BMW M47 vs 1.6 CDTI: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.6 CDTI carries less risk than the BMW M47: 36/100 (moderate risk) versus 79/100 (very high risk). The BMW M47 has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Intake swirl flap breakage (swirl flaps)»; 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 M47

Very high risk · 3 serious faults

Risk index

1.6 CDTI

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 27 September 202617 sources How we work

Is the BMW M47 reliable?

The BMW M47 (1998-2007, a 4-cylinder diesel fitted to the 3 Series E46/E90, 1 Series E87, 5 Series E60, X3 E83, the Rover 75 and the Land Rover Freelander) is solid in its basic mechanicals, but the common rail versions, built since 2001, carry a serious and well-documented problem: the intake manifold swirl flaps can break and enter the cylinder, with a risk of engine damage. The turbo and injectors also account for known faults.^[1][2][3][4]

See the 6 of the BMW M47 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 M47 and 1.6 CDTI
Item	BMW M47	1.6 CDTI
Technical data
Type	Engine	Engine
Fuel	Diesel	Diesel
Displacement	1,995 cm³	1,598 cm³
Timing	Chain	Chain
Power	116–163 hp	95–160 hp
Production	1998–2007^{[1][2][12][13]}	2013–2020^[5][14]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)	79Very high risk	36Moderate risk
Documented faults	6	3
Of high or critical severity	3	1
Worst severity	Critical severity	High severity
Main faults	Critical severity: Intake swirl flap breakage (swirl flaps) High severity: Loss of power and turbo faults Medium severity: Blocked and seized injectors	High severity: Noise and early wear of the timing chain and its tensioner Medium severity: Suspected software shut-off of the EGR valve (emissions investigation) Medium severity: AdBlue (SCR) system failure on Euro 6 versions
Most expensive documented repair	up to €300Faulty air flow meter on the BMW M47 (loss of power)Published figure^[15]	up to €2,000AdBlue (SCR) system failure on Euro 6 versionsPublished figure^[11][16]
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions	M47D20 116-136 hp (1998-2001)^[1][3]	None
With cautionVersions to be cautious about	M47D20TU 116-150 hp (2001-2004)^[1][3][4] M47D20TU2 122-163 hp (2004-2007)^[1] M47R 116-131 hp (Rover 75, MG ZT and Land Rover Freelander, 1998-2006)^[1][17]	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][14]
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

BMW M47

See the 8 models with the BMW M47

1.6 CDTI

See the 7 models with the 1.6 CDTI

Other comparisons

With the BMW M47

With the 1.6 CDTI

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Sources

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

BMW M47Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
BMW M47D20 engine specifications, problems and reliabilityBimmerPulse · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026
Motor BMW M47: problemas y averíasDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
BMW 3er E46: typische Probleme und SchwachstellenGebrauchtwagenberater · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
GM Medium Diesel engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
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
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
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
Fiabilité Opel Astra 5 (K) - avis et pannes des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité Opel Mokka X - avis et pannes des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Owners' forum · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
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
BMW M47Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
BMW 3 Series (E46)Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
Opel Astra KWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
Caudalímetro o sensor MAF: qué es, cómo funciona y cuáles son las averías más frecuentesDiariomotor · Motoring press · consulted 30 October 2026 · in Spanish
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
Rover 75Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026