Jeep Turbo

5 Jeep turbocharged engines: how the petrol-diesel mix affects turbo geometry

Across the four models covered — Compass, Cherokee, Wrangler, Renegade — this guide identifies five distinct engines, split between three diesel units and two turbocharged petrol units. That imbalance matters: the 1.6 MultiJet and 2.8 CRD diesels run turbos with variable geometry, exposed to soot-laden exhaust gases and the intense thermal cycling that diesel engines produce. The 2.0 T-GDI petrol (270 and 272 hp) and the 1.4 MultiAir operate at different turbine outlet temperatures and use a wastegate to regulate boost pressure. Mixing up the two families when ordering a replacement means ordering an incompatible part.

Identify your engine precisely before placing any order

The engine code is the only reliable reference. For the 2.8 CRD (150 or 163 hp), codes ENR and ENS correspond to two distinct power outputs: same engine capacity, different turbo. The 1.6 MultiJet comes in 105 and 120 hp variants under code EJJ — same code, but turbo references can differ depending on the exact power output. On the petrol side, the 1.4 MultiAir covers six engine codes (198 A7.000, 312 A1.000, 552 63 624, 955 A2.000, 955 A7.000, EAM), found across various years and markets on the Renegade and Compass: the turbo reference varies from one code to another. The 2.0 T-GDI, fitted to the Cherokee and Wrangler, carries code GME-T4.

Symptoms and root causes to address before replacement

On variable-geometry MultiJet units, fouling of the moving vanes is the leading cause of failure: the turbo locks in its safe position, causing a sharp loss of power and triggering limp mode. On the T-GDI and MultiAir petrol engines, failures more commonly affect the bearings and seals, typically caused by insufficient lubrication or degraded oil. In both cases — blue smoke from the exhaust, abnormal whistling, excessive oil consumption — the root cause (oil quality, lubrication circuit, clogged EGR) must be resolved before fitting a new turbo, otherwise the replacement part will fail just as quickly. The turbos listed here are new turbos, sold without exchange.