2002 Renault Clio Extreme from UK and Ireland - Comments

As per 20th Jun 2008, 04:22.

I can't believe I made the mistake of taking it to a garage - first look, 'its the coil' - changed coil, not fixed. Second look, 'its dodgy wiring' - had the wiring redone, not fixed. Third time, 'Throttle body' - not fixed, now they're doing a compression test... why did I bother?!

Just walking down there now to pick up the bill for the work that hasn't... worked.

Renault please, I just want to know how to fix my car!!

Tim

I've also experience several of the issues raised in this huge thread of hundreds of posts. I was actually searching the net for solutions, and have spent over an hour going through just half the threads on here looking for actual advice and tips. This is what's helpful to a lot of people, so no dis respect, it'd would make things more helpful if people actually rather than just ranted another duplicative post of usual things wrong, they gave more specifics, and things like when it started happening, what hasn't helped/fixed it, what has etc.

In terms of the air bag light coming on, I was advised by a Renault specialist to check the connection, and clean the wires under both the front seats. I did this, gave them a quick clean, made sure they were tight, and have had no problems with this since. So I really recommend people do this, it's damn easy, to the point this decent garage refused to rip me off without me doing the simple exercise first.

Squeaky sun roof is another he commented on, and said it can be simply, cheaply resolved by sticking a small amount of plastic in a key area on the clip. I've found this also works, so recommend that.

Those are 2 problems I've pretty much resolved. Two I haven't are very loose, airy brakes since using them with the car off to roll it further in the drive. The first 1/2 of the brake being pushed in does nothing, only the latter half does it get tougher and actually brake, and abruptly so. Passed MOT fine, so it's puzzling. Any idea's welcome.

Recently it's not been starting first time. I intend on emptying the fuel tank as much as possible and filling up with Total Excellium, which has proven improvements for engine performance, and is cleaner. It's really helped my engine in the past, and I get much better performance from it overall. In addition I'll add some Redex engine cleaner which has been said to generally help things. Then I'll be changing the oil.

If it's still not running as well as it once was, and not starting first time, I've found cheap spark plugs on eBay which can be fitted yourself, or by a little garage. You can even get cheap ECU checkers and stuff from Halfords and eBay to start to determine the problem area's, post what they are on other sites, and engineers on various sites I've found to advise the likely problem area and seriousness (already saving you £). One of which is www.renaultforums.co.uk.

I'd also recommend http://www.usedcarmart.co.uk/forum/

Had some engineers advise me before, very helpful.

Hi All... possible solution (of sorts)

I have a 52 plate Renault Clio Dynamique (54,000 miles) 16v (bought 4 weeks ago) and pretty much as soon as I'd purchased it the fumes light was on (seen in pic a http://www.craigperks.net/pic_a.jpg), which if I over revved the car (3000rpm +) would cause the engine management light to come on and the car to go into 'limp... get me home... mode'.

For the first 2 weeks, I had no idea what the hell was causing this, but I took it upto my friends house, he opened the air intake valve and we gave it a quick spray. Low and behold the fumes light went off and it was okay for a couple of days. It did come back, which really pee'd me off, but again, I took it to my friends and gave it a more agressive spray (actually managing to choke the engine into stalling) and it was fine for 2 weeks.

It's since done it again and I've been to halfords and bought my own spray (http://www.craigperks.net/pic_b.jpg) and I've gotten into the habit of giving it a spray every weekend... so far all seems fine.

I know nothing about cars so don't treat this as gospel, but this solution might not help you guys rather than shelling out loads of cash it's worth a try to check this first. Basically, you have to unscrew the two nuts on your air intake valve, crack it open (with the engine on) and spray the air intake (while revving seems to do it better).

My friend said the problem probably lies with the 'lambda??' sensor inside the air intake, which is giving the engine false readings because it's clogged up, so it could prob do with replacing, but I'm gonna keep this up for a few weeks and see where I am then.

Like I say, give it a try, it may work..

Craig.

Hello! Having recently purchased a Clio I seem to be having similar problems to everyone else! It is a Y Reg 01-05 model.

Having bought the car about 3 or 4 months ago the ECU light (coil light) has started to come on randomly. When this happens the engine automatically revs at 2000 rpm. If I try and accelerate I get nothing and if I lift off I still get 2000 rpm. Also, the exhaust gas warning light has now come on with the ECU light.

At one point I was on the M1 and it happened. I was limited at 40mph with some traffic coming past at 80. I obviously pulled over. After restarting the engine it was fine again for another day.

Is there no simple fix to this problem? Has anyone ever managed to fix a problem like this. I think I will probably have to sell the car as being a student I cannot afford to try and fix it. I will probably lose more than £1000 from re-selling it. And I feel bad selling it to someone when I know it has a problem.

Thanks.

Has anyone contacted watchdog about all these problems.

This is Renaults fault, not ours!!

I have taken my car back to the garage where the mechanic groaned when I pulled in with the "dreaded clio".

It use to start OK but if the coil light was on I would have no accerlation. This was not so much of a problem I just turned it off and restarted till it was OK. I then got the acceleration sensor changed (this was the fault highlighed when it went to the garage).

After a couple of weeks it has started again, BUT now does it while I'm driving. If the coil light comes on I have about 30 seconds to find a place to 'break down', a couple of restarts and its OK.

It is now at the garage and I really do not know what to do with it!!

I have tried most of the comments on these pages to no succes.

I have visited the bbc homepage and gone staight to the watchdog page. You can fill in a form about complaints you have.

