1.2 TCe vs BMW B38 / B37: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the BMW B38 / B37 carries less risk than the 1.2 TCe: 20/100 (low risk) versus 54/100 (high risk). The 1.2 TCe has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Excessive oil consumption and engine failure»; the BMW B38 / B37 has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «B38 crankshaft thrust bearing failure (units before April 2015)».

Risk index

1.2 TCe

High risk · 2 serious faults

Risk index

BMW B38 / B37

Low risk · 1 serious fault

Lower risk

The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated

Reviewed on 30 October 202618 sources How we work

Is the 1.2 TCe reliable?

Only with reservations: 1.2 TCe and 1.2 DIG-T engines built between 2012 and mid-2016 can burn a lot of oil because of poor piston ring sealing, with a risk of damaging the valves, stretching the chain or destroying the engine. Renault and Nissan dealt with it through technical notes and case-by-case assistance, without a recall; later production incorporates the fix.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

See the 2 of the 1.2 TCe faults

Is the BMW B38 / B37 reliable?

BMW and MINI's three-cylinder B38 (petrol) and B37 (diesel) have no serious, widespread documented fault. The only problem reported in the press is the crankshaft thrust bearing on early B38 units (up to April 2015), corrected by BMW. BMW's EGR campaigns affect four- and six-cylinder diesels, not the B37.^[6][7][8]

See the 3 of the BMW B38 / B37 faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of 1.2 TCe and BMW B38 / B37
Item	1.2 TCe	BMW B38 / B37
Technical data
Type	Engine	Engine
Fuel	Petrol	Petrol
Displacement	1,197 cm³	1,499 cm³
Timing	Chain	Chain
Power	100–130 hp	75–231 hp
Production	2012–2018^{[1][2][5][9][10]}	since 2014^[11][12][13]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)	54High risk	20Low risk
Documented faults	2	3
Of high or critical severity	2	1
Worst severity	Critical severity	Critical severity
Main faults	Critical severity: Excessive oil consumption and engine failure High severity: Timing chain stretch and breakage	Critical severity: B38 crankshaft thrust bearing failure (units before April 2015) Medium severity: Coolant leaks and water pump or thermostat failure on the B38 Low severity: Carbon build-up on the B38's intake valves and injectors
Most expensive documented repair	up to €10,000Excessive oil consumption and engine failurePublished figure^{[1][2][14][15]}	No reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions	1.2 TCe 100-130 / 1.2 DIG-T 115 (H5Ft / HRA2DDT, built from mid-2016)^[2][5]	B38 1.5 136-140 hp from April 2015 (B38A15 / B38B15)^[6] B37 1.5 diesel 95-116 hp (B37C15K0 / B37C15U0), up to 2017^[16] B37TÜ1 1.5 diesel 95-116 hp (from late 2017)^[17]
With cautionVersions to be cautious about	1.2 TCe 115-130 / 1.2 DIG-T 115 (H5Ft / HRA2DDT, built up to mid-2016)^[2][3][15]	B38 1.2 (B38A12, MINI One)^[12] B38 1.5 136 hp up to April 2015 (B38A15)^[6] B38K15T0 231 hp (BMW i8)^[18]
AvoidVersions to avoid	None	None

Severity of each fault: green, low; amber, medium; red, high; dark red, critical. How we rate them

Cars that each one is fitted to

1.2 TCe

See the 16 models with the 1.2 TCe

BMW B38 / B37

See the 16 models with the BMW B38 / B37

Other comparisons

With the 1.2 TCe

With the BMW B38 / B37

Compare other engines

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Sources

Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.

Moteur 1.2 Renault - 400 000 voitures en dangerUFC-Que Choisir (Que Choisir Ensemble) · Consumer association · published 24 May 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Casse moteur Renault 1.2 TCe : 107 000 Renault concernéesL'argus · Motoring press · published 28 March 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Renault 1.2 TCe et Nissan 1.2 DIG-T : des moteurs gourmands en huileL'argus · Motoring press · published 12 October 2016 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Moteur 1.2 Renault - Les constructeurs minimisentUFC-Que Choisir (Que Choisir Ensemble) · Consumer association · published 31 July 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Moteur H Renault-NissanWikipedia (francés) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
BMW Dreizylinder: Dauertest-Probleme des B38 behoben?BimmerToday · Motoring press · published 5 October 2017 · consulted 4 October 2026 · in German
2024: BMW recall due to EGR coolers extended againcar-recalls.eu · Motoring press · published 28 March 2024 · consulted 4 October 2026
BMW diésel Europa: llamada a revisión por el EGR y riesgo de incendioDiariomotor · Motoring press · consulted 4 October 2026 · in Spanish
Nissan HR engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
H-Typrenaultfans.info · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
BMW B38 (Wikipedia)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 4 October 2026
BMW B38 (Wikipedia, alemán)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 4 October 2026 · in German
BMW B37 (Wikipedia)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 4 October 2026
Posibles fallos en algunos motores de gasolina de Renault, Dacia y NissanOCU · Consumer association · published 4 June 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
Problème moteur Renault-Dacia 1.2 TCe, Nissan 1.2 DIG-T et Mercedes - Vos questions, nos réponsesUFC-Que Choisir (Que Choisir Ensemble) · Consumer association · published 24 May 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Project one M: MINI Cooper D F56 fährt eine Million Kilometer in 12 JahrenBimmerToday · Motoring press · published 24 June 2026 · consulted 4 October 2026 · in German
BMW Baukasten-Diesel: Mehr Infos zur TÜ1 für B47 und B37BimmerToday · Motoring press · published 20 November 2017 · consulted 4 October 2026 · in German
BMW i8 (Wikipedia)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 4 October 2026