1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.2 16v: which engine is more reliable?
According to our risk index, the 1.2 16v carries less risk than the 1.2 and 1.4 TSI: 36/100 (moderate risk) versus 84/100 (very high risk). The 1.2 and 1.4 TSI has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Timing chain stretch and tensioner failure (EA111)»; the 1.2 16v has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Damaged head gasket and coolant loss».
The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated
Is the 1.2 and 1.4 TSI reliable?
It depends on the generation. The chain-driven 1.2 and 1.4 TSI EA111 engines (2006-2015) carry a recognised problem of chain stretch and tensioner failure, and the 1.4 twincharger engines from before 2012 can break pistons. The belt-driven EA211 engines (from 2012) are considerably more reliable: their typical fault is a leaking water pump.[1][2][3][4][5]
See the 5 of the 1.2 and 1.4 TSI faultsIs the 1.2 16v reliable?
The 1.2 16v (D4F) and its 8-valve predecessor, the D7F, are simple naturally aspirated engines, used for over two decades as the entry-level option in Renault and Dacia cars, with a reputation for reliability: the reliability pages consulted document no catastrophic failures and no oil consumption. The most-cited problems are ignition coils and sensors and, on higher-mileage cars, the head gasket.[6][7][8][9]
See the 5 of the 1.2 16v faultsSide-by-side comparison
| Item | 1.2 and 1.4 TSI | 1.2 16v |
|---|---|---|
| Technical data | ||
| Type | Engine | Engine |
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Displacement | — | 1,149 cm³ |
| Timing | Chain | Timing belt (dry) |
| Power | 85–185 hp | 60–76 hp |
| Production | since 2006[10][11][12][13][14] | 2001–2020[15][16][17][18] |
| Reliability | ||
| Risk index (what is it?) | 84Very high risk | 36Moderate risk |
| Documented faults | 5 | 5 |
| Of high or critical severity | 3 | 1 |
| Worst severity | Critical severity | High severity |
| Main faults |
|
|
| Most expensive documented repair | up to €1,400Timing chain stretch and tensioner failure (EA111)Published figure[19][20] | No reliable data |
| Which versions to buy | ||
| BuyRecommended versions | ||
| With cautionVersions to be cautious about | None | |
| AvoidVersions to avoid | 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 1.2 and 1.4 TSI
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs BMW B58
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs BMW M54
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs BMW N13
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs BMW N20
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs M111
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs M264/M254
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs M260
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs M271
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs M272/M273
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs M270/M274
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.2 12V
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 and 1.4 TSI vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
With the 1.2 16v
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 PureTech
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 PureTech
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 TSI / 1.5 TSI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 TCe
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 EcoBoost
- 1.2 16v vs 1.3 TCe
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 EcoBoost
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 TSI / TFSI
- 1.2 16v vs Audi 3.0 TFSI V6
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B38 / B37
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B48 / B38
- 1.2 16v vs BMW B58
- 1.2 16v vs BMW M54
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N13
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N20
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N43/N46
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N52 / N53
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N54/N55
- 1.2 16v vs BMW N62 / N63
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 8v Fire
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 T-Jet
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 T3 and 1.3 T4 FireFly Turbo
- 1.2 16v vs 0.9 TwinAir and 1.0/1.3 FireFly
- 1.2 16v vs 1.5 EcoBoost
- 1.2 16v vs 1.25/1.4/1.6 Ti-VCT
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 / 1.4 / 1.8 i-VTEC
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 / 1.5 VTEC Turbo
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 / 2.4 i-VTEC
- 1.2 16v vs Honda e:HEV / i-MMD
- 1.2 16v vs Honda IMA híbrido
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 T-GDI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 GDI / T-GDI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 GDi híbrido (Kappa)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 / 1.25 MPi
- 1.2 16v vs Smartstream 1.6 T-GDi
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 / 2.4 GDI and T-GDI (Theta II)
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 and 3.0 Ingenium gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs 2.3 MZR DISI Turbo
- 1.2 16v vs MZR gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs Skyactiv-G
- 1.2 16v vs M111
- 1.2 16v vs M112 / M113
- 1.2 16v vs M264/M254
- 1.2 16v vs M260
- 1.2 16v vs M271
- 1.2 16v vs M272/M273
- 1.2 16v vs M270/M274
- 1.2 16v vs 1.5 VTi-TECH / T-GDI
- 1.2 16v vs MIVEC gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs Mitsubishi PHEV
