2.0 and 2.2 16v EW10/EW12 engine: faults and reliability

• 2.0 16v 136 hp (EW10J4, RFN/RFR, 1999-2005)

  1999–2005 · 135–136 hp · RFN, RFR

  Buy

  It is the simplest 2.0 (no variable valve timing or direct injection) and owner reviews of the 206, 406, Xsara Picasso and 307 point to wear parts - coils, lambda sensors, catalytic converter or manifold - rather than internal failures; gebrauchtwagenberater.de describes the 307's petrol engines as simple and easy to maintain.^{[1][2][4][5][11][12]}

• 2.0 16v VVT 140-143 hp (EW10A, RFJ, 2004-2011)

  2004–2011 · 140–143 hp · RFJ

  Buy

  Owner reviews of the 407, C4 and C5 with this 2.0 mainly mention sensors, catalytic converter, oil and the gearbox, with no repeated internal failures; there are no recorded cases of variable valve timing failure in the pages consulted, although the sample is small.^[6][7][13]

• 2.0 16v VVT 177 hp (EW10J4S, RFK, 2003-2008)

  2003–2008 · 177 hp · RFK

  With caution

  There are few reviews (6 for the 206, 6 for the 307 and 5 for the C4) and they mention coils, catalytic converter, EGR and even an engine replaced under warranty in a C4; as this is an engine used hard, it is worth checking the service history and the condition of the ignition and exhaust.^[4][11][13]

• 2.0 HPi 140 hp direct injection (EW10D, RLZ, 2001-2004)

  2001–2004 · 140 hp · RLZ

  With caution

  There is hardly any data: the C5 page records a single, very negative review, and the 406 page none. The C5 page describes the high-pressure pump and the sensors as more delicate and mentions, without a date or reference, a weakness of the pump in 2002 units; its history needs to be verified.^[5][7]

• 2.2 16v 158-163 hp (EW12J4, 3FZ/3FY, 1999-2010)

  1999–2010 · 158–163 hp · 3FZ, 3FY

  With caution

  Oil consumption is what comes up most in owner reviews of the 2.2 (10 of 56 according to the Fiches-auto.fr table, 5 of them in the 407 2.2, although in the 407 at least one testimony refers to the steering oil rather than the engine). It is a small sample with no independent second source, so it is worth measuring oil consumption and demanding proof of the last timing belt replacement.^{[5][6][8][10][14]}

Buy: No known serious faults, or they have already been corrected, in this version. With caution: Worth buying if something specific is verified: history, a replaced part or a completed campaign. Avoid: High risk of a serious fault that is hard to check for or prevent.

1. 1Medium severityFrequency: OccasionalIgnitionFaulty ignition coilsIgnition coils are the fault reported by the press (gebrauchtwagenberater.de, CarsGuide) and by 16 of the 170 owner reviews of the 2.0 EW10; they also appear on the 2.2. A weak coil causes misfires, jerking and the engine warning light coming on.

Severity colours: low, medium, high, critical. How we rate them

Manufacturer

PSA (Peugeot Citroën)

Family

EW

Fuel

Petrol

Displacement

—

Cylinders

4

Fuel system

Naturally aspirated

Injection

Indirect injection

Timing

Timing belt (dry)

Power

135–177 hp

Peak torque

217 Nm

Production

1999–2010

Makes

Peugeot and Citroën

Technical data^{[1][3][9][10]}

1. 1999–2005

   2.0 16v 136 hp (EW10J4, RFN/RFR, 1999-2005)

   This is the basic 2.0: naturally aspirated, 16 valves, with 136 hp in the RFN and 135 hp in the RFR. Citroën introduced it in the Xsara with the September 2000 facelift, where it replaced the old XU10, and Peugeot offered it in the 406 from 1999.^[1][9][17]

2. 1999–2010

   2.2 16v 158-163 hp (EW12J4, 3FZ/3FY, 1999-2010)

   Displacement of 2,231 cc, with 158 hp (3FZ) and, after the facelift, 163 hp (3FY). It replaced the low-pressure turbo variant of the XU10 and has 217 N·m of torque in the 406. Citroën fitted it only to the C8; Peugeot to the 406, 407, 607 and 807.^{[1][9][18][20]}

3. 2001–2004

   2.0 HPi 140 hp direct injection (EW10D, RLZ, 2001-2004)

   PSA's first direct-injection petrol engine (HPi), with 140 hp. It was offered only in the Citroën C5 and the Peugeot 406 from 2001 and was withdrawn around 2003 or 2004 because of poor sales.^[1][9]

4. 2003–2008

   2.0 16v VVT 177 hp (EW10J4S, RFK, 2003-2008)

   Sporty 177 hp version with variable valve timing (VVT), whose maximum power is reached at 7,000 rpm. It was fitted to the 206 GTi 180 and RC, the 307 Féline and CC and the C4 VTS.^[1][15][19]

5. 2004–2011

   2.0 16v VVT 140-143 hp (EW10A, RFJ, 2004-2011)

   Adds variable valve timing (VVT) compared with the EW10J4. Power is quoted as 140 hp at Peugeot and 143 hp at Citroën, with 200 N·m at 4,000 rpm. Wikipedia dates the RFJ to 2004-2008 in the Citroën C4 and 2005-2011 in the Peugeot 407.^[1][18][19]