1.2 PureTech

From Trophies to Engine Failure, the Story of a Waste

It had such a promising start. The 1.2 PureTech from PSA, launched in 2013, had all the right signs: compact, light, efficient, compliant with Euro 6 standards, and even multiple times awarded "Engine of the Year" between 2015 and 2018. But behind the marketing and the trophies, this three-cylinder engine hides a major design flaw that the group didn't want to acknowledge in time. The result: hundreds of thousands of wronged customers, a brand image permanently damaged, and today, a -58% collapse of Stellantis' stock price in one year. This engine has become the perfect example of how a flawed technology can shake an entire group.

A Risky Technical Choice: The Wet Belt

To reconcile compactness and performance, PSA opted for a so-called "wet" timing belt: immersed in engine oil, intended to reduce noise and wear. But this solution proved catastrophic. Oil dilution by fuel deteriorates the belt's rubber. The result: micro-particles contaminate the oil circuit, clog the pump's strainer, reduce lubrication, and in the worst cases, lead to complete engine failure. 

This is not a minor defect. We're talking about a mechanical sequence whose logical end is the complete immobilization of the vehicle, or even a danger on the road if the braking assistance vacuum pump is affected. And yet, the first alerts have been known since 2014...

PSA Let the Situation Rot

Rather than act quickly, PSA preferred to temporize. No large-scale design modifications, no change in engine strategy, no clear communication to customers. The problem was treated as a routine after-sales service detail, even though millions of EB2 engines were already in circulation in Peugeot 208, 308, 3008, 5008, Citroën C3, C4, DS3, Opel Corsa, and Toyota Proace City. 

In 2020, the European Commission finally sounded the alarm. Two massive recalls followed (2020 and 2022), but for many, it was too late. Broken engines, bills amounting to several thousand euros, often expired warranties, and resale becoming almost impossible.

Stellantis's Late (and Incomplete) Response

Since the PSA-FCA merger in 2021, Stellantis has tried to extinguish the fire. Warranty extensions up to 10 years or 175,000 km under conditions, belt replacements, ECU updates, oil pump checks... Measures that look more like patching than a real technical solution. In 2023, the group launched a version with a timing chain. Too late. Trust is broken. 

Repairs are sometimes lengthy (up to 14 hours of labor) and not systematically covered. And in terms of communication, there's radio silence: slow compensation platform, unkept promises, missed deadlines, customers left in the dark.

Customers Organize, Stellantis Minimizes

Faced with inaction, a Facebook group of over 24,000 owners of vehicles equipped with the 1.2 PureTech decided to take action. A class-action lawsuit is launched, with the goal of compensation or coverage of repairs. Stellantis, for its part, is temporizing. The negotiation phase is ongoing, but the promised compensations are not materializing. Testachats has already sent seven letters to the group, without obtaining a clear commitment.

A Design Flaw That Costs (Very) Dearly

In a world where a brand's reputation is built as much on product quality as on after-sales service responsiveness, the PureTech affair is a lesson to be learned. PSA wanted to save money by reducing the number of cylinders and opting for a flawed technology. Worse still: the group let the situation deteriorate for years, refusing to face its responsibilities. 

The result: an unsellable engine, widespread customer distrust, a legal spiral, and colossal stock market losses. Today, no matter the promises or technical corrections, the image of the PureTech is irreparably tarnished, and with it, that of Stellantis.

The WOT Opinion

At WOT, we advocate controlled performance and proven reliability. We understand the technical compromises that manufacturers have to make, but when reliability becomes secondary to profitability, it doesn't fly. An engine is not a software gadget that can be patched afterwards. There are physical, technical, and human consequences. 

The 1.2 PureTech had real potential. But the decision to immerse a timing belt in unstable oil without serious long-term testing is an engineering mistake. Not correcting it for 10 years is a strategic mistake. And turning a blind eye to customers is a moral mistake. 

The saddest thing is that a poorly born, poorly managed engine can harm an entire group, even when it offers really good things elsewhere.