, Captur, Duster | Dry belt. |
| Subaru EJ/EL boxer 2.0 & 2.5 (pre-2012) | Impreza, Forester | Dry belt (newer FB engines switched to chain). |
| Alfa / Fiat / Jeep 1.75 TBi petrol & 2.0 JTDm diesel | Giulietta, Giulia, Stelvio | Dry belt. |
| Mitsubishi 2.2 Di-D | Outlander, L200 | Dry belt. |
| Vauxhall older 2.0 CDTi (pre-2020) | Astra, Insignia | Dry belt. |
| Volvo “Drive-E” 2.0 four-cyl petrol & diesel, plus 3-cyl T2/T3 | XC40/60/90, S60/V60/V90 | Dry belt. |
How often do timing chains and belts need replacing?
The owner's manual for your car will tell you the manufacturer-recommended replacement interval for the timing belt or chain. Generally:
Timing belts need replacing every 40,000 to 100,000 miles.
Timing chains need replacing every 80,000 to 120,000 miles. However, some may last 200,000 miles or more with the right care.
Is my timing belt bad?
Signs of a worn or faulty timing belt include:
Rough idling
Misfiring engine
Car won't start
Squealing noise
Is my timing chain bad?
Misfiring engine
Rattling noise
Check engine light
Lack of power
Car won't start
How much does it cost to replace a timing chain or timing belt?
The average price of a timing belt replacement is £560.55, according to FixMyCar's data, and for a timing chain replacement, you can expect to pay £1,088.76.
The tables below show how prices vary between manufacturers.
| Car make | Average timing chain replacement price |
|---|---|
| Audi | £1,159.08 |
| BMW | £1,231.70 |
| Citroen | £747.48 |
| Ford | £770.25 |
| Mercedes | £1,118.97 |
| MINI | £1,011.65 |
| Nissan | £858.64 |
| Peugeot | £746.25 |
| Renault | £894.74 |
| Toyota | £940.57 |
| Vauxhall | £877.19 |
| Volkswagen | £779.17 |
| Volvo | £568.92 |
Timing chains are more expensive to replace because they are harder to access, requiring more labour.
| Manufacturer | Average Cost of Timing Belt |
|---|---|
| Audi | £526.02 |
| BMW | £751.23 |
| Citroen | £519.51 |
| Fiat | £433.63 |
| Ford | £605.05 |
| Hyundai | £498.35 |
| Land Rover | £1,005.12 |
| MINI | £541.94 |
| Mercedes | £4628.92 |
| Nissan | £469.26 |
| Peugeot | £511.90 |
| Renault | £500.36 |
| SEAT | £451.22 |
| Skoda | £490.36 |
| Toyota | £454.83 |
| Vauxhall | £494.09 |
| Volkswagen | £484.26 |
| Volvo | £474.11 |
Is it time for your car's timing belt or chain to be replaced? FixMyCar can help you find a reliable local garage to get the job done.
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Ellie is FixMyCar's Content Manager. She has over three years of experience writing about cars and regularly collaborates with automotive experts to provide trustworthy advice for drivers that is easy understand. Her work has been featured in Yahoo! Finance, iNews, The Daily Express and The Sun. She has a BA in English literature and an MA in creative writing from Durham University. Outside of work, Ellie follows F1 and eagerly awaits Ferrari's next era of dominance in the sport. She drives a Suzuki Swift.