T1DA 1.6 TDCi
The volume Focus diesel, shared with the PSA group. It's economical and adequate, and its weak point is the turbo oil feed, which cokes up if oil changes are skipped and takes the turbo with it.
| Configuration | I4, turbocharged | Displacement | 1560 cc |
| Fuel | diesel | Injection | common rail |
| Shared components | DPF · EGR cooler | ||
Cars using this engine
Engine and component issues
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.
A whine or rattle from the turbo under load, loss of power, blue smoke and eventually a boost fault. The same narrow oil feed as its PSA sibling, and the same outcome. Skipped oil changes coke the pipe, the turbo bearing starves, and debris can be drawn through the engine afterwards.
Check: Read the oil-change record first, then listen for a whine on boost and look for oil in the intercooler pipework.
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.