German Mechanics’ Worst Engines | 10 to Avoid – PiataAuto.md

First of all, the journalists say that anyone who still thinks that “there are no more bad engines” these days is definitely wrong. There is a preconception that the producers would have already accumulated so much experience that they are aware of the solutions that could create problems and would only choose the ones that are good. In fact, reliability statistics such as JD Power or similar show that in the last 5-7 years the defect rate per car, even in the first years of operation, has become higher. Also, TUV statistics from Germany show that the rate of rejections at the technical inspection of relatively new cars now is higher than it was 10 years ago. This leads us to a conclusion that the number of engines with bad engineering solutions in them has also increased, a fact accentuated by the long intervals recommended for changing oil, less viscous oil and many other auxiliary causes.

However, the German journalists chose engines that the mechanics clearly say stand out very clearly in the front with a huge rate of chronic problems.

engine 1.2 PureTech from Stellantis, in its version with a wet belt, which is found under the hood of a lot of models from the Stellantis group, but also Toyota, was designated as the first one worth mentioning as one that should be avoided. The problem is a well-known one — the wet timing belt, produced by Continental, suffers from degradation due to the chemical composition of the engine oil in which it is bathed, especially if the concentration of gasoline increases in the oil or if it is degraded, and the belt begins to disintegrate, its fibers reaching the oil sump and blocking the oil from entering in sufficient quantities to the pump to lubricate the engine.

Practice has shown that belt degradation is quickly accelerated if oil of the same viscosity as the recommended one is used, but from other manufacturers than the original one, where the chemical composition may be slightly different. The disintegration is even faster if you mix two types of oil, for example buying an oil from a gas station to add a little more.

But the problem of the belt is a chronic one anyway, and even those who will follow the recommended oil exactly, will end up degrading it anyway. Precisely for this reason, the initial recommendations that that belt would last for life should be ignored, and the belt should be changed at a maximum of 70,000 km or every 3 years. Sometimes this exchange needs to be done earlier. The Germans warn, however, that in many workshops in their country the cost of labor is very high for this operation due to the complexity of access, which is why sometimes compact models are practically condemned to be scrapped, because of the way they were designed.

engines Ford 1,0/1,5 EcoBoost sau 2,0 EcoBlue they have the exact same problem with their timing belt. All the symptoms are identical to the PureTech engines above — the belt disintegrating from the oil and fuel in the oil, all accelerated by infrequent oil changes or short driving cycles that fail to warm the engine enough to evaporate the fuel from the oil, and eventually the suction is blocked and the engine is at risk of stalling.

These engines also have a second belt, at the oil pump, which is made of a similar material and has similar problems. Both the Stellantis engine and the Ford later switched to the timing chain due to these problems, but the pump belt remained the same and is at risk of further degradation. The Germans say that a Ford timing belt change can cost 2,500 euros in their country, which is a lot, considering that everything must be done every 70-80 thousand km.

engine Ford 2,0 EcoBoost it has 4 cylinders, not 3, like the 1.0 or 1.5, but suffers from a completely different problem, the Germans say. The engine block cracks very frequently with this engine, present especially on the Ford Kuga. The best indicator of a situation is the sudden consumption of engine antifreeze. In this case the engine is irreparable, or a cracked block can only be replaced.

engines Land Rover the 2.0 liter were also included in the list, but they are not the only ones indicated at the British brand. The 2.0-litre petrols suffer from a similar problem to the Ford Kuga, where the engine block can crack. Older models have problems with the 2.7-liter or 3.0-liter V6 diesel engines that Land Rover once developed with PSA and Ford. The timing belt needs to be replaced much more frequently than originally recommended, and when this engine is found on hard-framed Land Rover models, the body must be removed from the frame and the engine disconnected from the box to do this, according to the official instructions. The more modern 2.0-liter engines from the Ingenium family are at least as problematic when it comes to distribution, the Germans say, and in addition to that, critical bearings fail and often end up stalling.

engines 2.0 liter BMWdiesel and gasoline, produced from 2007 to 2014, were indicated as a large group of engines that generate frequent maintenance problems. Journalists say that the timing chain on these engines was too small and weak to cope and ended up prematurely stretching, generating a whole chain of problems. The problematic engines from this period would be the N47, B47, N20, B20, B48 and B38. The symptom of problems is a truncating sound at start-up, initially very short, then more and more pronounced as the problem evolves. Here again, however, the chain is located at the back of the engine, which means that it needs to be removed from the box to replace it, and this increases the labor cost. However, here the Germans say that the mechanics also have a little secret — if you monitor the condition of the chain and replace it on time, then the engines last a long time and are very pleasant to drive, and some of them take advantage of the fact that others run away from these engines and buy the ones in good condition, maintaining them properly, and then they are free of problems.

The engine of 1.4 liters from Opelbut especially the M32 gearbox is the most problematic, especially those produced between 2004 and 2012. The gearbox suffers from a flimsy construction and all engines connected to it should be avoided, say the mechanics. They point out that the same box was also installed on Alfa Romeo 159, Spider or Mito, Fiat Punto, Chevrolet Cruze, Saab 9-3 and Saab 9-5 models, as well as Lancia Delta.

engine 4.6 liter Mercedes V8 there is a surprise appearance here, but he is indicated as a mechanical problem. Codenamed M278, versions produced between 2010 and 2015 are usually found on 500 index models such as the S500. The engine problem comes from the special coating layer inside the cylinders, called Silitec, which does not last more than 150,000-200,000 km. After the coating disappears, the friction of the piston with the cylinders changes, the engine works harder and more regularly, until a click occurs. Mercedes recognized the problem and switched to a different type of coating starting in 2015.

The engine VW TDI biturbo on the VW T5/T6 proved to be exceptionally problematic. Codenamed CFCA, CXEB, or CXEC, these engines often have enormous oil consumption, turbine problems, and the primary cause is believed to be a poorly designed EGR valve. Antifreeze is often consumed. In newer DZMA engines, damage often comes from the oil pump as well. The solution is to shorten the maintenance intervals to a maximum of 15,000 km, and to continuously check the components, with frequently necessary repairs.

engines VW EA111, 1.2 liter and 1.4 literespecially from the first periods of production, were notorious for problems with the tensioner of the distribution chain, which also caused problems in the distribution. The pipes to the turbines were another vulnerability, and versions that have both a mechanical compressor and a turbine, often suffer from billowing of segments at the pistons due to thermal stress on the pistons. To prevent this, here too it is necessary to shorten the service interval, check the injectors and pay close attention to fuel quality.

Finally, to Nissanlike Opel, the mechanics scored more on a problematic gearbox than on an engine, it being the CVT box from Nissan, produced by Jatco. It is poorly designed, with insufficient cooling under heavy use, which predisposes it to a high failure rate, with repairs impossible due to its construction.

German journalists therefore recommend avoiding these engines, whether some of them are still in current production, or whether they are second-hand cars. And those who already have such an engine are advised to take into account the vulnerabilities, so that they can do preventive maintenance and not end up with expensive repairs.