BMW N57 vs Skyactiv-D: which engine is more reliable?

According to our risk index, the Skyactiv-D carries less risk than the BMW N57: 55/100 (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 Skyactiv-D has 3 documented serious faults, the main one being «Oil dilution with diesel during DPF regenerations».

Risk index

BMW N57

Very high risk · 3 serious faults

Risk index

Skyactiv-D

High risk · 3 serious faults

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 202618 sources How 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 Skyactiv-D reliable?

The Skyactiv-D is a modern and generally reliable diesel, but across its three displacements (1.5, 1.8 and 2.2) it shares oil dilution with diesel fuel during diesel particulate filter regenerations, which means you need to watch the oil level and not stretch oil changes, especially on short journeys; the older 2.2s (2012-2014) also accumulate more turbo and carbon build-up cases.^[4][5][6][7]

See the 4 of the Skyactiv-D faults

Side-by-side comparison

Comparison of BMW N57 and Skyactiv-D
Item	BMW N57	Skyactiv-D
Technical data
Type	Engine	Engine
Fuel	Diesel	Diesel
Displacement	2,993 cm³	—
Timing	Chain	Chain
Power	204–381 hp	105–184 hp
Production	2008–2019^[1][8]	since 2012^[4][9][10]
Reliability
Risk index (what is it?)	87Very high risk	55High risk
Documented faults	4	4
Of high or critical severity	3	3
Worst severity	Critical severity	Critical severity
Main faults	Critical severity: EGR cooler leaks with risk of engine fire Critical severity: Rear timing chain wear High severity: Loss of thrust on twin-turbo versions due to the vacuum circuit or the actuator	High severity: Oil dilution with diesel during DPF regenerations High severity: Turbo wear or failure from lack of lubrication Critical severity: Oil pump chain breakage and camshaft wear
Most expensive documented repair	No reliable data	No reliable data
Which versions to buy
BuyRecommended versions	None	None
With cautionVersions to be cautious about	N57D30 204-211 hp, single turbo (U0/UL, 2010-2013)^[3][11] N57D30 245-258 hp, single turbo (O0/O1, 2008-2019)^[3][11] N57D30 299-313 hp twin turbo (T0/T1, 2009-2019)^[11][12]	2.2 Skyactiv-D 150/175 (SH-VPTS, 2012-2017)^[5][13][14] 2.2 Skyactiv-D 150/175/184 (SH-VPTS, 2017-2021)^[6][15] 1.5 Skyactiv-D 105 (S5-DPTS, 2015-2018)^[7][16] 1.8 Skyactiv-D 116 (S8-DPTS, 2018-present)^[7][17][18]
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

BMW N57

See the 10 models with the BMW N57

Skyactiv-D

See the 7 models with the Skyactiv-D

Other comparisons

With the BMW N57

With the Skyactiv-D

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.

BMW N57Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
Motor BMW B47 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
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
SkyActivWikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
Fiabilité Mazda CX-5 (2012-2017)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité Mazda 6 (2012-2022)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité Mazda CX-3Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
BMW N57Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
Mazda CX-5Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
Mazda3Wikipedia (inglés) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026
Motor BMW N57 - Reparación EspecializadaDasercars · Technical documentation · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
Motor BMW N57: problemas, modelos y qué revisarCarexam · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
Aviso a todos los propietarios de Mazda CX-5 Dieselkm77 · Motoring press · published 22 May 2013 · consulted 27 September 2026 · in Spanish
Mazda6Wikipedia (alemán) · Other source · consulted 27 September 2026 · in German
Fiabilité Mazda CX-5 II (2017-)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité Mazda 3 (2013-2019)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité Mazda CX-30Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French
Fiabilité Mazda 3 (2019-)Fiches-auto.fr · Motoring press · consulted 27 September 2026 · in French