CBAB 2.0 TDI CR
The common-rail 2.0 TDI that replaced the pump-düse engine at the facelift: quieter and cleaner, and the one carrying the notorious oil-pump balance-shaft drive that can round off and seize the engine. A genuinely good engine with one catastrophic caveat.
| Configuration | I4, turbocharged | Displacement | 1968 cc |
| Fuel | diesel | Injection | common rail |
| Shared components | DPF · EGR cooler | ||
Cars using this engine
Engine and component issues
A sudden oil-pressure warning followed quickly by engine seizure, usually with little or no prior warning. The hex coupling that drives the oil pump off the balance-shaft module can round off, stopping oil delivery. The undersized early hex is the weak point; an updated module addressed it.
Check: You can't see it on a viewing, this is a paperwork check. Look for the updated oil-pump module in the history, or a specialist who has inspected it; treat an undocumented high-miler as carrying the risk.
Later parts: Updated oil-pump module with a larger hex drive
Warning light, limp mode, oil level rising above the maximum mark from fuel dilution. The filter needs sustained hot running to regenerate. A car used for short urban trips never completes a regeneration cycle.
Check: Read the DPF soot load and the distance since the last regeneration on a scan tool, and check the engine oil level and smell it for diesel. Ask what the car was used for. A short-trip city diesel is the wrong car regardless of mileage.
Coolant loss with no visible external leak, white smoke, sweet smell. The EGR cooler cracks internally and leaks coolant into the intake. BMW recalled affected diesels over a fire risk from glycol deposits igniting.
Check: Check coolant level and look for unexplained top-ups in the service history. Verify the recall was carried out. It's free and searchable by VIN.
Chassis, gearbox and body issues aren't listed here. They depend on which car the engine is fitted to. Open a variant page for the merged list.