M50 and M52 vs 0.9 TCe: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 0.9 TCe carries less risk than the M50 and M52: 49/100 (moderate risk) versus 52/100 (high risk). The M50 and M52 has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Cooling system failure (expansion tank, thermostat, pump and radiator)»; the 0.9 TCe has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Coolant leak at the thermostat housing».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is the M50 and M52 reliable?
The M52 and its predecessor the M50 are six-cylinder petrol engines that the sources describe as durable: Enginescope considers 300,000 km routine with the cooling circuit looked after. Watch the plastic cooling parts, VANOS, crankcase ventilation and oil leaks and, in the aluminium-block M52s built from 1995 to March 1998, cylinder wear caused by sulphur (Nikasil).[1][2][3]
See the 5 of the M50 and M52 faultsIs the 0.9 TCe reliable?
The 0.9 TCe (H4Bt) is a three-cylinder turbo with a good reliability reputation, better than that of its sibling the 1.2 TCe: it does not share the same oil consumption or the same rate of chain problems. Its most-cited weak point is a coolant leak at the thermostat housing, which if ignored can end up damaging the head gasket; chain, turbo and lambda sensor cases appear less often.[4][5]
See the 5 of the 0.9 TCe faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | M50 and M52 | 0.9 TCe |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | — | 898 cm³ |
| Timing | Chain | Chain |
| Power | 150–193 hp | 90 hp |
| Production | 1990–2001[6][7][8][9] | 2012–2024[4][5][10][11][12] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 52High risk | 49Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 2 | 3 |
| Worst severity | Critical severity | Critical severity |
| Main faults |
|
|
| Most expensive documented repair | No reliable data | No reliable data |
| Which versions to buy | ||
| BuyRecommended versions | None | None |
| With cautionVersions to be cautious about |
| |
| 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
Other comparisons
With the M50 and M52
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 PureTech
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 PureTech
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 TCe
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- M50 and M52 vs 1.3 TCe
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- M50 and M52 vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- M50 and M52 vs 2.4, 2.8 and 3.0 V6 30v
- M50 and M52 vs BMW B38 / B37
- M50 and M52 vs BMW B48 / B38
- M50 and M52 vs BMW B58
- M50 and M52 vs M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9
- M50 and M52 vs BMW M54
- M50 and M52 vs M60 and M62
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N13
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N20
- M50 and M52 vs N42 and N45 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N43/N46
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N52 / N53
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N54/N55
- M50 and M52 vs BMW N62 / N63
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Fire
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 T-Jet
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- M50 and M52 vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- M50 and M52 vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 EcoBoost
- M50 and M52 vs 2.3 EcoBoost
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0-1.6 8v Endura-E, Duratec 8v and RoCam
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec-E
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 and 1.2 de 3 cilindros (Onix and Tracker)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- M50 and M52 vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- M50 and M52 vs Family II 2.0 and 2.4 gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- M50 and M52 vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- M50 and M52 vs Honda IMA híbrido
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 T-GDI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 / 2.0 Beta II
- M50 and M52 vs V6 Delta 2.5 and 2.7 (Hyundai-Kia)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 / 2.0 Nu
- M50 and M52 vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- M50 and M52 vs MZR gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs Skyactiv-G
- M50 and M52 vs M111
- M50 and M52 vs M112 / M113
- M50 and M52 vs M264/M254
- M50 and M52 vs M266 (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0 Turbo)
- M50 and M52 vs M260
- M50 and M52 vs M271
- M50 and M52 vs M272/M273
- M50 and M52 vs M270/M274
- M50 and M52 vs M276
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- M50 and M52 vs MIVEC gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 DIG-T
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5/1.6/1.8 QG
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 Turbo
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- M50 and M52 vs 2.2 Ecotec gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4/1.6/1.8 Ecotec 16V (primera generación)
- M50 and M52 vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- M50 and M52 vs Porsche M96/M97
- M50 and M52 vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 THP
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW7/EW10/EW12
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 and 2.0 XU
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 TCe
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 16v
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 8v
- M50 and M52 vs E-Tech Híbrido
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- M50 and M52 vs Rover K-Series
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 VVT-i
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 Turbo
- M50 and M52 vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- M50 and M52 vs 1.5 Hybrid
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 Hybrid
- M50 and M52 vs 2.7 and 4.0 gasolina (2TR-FE and 1GR-FE)
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- M50 and M52 vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs Drive-E gasolina
