1.2 TCe vs BMW N54/N55: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the BMW N54/N55 carries less risk than the 1.2 TCe: 48/100 (moderate 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 N54/N55 has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «High-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure».

Risk index

1.2 TCe

High risk · 2 serious faults

Risk index

BMW N54/N55

Moderate 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 202615 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 N54/N55 reliable?

The N54 (2006-2016) is a 3.0-litre twin-turbo straight-six with many documented faults: high-pressure pump, injectors and wastegates. The N55 (2009-2019) uses a single turbo and is considered simpler, although it shares oil leaks from the filter housing and the electric water pump.^[6][7][8][9]

See the 6 of the BMW N54/N55 faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of 1.2 TCe and BMW N54/N55
Item	1.2 TCe	BMW N54/N55
Technical data
Type	Engine	Engine
Fuel	Petrol	Petrol
Displacement	1,197 cm³	2,979 cm³
Timing	Chain	Chain
Power	100–130 hp	302–335 hp
Production	2012–2018^{[1][2][5][10][11]}	2006–2019^[6][7]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)	54High risk	48Moderate risk
Documented faults	2	6
Of high or critical severity	2	1
Worst severity	Critical severity	High severity
Main faults	Critical severity: Excessive oil consumption and engine failure High severity: Timing chain stretch and breakage	High severity: High-pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure Medium severity: N54 piezoelectric injector failure Medium severity: Turbo wastegate noise and failure
Most expensive documented repair	up to €10,000Excessive oil consumption and engine failurePublished figure^{[1][2][12][13]}	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]	None
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][13]	N54B30 302 hp (2006-2010)^[6][8][14] N54 322 hp (2008-2013)^[6][8][14] N54 335 hp (2011-2016)^[6][8][14] N55B30M0 302 hp (2009-2018)^[7][9][15] N55B30 315 hp (2011-2018)^[7][9][15] N55B30O0 322 hp (2014-2016)^[7][9][15] N55HP 335 hp (2013-2015)^[7][9][15]
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 N54/N55

See the 13 models with the BMW N54/N55

Other comparisons

With the 1.2 TCe

With the BMW N54/N55

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 N54Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 5 October 2026
BMW N55Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 5 October 2026
Todo lo que necesitas saber sobre el motor BMW N54High Performance Academy · Technical documentation · consulted 5 October 2026 · in Spanish
BMW N55 Typische Probleme und HaltbarkeitGebrauchtwagenberater · Motoring press · published 23 February 2025 · consulted 5 October 2026 · in German
Nissan HR engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
H-Typrenaultfans.info · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
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
The Definitive Guide to the BMW N54 EngineFCP Euro · Technical documentation · consulted 5 October 2026
BMW N55 Common ProblemsBMW Tuning · Technical documentation · consulted 5 October 2026