Between 2018 and 2023, the Ford Fiesta ST model was sold with the 1.5L turbo engine. This is the 1.5 EcoBoost Dragon engine with 3 cylinders. And many Ford owners wrongly take it for the 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine with the same displacement.
This is the turbocharged 1.5-liter engine with 3 cylinders and 200 horsepower. It produces 290 Nm of torque which is available starting with 1600 RPM. This is the monster that will give you a lot of wonderful emotions and fun when driving.
But are there any common problems?
What should you know about the 1.5L EcoBoost Dragon engine?
The engine was engineered exactly for the Fiesta ST (the 7th generation) and was released in 2018. After that, it has also been used in the Focus, Puma ST, and also in the Bronco Sport, and the new-gen Escape in the US. So, we know quite a lot about it to make some conclusions.
It’s equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission with no automatic option. This makes sense because this is a high-performance trim of the Fiesta and buyers will obviously want to control everything including gear shifting.
Here are some basic facts about the engine:
- the 3-cylinder petrol 1.5-liter engine is equipped with a turbocharger to produce 200 horsepower;
- the block is made of aluminum, of course;
- the engine has a cylinder deactivation system which is completely unnecessary here, in the opinion of many experts;
- this is basically the bored 1.0L EcoBoost Fox engine with some changes and upgrades;
- interestingly, the injection system is combined (direct plus port injection) to avoid intake valves contamination;
- the engine was also prepared for the Ford Fiesta Rally3 edition;
- fortunately, the wet belt only drives the oil pump while the cams are driven by the chain;
- the average fuel efficiency in the real world is 33 MPG (average) which is not perfect at all.
The cylinder deactivation system is one of the biggest questions in this engine. Ford engineered fuel cut-off to one cylinder and also valve operation deactivation when the full power of the engine is not needed. So, on highways, you will basically have a 1-liter 2-cylinder engine.
The reason why this system is considered unnecessary is that it may malfunction and leave you with two cylinders when you actually need more power. Also, in high-milage Dragon engines, it may cause internal oil leaks, valve issues, etc. Yeah, this is not the old good 1.25L engine in terms of engineering.
How long will the 1.5L EcoBoost last in the Fiesta ST?
The longevity question is one of the hardest that you can ask about the Fiesta ST equipped with this engine. First of all, it depends on the way you use your vehicle.
If you drive it calmly (which is highly unlikely), the engine will last quite long – about 200,000 kilometers or 130,000 miles. But it’s hard to imagine the Fiesta ST driven that way.
Aggressive driving will cause thermal issues, poor lubrication at high revolutions, problems with vibrations that will reduce the life expectancy of the engine. I saw several Fiesta ST models requiring engine replacement at about 80-100 thousand kilometers (50-60 thousand miles).
Fortunately, the transmission is hard to blame for its poor lifespan – it will last longer than the engine in this vehicle.
What are the common problems with the 1.5L Dragon engine?
If you are the owner of the Fiesta ST, you will want to know more about the common problems. But they highly depend on the driving style. So, it’s hard to say which issues are really common just by gathering information in forums and from dealerships.
I assume all Fiesta ST owners like pressing that gas pedal hard sometimes, so with this in mind, here’s a list of some common problems with the engine:
1) Fuel pump issues
This engine has two fuel pumps. The low-pressure pump that’s located in the fuel tank can live longer than you and me. While the high-pressure pump serving for the direct-injection system is not that durable.
It’s not hard to replace but the price of the OEM pump is very unpleasant. Repairing this pump after it starts malfunctioning is close to impossible.
2) Turbocharger lubrication issues
This turbocharger seems to not be the right choice for the high-performance engine. At RPMs over 4000, it seems to get lower oil pressure than needed for proper lubrication. Also, if you use the wrong viscosity of oil (which is a real problem for this engine), you will kill the turbo very quickly.
It seems that Ford didn’t prepare the engine for sports and now a lot of owners have problems with overheated and blown turbochargers that leak oil and lose efficiency. Fortunately, repairing or replacing the turbocharger is not that hard.
3) Plugs and coils don’t live long
As in many other high-performance engines, spark plugs and ignition coils require replacement quite often. This is not a huge problem but a thing to consider if you want to buy a used car with this engine.
OEM coils are quite expensive but aftermarket options won’t last long at all. Owners say in different forums that OEM Ford coils are still the best choice even though they keep failing regularly.
4) Fuel consumption issues
If you are the owner of the Fiesta ST, the last thing you will want to do is to look into the driver’s manual and find the estimated fuel consumption. This car is set for fun driving, not for fuel economy.
Yes, if you drive it at 55 MPH on the highway using cruise control, your consumption will be perfect. But in usual active driving, the figures will be awful – much worse than you can expect. There is nothing you can do – just put up with this.
5) Very expensive repairs
This engine has an aluminum block with quite thin walls between cylinders. There is no way you can repair the block if something goes wrong. When overheated, the block may change its shape and the engine will be done. With zero chance for any repair.
Even if the problem is repairable, the labor will be extremely expensive. Firstly, because the engine is pretty technological and hard to inspect and repair, and secondly, because parts are super expensive and hard to find.
What should you do to drive the Fiest ST longer?
Prolonging the lifespan of this engine is not that easy. I know that if you drive it carefully, chances are you will double the life expectancy of this EcoBoost engine. But you won’t drive it carefully, so, of course, I won’t recommend this.
But still, there are some things you may do to prolong the life of the 1.5 EcoBoost Dragon in your Fiesta ST:
- avoid accelerating sharply when the engine is cold – warm it up with calm driving;
- only use Ford OEM or recommended oil types, avoid choosing oil just by viscosity numbers;
- keep the oil level at least in the middle between the marks on the dipstick;
- keep an eye on the engine temperature gauge and stop the vehicle once you see any kind of overheating;
- make sure the coolant level is high enough to cool down the engine when you drive it;
- don’t ignore any changes in the way your Fiesta drives.
Regular maintenance should be conducted more often if you drive your vehicle aggressively. In these conditions, the oil will deteriorate faster and won’t lubricate the engine properly. For most Fiesta ST cars, I would recommend oil changes once every 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) or once every 6 months.
By the way, the cheaper simple Fiesta MK8 was powered by the 1.1L engine that I also reviewed in one of other articles – you may want to have a look.
Do you want to add something from your experience or ask a question? Write in the comments below!
