2020 Peugeot 2008 1.2L Petrol · K44 GDB

The 1.2-litre PureTech three-cylinder petrol engine uses an internal timing belt submerged in engine oil. The rubber belt chemically degrades from fuel dilution and thermal cycling, flaking particulate debris into the engine oil. This debris clogs the oil pickup strainer, starving the top end of oil and blocking the vacuum pump, which abruptly eliminates servo braking assistance and can precipitate total engine seizure (addressed in UK recall R/2020/331).

On 1.5 BlueHDi diesel variants, the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) urea injection system is prone to failure. The AdBlue reservoir houses an integral pump, heating element, and level sensor that are not sold separately. Urea crystallization and electronics failure inside the tank trigger an engine fault light and a non-restart countdown (commencing at 700 miles), after which the ECU prevents the engine from firing. Replacement of the entire tank assembly is required.

The 16-valve 1.5 BlueHDi (DV5R) diesel engine features an internal 7mm chain connecting the twin camshafts. Inadequate lubrication tolerance and high tension cause the 7mm chain to stretch and snap prematurely, resulting in bent valves, broken rocker arms, sheared camshaft carriers, and catastrophic engine destruction. Stellantis updated production to an 8mm chain with redesigned cylinder head housing from early 2023.