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 DIG-T
- 1.2 16v vs 1.5 VC-Turbo e-Power
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 HR12DE and 1.2 DIG-S (HR12DDR)
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 MR20DE / 2.5 QR25DE
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 16v HR16DE / H4M
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0/1.2/1.4 Ecotec
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 Turbo
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 and 1.8 Ecotec 16v
- 1.2 16v vs Porsche V8 and V6 (Cayenne and Panamera)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 and 1.6 TU3/TU5
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4/1.6 VTi
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 THP
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12
- 1.2 16v vs 0.9 TCe
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 SCe (B4D)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 TCe / SCe
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 and 1.6 8v
- 1.2 16v vs E-Tech Híbrido
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 16v F4R and F4RT
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v
- 1.2 16v vs Rover K-Series
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 and 1.4 Boosterjet
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 Dualjet and 1.2 VVT
- 1.2 16v vs 1.5 K15B (Jimny)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.3, 1.5 and 1.6 gasolina (serie M)
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 VVT-i
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 Turbo
- 1.2 16v vs 1.33 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4, 1.6 and 1.8 VVT-i
- 1.2 16v vs 1.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 16v vs 1.6 Dual VVT-i
- 1.2 16v vs 1.8 Hybrid
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 and 2.4 VVT-i
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 and 2.5 Hybrid
- 1.2 16v vs Volvo 5 cilindros gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs Drive-E gasolina
- 1.2 16v vs 1.0 MPI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.2 12V
- 1.2 16v vs 1.4 16v and 1.6 MPI/FSI
- 1.2 16v vs 1.8 T 20v
- 1.2 16v vs 2.0 FSI
- 1.2 16v vs VW 2.0 TFSI EA113
Compare other engines
Sources
Every fact on this page links to its source. If you find an error, let us know.
- VW 1.2 TSI & 1.4 TSI Steuerkette: VW kassiert Kulanz-VersprechenAUTO BILD · Motoring press · published 1 June 2018 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
- Probleme und Schwachstellen beim 1.2 TSI, 1.4 TSI (EA111)Gebrauchtwagenberater · Other source · published 1 September 2026 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
- VW EA211: Typische Probleme und HaltbarkeitGebrauchtwagenberater · Other source · published 26 August 2026 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
- Volkswagen CAVD 1.4 Litre TSI Engine ProblemsGrant Walker (taller, Australia) · Other source · published 28 June 2018 · consulted 26 September 2026
- VW Golf 7: Probleme, Mängel & Schwachstellencarwiki.de · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault Clio 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault Clio 3Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes du Dacia Sandero 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Maxi-fiche fiabilité : la Renault Twingo 2Caradisiac · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Self-Study Programme 359: 1.4l TSI Engine with Dual-chargingVolkswagen AG (copia alojada en volkspage.net) · Manufacturer · published March 2006 · consulted 26 September 2026
- Volkswagen EA111 engine (1.2 TSI/TFSI)Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
- Volkswagen EA211 engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
- Audi A1Wikipedia · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
- International Driving Presentation of the new Polo BlueGTVolkswagen Newsroom · Manufacturer · published 2 July 2012 · consulted 26 September 2026
- Moteur D RenaultWikipédia (francés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Anexo:Motores de RenaultWikipedia (español) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Renault TwingoWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Renault Clio IIWikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
- Coste de cambiar la cadena de distribución: guía VW Audi TSISkanyx · Other source · published 25 June 2026 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
- Problemas en la cadena de distribución: casos y costeGT Autos (Málaga) · Other source · published 22 December 2025 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
- VW: Austritt von Motoröl möglichautoservicepraxis.de · Motoring press · published 16 August 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
- Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault KangooFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes du Dacia LoganFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes du Dacia SanderoFiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Fiabilité et pannes du Dacia Logan 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
- Bei älteren VW 1.2 TSi-Motoren: Gefahr einer Längung der Steuerkettefebi bilstein (blog técnico) · Technical documentation · published 28 January 2022 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
- ADAC Pannenstatistik 2019 (anexo: defectos por encima de la media por modelo)ADAC e.V. · Reliability study · published 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
- Bulletin – Volkswagen 1.4 Piston FailureSouthside Cylinder Heads (taller, Australia) · Other source · published 6 December 2017 · consulted 26 September 2026