Fiat 1.3 Multijet / JTD (SDE)InjectorsFuel pump and high-pressure pump
Injector and high-pressure pump wear from contaminated fuel on the 1.3 Multijet
The Bosch injectors and the high-pressure pump of the common rail system are sensitive to poor-quality fuel or fuel with condensed water. With contaminated diesel they can generate metal shavings that damage first the pump and then the injectors themselves.[1]
Why this rating?
High severity: Risk of a serious engine, turbo or gearbox failure.
Frequency occasional: It is a problem documented in sources focused on this engine, linked mainly to poor-quality fill-ups and missed fuel filter changes, rather than a systematic factory defect.[1]
Symptoms
- Harder cold starting than normal when an injector or the pump starts to fail.[1]Hard to start: other faults that cause it · Garage soon
- Black smoke from uneven fuel spray in the affected cylinders.[1]Black smoke: other faults that cause it · Garage soon
- Loss of power and poorer response when accelerating, with less even engine running.[1]Less power: other faults that cause it · Monitor
- Engine warning light on when the ECU detects a rail pressure out of range.[1]Engine warning light: other faults that cause it · Garage soon
Why it happens
Condensed water or poor-quality fuel wears the high-pressure pump first, which can generate internal metal shavings.[1]
Those shavings circulate through the common rail circuit and end up damaging the injectors themselves, which stop spraying fuel correctly.[1]
If it is not repaired: If not corrected in time, the wear spreads from the affected injector to the pump and the other injectors, making the repair more expensive.[1]
Affected cars and years
The common rail system with Bosch injectors is common to the engine's different generations; injection pressure rose with the arrival of the Multijet II in 2009.[2]
| Version | Years | Codes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.3 Multijet 8v (69-105 hp, 2003-2009) | 2003–2009 | Z13DT |
| 1.3 Multijet II 16v Euro 5 (75-95 hp, 2009-2015) | 2009–2015 | Z13DTH199B1.000 |
| 1.3 Multijet II 16v Euro 6 (95 hp, 2015-2020) | 2015–2020 | A13DTE |
Models fitted with the affected versions
Alfa Romeo
- Alfa Romeo MiTo2008–2018
Chevrolet
- Chevrolet Aveo II2011–2014
Fiat
- Fiat 5002007–2024
- Fiat Panda III2012–2024
- Fiat Punto III2005–2018
- Fiat Doblò II2010–2022
- Fiat Tipo2015–2024
- Fiat 500L2012–2022
- Fiat 500X2014–2024
- Fiat Qubo2008–2019
Ford
- Ford Ka II2008–2016
Lancia
- Lancia Ypsilon III2011–2024
- Lancia Musa2004–2012
Opel
- Opel Corsa D2006–2014
- Opel Corsa E2014–2019
- Opel Astra J2009–2015
- Opel Meriva B2010–2017
- Opel Combo D2011–2018
Suzuki
- Suzuki Swift III2005–2010
- Suzuki Swift IV2010–2017
- Suzuki Splash2008–2014
- Suzuki Ignis I2003–2007
How much it costs to repair
Includes: Replacement of the high-pressure pump and cleaning of the circuit; a single injector costs less, between €250 and €400 new or between €100 and €180 reconditioned, according to the same source.[1]
Figure from a fault aggregator for this engine, not an official price list from Spanish workshops.
Prices in Spain, including VAT. A workshop hour costs on average €38–66 at independent garages and €77–134 at dealerships in Spain, depending on the region and the brand. How we calculate costs
How to check for it before buying a used car
- Start the engine from cold and check that it does not take longer than normal or sound especially uneven at idle.[1]
- Ask for a code read: a rail pressure fault or a cylinder with an abnormal contribution may point to a specific injector.[1]
- Ask whether injectors or the high-pressure pump have been replaced, and whether the car was habitually fuelled at reliable stations.[1]
Parts needed
The part or kit that fixes this fault, according to the sources.
Common rail injector[1]
Replaced or reconditioned when it sprays fuel poorly; reconditioning is usually cheaper than a new one.
Indicative price of the part: €100–€400
High-pressure pump[1]
Replaced when it generates internal shavings or fails to reach the specified rail pressure; the whole circuit should be cleaned when it is changed.
