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1.3 Multijet vs BMW N57: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.3 Multijet carries less risk than the BMW N57: 64/100 (high risk) versus 87/100 (very high risk). The 1.3 Multijet has 4 documented serious faults, the main one being «Timing chain stretch and tensioner failure»; the BMW N57 has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire».

Risk index

1.3 Multijet

64

High risk · 4 serious faults

Lower risk

Risk index

BMW N57

87

Very high risk · 3 serious faults

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

13 sourcesHow we work

Is the 1.3 Multijet reliable?

The 1.3 Multijet is a reliable diesel in the basics, but it has a known weak point across all its brands: the timing chain and its tensioner can stretch or fail if oil changes are neglected, with a risk of serious damage. In urban use, the EGR valve, the particulate filter and the variable-geometry turbo add to the list.[1][2][3][4]

See the 5 of the 1.3 Multijet faults

Is the BMW N57 reliable?

The BMW N57 (2008-2019, successor to the M57) is a six-cylinder diesel that is mechanically robust in the basics, but it shares with the N47 and B47 the EGR cooler covered by BMW's service campaign for engine fire risk, and it inherits from the N47 the timing chain at the rear of the block, with wear cases documented mainly from 200,000 km. Without a clear history of these checks, it is worth buying with some caution.[5][6][7]

See the 4 of the BMW N57 faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of 1.3 Multijet and BMW N57
1.3 MultijetBMW N57
Technical data
TypeEngineEngine
FuelDieselDiesel
Displacement1,248 cm³2,993 cm³
TimingChainChain
Power69–105 hp204–381 hp
Production2003–2024[8][9][10]2008–2019[5][11]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)64High risk87Very high risk
Documented faults54
Of high or critical severity43
Worst severityCritical severityCritical severity
Main faults
  1. Critical severity: Timing chain stretch and tensioner failure
  2. High severity: Incomplete particulate filter regenerations and oil dilution
  3. High severity: Seized variable-geometry turbo
  1. Critical severity: EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire
  2. Critical severity: Rear timing chain wear
  3. High severity: Loss of thrust on twin-turbo versions due to the vacuum circuit or the actuator
Most expensive documented repairup to €1,200Injector and high-pressure pump wear from contaminated fuelPublished figure[3]No reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versionsNoneNone
With cautionVersions to be cautious about
  • 1.3 Multijet 8v (69-105 hp, 2003-2009)[1][2][3]
  • 1.3 Multijet II 16v Euro 5 (75-95 hp, 2009-2015)[2][4]
  • 1.3 Multijet II 16v Euro 6 (95 hp, 2015-2020)[2][4]
  • N57D30 204-211 hp, single turbo (U0/UL, 2010-2013)[7][12]
  • N57D30 245-258 hp, single turbo (O0/O1, 2008-2019)[7][12]
  • N57D30 299-313 hp twin turbo (T0/T1, 2009-2019)[12][13]
AvoidVersions to avoidNoneNone

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

Cars that each one is fitted to

1.3 Multijet

See the 22 models with the 1.3 Multijet

BMW N57

See the 10 models with the BMW N57

Other comparisons

With the 1.3 Multijet

With the BMW N57

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.

  1. Fiat 1.3 Multijet: ficha técnica, problemas y tuningMotordinámico · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  2. 1.3 CDTi Opel (Z13DT) Multijet: ficha técnica, problemas y tuningMotordinámico · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  3. Fiat 1.3 Multijet: problemas, fallos y averías más frecuentesTotalrenting · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  4. Fiat 1.3 JTD/Multijet: corrente folgada e entupimento dos canais de lubrificaçãoProvmec · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Portuguese
  5. BMW N57Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  6. Motor BMW B47 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  7. 324.000 diésel de BMW tendrán que pasar por el taller en Europa, por un posible riesgo de incendio en la EGRDiariomotor · Motoring press · published 8 August 2018 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  8. Fiat JTD engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
  9. Moteur Fiat 1.3 MultiJetWikipédia · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
  10. Motor Fiat 1.3 JTD 16v: más información sobre el motorkm77 · Technical documentation · published September 2002 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  11. BMW N57Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  12. Motor BMW N57 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  13. Motor BMW N57: problemas, modelos y qué revisarCarexam · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish