Peugeot, Renault, Citroën, DS. Are HDi and dCi diesel engines reliable?

Increasingly neglected in the new market, second-hand diesel is still popular. But the Renault dCi or Blue dCi engines produced since 2010, such as the HDi or BlueHDi from Peugeot, Citroën and DS, are not all free from reliability problems.

Still the fuel king in France almost ten years ago, diesel is almost a taboo subject today. However, for used cars, diesel-powered models still accounted for the majority of transactions made in France in 2021. the “good old oil” So far from being as dead as some would like you to believe and many of you will continue to choose this engine type in the years to come. Especially in rural areas where environmental zones (ZFE) sometimes seem like a very distant concern. But beware: the days when diesel meant rock-solid endurance are long gone.

The opposite of progress

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Clemens Choulot

The gain in comfort and performance through high-pressure common rail direct injection is often accompanied by a loss in reliability. Whilst the installation of particulate filters (FAP), then NOx (nitrogen oxides) catalytic converters to reduce pollutant emissions has also recently caused problems. At PSA, which has become Stellantis, one of the main defects that has appeared on the 1.5 and 1.6 HDi in recent years relates to the AdBlue tanks, this liquid necessary to drastically reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. It may not be possible to fill it and eventually prevent the engine from starting. However, a partial reimbursement of the repair is possible under certain conditions. Not everything is perfect at Renault either. Distribution errors may have occurred, particularly with the 1.5 dCi and 1.6 dCi. Based on the technical notes, L’argus offers you the list of the main problems encountered by French diesel engines since 2015.

On the next page you will find the main problems of Citroën, DS and Peugeot diesels

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