2002 Renault Clio Extreme from UK and Ireland - Comments

I have a Y plate 2001 clio, 1.2 16v Dynamique.

I also have had many problems with my car.

1. The service light will come on and off when it pleases, usually at high revs.

2. The airbag light will also come on and off when it wants.

3. Driver side electric window once came off its rollers and would not shut. I had it replaced for no more than £20, and it was fine for a while, but lately when I close it, it creaks when it gets to the very top, as if it is getting pushed too far up.

4. Rattling sun roof also, but not a major problem as I have my music too loud to notice.

5. Problems starting the car, as if the spark plugs were broke, very annoying!

6. ENGINE WARNING LIGHT! This has just recently happened to me, and I bought the car in April 2005! The car will start to shudder and slow down with no power, and the light will start to flash!

I took it to the garage; they had it wired to their computer and could not find a fault, however the guy did clean out the engine and under the bonnet for me. This seemed to be fine for a few days until it started again last night. Then this morning it started first time, which is pretty unusual, but still juddering and the light flashing.

I then came to an uphill junction where the car was REALLY shaking and cut out twice on the hill. I have had to leave it in a nearby street as it would not get me to work and back! I am now looking for another car, and have just came across this website! I am appalled, especially at Renaults behaviour! I am now not going to even think about getting the car fixed, as I know it won't make any difference, and will not buy or recommend another Renault.

Advice to all... Get rid!

Oh dear God I can't bloody believe it!!! My worst nightmare has come true. Clio's are a load of rubbish. Got my 2003 16v in April and already the engine management light, exhaust light and this morning the battery light flashed up (for a change!), just before I broke down in the middle of the city centre on a really busy road. 15 minutes on, I try the ignition and the car starts normally. So I drive to the dealer I bought it from and knows me well now from all my visits to fix it. Surprise surprise, they can't diagnose the problem.

I bought the car in full. Should I try to get my money back? Although I have done 5,000 miles. Or should I try for a part exchange on a new one?

I knew I should have got a Golf!!!

I have posted before with my problem.. but I seem to have stomped on it, and thought I'd share.

Basically, when in traffic, or often when slowing down, coming up to a stop, my engine management light would come on. At this point, if I was letting the car idle, the revs would jump up and down as though the car were about to stall and it was revving to prevent this. If I left my foot off the accelerator, it would stall. If I revved for a a few seconds, the light would switch off and the car would return to normal.

Also, twice, I managed to run the battery down to a point where the car would not start (usually by leaving the radio on or some such)

Last week, I managed this again. I called out the RAC and could not get my car started using jumper leads. When they dropped me at home though, I made them put my car at the top of the hill so I could try roll start it. It worked. The next morning, I thought about it.. and the fact that revving the motor seems to clear the light suggested that perhaps revving was charging the battery or something and getting rid of the light? So I did the following.

I drove the car to KwikFit who will do free battery tests. They tested the battery and verified that my current one was die for replacement. I then replaced the battery and have not had the problem since. (I used to get it every day.. it has now been 8 days since I last had the problem)

It is a bit if a long shot, but a battery test can be done free. If the battery is due, you may as well have it swapped anyway?

It could be possible that it worked simply because the battery had been disconnected, so the on board computer reset the idling when I eventually started the car again? If your battery is OK.. perhaps try this? Both options are low cost and low risk (If you are going to disconnect your battery, just make sure you know the code for your radio though.. It will be on you service manual and the invoice from when you got the car if you bought it new)

If this helps - please post here for others.

I am having the same problems with my 98 R Clio Grande - engine cuts out whilst driving/idling at a junction or traffic lights. Very dangerous, especially as the hazard lights won't work when this happens! It will normally start again if jump started, but once engine is switched off it won't re-start. Have taken it to the garage on numerous occasions and they can't find a definitive problem - suggestions have been faulty earthing, negative connection... Very annoying.

