Stellantis PureTech engine: it is urgent to go to the garage if this light comes on, the breakdown is imminent

This little sign indicates that your car's PureTech engine may be about to give up the ghost.

Since June ^1, 2025, Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Fiat, Opel, Alfa Romeo, and a few others, all under the Stellantis group, have been offering their customers an extended warranty of 8 years and 160,000 kilometers. This offer doesn't come out of the blue; it was designed to reassure buyers of new cars equipped with the now infamous 1.2 PureTech engine developed by the Franco-Italian-American automotive group. It must be said that the serious problems affecting the three-cylinder gasoline engine launched in 2012 – which can lead to engine failure – are not the best selling point.

Today in France, several hundred thousand motorists drive with a sword of Damocles hanging over their heads. Their car's engine could give up the ghost at any moment. This is due to premature wear of the timing belt. Bathed in oil, it frays and leaves behind impurities that can clog the strainer, the small metal grid essential for filtering the lubricant before it is sucked in by the oil pump and directed to the engine. But how can a motorist driving one of the most famous Peugeot (208, 308, 508, 2008, 3008, 5008, etc.) or Citroën (C1, C2, C3, C4, C5 Aircross, etc.) models know that their vehicle's strainer is clogged, and therefore that their PureTech engine belt is starting to tear to shreds?

It's very simple. When the strainer is clogged, the oil warning light on the dashboard comes on. This warning light should never be taken lightly; it indicates that you must stop the vehicle immediately and check the amount of oil on board. If the level is too low, it's time to top up, because just as a human being needs blood in the body to live, a car's engine needs oil to function. But if, on the other hand, the oil level is good, it means that the strainer is clogged and, consequently, that the belt is in poor condition and risks breaking.

In this case, there's no time to waste; book the first available appointment at your mechanic's. Timing belt replacement typically costs between €600 and €1,000, including parts and labor. But if it's the engine that breaks down, the price is almost tenfold!

Despite the extensive warranties promised by the Stellantis Group brands, you often have to follow very strict maintenance recommendations to benefit from them (specific engine oil, up-to-date maintenance log, etc.). It's therefore better to know how to anticipate problems. If your vehicle has a 1.2 PureTech engine under the hood, never ignore the oil warning light. It can save you from serious trouble.