2016 Dacia Duster problems

• 1.2 TCe 115-130 / 1.2 DIG-T 115 (H5Ft / HRA2DDT, built up to mid-2016)

  115–130 hp · H5Ft, HRA2DDT

  It carries the piston ring sealing defect that can end in oil consumption and engine failure. Only worth considering with on-time maintenance invoices, proof of reprogramming or of a ring or engine replacement, good compression and normal oil consumption; Renault's assistance was limited to cars under 10 years old or 100,000 km.^[3][4][5]

  With caution

• 1.2 TCe 100-130 / 1.2 DIG-T 115 (H5Ft / HRA2DDT, built from mid-2016)

  100–130 hp · H5Ft, HRA2DDT

  According to L'argus, the defect affects engines built up to 11 May 2016 and later production carries the fix; we have not found independent sources documenting the same problem afterwards. As with any turbo engine, keep an eye on the oil level.^[3][6]

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Faults that affect 2016 cars

• Critical severityFrequency: CommonLubricationExcessive oil consumption and engine failure1.2 TCe and 1.2 DIG-T engines built from 2012 to mid-2016 can burn more than 1 litre of oil per 1,000 km because the piston rings do not seal properly; carbon damages the valves and the engine can fail. There was no recall: the dealer network reprograms and replaces rings or the engine.Repair: €5,000–€10,000
• High severityFrequency: OccasionalTimingTiming chain stretch and breakageThe 1.2 TCe chain has no scheduled replacement, but in engines that burn oil the low level makes the camshaft phaser vibrate and the chain stretches until it becomes noisy or breaks. The dealer network replaces the tensioner if compression is good; if not, the short block or the engine.

• 1.6 16V 105-110 hp Dacia, without variable valve timing unit (K4M, 2004-2020)

  105–110 hp · K4M

  It is the version with the fewest documented faults in the family: fiches-auto.fr describes it on the Dacia Duster as an "old but known" engine ("ancien mais connu"), without the oil consumption that does affect the brand's more modern turbo blocks, and with ignition coils in only 3-5% of testimonies compared with 20-50% for the European Renault versions.^[7][8]

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Faults that affect 2016 cars

• High severityFrequency: OccasionalTimingTiming belt breakage or premature failureThe K4J/K4M's timing belt is a dry type (not running in oil), but several sources document breakages before high mileage is reached, including one case in the Renault Laguna II with valve-to-piston contact. Sticking to the replacement interval is the best prevention.Appears at around 89,000 km
• Medium severityFrequency: CommonElectronicsCrankshaft position sensor failureThe crankshaft position sensor (capteur PMH) appears repeatedly in the reliability sources for almost every generation with this engine, with hard cold starting, stalling or the car cutting out unexpectedly. It is a cheap part, but the failure can leave you stranded.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalEmissions controlFaulty lambda sensors on the 1.6 16V (K4M)The 1.6 16V K4M (Mégane I, Scénic I, Dacia Duster I) has documented lambda sensors that occasionally fail and trigger the engine warning light. They are replaced without touching the engine and it is not a serious fault.
• Low severityFrequency: RareLubricationOil consumption (no documented pattern on this engine)Unlike many modern turbo engines, the sources consulted for the K4J/K4M do not describe a pattern of excessive oil consumption in any of the cars or versions covered by this page.

• 1.5 dCi Euro 4 (68/70, 85/86 and 105/106 hp, 2005-2010)

  68–106 hp · K9K 712, K9K 714, K9K 728, K9K 732, K9K 764, K9K 766, K9K 772, K9K 792, K9K 796, K9K 802, K9K 830

  Worth buying with a complete maintenance history and proof of repairs: the 85 hp carries the Delphi pump, and the 105 hp adds big-end bearings, a dual-mass flywheel and, on the Mégane III and Scénic III up to late 2010, a risk of belt failure.^{[10][12][13][14]}

  With caution

• 1.5 dCi Euro 5 with particulate filter (75, 90, 95 and 110 hp, 2010-2015)

  75–110 hp · K9K 608, K9K 609, K9K 656, K9K 770, K9K 832, K9K 836, K9K 837, K9K 846, K9K 892, K9K 896

  The 90 hp has an excellent record. On the 110 hp it is worth checking the turbo, the injectors and, on the first units with a DPF, the condition of the filter; on a 2010 Scénic III, check the belt change. Caradisiac considers the engine fully sorted from 2012.^[10][14][15]

  With caution

Faults that affect 2016 cars

• High severityFrequency: OccasionalTurboPremature turbo failure and intake hoses that come looseThe turbo on the 105 and 110 hp 1.5 dCi can fail early: Caradisiac documents it on the Clio III, Scénic III and Qashqai II, sometimes before 80,000 km. More common and cheaper is for a turbo intake hose to come loose or burst and the engine to lose power.
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalClutchPremature dual-mass flywheel failure and clutch problemsThe 105 and 110 hp 1.5 dCi engines can break the dual-mass flywheel early, sometimes before 40,000 km. It warns you with vibrations at idle and metallic noises, and forces you to replace the clutch and flywheel assembly.Repair (garage): €700–€1,300
• Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalInjectionInjector and injector seal failuresThe 1.5 dCi injectors, or their seals, can fail early, especially on the 110 hp, causing rough running, jerking or hard starting. Replacing the affected injector is usually enough; Caradisiac still reports cases on the Kadjar and Duster II.

• Medium severityFrequency: CommonGearbox and clutchPremature wear and cold slipping of the clutch (dCi engine)On the Duster I with the 1.5 dCi diesel (85, 90 and 110 hp), Fiches-auto.fr and Caradisiac report numerous cases of a clutch that slips or judders when cold and wears out sooner than normal, some from as little as 4,500 km. Dealers do not always cover it outside warranty.Appears at around 4,500 km
• Low severityFrequency: CommonTyres and wheelsSteering wheel and wheel vibrations from 110 km/hFiches-auto.fr and Caradisiac report numerous complaints of steering wheel and wheel vibrations on the Duster I between 110 and 140 km/h, generally put down to wheel imbalance or tyres that wear unevenly.
• Medium severityFrequency: RareSteeringPower steering pump failureFiches-auto.fr records cases of the Duster I's power steering pump failing at around 40,000 km, generally covered by the warranty, and a more serious case where the battery, alternator and pump had to be replaced at the same time.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalElectronics and infotainmentABS/ESP and handbrake warning lights coming on for no reason, and an erratic fuel gaugeFiches-auto.fr records cases on the Duster I where the ABS, ESP and handbrake warning lights come on intermittently for no apparent reason, and others where the fuel gauge shows a wrong level, especially when stopping on a slope.
• Low severityFrequency: OccasionalBodywork and interiorFragile paint that chips from gravel strikesFiches-auto.fr and La Revue Automobile agree that the Duster I's paint is thin and chips fairly easily from gravel strikes, in one case down to bare metal from 19,500 km, and Dacia usually refuses warranty claims citing external damage.