Yet another frustrated Renault Clio cutomer... bought a Renault Clio 1.2 Expression in July 2001 (new) and just before the 3 year warranty was due to expire the car developed an intermittent fault whereby at times it would cut out - but v. intermittent and annoyingly I missed the end of the warranty period by the time I first had it seen to. A local garage initially replaced spark plugs which did nothing then diagnosed faulty map sensor and this was replaced in August 2005. Seemed to run OK for the next 10 months and then the old problem seemed to come back, but intensified and now with a light coming on the dashboard. By now the car was losing power in low gears and stalled a couple of times. This time took it to Renault who diagnosed that it required a replacement wiring loom and another part (can't recall name) with a bill totalling £500.00. OK... things seemed to be OK until July 2007 when the car seemed to be losing power again. Local garage replaced coil pack then this didn't work so they called in diagnostics who said the map sensor needed replacing. Aaaaarrrggghh!!! Apparently the seal was damaged and (they said) hadn't been replaced when the map sensor was changed in 2005. Bingo - another bill for around £500.00. To add insult to injury - when the mechanic was test driving the car the bonnet lid flipped up and crumpled the bonnet and roof as well as wrecking the windscreen - the garage have fortunately repaired this on their insurance. No, we didn't get a warning latter from Renault about the bonnet faulty catch. This is the worst nightmare of a car I have ever owned. I feel completely out of control and at the mercy of the so-called "experts". It's shocking to read of so many people in a similar - and even worse - situation. Jenne McClure.

My brother has a Clio 51 Reg and everything that people have written about the lack of power and engine management light showing all the time and Renault not knowing what causes it is true. My friend is a mechanic and he has said that it could be the throttle bodies? that may need cleaning or the engine management leads need replacing due to water getting into them. Our local Renault garage has charged my brother three times to put the car on the computer for testing and each time he has been charged £85 plus the cost of parts which are now in excess of £500. My mechanic friend has told my brother to get shut of his car as soon as possible.

So when my brother took his car to a local FORD garage the salesman said let me guess you've got a problem with the electrics? Hence he is now on the way to having a Ford!!

This is the first time I've bought a second-hand car from a private buyer with no warranty, and the first time I've bought a Renault, and NEVER again. The car is a 03 Dynamique and has only 18,000 miles. In February, it started losing power when cold so I took it to the garage who charged me £140 for diagnostics, and for changing the spark plugs. It has worked fine till this week when it's (losing power) all started again. Have been back to Renault who want £100 for tests, but I have no confidence in their finding the problem. I've not worked on a car before, but with the help of my Dad I'm going to do the spark plugs, check the wiring and clean the manifold (not sure what that is yet, but am about to find out!)

My real comment: has Renault admitted any fault with these cars? Seems like (there is) a common fault. I certainly would not buy a Renault again, and have found the attitude at the dealership very unhelpful, assuming this cannot be the first time they've had this problem.

Will let you know how I get on with the mechanics, and if I solve the problem.

Jan.

Its only the ignition coils that are in the spark plug sockets you can buy a full set on ebay for 38.00 or you pay that each at renault good luck.

I have a 55 reg Clio Extreme 1.2 16v, and I too have been having problems with starting the car, and with the revs dying out when I'm accelerating, but then at other times it flies away.

Also, I've had a fault in the doors which did not lock, so was leaving my car parked, thinking it was locked when it wasn't.

Have had the AA out to look at it as I could not get it started at all; he could not find fault, and then it randomly started up again.

It's been fine for a few months, but in past 3 weeks it has started not starting again. Taking it back to the garage on Friday for a look.

Renault Clios,

Don't buy one! Bought mine as my first car just after passing my driving test in 2005. Worked fine for about 5-6 months then the cutting out started!

- Would approach a junction and dip the clutch to come to a stop; coil light would come on and revs would fluctuate for no reason, then after about 3-5 fluctuations the car would cut out.

Took car to my local Renault dealer when my parents were on holiday, and received very poor service. They replaced an upper wiring loom, which I think cost in the region of £350.

The car worked fine for about another 7 months, and then it started cutting out again. Also by this time the passenger airbag warning light came on, I was told this was just an electric fault and Renault removed the fault code. However to this day they still say they don't know what the problem is.

Want to get rid of this car ASAP.

Anyone who knows the solutions to these problems, or information on part exchanging these cars (eg how much a dealer will give you) please contact me on:

mattyev2002@hotmail.com

Cheers.

I have a 1.2 Y-reg Clio Grande. Recently been having problems, looking over the forum, I don't seem to be alone in this though.

About 3-4 weeks ago, the Clio was difficult to start, it would turn, the engine would start, it would rev up, then just cut out, after a few tries, it would start and be OK. At first I thought it might be moisture on something or the spark plugs playing up. No such look.