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How to prevent it
Recalls, campaigns and claims
As of 26 September 2026, we have no record of recalls, campaigns or extended manufacturer warranties for this fault. Check with an official dealer using the chassis (VIN) number: they will tell you whether the car has any outstanding campaign.
What owners say
Frequently asked questions
Which wears first, the pump or the injectors?
According to this source, contaminated fuel tends to damage the high-pressure pump first, which generates metal shavings that then ruin the injectors.[1]
Is it cheaper to repair or replace an injector?
Reconditioning an injector usually costs less than a new one (around €100-180 against €250-400, according to the source consulted), although the right option depends on the extent of the damage.[1]
Can I avoid this problem with maintenance?
To a large extent, yes: fuelling at reliable stations and changing the fuel filter on time greatly reduces the risk of water or impurities reaching the pump and injectors.[1]
What can you do now?
We will put you in touch with a partner only if you authorise it in the form.
Other 1.3 Multijet faults
- Critical severityFrequency: CommonTimingTiming chain stretch and tensioner failureYes: the timing chain's hydraulic tensioner can lose pressure and let the chain slacken; if it skips teeth or breaks, it can destroy the engine. It is a documented problem on Fiat, Opel, Suzuki and Ford cars with this engine, mainly linked to long oil change intervals.Repair (garage): €350–€550Appears at around 70,000 km
- High severityFrequency: CommonEmissions controlIncomplete particulate filter regenerations and oil dilutionIn heavy urban use, with short journeys that do not let the particulate filter regeneration finish, unburnt diesel passes into the sump and dilutes the oil; the level can rise on the dipstick and the oil loses its ability to lubricate. Repeated many times, it speeds up engine wear.
- High severityFrequency: OccasionalTurboSeized variable-geometry turboOn versions with a variable-geometry turbo, the vanes can seize through soot build-up, especially on cars used in town for short journeys. The engine loses power gradually and may give off black smoke when accelerating.Repair (garage): €450–€700
- Medium severityFrequency: CommonEmissions controlEGR valve blocked by sootThe 1.3 Multijet's EGR valve easily accumulates soot on short urban journeys, causing an unstable idle, loss of power and the engine warning light. It is one of the most cited problems among owners of this engine.Repair (garage): €130–€400
More faults with the injectors on other engines and cars
- High severityFrequency: Very frequentOM651Delphi piezo injector failure (220/250 CDI)Yes: 220 and 250 CDI models built between 2008 and 2011 had Delphi piezo injectors that were prone to failing and seizing in the cylinder head. Mercedes-Benz replaced them under warranty in 2009 and switched the 220 CDI to solenoid injectors from 2010-2011, but the 250 CDI kept them.Repair (garage): €3,600–€5,900
- High severityFrequency: CommonBMW N52 / N53N53 piezoelectric injector failureThe N53's piezoelectric direct injectors fail frequently and cause misfires, rough idle and limp mode; replacing them is expensive and they must be coded.
- High severityFrequency: CommonMZR-CDOil dilution from leaking injector seals and DPF regenerationsOn the 2.0 and 2.2 MZR-CD, injector seals that age badly and incomplete particulate filter regenerations on short journeys can let unburnt diesel into the sump, diluting the oil and leaving the engine with less lubrication.
- High severityFrequency: CommonOM642Wear and failure of the Bosch piezo injectorsThe OM642's Bosch piezo injectors can fail from around 150,000-200,000 km, especially with poor-quality diesel; they cannot be repaired, only replaced. Because it is a V engine, those on the rear bank are harder to reach, which pushes up labour costs.Repair: €4,500–€6,500
- High severityFrequency: Common2.2 CDI (OM646)Injector seal leak with carbonisation around the seatYes: the copper washer that seals each injector can harden and let combustion gases through, forming a black crust of carbon around it. It is a known fault on Mercedes CDI diesels of this era, with injectors described as fragile on both the OM611 and the OM646.
- High severityFrequency: Common2.2/2.5 dCiInjection pump or injector failureThe 2.2 dCi's common rail injectors fail fairly often on the X-Trail and Almera, with cases of seizing and leaks; on the Almera with the older YD22DDT, the documented fault is in the injection pump electronics, not the injectors.
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Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- Fiat 1.3 Multijet: problemas, fallos y averías más frecuentesTotalrenting · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Moteur Fiat 1.3 MultiJetWikipédia · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French