1.5 dCi vs BMW N47: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.5 dCi carries less risk than the BMW N47: 63/100 (high risk) versus 87/100 (very high risk). The 1.5 dCi has 4 documented serious faults, the main one being «Wear and seizure of the big-end bearings»; the BMW N47 has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Rear timing chain stretch and breakage».

Risk index

1.5 dCi

High risk · 4 serious faults

Lower risk

Risk index

BMW N47

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

Reviewed on 26 September 202631 sources How we work

Is the 1.5 dCi reliable?

The post-2010 1.5 dCi engines, especially the 90 hp, have a good record. The Euro 3 and Euro 4 units (2001-2010) carry serious faults: big-end bearings that can wreck the engine, a Delphi pump that fills the injection system with metal filings and, in some 105/110 hp versions, a timing belt and dual-mass flywheel that fail early.^[1][2][3][4]

See the 8 of the 1.5 dCi faults

Is the BMW N47 reliable?

The BMW N47 (2007-2016, including its MINI derivatives N47C16/N47C20) is mechanically sound in the basics, but it carries a serious, well-documented design flaw: the rear timing chain wears or breaks prematurely on many units, especially those built between 2007 and 2009, with repairs from €1,500 to over €8,000 if the engine ends up damaged. Without a clear timing history, great caution is needed.^[5][6][7][8]

See the 5 of the BMW N47 faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of 1.5 dCi and BMW N47
Item	1.5 dCi	BMW N47
Technical data
Type	Engine	Engine
Fuel	Diesel	Diesel
Displacement	1,461 cm³	1,995 cm³
Timing	Timing belt (dry)	Chain
Power	55–116 hp	90–218 hp
Production	since 2001^{[1][9][10][11][12][13][14]}	2007–2016^{[5][15][16][17]}
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)	63High risk	87Very high risk
Documented faults	8	5
Of high or critical severity	4	3
Worst severity	Critical severity	Critical severity
Main faults	Critical severity: Wear and seizure of the big-end bearings Critical severity: Premature timing belt failure High severity: Delphi high-pressure pump that sheds filings and damages the injection	Critical severity: Rear timing chain stretch and breakage Critical severity: Broken intake manifold swirl flaps High severity: Turbo and wastegate valve failure
Most expensive documented repair	up to €2,000Premature dual-mass flywheel failure and clutch problemsPublished figure^[18][19]	up to €3,000Rear timing chain stretch and breakagePublished figure^{[20][21][22][23][24]}
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions	1.5 dCi Energy Euro 6 with NOx trap (90 and 110 hp, 2015-2018)^[25][26][27] 1.5 dCi in Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti (OM 607 / OM 608, 2012-2020)^[14][28]	None
With cautionVersions to be cautious about	1.5 dCi Euro 4 (68/70, 85/86 and 105/106 hp, 2005-2010)^{[1][2][3][11]} 1.5 dCi Euro 5 with particulate filter (75, 90, 95 and 110 hp, 2010-2015)^[1][3][29] 1.5 Blue dCi with SCR and AdBlue (85, 95, 100 and 115 hp, from 2018)^[26][30][31]	N47D20 116 hp (K0/K1, 2007-2014)^[5][8] N47D20 143 hp (U0/U1, 2007-2014)^[5][8] N47D20 177-184 hp (O0/O1, 2007-2014)^[5][8] N47D20 204-218 hp twin-turbo (2007-2014)^[5][8] N47C16 90-112 hp (MINI Cooper D, 2010-2016)^[16] N47C20 112-143 hp (MINI Cooper SD, 2011-2016)^[17]
AvoidVersions to avoid	1.5 dCi Euro 3 (65, 80/82 and 100 hp, 2001-2005)^[1][4]	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

1.5 dCi

See the 47 models with the 1.5 dCi

BMW N47

See the 12 models with the BMW N47

Other comparisons

With the 1.5 dCi

With the BMW N47

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Sources

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

Fiabilité du 1.5 dCiFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · published 19 April 2024 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité Renault Clio 3 : que vaut le modèle en occasion ?Caradisiac · Motoring press · published 26 November 2012 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Maxi-fiche fiabilité : que vaut le Renault Scénic 3 en occasion ?Caradisiac · Motoring press · published 2 February 2016 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Maxi-fiche occasion : que vaut le Renault Scénic 2 en seconde main ?Caradisiac · Motoring press · published 29 October 2014 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
BMW N47Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
BMW's timing chain problem comes back to haunt carmakerThe Irish Times · General press · consulted 26 September 2026
El problema de la cadena de distribución en los motores N47 de BMWSeis en Línea · Motoring press · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
Fallo en la cadena de distribución BMW motores N47Arroyo Auto, Especialista BMW MINI · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
Renault K-Type engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
Moteur K RenaultWikipédia · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité Renault Mégane 3 : que vaut le modèle en occasion ?Caradisiac · Motoring press · published 25 November 2015 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Mercedes abandonne le 1.5 dCi Renault pour un moteur maison, qui émet plus de CO2 !Caradisiac · Motoring press · published 26 October 2020 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Nissan : le Qashqai reçoit un nouveau moteur dCiCaradisiac · Motoring press · published 14 September 2018 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Estos son los motores Renault que usa MercedesDiariomotor · Motoring press · published 22 December 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
BMW N47D20 engine specifications, problems and reliabilityBimmerPulse · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026
N47C16A MotorMotorinsel · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026
N47C20A MotorMotorinsel · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026
Volante bimasa, averías y precio de sustituciónDiariomotor · Motoring press · published 3 November 2020 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
Diesels : volant moteur défectueuxFiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · published 17 October 2025 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Motor N47 - precio cambio cadena BMWTaller Barcelona (Dasercars) · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
Precio sustitución cadenas motor N47 BMW MINIArroyo Auto, Especialista BMW MINI · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
Motor BMW N47 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
Rotura cadena distribución y rotura motor N47OCU · Consumer association · published 2 September 2021 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
Problema cadena BMW motor N47, qué hacer y solucionesRecomotor Blog · Motoring press · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
Fiabilité du Renault Kadjar : la maxi-fiche occasion de CaradisiacCaradisiac · Motoring press · published 19 November 2020 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité du Dacia Duster 2 : la maxi-fiche occasion de CaradisiacCaradisiac · Motoring press · published 27 April 2022 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité du Renault Captur : la maxi-fiche occasion de CaradisiacCaradisiac · Motoring press · published 2 March 2018 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité des 180d / 180 CDI MercedesFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité du Nissan Qashqai 2 : la maxi-fiche occasion de CaradisiacCaradisiac · Motoring press · published 22 December 2017 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité du 1.5 Blue dCiFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · published 18 May 2022 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
Maxi-fiche fiabilité - Renault Clio 5 : loin d'être irréprochableCaradisiac · Motoring press · published 19 April 2024 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French