Eventually the car became incapable of starting. Got it to a garage who couldn't figure it out, it was like the computer was shutting the engine off. I had already replaced the TDC Crankshaft sensor a week earlier and that hadn't helped. They ran the diagnostic on it and couldn't find any stored errors except for the car wanting us to replace the Pressure Inlet Manifold Sensor, which is not actually part of the engine in my Clio, but also isn't the cause.

The garage came to a loss as to what the problem could be other than maybe a wiring fault which would take time to find and so I took it to Renault today in the hopes they would have seen the problem before. They sweared blind they hadn't seen anything like it before, but said the only solution was to replace the ECU. Obviously not a happy bunny about all this, but with a disabled car and being stuck 250 miles from my home I have no choice it seems.

Hopefully this will fix it and the engine will be allow to start again, but the fact they told me they had never seen this before and yet I'm seeing all these posts on the internet with the same issues does make me wonder.

Has anyone been able to get there ECU repaired as a specialist rather than let Renault replace it and succeeded?

Also, I've lived with the airbag/serv light on for quite awhile, used to jiggle the wire under the front passenger seat to clear it, has become permanent though, though today Renault removed a fuse from the side panel by the airbag while trying to find out whats wrong and it has got rid of the error light. They then left the fuse on the floor and also seem unable to put the interior trim back which they pulled away to check some wires.

Richard.

O gosh if only I had found this website 2 days ago. I have had my renault clio 1.2 51 dynamique for less than 48 hours and its been juddering and cutting out already!I love the car to bits tho and had been looking for one for sooo long bt now I'm jus : (and annoyyed because it doesn't seem as though theres a solution to this problem!DAMN!

My Car was brand new from 2003, a dynamique billabong 1.2 16v. It was picked up with a faulty thermometer which the garage replaced under warranty. About a year later, the leads and spark plugs went and my car lost power. Fortunately, the warranty covered the repairs.

Then it had the service and airbag light coming on which I found out through a friend is faulty connections and have dealt with - I am no mechanic or electrician, but having a Dad who is an engineer helps a lot!

Now my indicators are screwed up - Renault charged me £44 for the pleasure of telling me that the main fuse control board, known as the UCH, requires replacement and this can only be done using a new part, which to configure (as only official Renault dealers have the software to do this) and install would cost a staggering £350!!! I am going to order the part from them and get them to configure it for me, I think I am competent enough to fit it.

I have been fortunate enough to not have any other major problems, but I suggest where possible - AVOID THE DEALERS!! For most servicing issues, if you are competent at doing basic maintenance a Haynes manual costs less than £20 in Halfords and will tell you how to change the parts and basic parts (brake pads, spark leads, coils etc) are considerably cheaper.

Clio 01, 1.2 Dynamique - Engine Light problem.

I too am having the same problem mentioned by hundreds of other users on this thread. My engine management light has started to come on intermittently, causing my car to judder and cut out while driving. Took it to my local garage who ran diagnostics and told me the Throttle Body needs replacing. Renault charge £300 for just the part, so he trying to locate a reconditioned one for me.

Has anyone ever had this problem resolved by replacing the throttle body? If so email me at smandir@hotmail.com.

It seems like this is a very very common fault with clio's, surely there must be grounds for a recall by renault. Are VOSA and watchdog aware of this issue?

P.s - also have a rattling sunroof, which renault fixed (for 3 months) until it came back!!! Very annoying!!

I too have an 52 plate Clio Extreme 1.2 16v and I have had similar issues to the rest of you. I had the power failure whilst driving on a motorway and took it to the local dealership where it was fixed (under warranty). The sunroof is a complete pain in the Ass, has anyone actually found a fix for this?

Also the temperature gauge has gone from nuts to none existant. Anyone know how to fix this?

Finally the Drivers side window has broken after the cheap and nasty looking guide broke whilst I was raising it the other day. My local garage has quoted me a stupid price to fix it.

I have to sympathise with moist of the users on here as the way Renault have treated all these issues is an absolute disgrace. if they know there is a common fault on the car then it's their obligation to fix this problem, otherwise surely they are breaking the T+C's of selling you this product??

I would advise everyone to visit the BBC's Watchdog website and file the same complaint about Renault, as they recently had success with the Bonnet catch saga.

I will be doing so now with a link to this thread. All support would be appreciated.