1.2 TCe vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 TCe carries less risk than the 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec: 54/100 versus 59/100 (both high risk). The 1.2 TCe has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Excessive oil consumption and engine failure»; the 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Timing chain stretch and breakage».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
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 faultsIs the 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec reliable?
The naturally aspirated 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Ecotec engines from Opel/Vauxhall (GM Family 0; Z10XEP, Z12XEP/A12XER, Z14XEP/A14XER) powered much of the brand's small-car range between 2003 and 2019. It is a simple block with no systematically documented catastrophic engine failures, but with a timing chain tensioner that, according to several sources, does not last well, frequent coil failures and water pump or thermostat problems, and an Easytronic gearbox criticised for the way it changes gear.[6][7][8][9][10][11]
See the 6 of the 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.2 TCe | 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | 1,197 cm³ | — |
| Timing | Chain | Chain |
| Power | 100–130 hp | 60–100 hp |
| Production | 2012–2018[1][2][5][12][13] | 2003–2019[14][15][16] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 54High risk | 59High risk |
| Documented faults | 2 | 6 |
| Of high or critical severity | 2 | 1 |
| Worst severity | Critical severity | Critical severity |
| Main faults |
|
|
| Most expensive documented repair | up to €10,000Excessive oil consumption and engine failurePublished figure[1][2][17][18] | up to €1,400Timing chain stretch and breakagePublished figure[19] |
| Which versions to buy | ||
| BuyRecommended versions | None | |
| With cautionVersions to be cautious about | ||
| 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
Other comparisons
With the 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 TCe vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 TCe vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 TCe vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 TCe vs BMW B58
- 1.2 TCe vs BMW M54
- 1.2 TCe vs BMW N13
- 1.2 TCe vs BMW N20
- 1.2 TCe vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 TCe vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 TCe vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 TCe vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 TCe vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 TCe vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 TCe vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 TCe vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 TCe vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 TCe vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 TCe vs M111
- 1.2 TCe vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 TCe vs M264/M254
- 1.2 TCe vs M260
- 1.2 TCe vs M271
- 1.2 TCe vs M272/M273
- 1.2 TCe vs M270/M274
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 TCe vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 TCe vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 TCe vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.2 TCe vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.2 16v
- 1.2 TCe vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 TCe vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 TCe vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 TCe vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.2 12V
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.2 TCe vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 TCe vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 TCe vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
With the 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs BMW B58
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs BMW M54
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs BMW N13
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs BMW N20
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs MZR gasolina
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs M111
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs M112 / M113
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs M264/M254
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs M260
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs M271
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs M272/M273
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs M270/M274
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.6 THP
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.2 16v
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs Rover K-Series
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.2 12V
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
Compare other engines
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
- Distribution : les moteurs à problèmesFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Opel Corsa 3 : fiabilité, pannes et rappelsFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Opel Astra (2004-2010) : fiabilité, pannes et rappelsFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Opel Meriva (2003-2009) : fiabilité, pannes et rappelsFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Opel Adam : fiabilité, pannes et rappelsFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Opel Astra H: Probleme & KaufberatungGebrauchtwagenberater.de · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Nissan HR engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
- H-Typrenaultfans.info · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
- GM Family 0 engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
- Opel Corsa CWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Opel AdamWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 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
- Opel Corsa 4 : fiabilité, pannes et rappelsFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French