1.2 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5 carries less risk than the 1.2 TCe: 36/100 (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 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5 has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Head gasket damaged after overheating».

Risk index

1.2 TCe

High risk · 2 serious faults

Risk index

1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5

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 202616 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 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5 reliable?

The TU is one of PSA's most widely built petrol engines: more than 15.6 million units between 1986 and 2014. It is simple (no turbo, no direct injection or particulate filter, belt-driven timing) and has a reputation for durability. The faults owners cite most are cheap wear parts -ignition coils, sensors and thermostat- and not block failures or cylinder head design flaws.^[6][7][8][9]

See the 5 of the 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5 faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of 1.2 TCe and 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
Item	1.2 TCe	1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
Technical data
Type	Engine	Engine
Fuel	Petrol	Petrol
Displacement	1,197 cm³	—
Timing	Chain	Timing belt (dry)
Power	100–130 hp	75–112 hp
Production	2012–2018^{[1][2][5][10][11]}	1994–2014^[6][12][13]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)	54High risk	36Moderate risk
Documented faults	2	5
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: Head gasket damaged after overheating Medium severity: Ignition coils that fail and cause jerking Medium severity: Thermostat stuck open or closed
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]	TU3 1.4 75 hp 8v (TU3JP/TU3KFX, 1994-2014)^[7][8] TU5 1.6 88-90 hp 8v (TU5JP, from 1994)^[13][16] TU5 1.6 16v 109-112 hp (TU5JP4/TU5NFU, from 2000)^[7][8][9]
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]	None
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

1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5

See the 10 models with the 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5

Other comparisons

With the 1.2 TCe

With the 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5

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
Moteur PSA TUWikipédia (francés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Tous les problèmes sur Peugeot 206 (témoignages)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Tous les problèmes sur Peugeot 307 (témoignages)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Tous les problèmes sur Citroën Xsara (témoignages)Fiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Nissan HR engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
H-Typrenaultfans.info · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
PSA TU engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
Peugeot 206Wikipedia (español) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
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
Citroën XsaraWikipedia (español) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish