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BMW N57 vs 1.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the 1.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue carries less risk than the BMW N57: 59/100 (high risk) versus 87/100 (very high risk). The BMW N57 has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire»; the 1.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue has 2 documented serious faults, the main one being «Degradation of the wet timing belt (2.0 EcoBlue)».

Risk index

BMW N57

87

Very high risk · 3 serious faults

Risk index

1.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue

59

High risk · 2 serious faults

Lower risk

The index (0–100) weights the severity and frequency of the three most serious documented faults. How it is calculated

10 sourcesHow we work

Is the BMW N57 reliable?

The BMW N57 (2008-2019, successor to the M57) is a six-cylinder diesel that is mechanically robust in the basics, but it shares with the N47 and B47 the EGR cooler covered by BMW's service campaign for engine fire risk, and it inherits from the N47 the timing chain at the rear of the block, with wear cases documented mainly from 200,000 km. Without a clear history of these checks, it is worth buying with some caution.[1][2][3]

See the 4 of the BMW N57 faults

Is the 1.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue reliable?

EcoBlue has been Ford's diesel family since 2016, with two very different engines despite the shared name: the 2.0 (codenamed «Panther») debuted a wet timing belt (belt-in-oil) and a second wet belt for the oil pump, the same type of design that has caused problems on other Ford engines; the 1.5, by contrast, uses a conventional dry belt. The 2.0 powers vans, SUVs and large saloons; the 1.5 the smaller models.[4][5]

See the 3 of the 1.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of BMW N57 and 1.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue
BMW N571.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue
Technical data
TypeEngineEngine
FuelDieselDiesel
Displacement2,993 cm³—
TimingChainWet belt (belt-in-oil)
Power204–381 hp85–213 hp
Production2008–2019[1][6]since 2016[4][7]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)87Very high risk59High risk
Documented faults43
Of high or critical severity32
Worst severityCritical severityCritical severity
Main faults
  1. Critical severity: EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire
  2. Critical severity: Rear timing chain wear
  3. High severity: Loss of thrust on twin-turbo versions due to the vacuum circuit or the actuator
  1. Critical severity: Degradation of the wet timing belt (2.0 EcoBlue)
  2. Critical severity: Wet oil pump belt (2.0 EcoBlue)
  3. Medium severity: Emissions system warnings (AdBlue/EGR) and injector wear
Most expensive documented repairNo reliable dataNo reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versionsNone
  • 1.5 EcoBlue 85/95/100/120 (dry timing belt, since 2018)[5]
With cautionVersions to be cautious about
  • N57D30 204-211 hp, single turbo (U0/UL, 2010-2013)[3][8]
  • N57D30 245-258 hp, single turbo (O0/O1, 2008-2019)[3][8]
  • N57D30 299-313 hp twin turbo (T0/T1, 2009-2019)[8][9]
  • 2.0 EcoBlue single-turbo 105/130/150/170/190, with and without mild hybrid (since 2016)[5][10]
  • 2.0 EcoBlue twin-turbo 213 (Ranger and high-demand applications, since ~2019)[5]
AvoidVersions to avoidNoneNone

Severity of each fault: green, low; amber, medium; red, high; dark red, critical. How we rate them

Cars that each one is fitted to

BMW N57

See the 10 models with the BMW N57

1.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue

See the 13 models with the 1.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue

Other comparisons

With the BMW N57

With the 1.5 / 2.0 EcoBlue

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. BMW N57Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  2. Motor BMW B47 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  3. 324.000 diésel de BMW tendrán que pasar por el taller en Europa, por un posible riesgo de incendio en la EGRDiariomotor · Motoring press · published 8 August 2018 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  4. Ford EcoBlue engineWikipedia · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
  5. Which Cars Have a Wet Belt? Full UK Engine List (2026)CarOkay · Other source · published 2026 · consulted 27 September 2026
  6. BMW N57Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
  7. Nuevo motor Ford 2.0 EcoBlue Diésel: más potente y ahorradorAutopista.es · Motoring press · published April 2016 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  8. Motor BMW N57 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  9. Motor BMW N57: problemas, modelos y qué revisarCarexam · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
  10. Todos los coches afectados ya por problemas de motor a causa de correas de distribución en aceiteAutopista.es · Motoring press · published February 2025 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish