BMW N57 vs 1.4 HDi: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.4 HDi carries less risk than the BMW N57: 43/100 (moderate risk) versus 87/100 (very high risk). The BMW N57 has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire»; the 1.4 HDi has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Timing belt and water pump».

Risk index

BMW N57

Very high risk · 3 serious faults

Risk index

1.4 HDi

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 202612 sources How we work

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.^[1][2][3]

See the 4 of the BMW N57 faults

Is the 1.4 HDi reliable?

It is a small diesel that is generally reliable, but with a very well-documented weakness: the injectors tend to lose their seal over time and let diesel escape. The turbo and the EGR valve also fail on a noticeable minority of units, and there are isolated cases of the crankshaft damper pulley failing at very high mileages. The timing belt does not seem to cause more problems than on any diesel of its era if it is changed on time.^[4][5][6]

See the 5 of the 1.4 HDi faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of BMW N57 and 1.4 HDi
Item	BMW N57	1.4 HDi
Technical data
Type	Engine	Engine
Fuel	Diesel	Diesel
Displacement	2,993 cm³	1,399 cm³
Timing	Chain	Timing belt (dry)
Power	204–381 hp	54–92 hp
Production	2008–2019^[1][7]	2001–2010^{[4][8][9][10]}
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)	87Very high risk	43Moderate risk
Documented faults	4	5
Of high or critical severity	3	1
Worst severity	Critical severity	High severity
Main faults	Critical severity: EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire Critical severity: Rear timing chain wear High severity: Loss of thrust on twin-turbo versions due to the vacuum circuit or the actuator	Medium severity: Injectors that lose their seal and let diesel escape High severity: Timing belt and water pump Medium severity: Premature turbo wear from poor lubrication
Most expensive documented repair	No reliable data	No reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions	None	None
With cautionVersions to be cautious about	N57D30 204-211 hp, single turbo (U0/UL, 2010-2013)^[3][11] N57D30 245-258 hp, single turbo (O0/O1, 2008-2019)^[3][11] N57D30 299-313 hp twin turbo (T0/T1, 2009-2019)^[11][12]	1.4 HDi/TDCi 54/68/70 8V (DV4TD, 2001-2009)^[5][6] 1.4 HDi 90/92 16V (DV4TED4, 2002-2009)^[5][10]
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 N57

See the 10 models with the BMW N57

1.4 HDi

See the 12 models with the 1.4 HDi

Other comparisons

With the BMW N57

With the 1.4 HDi

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Sources

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

BMW N57Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
Motor BMW B47 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
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
Motor PSA DVWikipedia (es) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
Essai, avis et fiabilité des 1.4 HDI 68 chFiches-Auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Essai, avis et fiabilité des 1.4 HDI 70 chFiches-Auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
BMW N57Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
Ford Duratorq engineWikipedia (en) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
Peugeot DV4TD engine: specifications and applicationsMyMotorList · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026
Peugeot DV4TED4 engine: specifications and applicationsMyMotorList · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026
Motor BMW N57 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
Motor BMW N57: problemas, modelos y qué revisarCarexam · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish