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BMW B47 vs 1.6 CDTI: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.6 CDTI carries less risk than the BMW B47: 36/100 (moderate risk) versus 73/100 (high risk). The BMW B47 has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire»; the 1.6 CDTI has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Noise and early wear of the timing chain and its tensioner».

Risk index

BMW B47

73

High risk · 3 serious faults

Risk index

1.6 CDTI

36

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

13 sourcesHow we work

Is the BMW B47 reliable?

The BMW B47 (since 2014, successor to the N47) improves the timing chain tensioner, guides and oil supply and greatly reduces the failure rate of its predecessor, but it is not free of problems: the EGR cooler has been the subject of several BMW technical campaigns for engine fire risk since 2018, and the turbo and particulate filter need careful maintenance.[1][2][3][4]

See the 4 of the BMW B47 faults

Is the 1.6 CDTI reliable?

The Opel/Vauxhall 1.6 CDTI (2013-2020, 95-160 hp) has no design fault acknowledged by the manufacturer, but it has built up reports of early wear of the timing chain and its tensioner, two episodes (2016 and 2018) of German investigation into a possible EGR valve shut-off, and AdBlue system faults on its Euro 6 versions.[5][6][7][8][9][10][11]

See the 3 of the 1.6 CDTI faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of BMW B47 and 1.6 CDTI
BMW B471.6 CDTI
Technical data
TypeEngineEngine
FuelDieselDiesel
Displacement1,995 cm³1,598 cm³
TimingChainChain
Power114–228 hp95–160 hp
Productionsince 2014[1]2013–2020[5][12]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)73High risk36Moderate risk
Documented faults43
Of high or critical severity31
Worst severityCritical severityHigh severity
Main faults
  1. Critical severity: EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire
  2. High severity: Timing chain wear (improved, but is it really at the front?)
  3. High severity: Premature turbo wear from neglected maintenance
  1. High severity: Noise and early wear of the timing chain and its tensioner
  2. Medium severity: Suspected software shut-off of the EGR valve (emissions investigation)
  3. Medium severity: AdBlue (SCR) system failure on Euro 6 versions
Most expensive documented repairup to €2,000Premature turbo wear from neglected maintenancePublished figure[3]up to €2,000AdBlue (SCR) system failure on Euro 6 versionsPublished figure[11][13]
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versionsNoneNone
With cautionVersions to be cautious about
  • B47 114-150 hp, single turbo (2014-)[2][4]
  • B47 168-190 hp, single turbo (2014-)[2][4]
  • B47 202-228 hp, twin-turbo (2015-)[2][4]
  • B47C20 (MINI Cooper D/SD and Countryman, 2014-)[1][4]
  • 1.6 CDTI 95 hp (B16DTE/B16DTU, 2014-2018)[9][10]
  • 1.6 CDTI 108-110 hp (B16DTL/B16DTN/B16DTU/D16DTI, 2014-2019)[10]
  • 1.6 CDTI 120-122 hp (B16DTJ/B16DTC, 2014-2018)[6][7][8]
  • 1.6 CDTI Turbo ecoFLEX 134-136 hp (B16DTH, 2013-2020)[6][10]
  • 1.6 BiTurbo CDTI ecoFLEX 150-160 hp (B16DTR/D16DTR, 2015-2019)[9][12]
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

BMW B47

See the 20 models with the BMW B47

1.6 CDTI

See the 7 models with the 1.6 CDTI

Other comparisons

With the BMW B47

With the 1.6 CDTI

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. BMW B47Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
  2. 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 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  3. Motor BMW B47: problemas, modelos y qué revisarCarexam · Motoring press · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  4. Motor BMW B47 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
  5. GM Medium Diesel engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  6. Opel, acusada de desconectar la válvula EGR de su modelo Zafira ¿aumentando las emisiones de NOx?Motorpasión · Motoring press · published 19 May 2016 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  7. Opel está de nuevo en el punto de mira por las emisiones con 60.000 coches afectadosMotorpasión · Motoring press · published 16 July 2018 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  8. La Fiscalía alemana registra las instalaciones de Opel en el marco de una investigación sobre emisionesMotorpasión · Motoring press · published 15 October 2018 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  9. Fiabilité Opel Astra 5 (K) - avis et pannes des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  10. Fiabilité Opel Mokka X - avis et pannes des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
  11. El aditivo de AdBlue que debes usar para evitar una reparación de 2.000 euros en tu coche diéselAutopista.es · Motoring press · published 1 April 2026 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  12. Opel Astra KWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  13. Twin dosing en diésel: el fallo que dispara una avería de más de 1.000 euros en el tallerMotor16 · Motoring press · published 22 September 2026 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish