D7FD7F 700D7F 702D7F 746D7F 800
1.2 8v engine (D7F): faults and reliability
Renault 1.2 8v (D7F) · Renault
The 1.2 8v (D7F) is a simple naturally aspirated engine of 54 to 60 hp, with a timing belt, which Renault fitted from 1996 to the Twingo, Clio II and Kangoo. No catastrophic failures are documented; what owner reviews mention most often are the sensors, the cylinder head gasket, the coil packs and the occasional oil drip.[1][2][3]
Which 1.2 8v versions should you buy?
Our verdict for each version, based on the documented faults.
- With caution
1.2 8v 54-60 hp (D7F, 1996-2012)
1996–2012 · 54–60 hp · D7F, D7F 700, D7F 701, D7F 702, D7F 703, D7F 704, D7F 720, D7F 726, D7F 746, D7F 764, D7F 766, D7F 800
Reliability entries record no catastrophic failures, and Auto Bild recommended it in 2002 over the previous Twingo engine as more reliable; but they repeat the cylinder head gasket (from 7% to 16% of opinions) and the sensors (up to 24%): check the coolant and sensor history before buying.[1][2][3][8]
Buy: No known serious faults, or they have already been corrected, in this version. With caution: Worth buying if something specific is verified: history, a replaced part or a completed campaign. Avoid: High risk of a serious fault that is hard to check for or prevent.
Known faults of the 1.2 8v
Sorted from most to least important (severity × frequency).
- 1High severityFrequency: OccasionalCylinder head and blockDamaged cylinder head gasket (coolant loss and overheating)The cylinder head gasket is one of the engine faults most often repeated in the entries for the 60 hp 1.2 8v: 12 cases out of 74 opinions on the Clio II, 6 out of 80 on the Twingo I and 3 out of 27 on the Twingo II. A coolant leak or overheating can end up damaging the cylinder head.
- 2Medium severityFrequency: CommonElectronicsCrankshaft sensor (TDC) and other engine sensor failureThe sensors, including the crankshaft TDC pickup, are the category that adds the most cases in the entries for the 60 hp 1.2 8v: 17 out of 74 opinions on the Clio II (23%) and 19 out of 80 on the Twingo I (24%). The entries do not detail how the fault shows itself.
- 3Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalIgnitionIgnition faults: coil packs, ignition harness and humidityThe 1.2 8v ignition can fail: Fiches-auto records 7 coil or ignition cases out of 74 opinions on the Clio II (9.5%), and Auto Bild warns that the Twingo ignition fails in humidity. It shows up as jerking or hard starting.
- 4Medium severityFrequency: RareTimingWorn or broken timing beltThe 1.2 8v has a timing belt, not a chain. The entries record few belt cases (3 out of 80 opinions on the Twingo I, 2 out of 74 on the Clio II); roadside assistance services cite broken belts on the Twingo I, and Caradisiac advises replacing it every 120,000 km or 5 years on the Clio II.
- 5Low severityFrequency: OccasionalLubricationEngine oil consumption and leaksThe 1.2 8v can burn or lose oil, but moderately: Fiches-auto records it in 4% of the opinions on the Clio II, 5% on the Twingo I and 15% on the Twingo II, and Auto Bild points to the crankshaft seal next to the flywheel as the typical source of stains between engine and gearbox on the Twingo.
Severity colours: low, medium, high, critical. How we rate them
By part
Compare each fault with the same part on other engines: symptoms, cost and affected models.
Symptoms of these faults
What the 1.2 8v is
The D7F is a petrol four-cylinder in-line engine of 1,149 cm³ (69 × 76.8 mm), with a cast-iron block, aluminium cylinder head, 8 valves, manifold injection and a timing belt. Renault introduced it in 1996 and its official power goes from 54 hp at launch to 58 hp (August 1997) and 60 hp (January 2001) in the Twingo I, with variations from one car to another.[4][6][7]
In the Twingo I it replaced the older 1.2 C3G in 1996 (1,239 cm³, pushrod valves and chain, inherited from the Renault 5), a different engine that is not covered in this entry. It was then offered in the Clio II from its launch (1998) until the end of its European production, as a 58-60 hp 1.2 in the Kangoo I and, until October 2010, in the Twingo II.[5][6][7][9]
From the end of 2000 the D4F arrived, the 16-valve version of the same block, which replaced the D7F in the Twingo I in August 2004; it has its own entry (renault-d4f). The data and faults on this page refer only to the 8-valve engine, which reliability entries separate from the 16-valve.[1][4][10]
- Manufacturer
- Renault
- Family
- Familia «D» de Renault: el D7F es la versión de 8 válvulas del bloque de 1.149 cm³ del que sale el D4F de 16 válvulas
- Fuel
- Petrol
- Displacement
- 1,149 cm³
- Cylinders
- 4
- Fuel system
- Naturally aspirated
- Injection
- Indirect injection
- Timing
- Timing belt (dry)
- Power
- 54–60 hp
- Peak torque
- 93 Nm
- Production
- 1996–2012
- Makes
- Renault
What changed between versions
1996–2012
1.2 8v 54-60 hp (D7F, 1996-2012)
The only version of the D7F: it left the factory in 1996 with 54 hp, rose to 58 hp in 1997 and to 60 hp in January 2001 in the Twingo I; the Clio II and Kangoo I carry 58-60 hp according to the source. The sources do not document design changes between the different codes (700, 702, 746, 800...), which are mainly distinguished by power.[4][5][6][9]
Cars fitted with the 1.2 8v
4 models sold in Europe. Open each one to see all their faults and the buying checklist.
