PureTech oil consumption: causes, risks and what to do

A 1.2 PureTech uses oil when oil gets into the combustion chamber and burns, or when the engine leaks. Every engine uses a little oil. On some of the older PureTech engines it is a lot more than that. According to the ANWB, the Dutch motoring organisation, there are complaints about high oil consumption and about problems with the camshaft and crankshaft, in addition to the complaints about the timing belt.

The engine has a wet timing belt (belt-in-oil): a belt that runs inside the engine, through the oil. When that belt wears, rubber particles end up in the oil. Dirt in the oil can make the piston rings stick. Piston rings are the rings around the piston that keep oil out of the combustion chamber. When they no longer work properly, oil burns along with the fuel. How this works in technical detail is explained on our main page about PureTech engine problems.

Yes, if the car has an older generation 1.2 PureTech. The oil consumption is linked to the engine, not to the model. NTN-SNR names the 1.2 PureTech Turbo in these models, among others:

Not every version of these models has this engine. A diesel, an electric version or a mild hybrid version does not have it. An overview by make is in our article which cars have a wet timing belt. We can look up which engine your car has from your registration number (the Dutch kenteken).

Whether the consumption is too high depends on what the manufacturer specifies and on how it develops over several thousand kilometres. What the manufacturer considers acceptable is usually in the owner’s manual. The trend matters more than a single measurement. If you need to top up more and more often, something is changing in the engine.

This is how to check the oil level yourself:

1. Park the car on level ground and switch off the engine.
2. Wait a few minutes so the oil can drain back into the sump. Follow the waiting time in the owner’s manual.
3. Pull out the dipstick, wipe it clean, put it back in and pull it out again.
4. The level should be between the minimum and maximum marks. Write down the date, the mileage and how much oil you add.
5. Only top up with oil that Stellantis specifies for your engine. Not sure which oil that is? Ask us with your registration number.

The biggest risk is too little lubrication, which can cause serious engine damage. This can happen in two ways. The oil level drops below the minimum because the engine burns oil faster than you top it up. Or the oil supply gets blocked by dirt in the oil.

According to the ANWB, a wearing belt can shed pieces into the engine that cause serious damage. NTN-SNR describes how loose particles can block the oil strainer. The oil strainer is the mesh at the bottom of the engine that the oil pump draws the oil through. If the strainer is partly blocked, it needs cleaning. If it is completely blocked, NTN-SNR says the oil pump also needs replacing. According to NTN-SNR, a blocked strainer can also damage the vacuum pump for the brake servo.

So high oil consumption is not a matter of topping up and carrying on. It is a sign that something is going on inside the engine. The sooner the cause is known, the smaller the chance of damage to the oil pump, the turbo or the engine itself.

We measure the consumption over an agreed distance, so it is not based on a guess. We top up the oil to the maximum and note the mileage. After an agreed number of kilometres you come back and we see how much needs adding. That gives you a recorded consumption instead of a feeling.

We also look at the service history, the oil in the engine and any signs of leaks. During a service we check the belt as the manufacturer prescribes. Which repair is needed depends on the cause. We tell you the price in advance and only carry out repairs with your approval.

If the wet timing belt needs replacing, we have fixed package prices for the 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech: € 995, € 1,095 or € 1,250, depending on the model and engine. We look up which price applies to your car from your registration number. The package includes the timing belt kit, the gaskets, new oil, a new oil filter and cleaning the oil strainer. The water pump is not included. If it needs replacing, we tell you in advance. The car is usually ready within a day. More about replacement is on our page about timing belt replacement in Rotterdam.

Yes, under conditions. Stellantis, the group behind Peugeot, Citroën, DS and Opel, has offered an extended warranty since March 2024 for older generations of the 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech with excessive oil consumption or premature wear of the timing belt. According to the Stellantis press release of 7 May 2025, it covers 100 per cent of the cost of parts and labour, for up to 10 years or 180,000 km, depending on the production date of the car.

Did you pay for repairs caused by oil consumption or belt wear yourself between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2024? Then, according to Stellantis, you can claim compensation under conditions via the Stellantis online platform. In the Netherlands this has been possible since 7 May 2025. Diagnosis and repair under the scheme go through an authorised repairer of the brand. We do not run the scheme and do not decide on it. Everything about the conditions is in our article on the PureTech compensation scheme from Stellantis. This information was checked on 6 November 2026 and may change.

A 1.2 PureTech needs the oil that Stellantis specifies for that engine. It is not only about the viscosity, such as 0W20 or 5W30, but about the manufacturer’s specification. We use the oil Stellantis specifies for your engine and look it up from your registration number.

According to oil manufacturers, Stellantis has changed its recommendation. According to MPM (30 September 2025), all 1.2 PureTech engines with the code EB2, except the EB2LT, now require oil to Stellantis FPW9.55535/03 in 5W30. According to Q8Oils (11 June 2026), this specification was introduced after the problems with timing belt wear on PureTech engines.

Do you drive little, mostly on short trips? NTN-SNR advises changing the oil every year on lightly used cars with this engine. How an oil change works at our garage is explained on our page about an oil change in Rotterdam.

Yes, a little oil consumption is normal for every engine. If you need to top up more and more often, that is a sign to have the engine checked. Stellantis recognises excessive oil consumption as a complaint on older 1.0 and 1.2 PureTech engines.

Yes, as long as the oil level is between the minimum and maximum marks and no warning light is on. Check the level more often and write down how much you add. If the red oil warning light comes on, stop as soon as it is safe and switch off the engine.

Yes. Use oil with the specification Stellantis prescribes for your engine and do not fill above the maximum mark. Write down the date, the mileage and the amount. That helps when measuring the consumption and with any claim to Stellantis.

No, not necessarily, although it can be. Belt particles and dirt in the oil can make the piston rings stick, so oil burns along with the fuel. A leak, the turbo or the crankcase ventilation can also be the cause. Only an inspection shows what is going on with your car.

No, not by itself. A new belt removes the source of new belt particles, but piston rings that are already stuck or damaged do not recover. That is why we first find out where the consumption comes from, and we tell you in advance which repair is needed.

That depends on the cause. Replacing the wet timing belt costs € 995, € 1,095 or € 1,250 at our garage, depending on the model and engine, without the water pump. For other work, such as on the turbo or the piston rings, we tell you the price in advance and only carry out repairs with your approval.

Yes, if you want to claim under the Stellantis scheme. Diagnosis and repair under the scheme go through an authorised repairer of the brand. Ask there first whether your car qualifies. If your car is not covered, you are welcome at our garage for an inspection and repair, with the price in advance.

• ANWB: Problemen PureTech-motoren (PureTech engine problems, update May 2025, in Dutch)
• Stellantis: Stellantis extends compensation for claims from European consumers on older generation PureTech 1.0 and 1.2 engines (press release, 7 May 2025, in Dutch)
• NTN-SNR: TECHinfo 1.2 PureTech Turbo (June 2022)
• MPM Oil: Change in Recommendation for Stellantis Vehicles (30 September 2025)
• Q8Oils: Stellantis FPW Engine Oil Specifications: A Unified Approach (11 June 2026)