Turbos are designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle (or around 150,000 miles); however, it's possible for them to wear out over time depending on how hard you drive the car and the original build quality of the turbo.
Turbocharger Replacement Period
Ideally, your turbocharger should last roughly the same time as your vehicle. Specifically, most turbochargers need replacement between 100,000 to 150,000 miles. If you stay on top of car maintenance and scheduled oil changes, your turbocharger can potentially last beyond that.
Turbochargers are designed and built to last many years, but like all car components they will eventually fail. You can expect your turbo to last up to around 150,000 miles - or even more if it's seldom used.
Regular Oil Maintenance
For the best performance from a turbocharger, change the oil at least every 5,000 miles, replacing it with a fully-synthetic oil which is the right API for your car's engine type.
No. today's turbochargers are designed to last the lifespan of the vehicle. The truth is, boosted engines require the same amount of maintenance and care that a naturally aspirated engine does.
Lack of oil and lubrication – the turbo needs a good flow of clean oil to keep it working properly. It can suffer from a build-up of carbon deposits and contaminants that reduce its effectiveness, and can even cause it to completely break down over time.
Most failures are caused by the three 'turbo killers' of oil starvation, oil contamination and foreign object damage. More than 90% of turbocharger failures are caused oil related either by oil starvation or oil contamination. Blocked or leaking pipes or lack of priming on fitting usually causes oil starvation.
Turbochargers are incredibly reliable. Generally, it's very rare to have issues with your car's turbo. Less than 1% of warranty inspections find any fault with the turbo. Blown turbos come from problems with other parts of your car like engine lubrication, foreign objects, etc.
In short - a turbocharger is an extremely reliable component, it will normally last as long as your vehicles engines life. Manufacturers design turbochargers to exceed 300 000 km's in terms of service in a single lifecycle, however many turbochargers don't see this due to engine maintenance related issues.
A turbocharger works with the exhaust system and can potentially give you gains of 70-150 horsepower. A supercharger is connected directly to the engine intake and could provide an extra 50-100 horsepower.
If a turbocharger problem is ignored, then the worst thing that can happen is engine damage, which will be more expensive than a turbo replacement or repair. A faulty turbocharger needs to be replaced as soon as you notice some warning signs.
Cars with turbocharged engines often cost more to insure because they cost more to repair than their non-turbocharged counterparts. They also have more power and speed than a standard engine, increasing the risk of an accident.
The total cost of replacing a turbo will vary, but on average most stock replacement turbochargers will be in the neighborhood of $1,000 to $1,700, and of course if you want to add a little more performance to your diesel, aftermarket turbos are also available that can boost your power output higher than stock.
Dirt, soot, fuel, water, combustion residues, or metal abrasion can contaminate the oil. Even the smallest particles in the oil can cause serious damage to the turbocharger due to its extremely high speeds.
Ensure new oil and a new oil filter are used when fitting a new turbo., as recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Ensure the correct oil is used for the engine. Ensure the oil inlet pipes are cleaned/replaced, to eliminate any carbon accumulation or sludge that could enter the turbo.
Unusual noises – a loud whining noise may be heard from your engine if your turbo has a fault. It will sound something similar to a dentist drill or a police siren – so if you hear this noise, it's definitely worth checking out, as this is a sign of turbo failure.
The short answer is that you can still drive your car with a blown or damaged turbo. However, the longer you drive it in this state, the more damage the engine will have and the more expensive repair bill you will get.
To repair is to recondition a turbo by cleaning, inspecting, and replacing only the parts that are worn or broken. Serviceable parts are reused if they fit within the manufacturer's acceptable wear limits. The quality of repaired components can vary and many only come with a limited warranty.
In turn, doing this for a sustained period means one will end up damaging the turbocharger, with the heat getting onto other components. To prevent this, most manufacturers recommend that at start-up, you idle the car for at least two minutes.