The 1.3 TCe engine is a turbocharged petrol machine that is pretty new to make any long-term conclusions. But it’s a child of globalization, so it has been used in literally dozens of Renault, Dacia, Nissan, and even Mercedes models.
Since Renault sold hundreds of thousands of these engines in Europe, we know a lot about its problems and I have enough well-checked and proven data to write this article.
Overall, I love the TCe series of engines – I’ve already written about the 0.9 TCe – but I still don’t think these engines are the best in the industry. They have a lot of common issues and are not durable enough.
Let’s talk figures!
What should you know about the 1.3 TCe engine?
This is the H5Ht engine that was first introduced by Renault company in 2017. The engine is made in Spain – this is the only place where it’s manufactured. Also, Nissan cars use this motor calling it HR13DT and Mercedes-Benz uses the same engine with the code name M282.
You shouldn’t believe there are some differences in this engine under the bonnets of Mercedes or Nissan cars – this is absolutely the same engine with all the problems and weaknesses present in all cars.
Here are some key points you may want to know:
- this is the 4-cylinder petrol engine offering 1.3-liter of displacement (1332 cc) and producing 115 to 163 horsepower depending on the application;
- this is the turbocharged engine as all other motors manufactured within the TCe family, it uses a Garrett turbocharger;
- the block is aluminum, there are even no cast-iron sleeves, just the iron coating on the cylinder walls;
- the engine uses direct injection (yes, it has problems with carbon buildup);
- the timing system is driven by the chain;
- phasers are used on both camshafts – intake and exhaust, there are also lifters for valve adjustment.
This engine is surprisingly different in terms of estimated fuel consumption for different cars. I test-drove it in the Renault Arkana and it showed me over 9 l/100 km in the city. That’s a lot given the car is pretty light and compact and the engine is so small. The dealer representative told me that it should take about 9l/100 km in the city traffic, according to the manufacturer’s data.
They also claim you will get about 6l/100 km on highways which is doubtful. Maybe, if you are driving 80km/h (50 mph) only. In smaller cars like the Clio, it should show much better results. But I can’t tell you for sure.
How long will the 1.3 TCe engine survive?
It’s too early to tell you for sure about the longevity of the engine. However, according to the data that I have, it should be OK to drive about 180,000 miles or 290,000 kilometers. Which is pretty good for such an engine!
Bad news – there is almost no chance to repair the engine once it has some serious problem. Didn’t notice the high temperature? Say goodbye to the block. Forgot to check oil levels? Say goodbye to the block. Decided to tow something? Say goodbye to the block and head.
Renault says you should use 0w40 or 5w40 oil for this engine and I wouldn’t dare to argue with that. Thin oil should be OK to lubricate all those tiny parts and go through all the tiny passages in the turbocharger.
Also, the engine has oil injectors for the pistons to cool them down and lubricate better. If you play with oil viscosity, those injectors will fail and the engine will most likely overheat.
What are the common problems with the H5Ht engine?
This Renault-Mercedes engine is good and won’t bother you with a ton of minor problems throughout its lifespan. Just maintain and repair it as stated by the manufacturer and you will be OK.
But it’s always worth learning about the potential problems that commonly torture other owners. This may help you seriously save money on repairs.
So, let’s see which problems are to be noted:
1. Unstable idling
Owners fail to find the reason for this issue because of one little trick: there are several reasons that can make the tachometer needle dance when the engine is idling.
First of all, this is all about the intake valves forming some carbon buildup. This is a direct injection engine and it isn’t protected from this. Good news – you can use carb cleaners or other products to regularly clean valves.
If the problem is neglected for some time, the head will need to be taken off to clean the intake valves.
2. Oil consumption at high mileage
After about 150,000 kilometers (100,000 miles), this engine starts burning some oil. It’s usually not a lot, so you shouldn’t worry much. But this is a good milestone to start checking the oil level more often.
The block is aluminum and after some time it may change its shape a little which leads to gaps between cylinder walls and piston rings. These tiny gaps lead to oil leaking into the combustion chamber and burning.
Low oil levels are critical, never let the oil drop close to the MIN mark on the dipstick.
3. Spark plugs and ignition coils
As in almost all modern tiny engines, the coils and plugs are not durable in the 1.3 TCe. There is nothing to say – they just tend to die much earlier than you may expect and they cost pretty much which takes up the costs of owning the engine.
4. Turbocharger pipes falling off
I like this one. The turbos have some common issues of badly fastened pipes. They keep falling off since the start of these engines in 2017 and Renault can’t come up with a better clamp or something. You buy this engine in 2024 and it still has a faulty pipe fastening.
So, if your car loses power suddenly, check the turbocharger pipes. Maybe, one of them just needs to be refitted.
5. Potential issues with the oil pump
Oil pumps in these engines have one serious upgrade – they offer variable pressure of oil depending on the engine load and RPM. So, at idle, these pumps lower the pressure of oil significantly to save energy and economize two drops of fuel.
As my experience shows, these variable oil pumps are not super reliable. And the bad thing is that you can’t clearly say when they fail. You may or may not see the oil pressure warning light. Sometimes, the light will go on the dash when it’s already too late.
How can you drive your Renault 1.3 TCe engine longer?
First of all, you should remember about the regular maintenance:
- oil and filter change once every 15,000 km or 9,000 miles (I would do this once every 10,000 km or 6,000 miles);
- timing chain replacement after about 220,000 km (140,000 miles) – it’s super important although not included in the official maintenance routine;
- drive belt will live about 120,000 km or 80,000 miles and needs to be changed;
- please replace the air filter once every 15,000 km or 9,000 miles, I mean the engine air filter;
- spark plugs should be replaced once every 30,000 km or 20,000 miles to avoid issues.
Also, these engines are not super powerful and, in my opinion, Renault took them to the limits of their possible output. So, here are some more recommendations that will help you avoid premature death of the 1.3 TCe engine:
- don’t tow anything, especially if the engine is equipped with the CVT;
- avoid aggressive driving – these engines will be OK with a calm driving style;
- don’t speed like crazy – taking the H5Ht engine to red-zone RPMs will pretty quickly kill it;
- buy OEM parts and materials to maintain and repair the engine and never experiment with oil viscosity.
I probably need to clarify a little about the chain. The timing chain is said by Renault to last forever. But you shouldn’t rely on that much. Renault doesn’t care much if the chain brakes at 250,000 kilometers and the engine is all broken.
I know cases when these chains were completely stretched at about 220,000 kilometers or 140,000 miles and caused problems. Better replace the entire chain kit prior to that milestone.
Final thoughts
The 1.3 TCe is overall a good machine and it’s going to be one of the best small engines that you ever had if you eventually buy something powered with it. As with other Renault engines, it’s not perfect. But it’s powerful enough to allow you to drive as you wish. Also, it’s not going to break near every corner.
If the engine is maintained well, it can go up to 300K kilometers or 200K miles and it’s not that bad. Also, the parts are not as expensive as for some other small turbo engines on the market.
Do you have experience with the H5Ht engine? Share your ideas in the comments below!
