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After PureTech engines, and airbag recalls, the car manufacturer Stellantis has been facing breakage problems on BlueHDI engines for several months. Khaled Benia is concerned. His 3008 no longer runs. It’s been in the garage for months.
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Will the 3008 of Khaled Benia, a bus driver in the Montbéliard region, restart one day? Will it ride again? This Comtois ignores it. Like other motorists, its 1.5 BlueHDi diesel engine gave up the ghost after 149,000 km. “It was June 2024, we were going to the music festival. The car purchased in 2018 never started,” he says. The timing chain had broken. Garage’s verdict: everything must be replaced, including the engine. Cost: 7,500 euros.
His 3008 is out of order, he still hasn’t received support. • © Khaled Benia
An undersized camshaft drive chain which can break even at low mileage, leading to engine failure: this is the downside of these 1.5 BlueHDI diesel engines from Stellantis on 6 brands and 36 car models ( see the bottom of the article for details).
Since February 1, 2023, the manufacturer has taken measures and equipped its motors with a wider drive chain, now reaching 8 mm instead of 7 mm. “Stellantis has put in place special coverage of 5 years or 150,000 km for vehicles produced between October 2017 and January 31, 2023 equipped with this engine and for customers who have followed the manufacturer’s maintenance plan, i.e. -say in particular the maintenance in our network” explains the group contacted by France 3 Franche-Comté also adding that “quality and customer satisfaction have always been Stellantis’ priorities”.
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The BlueHDI engine of Khaled Benia’s car. • © Khaled Benia
Support from which Khaled Benia does not currently benefit. Stellantis refused, according to him, to take charge of changing his engine, because he had carried out a service (2 days before the breakage) in a non-Peugeot approved garage, and his mechanic used an unsuitable oil. Since the problems, the Stellantis group has modified the oil recommended for the drive chain on this range of engines. The engine oil went from 0w30 to 0w20, to a new 5w30 RCP oil.
I blame Stellantis. It’s annoying, it’s a known problem on their part. They did nothing to take care of it. They won’t do anything.
Khaled Benia, motorist with a broken down 3008
His 3008 is currently in the garage for an assessment. He had to buy a vehicle in the meantime.
If my car is not repaired, it is unsellable. View all Stellantis BlueHDI car listings on BonCoin. Our vehicles are no longer worth anything. Nobody wants it.
Khaled Benia, motorist from Doubs
“At Stellantis, any excuse is good not to take charge”
Files and disputes for Stellantis cars, the lawyer for the UFC association that Choisir en Franche-Comté sees regularly. “On the car problems that we deal with in Doubs and Territoire de Belfort, it’s 90% Stellantis!” confides the lawyer.
On a diesel vehicle, the chain must not break. This is a design flaw. The chain is not wide enough. Stellantis does not take responsibility!”
Benjamin Capelli, lawyer for the UFC Que Choisir association, Doubs and Territoire de Belfort
The latter deplores the group’s after-sales service policy. Stellantis does everything, according to him, not to take charge of the repairs.
With PSA, it was already complicated. Stellantis after-sales service is truly catastrophic. There are the problems with the PureTech engines, the BlueHDi engines. I do files with Stellantis all the time, we even see cars that are less than two years old and have been immobilized for months.
Benjamin Capelli, UFC Que Choisir lawyer
According to the representative of the consumer association, Stellantis cut corners to maximize its margins, “without worrying about the impact on after-sales service”.
He adds that dealers find themselves managing unhappy customers, even though they are in no way responsible.
The UFC Que Choisir association first advises maintaining your vehicle as regularly as possible, and keeping the invoices carefully.
In the event of difficulty, “the fault must be diagnosed in a garage approved by the brand. If you have legal protection, you can request an assessment of your vehicle in order to have tangible elements and try to obtain amicable coverage for repairs.
Then there remains the legal route, with another assessment of the vehicle. But it’s a long time, and in the meantime people need to have a car. “Most motorists will not go as far as taking legal action and Stellantis knows it,” laments Benjamin Capelli.
Khaled Benia remains hopeful. He is awaiting the results of the ongoing assessment at a Stellantis dealership in Montbéliard. Another option for him: rely on the insurance of the small mechanic who did his last service. “But it saddens me, because he is acting in good faith. His software was not aware of the new oil to be used for BlueHDI vehicles.”
Facebook groups for collective action?
Khaled Benia joined a Facebook group which brings together motorists, since October 2023. They come from all over France, and victims of these problems on HDIBlue engines. Several groups have created “Stellantis PSA engine 1.5 BLUEHDI broken chain camshafts HS engine” which brings together more than 8,400 subscribers or even “ 1L5 blue HDi psa engine » with 1,900 members.
These collective procedures are interesting, believes Benjamin Capelli. While specifying that the fight promises to be complicated, because each individual file will still have to be supported.
Owner of a 5008 1.5 BlueHDI for which he had to pay 4,200 euros for repairs out of his own pocket, the creator of the main Facebook page, Smaël Sebille, motorist from Var put in place, a form accessible online for those who feel wronged by the Stellantis engine and who would like to contribute to future collective action.
Which vehicles with BlueHDI engines may be affected?
-Citroën C3, C3 Aircross, C4, C4 Cactus, C4 Picasso, C5 Aircross, Berlingo, SpaceTourer and Jumpy.-Fiat Ulysse and Scudo.-DS DS 3 Crossback, DS 4, DS 7 and DS 7 Crossback.-Opel Corsa, Astra, Mokka, Crossland, Crossland X, Grandland, Grandland Vivaro.-Peugeot 208, 2008, 308, 3008, 508, 5008, Expert, Rifter and Partner.-Toyota Proace and Proace City.