Bigster
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Which Dacia Bigster engine is the most reliable? See common problems, reviews and reliability verdicts across generations and engines.
Frequently asked questions
Which Dacia Bigster engine is the most reliable?
1.2 TCe 130 mild hybrid (H5Dt / HR12) — Maint. Sensitive verdict. The TCe 130 in the Duster III and the Bigster is the 1,199 cc three-cylinder with a 48V starter-generator. It is not the old 1,198 cc four-cylinder that drinks oil, and it is not the Duster Hybrid 140. Auto Plus, 5 September 2026, put the early Duster III complaints on the 12V and the electronics: a dead screen, a reversing camera that stays black, parking radars and driver aids that drop out, and a stack of warnings that can vanish after a restart. On the mild-hybrid cars the same piece records no-starts with a shower of messages, at mileages still under about 26,000 km, plus a few injection faults that it does not describe further. On Dacia's own forum a 2024 1.2 TCe 130 4x4 fired and died until several tries; another owner with the same start-and-stall said an engine update stopped it. Auto Plus's gearbox stories — swarf in the oil, a complete gearbox, a gearbox computer that bricks the car — are written against the E-Tech Hybrid 140, which is a different powertrain. Buy the 130 on the 12V, the software level and a quiet cold start. Do not price it as the Hybrid 140's gearbox.
Which Dacia Bigster engines should you avoid?
None of the Dacia Bigster engines listed are rated "Problematic" or "Avoid" — but always check the service history before buying.
What are the most common Dacia Bigster problems?
The most commonly reported problems across all Dacia Bigster generations and engines: Mild-hybrid 12V: no-start and a stack of warnings, Starts, then dies, until an engine update, Multi-mode hybrid gearbox (novel), The Hybrid 140 gearbox is not this engine, Hybrid battery (long life).