French manufacturers have been experiencing difficulties for a long time combine solidity with commercial success for their diesels. Especially during the 2000s, which were often chaotic for the HDi and dCi. If they have already exorcised their old demons, knowing the key dates for their reliability remains important. This will prevent you from betting on the wrong number, which could lead to costly breakdowns.

Blocks were never made reliable:

On Peugeot/Citroën : 1.4 92 hp (only offered in the first opus C3) had injector problems towards the end of its career, in 2005. Same story with blocks 2.0 with a capacity of 90, 110 and 140 hp : predecessors of the HDi family, they never got rid of damage to the damper pulley for the former and the flywheel for the latter two. The most voracious 2.2 with 130 hp, together with the timing chain and belt remains prone to failure of these two elements.

In Renault: 1.9 120 hpwithdrawn from the market in late 2005, throughout its career will know chronic failures of turbine with variable geometry. Blocks 2.2 and 3.0 V6 with a capacity of 180 hp, used in the Laguna 2, Vel Satis and Espace in particular, but from Isuzu for the V6, accumulates block failures, turbo failures, HS injector and EGR valve failures. Flee!

Blocks to avoid

In Peugeot/Citroën:

• 4 HDI 70 hp : turbine failures and problems with injectors characterized the first years of this unit’s life. It was made reliable in 2011.
• 6 HDi 90/92 hp : turbocharging malfunctions of the first copies were checked in 2014.
• 6 HDI 110/112/115 hp : Persistent turbo, flywheel and clutch problems experienced up to 2011 were resolved with the release of the new version that year.
• 0 HDI 136/138 hp : If in 2009 the epidemic affecting turbochargers weakened, it was only three years later that it was truly eradicated, including under the hood of Ford and Volvo, which use the same unit.
• 2 HDI 170/173 hp : Inconveniences related to turbocharging (solenoid valve, connecting rod, etc.) have been eliminated on engines produced since 2008.
• V6 2.7 HDI 204 hp : This engine, which is also used by Land Rover and Jaguar, has undergone experience Problems with the EGR valve and a generator installed in 2008.

In Renault/Nissan/Dacia:

• 5 dCi 60/65/70/75/80/85/90/100/105/110 hp. : Mainly it was the injection pumps (they fell apart and caused the engine to fail) that caused the problem for this engine family. In versions up to 2006 with a capacity of 60, 80 and 90 hp. the crankshaft is also fragile. Nissan Qashqai was a victim of broken connecting rods on 1.5 dCi 106 hp. and on some 2.0 150 hp, before 2008, and engine failure before 2010 (pulleys and timing belt).
• 0 dCi : examples that rolled off the assembly line during the first year of production (Laguna III only) had problems with the injectors, which became more reliable in 2009.

Read also:

EGR valve: presentation and operation

Turbo: our tips for saving it

How does a particulate filter work?