1.2 TCe vs 1.4 and 1.6 16v: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.4 and 1.6 16v carries less risk than the 1.2 TCe: 45/100 (moderate risk) versus 54/100 (high risk). The 1.2 TCe has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Excessive oil consumption and engine failure»; the 1.4 and 1.6 16v has 1 documented serious fault, the main one being «Timing belt breakage or premature failure».

Risk index

1.2 TCe

High risk · 2 serious faults

Risk index

1.4 and 1.6 16v

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 202621 sources How we work

Is the 1.2 TCe reliable?

Only with reservations: 1.2 TCe and 1.2 DIG-T engines built between 2012 and mid-2016 can burn a lot of oil because of poor piston ring sealing, with a risk of damaging the valves, stretching the chain or destroying the engine. Renault and Nissan dealt with it through technical notes and case-by-case assistance, without a recall; later production incorporates the fix.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

See the 2 of the 1.2 TCe faults

Is the 1.4 and 1.6 16v reliable?

The K4J (1.4) and K4M (1.6), both naturally aspirated 16-valve units, are simple and generally reliable petrol engines: no source consulted documents oil consumption or faults that destroy the block. Their most-cited weak point is the ignition coils, followed by the crankshaft sensor and, on versions with a variable valve timing unit, its pulley; a neglected belt can cause serious damage, as one case in the Renault Laguna II documents.^[6][7][8][9]

See the 5 of the 1.4 and 1.6 16v faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of 1.2 TCe and 1.4 and 1.6 16v
Item	1.2 TCe	1.4 and 1.6 16v
Technical data
Type	Engine	Engine
Fuel	Petrol	Petrol
Displacement	1,197 cm³	—
Timing	Chain	Timing belt (dry)
Power	100–130 hp	75–135 hp
Production	2012–2018^{[1][2][5][10][11]}	since 1998^[12][13][14]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)	54High risk	45Moderate risk
Documented faults	2	5
Of high or critical severity	2	1
Worst severity	Critical severity	High severity
Main faults	Critical severity: Excessive oil consumption and engine failure High severity: Timing chain stretch and breakage	Medium severity: Ignition coil failure High severity: Timing belt breakage or premature failure Medium severity: Crankshaft position sensor failure
Most expensive documented repair	up to €10,000Excessive oil consumption and engine failurePublished figure^{[1][2][15][16]}	No reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions	1.2 TCe 100-130 / 1.2 DIG-T 115 (H5Ft / HRA2DDT, built from mid-2016)^[2][5]	1.6 16V 105-110 hp Dacia, without variable valve timing unit (K4M, 2004-2020)^[9][17]
With cautionVersions to be cautious about	1.2 TCe 115-130 / 1.2 DIG-T 115 (H5Ft / HRA2DDT, built up to mid-2016)^[2][3][16]	1.4 16V 75-100 hp (K4J, 1999-2012)^[18][19] 1.6 16V 110-135 hp with variable valve timing unit (K4M, 1998-2020)^[8][20][21]
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

1.2 TCe

See the 16 models with the 1.2 TCe

1.4 and 1.6 16v

See the 11 models with the 1.4 and 1.6 16v

Other comparisons

With the 1.2 TCe

With the 1.4 and 1.6 16v

Compare other engines

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Sources

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

1.Moteur 1.2 Renault - 400 000 voitures en dangerUFC-Que Choisir (Que Choisir Ensemble) · Consumer association · published 24 May 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
2.Casse moteur Renault 1.2 TCe : 107 000 Renault concernéesL'argus · Motoring press · published 28 March 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
3.Renault 1.2 TCe et Nissan 1.2 DIG-T : des moteurs gourmands en huileL'argus · Motoring press · published 12 October 2016 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
4.Moteur 1.2 Renault - Les constructeurs minimisentUFC-Que Choisir (Que Choisir Ensemble) · Consumer association · published 31 July 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
5.Moteur H Renault-NissanWikipedia (francés) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
6.Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault Mégane 1Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
7.Fiabilité et pannes du Renault Scénic 1Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
8.Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault Laguna 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
9.Fiabilité et pannes du Dacia Duster 1Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
10.Nissan HR engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026
11.H-Typrenaultfans.info · Other source · consulted 26 September 2026 · in German
12.Renault K-Type engineWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
13.Moteur K RenaultWikipedia (francés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
14.Anexo:Motores de RenaultWikipedia (español) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
15.Posibles fallos en algunos motores de gasolina de Renault, Dacia y NissanOCU · Consumer association · published 4 June 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in Spanish
16.Problème moteur Renault-Dacia 1.2 TCe, Nissan 1.2 DIG-T et Mercedes - Vos questions, nos réponsesUFC-Que Choisir (Que Choisir Ensemble) · Consumer association · published 24 May 2019 · consulted 26 September 2026 · in French
17.Fiabilité et pannes du Dacia Logan 1Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
18.Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault Clio 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
19.Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault Clio 3Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
20.Fiabilité et pannes de la Renault Mégane 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
21.Fiabilité et pannes du Renault Scénic 2Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French