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CriticalCommonEngine

Renault Clio: 1.2 TCe (H5Ft) timing-chain wear and heavy oil consumption

1.2 TCe (H5Ft) timing-chain wear and heavy oil consumption is a common engine fault on the Renault Clio on the 2013–2019 cars, and we rate it critical. Putting it right costs $1,800 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 15 documented faults on the Renault Clio.

Vehicle
Renault Clio
Engine
1.2L
Years
2013–2019
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Renault Clio as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Renault Clio faults15 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The 1.2 TCe turbo-petrol is the Clio IV's problem engine. The oil jet that lubricates the timing chain clogs with soot, so the chain wears and stretches early and can rattle or, at worst, jump and destroy the engine. The same engine also burns oil heavily (owners report over a litre per 1,000 km) because of wide piston-ring tolerances, which further fouls the chain and can cook the turbo. Cars up to around 2016 are worst affected. This is a genuinely expensive engine when neglected, so treat oil level and history as make-or-break.

What you would notice

  • Rattle from front of engine on cold start
  • Oil light or very low oil on the dipstick between services
  • Blue smoke on start-up or hard acceleration
  • Engine warning light / rough running

How to check it

Where to look. Front of the engine (timing chain and oil-feed jet); exhaust for smoke

  1. Check the oil level on the dipstick yourself – a low or near-empty level on a recently serviced car is a red flag.

  2. Cold-start it and listen at the front of the engine for a chain rattle in the first seconds.

  3. Ask how much oil it uses between services and for proof of short-interval oil changes.

  4. Look for blue smoke on start-up and under load.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$1,800 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “How much oil does it use between services?”
  • “Has the timing chain been replaced, and how often is the oil changed?”
  • “Are there receipts for oil-consumption repairs or an engine rebuild?”

Now check the Renault Clio you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

  • CarChecker.pro 'Renault Clio 1.2 TCe Mk4 Reliability – Problems & Costs'
  • Autoricambi Tritella '1.2 TCe (H5Ft) engine – problems, oil consumption, timing chain'
  • AutomotiveFaults.com – Renault Clio IV 1.2 TCe 120 (2013-2021)

Renault Clio buyer questions

Is 1.2 tce (h5ft) timing-chain wear and heavy oil consumption serious on a Renault Clio?

We rate it critical and common on the Renault Clio. The 1.2 TCe turbo-petrol is the Clio IV's problem engine. The oil jet that lubricates the timing chain clogs with soot, so the chain wears and stretches early and can rattle or, at worst, jump and destroy the engine. The same engine also burns oil heavily (owners report over a litre per 1,000 km) because of wide piston-ring tolerances, which further fouls the chain and can cook the turbo. Cars up to around 2016 are worst affected. This is a genuinely expensive engine when neglected, so treat oil level and history as make-or-break.

How much does it cost to fix on a Renault Clio?

$1,800 to $6,000 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Renault Clio years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2013–2019 Renault Clio. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Check the oil level on the dipstick yourself – a low or near-empty level on a recently serviced car is a red flag. Cold-start it and listen at the front of the engine for a chain rattle in the first seconds. Ask how much oil it uses between services and for proof of short-interval oil changes. Look for blue smoke on start-up and under load. Look here: Front of the engine (timing chain and oil-feed jet); exhaust for smoke