The 1.2 liter Puretech scandal continues to unfold at Stellantis. Ordered by PSA from the Société Française de Mécanique, this small 3-cylinder petrol engine was launched in 2013 on several Peugeot and Citroën models. It is located, in particular, in the center of the assortment or at the entry level 208 and C3308 and C4, 2008 and C3 Aircross, and on 3008 and C5 Aircross. Even several DS models offer it in the range: DS3, DS4 and the large family SUV DS7. It was named Engine of the Year four years in a row between 2015 and 2018, and has since powered other brands within the Stellantis group, including Opel, Fiat and Jeep for your city cars, compact cars and SUVs. But he is was released due to excessive oil consumptionwhich becomes problematic after 100,000 kilometers…

Problematic wet belt

According to Stellantis, this is problematic in its very design. The group (at that time PSA) chose “wet” belt : to reduce internal friction at lower costs, the timing belt is lubricated directly with engine oil, she, so to speak, “bathes” in it. But over time, the belt deteriorates, and debris clogs the oil filter mesh : in addition to excessive oil consumption, the belt can tear and cause engine failure. If customers were compensated! This is not the case, and Stellantis is playing dumb: several hundred thousand cars were recalled, but the problem was not solved until 2023, when the belt is replaced by a chain. Victims organize collectively to demand compensation: facebook group” PSA 1.2l Puretech problems » already has 22,000 members…

After the collective testimony…

Collective actions was also launched by Me Christophe Léguevaques, a lawyer at the Paris Bar, to negotiate compensation with Stellantis in the absence of possible legal action. In today’s comments from our colleagues from Provence, we learn that, for example, at Peugeot, the brand knew about the problem but tried to hide it to dissatisfied customers: – explains the former trade advisor of the brand :

“Every day we received calls from customers saying that there was a problem with their car, that their belt had broken, that their engine was damaged. We were asked not to talk about it, to say that it was voted engine of the year, or to explain that the problems happened to people who did not follow the service frequency. It was difficult, selling vehicles, telling customers to take out a loan, when potentially they should have called me two or three weeks later and said the engine had failed. » A sad testimony for a brand and a group that could set tongues wagging…

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