2002 Renault Clio Extreme from UK and Ireland - Comments

I have a Clio Dynamique 03 plate. Nothing but trouble. Within a year of purchase they replaced the throttle body. I went to collect it and it still didn't work, so they then replaced the computer. The throttle body was replaced again within a year and in the last week I have just lost the power again, it goes normally and then all of a sudden (generally in rush hour traffic) the car just slows to 15 mph at its top speed. Renault have just charged me £112 for replacing a spark plug - I could have purchased at Halfords for £5! I doubt very much this is the cause of the problem, but Renault get paid in the knowledge that I will be backk again within the year. Selling up now before this car slows to 15mph in the outside lane of the motorway! Potential buyers stay clear!

My daughter owns a 03 plate diesel Clio which she has had from new. It has run fine until about 3 months ago when she started experiencing starting problems. She would turn the key and there would be absolutely no response. A new relay has been fitted which seemed to solve the problem, but now there is an intermittent fault with starting. The engine turns, but not firing. It is almost like the immobiliser has stuck, but it happens even when the car hasn't been locked. Garage had it for 2 weeks, but it started first time every day. I have had it in my garage for 1 night and I can't start it again this morning. Any ideas?

Again the same problem as most of you!!!

When coming to a halt in my ‘02’ Renault Clio the orange ‘electrical coil warning light’ comes on and the revs just bounce around for a couple of seconds before the car eventually cuts out. As soon as the car picks up speed the light goes off and the car goes back to normal.

I have checked the black box at the rear of the engine bay and I don’t feel that this is the problem with my car, as the wires have not been cut. (against the judgement of my Renault dealer)

A couple of weeks ago I purchased the Haynes repair manual that stated that the idling speed for the 1.2 16v should be 750rpm, but my car is idling at more like 500rpm.

My Clio actually has air con, so as a test I left my air con on constantly as the air con should give the car about 200 more revs. Sure enough the car did not cut out and run fine.

Could the problem just be that the cars idling speed is incorrect? I have rung 4 local car electrical garages who all state that only Renault have the equipment to adjust the cars idling (surprise, surprise).

Is it just my car that idles at 500rpm??? Or have you all got the same problem?

Any info would be appreciated. My email:- Stephen_Watkins@sky.com.

Hi my speedometer is falling to zero when I'm driving and the electrical fault light has been coming on intermittantly whilst reversing. has anyone had these problems?

I own a Renault Clio 1.4 16v Alize and suffered the same juddering and misfiring problems that have been mentioned in many previous post. I fixed the problem by removing the spark plugs and checking the condition I found that 3 of the 4 had normal deposits and the 4th was covered in black oily deposits. After cleaning and re gapping the plugs I fitted them back into the same cylinders and swapped the ignition coil fitted to the plug with the oily deposits with the coil next to it. After a short test drive I removed the plugs again and found that the spark plug with the swapped coil now had the black oily deposits. I replaced all the spark plugs as a precaution at a cost of £10 and replaced the faulty coil at a cost of £33 and all now works fine. Hope this helps some of you to fix your problems.

Hi everyone.

1.2 Expression 52 plate.

Same problems as everyone else; I managed to fix the 'limp-home mode' problem (cutting out/limited revs and speed) by re-insulating the wires that had been worn down by the black metal box at the back of the engine.

Can't get to the bottom of lumpy idling. Mine starts off at about 1250 revs, but drops to 500 and nearly stalls after about a minute! Have changed TDC sensor and cleaned coils/plug interface.

I too have written to Renault/Watchdog & VOSA about this issue and ask everyone to do the same; the more vigorously this issue is brought to light, the more chance we all have of finding a solution.

Hi

1.4 16v 2001 Y dynamic +. revs at 500 rpm. sounds like it might stall, but hasn`t yet. any ides?

2002 Renault Clio 1.6lt Privilege

Hi, After reading the multitude of comments/complaints on the Clio, I realize I have probably made a mistake buying one two weeks ago. However, I have one glimmer of hope, are all these problems only related to the 1.2lt models? I have not seen any complaints relating to the 1.6lt Privilege. Any comments?

Me too, 2001 Y 1.4 dynamic plus, low revs around 450-500, sluggish pull away etc. £45 each time to have it tested is ridiculous - what is the problem, sound like it could be any of 4-5 things - no-one seems to know - esp garages!

I bet renault do!!!

I purchased my 53 plate Clio Dynamique Bilabong in Oct 06, 6 weeks after purchase I experienced the problems of cutting out, having no power when putting my foot on the accelerator and the coil light and engine management light coming on and going off intermittently...

Having been told by Renault it was the coil, I had that replaced along with the plugs etc, and everything was fine for a week or so. then it started again.. after going to trading standards they advised me to get Renault to pay for the diagnostics which after much toing and froing they did and aid it was the throttle body.. Which would cost me £394 to have replaced which I am not prepared to pay.. this has been going on for a year now and after reading the boards here I think the way forward is to get in touch with Watchdog and complain to them as this is a major problem I believe Renault should be looking at.

I have put my car in the garage to have the throttle body cleaned to see if that helps. So I will keep you informed whether it works or not..

Hi.

I have the same problems as a few of you. my electrical fault light comes on at junctions and the revs bounce around, sometimes it will stall other times it is OK. I had my car on the diagnostics machine and its coming up 'map circuit sensor fault' - could this be anything to do with it? I have heard if the map sensor is dirty/has water in it could be causing this. Not sure where the map sensor is though on my Y reg 1.2 16v clio sport.

Hi everyone.

Oh dear! I seem to have become an unwilling member of the "my Clio doesn't run properly" crew; not good...dough.

My wife's T reg clio RXE auto just decided to start running on only 2 cylinders yesterday. After a couple of tests swapping leads and plugs, one of the ignition wiring plug connectors seem not to functioning..but after trying the car the next day, it ran like nothing had ever happened...what so now am I supposed to forget crawling home by the skin of my teeth, with clio stalling at at every traffic light, I'd be interested to know if any of you guys had the misfortune to have had this fault? and what you did to remedy this what seems to be an intermittent fault....I'm daring to drive it again tonight, I can't wait!!.. (sarcasm in abundance)..!!!

Cheers.

Renault Clio Grande 1.2 16V.

I've had the car about 5 months now, not had any engine problems... i don't think.. was drivin up the motorway yesterday doing 60..put my foot to the floor, and the car starting makin a herrendous knocking noise and vibrating... pulled in at the services and went up through the gears and it does it in every gear... sounds like its coming from the passenger side... possibly a bearing or driveshaft.. anybody know..??

Bearing in mind.. I did curb it at 50 a while back.. bent the wheel.. but got it changed and everything seemed to be OK up to now..

Thanks.

Dan.

Has anyone contacted watchdog?

Clio Dynamique 1.6 54 plate.

Had my Clio now for three years, and it has run very smoothly with no problems, until I was driving home last week in particularly heavy traffic! The car starting to vibrate and then a few minutes later the toxic fume warning light came on. Initially assumed it just didn’t like the traffic conditions, but the following day it did the same thing on a traffic free drive. Continued to shake and make a loud knocking noise, felt like one of the pistons wasn’t firing properly.

I took the car to my local Renault dealers who plugged it into the computer and diagnosed a broken coil. When I came to pay the bill it turned out they had charged me for the broken coil & diagnostics, but also replaced the other 3 at the same time at their cost despite the car being out of warranty. I was unaware there was a problem with coils on Clio’s, but when asked the dealer acknowledged that there had been a bad batch. Clearly Renault has now recognised there is a problem, and acted appropriately. Still working well a week later.