Renault-Nissan M9R Engine (2.0L DCI). Problems and life expectancy

If you are searching for the legendary Renault diesel engine, you should consider the M9R model. This is the 2-liter diesel engine that is thought to be one of the legendary machines engineered by Renault-Nissan. The engine was first introduced in 2005 and then the second-gen M9R was made in 2018. The engine is really good and literally millions of them have been made.

In this article, I will tell you about the common problems, overall durability, and the most important features of the M9R engine made by Renault and Nissan. This is the legendary diesel machine that can last longer than almost any modern engine and is still made to power different models of the corporation.

Here’s what exactly I will cover in this article:

1. What should you know about the 2.0L M9R engine?
2. How many kilometers will this engine last?
3. What are the common problems that can happen with this machine?
4. Can you prolong the life of the 2.0L diesel in Renault and Nissan?

Key facts about the M9R engine

So, the engine is almost 20 years old now. In 2018, it was significantly updated and even got 2 cubic centimeters of extra displacement which proves that the new generation has the new block. Other than that, the engine remained pretty simple, durable, and reliable. Although I will list some common problems with this machine, I think this is the best Renault diesel engine ever.

It was used in the Nissan X-Trail, Qashqai, and also Primastar. Opel Vivaro borrowed this engine from the corporation. But the majority of M9R machines found their place under the hoods of Renault models: Espace, Koleos, Laguna, Latitude, Megane, Scenic, Trafic, Talisman, and Vel Satis used this powerplant.

Here’s what you may want to know about it:

• this is the 2-liter 4-cylinder diesel engine with a Garret turbocharger that has a cast-iron block and aluminum head;
• the first-gen M9R produced up to 180 horsepower and 400 Nm, and the second-gen engine offers up to 200 hp, but many versions had way less power;
• this machine has the Common Rail fuel injection system with Bosch injectors and a high-pressure fuel pump;
• the timing system is powered by the chain – this is the optimal solution in terms of reliability;
• in minibuses Traffic, Primastar, and Vivaro, this engine was detuned and had low power and torque for better durability;
• in 2007, all M9R engines got updated with a variable geometry turbocharger, and the efficiency of post-2007 engines is much better;
• after 2011, all 2.0L diesel engines in this series have a start-stop system and a super-efficient oil pump;
• the Laguna powered with the M9R can show 7.4L/100 km in the city and 5L/100 km on motorways.

The engine has been paired with all kinds of transmissions. And I should say that almost any transmission cannot live as long as this engine. So, if you own a vehicle with this machine under its hood, you will probably replace or repair the transmission much more often than the engine.

This is a really efficient and reliable powerplant that doesn’t require a lot of attention. But still, the M9R engine is not eternal. It will die because of its age, mileage, bad maintenance, or just improper use.

What’s the longevity of the 2.0L Renault diesel engine?

If you don’t care about proper maintenance and abuse the engine every other day, chances are it will die much earlier than you expect this to happen. But with proper maintenance, it can live up to 500,000 kilometers (about 310,000 miles) and it’s unbelievably great!

I can’t think of any other engine that is still manufactured and can go that long. The durability of the Renault-Nissan diesel engine has always been compromised by rod bearings failure, lubrication bugs, etc. But this engine doesn’t develop these problems too often.

It will still show several serious issues before it hits the 500K kilometers milestone, but you can repair them with some investment. I wouldn’t say that the M9R engine is cheap to maintain and repair though.

Later in this article, I will specify the things you should do to prolong the life of the engine. To compare how it differs from other powerplants, you may read my article about the Mini 2.0 Diesel engine and see a huge difference.

What are the common problems with these engines?

On the one hand, these machines just don’t have a lot of common issues and I was struggling to find at least some information about the problems. But on the other hand, there were millions of them made, so people report a lot of minor problems on forums. It took me a while to compile the list of problems that can be considered common for this model.

Here’s what I managed to find:

1. Bosch injectors issues

This common-rail injection system uses piezo injectors made by Bosch. They are durable, but not as durable as the engine. At about 150,000 kilometers, they may fail, especially if the quality of the diesel fuel is not perfect. Repairing these injectors is a hard task, usually, they are just relaced.

One big problem is that 4 piezo-injectors made by Bosch will cost you a fortune and installing them is not a DIY task at all. So, replacing injectors may appear to be a disastrous repair in terms of the budget.

2. Timing chain stretching

At about 180,000 kilometers, you may hear slight rattling that becomes more and more annoying. At 200,000 km, the timing chain is usually fatally stretched and can easily break or jump. If this happens, chances are that the engine will get stuck, or at least the valves will be bent.

Replacing the timing chain kit once every 180,000 kilometers or 10 years is the best interval for this engine. Otherwise, your M9R may let you down and leave you stranded on the road.

3. EGR valve

The throttle body is quite complicated in terms of the used technologies. It has a built-in EGR valve that may get stuck once it hits a certain mileage. Also, this system may not allow you to start the engine if something is not in order. This is the worst thing because EGR valves are pretty problematic in high-mileage engines.

So, you may end up having this annoying problem with a stalling engine that is hard to start pretty often when the car is not young anymore. The solution is the replacement of the EGR valve or the entire throttle body which won’t be that cheap, too.

4. Crankcase ventilation valve

Quite often, people complained in forums that their M9R engines developed high oil pressure and eventually died because of a small problem – the crankcase ventilation valve getting clogged with old oil.

If this happens, the blow-by gases just can’t leave the crankcase and keep building high pressure in the block. This will lead to oil not circulating properly and the engine will act weirdly till it stops. Also, this may cause rod-bearing problems if ignored for some time.

5. Minor turbocharger problems

Although Garret turbochargers are reliable, they will add a pinch of salt to your experience with this engine. They will throw several common codes all the time, and require cleaning and adjustment. At about 200,000 kilometers, the turbo unit may require replacement or remanufacturing.

This is not going to be a cheap repair, so again, the problem with the maintenance price appears to be obvious.

What can you do to prolong the life of the 2.0L Renault diesel engine?

This Renault-Nissan engine is ready to go hundreds of thousands of miles without serious problems and extremely expensive repairs. But you will drive your vehicle even longer if you just follow these simple recommendations:

• change oil along with the filter often than needed – once every 10,000 kilometers (6K miles);
• buy only OEM parts if you need to repair this engine or its important units;
• also, don’t experiment with the viscosity of oil – 5w30 or 5w40 are the best options;
• have the timing chain replaced at 200,000 kilometers to avoid fatal stretching;
• have the engine inspected every year to catch its minor problems at early stages;
• don’t abuse the engine – it’s made to work and last, but not to participate in street racing;
• have the turbocharger inspected once a year to prevent common issues.

These are just basic things that will help you prolong the lifespan of the 2.0 diesel engine in your Renault or Nissan vehicle. Also, following these tips will reduce the amount of money you will need to spend on the repair.

To wrap up

Although the engine is simple and very well constructed, it still has several common problems you should watch out for. But now, when you know about these issues, they don’t seem to be very dangerous.

It’s a very bad idea to ignore the possible problems with this engine. If you catch some symptoms of the issues that are listed above, plan your visit to a good garage or to the dealership as soon as possible. The inspection that is made on time may save the life of this powerplant and significantly reduce the amount of money you will need to spend on it.

Want to compare it to some other modern engine? Read my article about the VW 1.5 eTSImachine.

Also, welcome to the comments if you have something to say or want to ask a question!