2001 Renault Clio Dynamique 1.4 16v

Summary:

Totally unreliable car/dealer combination

Faults:

Scratch on bumper from new, was parked against a high kerb so it could not be readily seen.

Squeaky drivers seat, which was changed, but still gives minimum support to the back.

Lumbar support faulty on drivers seat.

Rear wiper and mirrors intermittent fault.

Engine cutting out whilst driving, particularly dangerous whilst at motorway speeds. Occurred at least 5 times before fault was remedied.

Compression failed on one of the pistons.

Manifold pressure sensor failed.

All have happened within the first 28,000 miles.

General Comments:

After sales service is appalling, neither the dealer nor Renault UK cared about the engine cutting out whilst driving. I felt this was a safety issue with the vehicle. Each blamed the other.

Vehicle was handed in for another fault with the engine and on return 2 dents were found on the front of the bonnet. The dealer denied this had anything to do with them. The bonnet catch was not properly secure and had I not checked this myself the bonnet could have flipped up into the windscreen whilst driving home.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 6th April, 2004

16th Jan 2005, 13:38

I live in the Caribbean and bought my Clio from the local dealer in 2002. It is a 2001 model and has been such a pleasure to drive. Recently I had to change 2 sensors because the car was cutting off, but these days it is becoming ridiculous. I have to shift the gears in the gear box for the car to start. The dealer said that the key is faulty so I have began using the spear key, but the problem has not been fixed. I believe that these Renaults have serious transmission problems.

2001 Renault Clio 1.2 16V Dynamique

Faults:

Passenger seat air bag deployed without cause while traveling along a straight road. Shock of deployment resulted in swerving reaction and tire striking kerb. Dealership not interested referred to Renault UK. Renault UK were not interested, implied that I had struck the kerb first causing the bad to deploy. They told me to take up with insurance. I stand to loose 4 years no claims bonus as a result of faulty mechanism on the vehicle. There appears to be a complete lack of concern from Renault as to the possible dangers of such unexpected deployment. The issue will now be passed to my lawyers to resolve.

General Comments:

I will never buy another Renault car again as I expect more safety awareness from such a major car manufacturer.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 19th September, 2003

12th Mar 2010, 11:29

This has just happened to my daughter with exactly the same response from Renault. There appears to be no appeal, and the company's stance is that the computer said authorised deployment. However the manager could not tell us of any that the computer has said that there was a faulty deployment! Perhaps the computer does not have that programmed in?

I would like to take this further, and am looking for others to come forward if you know of people this has also happened to.

2001 Renault Clio sport 172 2.0 16v

Summary:

Fun while it lasted - now a nightmare

Faults:

Considering how much fun this car is I have been driving it like an old fart. So at 26000 miles when it broke down I was very surprised.

I checked the engine and found the pulley belt failed therefore I thought it was going to be straight forward belt replacement.

£3000 later the 'car' is back on the road.

Renault in their wisdom have designed the 2.0 engine so that if the pulley belt breaks (Even at 5 miles an hour) for any reason (E.g. failure of the: water pump; alternator; power steering pump; air con unit or for that matter the belt itself just breaks).. Then there is a high chance of the timing belt getting fowled up as well. This in turn causes the values all 16 of them to crash into the rest of the engine.

In short the dealerships get a tidy little repair job of rebuilding the top of the engine because a glorified fan belt breaks...

General Comments:

If you live in London don't use Renault West London. They don't follow even simple requests and when you ask what caused the problem even their workshop manager just says "it just happens". The most frustrating company I have ever spent £3000 with.

If you have a warranty with Renault they basically just cover the initial part that broke not the rest of the damage... for me it was a power steering pump, and if you know anything about the car industry you can be sure Renault will get than money back from it's supplier.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 2nd August, 2003

9th Apr 2007, 06:05

The ClioSport is a fun little car... at a cost. The engine and gearbox are great, but it's the little things - the rattles, the electric problems, the expensive servicing - that let it down.

I thought it may just be a one-off, but everyone seems to have these same problems.