7 : The 85's Raging Turbo

The 1.3 TCe H5Ht is a 1.3-liter four-cylinder turbocharged and direct-injected engine co-developed by Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and their partner Mercedes-Benz (Daimler). The H5Ht engine debuted in 2017. Renault offers four variants with different levels of performance, which are branded as TCe115, TCe140, TCe150, and TCe160. Mercedes-Benz also produces and sells this 1.3L turbo-four motor under the M282 codename. Nissan's name for these engines is HR13DDT. While the Alliance uses their own industrial facilities (Valladolid in Spain, Sunderland in the United Kingdom, and the Nissan Motor United Kingdom factory (NMUK)), the Mercedes-Benz M282 engine is manufactured in Germany at Daimler's factory in Kolleda. Let's take an in-depth look at the 1.3 TCe H5Ht engine design, its common problems, reliability, and longevity.

The key features responsible for the great efficiency and performance of the 1.3L TCe engine are direct fuel injection and turbocharger. The direct fuel injection system is fed by a high-pressure injection pump with a maximum output of 250 bar. A high-pressure pump delivers fuel through a common rail to 6-hole injectors that spray directly into the combustion chambers. Compressed intake air is supplied by a fixed geometry turbocharger with a fully electronically controlled, motor-driven wastegate (e-wastegate). After turbocharger, exhaust gases go through a catalytic converter as standard and particulate filter on engines with WLTP proof (Euro 6c).

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Well, is the Renault 1.3 TCe a good and reliable engine? The manufacturer claims that this new 1.3-liter turbo engine, after more than 40,000 hours of tests and simulations, meets all the quality standards of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance and Daimler. And it looks like the engineers at Mercedes and Renault managed to create a truly reliable small turbo engine. No serious design flaws are found on the 1.3 TCe motor. Of course, you can find topics about some problems that pop up on the Internet, but, in fact, the prevalence of such problems is exaggerated. Let's highlight some of the most reported issues and troubles, even if it's not fair to call them common problems that affect a ton of engines.

Compared to its predecessor, the 1.2 TCe, the new 1.3-liter engine does not have such an obvious excessive oil consumption problem. However, some owners reported on the Internet about progressive oil consumption starting already from the first thousand miles. Most likely, the cause of such cases is assembly of engine blocks with cylinder walls, pistons, or oil rings that do not meet specs. Some engines also experience high oil consumption as they age. But always keep in mind, this type of small-displacement turbo engines are prone to consume oil under heavy loads more than most of the naturally aspirated engines with a comparable level of performance. This is why 1.3L TCe requires top-quality synthetic motor oil that can withstand higher temperatures and pressure.

It comes with either a 191-hp naturally aspirated 2.5-liter four-banger, or a turbocharged unit that emits 281 hp and 311 lb-ft of torque. Not only does it produce an adequate amount of power, but it's also a unibody truck with a curb weight of 3,700 lbs, so it's equally fun on those twisty roads.

However, if you spend the least amount of money possible on the Maverick, you'll receive a bare-bones 2.5-liter hybrid-assisted 191-hp four-cylinder. And, if you decide to opt for the Maverick Tremor, you'd be getting a 250-hp turbo-four underneath your hood, and a stellar driving experience on- and off-road. Regardless of which trim you get, you can be sure you're getting a reliable truck. Ford has perfected the art of building reliable trucks over the years with the F-Series, which is why the 2023 Maverick has a J.D. Power Reliability rating of 81.

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