Renault
- Renault Twingo I1.2 (54, 58 y 60 CV)1996–2004[2][6][7][10]
- Renault Twingo II1.2 602007–2010[3][6]
- Renault Clio II1.2 601998–2012[1][5][11]
- Renault Kangoo I1.2 58 · 1.2 601997–2005[4][9][12]
Compare the 1.2 8v
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 8v vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 8v vs 2.4, 2.8 and 3.0 V6 30v
- 1.2 8v vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 8v vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 8v vs BMW B58
- 1.2 8v vs M43 1.6, 1.8 and 1.9
- 1.2 8v vs M50 and M52
- 1.2 8v vs BMW M54
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N13
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N20
- 1.2 8v vs N42 and N45 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 8v vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0, 1.2 and 1.4 Fire
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 8v vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v vs 2.3 EcoBoost
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0-1.6 8v Endura-E, Duratec 8v and RoCam
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8 and 2.0 Zetec-E
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 and 1.2 de 3 cilindros (Onix and Tracker)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 / 1.6 16v E-TEC II
- 1.2 8v vs 0.8 / 1.0 / 1.2 S-TEC
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2, 1.4 and 1.6 8V (Family 1)
- 1.2 8v vs Family II 2.0 and 2.4 gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 8v vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 8v vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.3, 1.4 and 1.6 Alpha
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8 / 2.0 Beta II
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 and 1.1 Epsilon
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 / 1.6 MPI Gamma
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8 / 2.0 Nu
- 1.2 8v vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 8v vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 8v vs M111
- 1.2 8v vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 8v vs M264/M254
- 1.2 8v vs M266 (1.5, 1.7, 2.0 and 2.0 Turbo)
- 1.2 8v vs M260
- 1.2 8v vs M271
- 1.2 8v vs M272/M273
- 1.2 8v vs M270/M274
- 1.2 8v vs M276
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 8v vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5/1.6/1.8 QG
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 8v vs 2.2 Ecotec gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs Porsche MA1 / 9A1
- 1.2 8v vs Porsche M96/M97
- 1.2 8v vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8, 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW7/EW10/EW12
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8 and 2.0 XU
- 1.2 8v vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8 TCe
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 16v
- 1.2 8v vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 8v vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 8v vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 8v vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 8v vs 2.7 and 4.0 gasolina (2TR-FE and 1GR-FE)
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 8v vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.2 12V
- 1.2 8v vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 FSI
- 1.2 8v vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 8v vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 8v vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
- 1.2 8v vs 2.3 VR5 (V5)
- 1.2 8v vs 1.0, 1.4 and 1.6 8v EA111
- 1.2 8v vs 1.6 and 2.0 8v EA827
- 1.2 8v vs VR6
Maintenance parts for the 1.2 8v
The parts replaced at services and when the timing belt or chain is changed, searched for this engine. Confirm the part number with the registration plate or VIN.
Timing kit
Oil filter
Air filter
Spark plugs
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Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- Fiabilité Renault Clio 2 : pannes et avis des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité Renault Twingo 1993-2006 : pannes et avis des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité Renault Twingo 2 (2007-2014) : pannes et avis des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Moteur D (Renault)Wikipédia (francés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Renault Clio IIWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Renault TwingoWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Renault Twingo IWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Renault Twingo (ab 1993): Schwachstellen laut TÜV-AuswertungAUTO BILD · Motoring press · published February 2002 · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Renault KangooWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in German
- Renault Twingo IWikipédia (francés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Renault Clio IIWikipédia (francés) · Other source · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité Renault Kangoo (1997-2007) : pannes et avis des propriétairesFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 2 November 2026 · in French