Short answer: the engine code is a three or four letter code (for example CFFB or CRBC) printed on the vehicle data sticker. That sticker is in the boot, usually on the spare wheel well or under the boot floor, and a copy is in the front of the service schedule book. The code is also on the engine itself. Your V5C logbook does not show it.
Why the engine code matters more than the model and year
VW Group fitted several different diesel engines to the same model in the same year, and they do not share injector parts. A few examples from our own parts data:
- A 2.0 TDI Golf VI can have the older pumpe-duse engine (three-letter code such as BKD) or the common rail engine (four-letter code such as CFFB or CFHC). The injectors, seals and bolts are completely different.
- 2.0 TDI common rail engines built around 2008 to 2010 with codes such as CBAA, CBAB, CBDB or CEGA hold the injectors with a tensioning plate. Later codes such as CFFB use a clamp bolt. Both appear on the same vehicle records.
- The newer EA288 engine (codes such as CRBC, CRLB, CUNA, DFGA) uses a longer clamp bolt than the EA189 engine it replaced, and on some cars the bolt length depends on an option code on the same sticker.
A registration lookup will usually tell you the model and engine size. It will often not tell you which of these engines you have. The engine code will.
Where to find your engine code
| Where | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Vehicle data sticker, boot | Lift the boot floor. The sticker is usually on the spare wheel well or the floor panel. The engine code and gearbox code are printed together on one line, engine code first. |
| Service schedule book | A copy of the same sticker is on one of the first pages. Useful if the boot sticker is missing or worn. |
| On the engine | Look for a sticker on the timing belt cover or near the top of the engine. The code is also stamped on the cylinder block, usually towards the front where the engine meets the gearbox. A torch and mirror help. |
| VW Group dealer | Any VW, Audi, SEAT or Skoda parts desk can read the engine code from your VIN. |
| V5C logbook | Shows engine size and fuel type only. No engine code. |
Reading the code
| Code looks like | Engine | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Three letters | Older pumpe-duse TDI (unit injectors) | BKD, BKP, BMP, BMM |
| Four letters, roughly 2008 to 2015 | 2.0 TDI common rail, EA189 | CFFB, CFHC, CBAB, CJCA, CLCB, CGLC |
| Four letters, roughly 2012 on | 1.6 and 2.0 TDI, EA288 | CRBC, CRLB, CUNA, DFGA |
The dates are a guide only. The two engines overlapped for a few years, so always go by the code.
Check the injector part number as well
If the engine cover is off, the injector part number is printed on each injector. On common rail TDI engines:
- Numbers starting 03L130277 belong to the EA189 generation.
- Numbers starting 04L130277 belong to the EA288 generation.
This is a useful cross-check if the data sticker is missing, or if the engine may have been swapped.
Then measure your old bolt
If you are replacing injector clamp bolts, measure one of the old ones before you order. EA189 2.0 TDI bolts are 88 mm (WHT004739). EA288 bolts are 105 mm (WHT005478) on most cars and 90 mm (WHT005490) on some builds. A wrong length bolt will not clamp the injector correctly. Clamp bolts are single use, so always fit new ones.
Find your kit
Every RIPSPEC kit page lists the engine codes it fits and the codes it does not fit, checked against VW Group parts data. Use the part finder on our home page (make, model, engine), or browse:
- Injector clamp bolts x2, 2.0 TDI EA189 (WHT004739)
- Injector clamp bolts x2, 1.6 and 2.0 TDI EA288 (WHT005478)
- Injector body O-ring WHT000884
Code not listed, or not sure? Send us your registration or VIN through the fitment check and we will confirm the right parts before you buy.
Quick answers
Is the engine code the same as the engine number?
No. The engine number is a unique serial. The engine code is the three or four letter type code shared by every engine of that type, and it is the one parts are matched to.
Can I use the engine code from an online reg check?
Use it as a starting point, then confirm it on the boot sticker or the engine. Reg checks sometimes return the wrong variant where two engines share a model record.
My boot sticker is missing. What now?
Check the service book, then the engine. Failing that, a dealer parts desk or our fitment check can work it out from your VIN.