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0 MPI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.2 12V
- M50 and M52 vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- M50 and M52 vs 1.8 T 20v
- M50 and M52 vs 2.0 FSI
- M50 and M52 vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
- M50 and M52 vs 2.3 VR5 (V5)
- M50 and M52 vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- M50 and M52 vs 1.6 and 2.0 8v EA827
- M50 and M52 vs VR6
With the 0.9 TCe
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 PureTech
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 PureTech
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 TCe
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.3 TCe
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 0.9 TCe vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.4, 2.8 and 3.0 V6 30v
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW B38 / B37
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW B48 / B38
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW B58
- 0.9 TCe vs M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW M54
- 0.9 TCe vs M60 and M62
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N13
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N20
- 0.9 TCe vs N42 and N45 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N43/N46
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N52 / N53
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N54/N55
- 0.9 TCe vs BMW N62 / N63
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Fire
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 0.9 TCe vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 EcoBoost
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.3 EcoBoost
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0-1.6 8v Endura-E, Duratec 8v and RoCam
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec-E
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 and 1.2 de 3 cilindros (Onix and Tracker)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- 0.9 TCe vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- 0.9 TCe vs Family II 2.0 and 2.4 gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 0.9 TCe vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 0.9 TCe vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8 / 2.0 Beta II
- 0.9 TCe vs V6 Delta 2.5 and 2.7 (Hyundai-Kia)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8 / 2.0 Nu
- 0.9 TCe vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 0.9 TCe vs MZR gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs Skyactiv-G
- 0.9 TCe vs M111
- 0.9 TCe vs M112 / M113
- 0.9 TCe vs M264/M254
- 0.9 TCe vs M266 (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0 Turbo)
- 0.9 TCe vs M260
- 0.9 TCe vs M271
- 0.9 TCe vs M272/M273
- 0.9 TCe vs M270/M274
- 0.9 TCe vs M276
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 0.9 TCe vs MIVEC gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5/1.6/1.8 QG
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 Turbo
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.2 Ecotec gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4/1.6/1.8 Ecotec 16V (primera generación)
- 0.9 TCe vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- 0.9 TCe vs Porsche M96/M97
- 0.9 TCe vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 THP
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW7/EW10/EW12
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8 and 2.0 XU
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8 TCe
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 16v
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 8v
- 0.9 TCe vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 0.9 TCe vs Rover K-Series
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 Turbo
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.7 and 4.0 gasolina (2TR-FE and 1GR-FE)
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 0.9 TCe vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs Drive-E gasolina
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0 MPI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.2 12V
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.8 T 20v
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.0 FSI
- 0.9 TCe vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
- 0.9 TCe vs 2.3 VR5 (V5)
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- 0.9 TCe vs 1.6 and 2.0 8v EA827
- 0.9 TCe vs VR6
Compare other engines
Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- BMW 3 Series E36 320i (M52B20): reliabilityEnginescope · Buying guide or workshop · consulted 2 November 2026
- BMW M52 reliabilityAutoscore · Buying guide or workshop · consulted 2 November 2026
- BMW M52 Engine: Performance, Reliability, and TuningBMWBlog · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026
- Fiabilité des 0.9 TCeFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Moteur H Renault-NissanWikipedia (francés) · Encyclopedia · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- BMW M52Wikipedia (inglés) · Encyclopedia · consulted 2 November 2026
- BMW M52Wikipedia (alemán) · Encyclopedia · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- BMW M50Wikipedia (inglés) · Encyclopedia · consulted 2 November 2026
- BMW M50Wikipedia (alemán) · Encyclopedia · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Mercedes-Benz M281 engineWikipedia (inglés) · Encyclopedia · consulted 27 September 2026
- Renault ClioWikipedia (español) · Encyclopedia · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Dacia SanderoWikipedia (español) · Encyclopedia · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- BMW M50 / M52: problemas conocidosEnginescope · Buying guide or workshop · consulted 2 November 2026
- Der BMW M50 Motor: Technische Daten, Probleme, Haltbarkeit & FahrzeuglisteCarWiki.de · Buying guide or workshop · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- BMW Z3 Reliability Guide: Everything You Need to Know Before BuyingEuro Premium Parts · Technical documentation · consulted 2 November 2026