KNOWN FAULTS · Lancia

Known faults for the Lancia Thema / Voyager.

2011–2015 · Petrol / Diesel

Sources are not verified in real time and no entry confirms that your car is affected.

3 known faults with sources

Engines: 3.6 V6 (Petrol)

Leaking oil filter housing and cooler on the 3.6 PentastarEngine

Engine / equipment: 3.6 V6 Pentastar: Jeep Grand Cherokee, Wrangler and Gladiator, Chrysler Grand Voyager and 300C, Lancia Thema and Fiat Freemont
Period mentioned: 2011 onwards
Symptoms: Oil spots under the car, oil on the block below the housing (in the engine’s “V”), frequent top-ups and, in serious cases, a low oil-pressure warning; sometimes coolant leaks too.
Possible cause described: The plastic housing that holds the oil filter and cooler sits in the middle of the engine, exposed to heat: with heat cycles it warps and cracks. Overtightening the filter cap also damages it. Chrysler revised the design in 2014, but leaks still occur.
Check for the garage: Look for oil in the centre of the engine and under the car; do not overtighten the filter cap. The usual repair is replacing the whole assembly (aluminium versions exist), removing the intake manifolds, with new gaskets.
Cost cited in the source: No verified estimate; ask the garage for a quote.A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Engines: 2.8 / 3.0 CRD (Diesel)

Applies if: Only the 2.8 CRD.

EGR, turbo and timing belt on the 2.8 CRD (VM Motori)Engine

Engine / equipment: 2.8 CRD by VM Motori: Jeep Cherokee, Wrangler, Chrysler Voyager, Dodge Nitro and Lancia Voyager
Period mentioned: 2001–2018
Symptoms: Hesitation, smoke and loss of power from the EGR or particulate filter; a failing turbo or intercooler; if the timing belt breaks, serious damage (interference engine).
Possible cause described: The block is considered robust: problems usually come from the ancillaries (turbo, intercooler and emissions equipment, especially the EGR valve). Owners point out that the timing belt is expensive and must be changed on time (about 160,000 km).
Check for the garage: Check when the belt was changed; read the EGR and filter codes; check the turbo and intercooler pipes.
Cost cited in the source: No verified estimate; ask the garage for a quote.A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Engines: 2.8 / 3.0 CRD (Diesel)

Applies if: Only the 3.0 CRD.

EGR cooler and bearings on the VM 3.0 V6 diesel (EcoDiesel)Engine

Engine / equipment: VM Motori 3.0 V6 diesel (A630, “EcoDiesel”): Jeep Grand Cherokee and Gladiator, Chrysler 300C, Lancia Thema and Maserati Ghibli, Quattroporte and Levante
Period mentioned: 2011 onwards
Symptoms: Coolant loss, white smoke or combustion in the intake manifold (cracked EGR cooler); deep metallic knock and the oil-pressure warning (bearings); on engines from 2020, low oil-pressure warnings or a failing high-pressure pump shedding metal.
Possible cause described: According to mechanics and owners, the EGR cooler cracks from thermal fatigue (Chrysler recalled it) and the crankshaft bearings can fail from lugging at low revs or carbon in the oil passages. On the third generation (from 2020) there was a recall for the Bosch CP4.2 fuel pump. Maserati uses the same VM engine in its diesels.
Check for the garage: Check the EGR-cooler and pump campaigns by VIN; watch the coolant and oil pressure; with knocking or the oil warning, stop. Avoid lugging the engine at very low revs under heavy load.
Cost cited in the source: No verified estimate; ask the garage for a quote.A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.