I think this could be the best option for all of us to report it, you never know Renault may have to give in. If not it will atleast pre-warn people about these cars.

I wish I had found this site before buying my clio, I would suggest NEVER BUY ONE!!!

Hi all.

Well, here's another one. I got a chuggy and "couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding" reaction from my 1999 1.4 Clio RT about 1 month ago but thought I was perhaps just driving it in the wrong gear etc. (only been driving a year and am a complete girl where it comes to cars n stuff).

Car decided to cut out a couple of times, did still think at this point that it was my rubbish driving, but then it started doing it more and more in first and second gear. One such "humorous" time was in my local multi storey car park, where she stalled going up one of the ramps. She went into "tractor mode" (power steering off, car dead) and I stuffed her into the wall as I couldn't react quick enough/get her round the turn properly. I was SO pleased as you can imagine. Fortunately I have only done comsetic damage, a couple of scrapes n stuff on the front driver's side.

So home I came and internet searching I went and found all these comments. That was SUCH a deep joy moment as all of you in the same (leaky, sinking) boat can appreciate. My first EVER car purchase is a lemon, I've had it a year and it's dangerous and I've got two years left to pay on it AND have recently lost my job. I am now realizing I'm, as an owner of this car, the definition of sod's law and murphy's law combined.

So this afternoon, I gaily set off in my "dangerous and doomed" car to go to an auto centre armed with some ideas to try and fix her and she helpfully stalled at the top of my road, which again, rather helpfully, happens to be a one way road. And guess what? At a time, unusually, when there was quite a bit of traffic. So there's me conked in the middle of the road, not a male in sight to help push and she decides not to start for some reason, for the first time ever. You see my point now perhaps about Sod's Law/Murphy's Law?. Finally get her started after 5 goes, with final time, me having to hoof the accelorator to pick the revsup. So, give it beans and take it to the autocentre with her stalling a few more times on the way but thankfully startin fine. Wander in and ask for replacement spark plugs, air filter, oil filter and some Redex. Which provided a rather amused looking salesman wondering how a girly girl knows what these things are. Got everything except spark plugs from here so glugged in the Redex and off I went to another retailer.

Well I do suffer from murphy's law like I said, went round the block, to a set of traffic lights, got in middle of the road, in between the lights to turn right and... well well she conked out again. Except this time because I'm in the middle of the lights and I've not gone when the lights with sensors thought I had, I've missed the sensors to make them go green again and I'm in no mans land with a car I'm about ready to drive off the nearest cliff and taffic coming at me from all sides looking at me as if I'm a right twonk.

Take a leap of faith on a red light and get to the other retilers. Get the spark plugs - bloked very confused as to why I'm so happy that he has them in stock. Set off on 12 mile drive to find Dad to fix car. Car fine!!! oooooooooooh Redex has worked methinks. So we fit everything else apart from oil filter as we can't do oil change. I know at this stage that battery is fine as I had an electrician check it's voltage both off and on. on is 15V and off is 12V so we're OK there. Air filter was the colour of creme brulee, so brown but not black. Spark plugs were worn but again not bad. Take it to nearest garage to see if he can check it over but he's swamped with work, but car is better... not chuggy, low revs, below 500, when idling. Me is pleased. Total spent at this point £44.75

Thanks me dad and goes and sees me aunty round the corner. There for 4 hours. Comes out starts car fine, gets to end of her road before corner, cuts out before speed bump. Get to end of road, cuts out. On way again, halfway down next road, cuts out. Decide to turn off lights and radio. Dusk so not exactly clever, sorry Mr officer kind of not clever, but no choice. Car OK for rest of way home at various stops, traffic lights etc. However, instead of the usual disco lights when stalled previous to today, I got battery light on first, then oil light on. And then I remembered I get a different oil reading every time I start the car somtimes says half full, others completely full, others three quarters, but engine idling sounds rattly, like you can hear the tappits (sorry spelling? girl you see!).

Right now I'm furious. I did manage to get home okay but I can't trust my little car anymore, which for a relatively new driver is not helpful. I'm going to try the oil change, throttle body clean etc. next (well my dad will when i call him to give him the good news) as well as have a go at bashing that black box off because as you can tell I'm JUST in the mood to do that. I have never had a serv, airbag, or coil light or the other one to day except when previously stalling and all lights came on at once.(disco lights description)

VERY displeased with this carat present, particularly as I thought I had bought a little gem. I will keep you all posted with my progress and I'm just hoping that the remedies you guys have found will prove fruitful for myself. If it does, I may have to think about selling her. At least I read this before I took her to a garage for them to play "guess the fault and pick a likely sum from thin air to charge for it". If nothing works, then I will get onto Renault/watchdog myself because this is intolerable and downright dangerous. If it's those bloody wires, then it's a design fault and they should know about this, which makes this whole problem, thread, and other owners' unresolved problems disgusting.

Another tale of woe for the dreaded Clio 1.2 owners.

I was travelling back home on the M1 and had just passed junction 32 when my red stop,light and the battery light lit up on the dash and the car lost all power, so I coasted off on to the hard shoulder and eventually got towed home at 9.30pm.

The breakdown guy had a quick look and said that the alternator belt had snapped but the engine was turning over fine.

Got the mechanic to replace the alternator belt and the power steering belt but the engine would not start, upon further investigation he found that the engine had no compression, not a good sign but he was still puzzled as to what was causing the problem and so was I.

Took car to another garage and they found that the alternator belt had frayed with the loose thread of the belt winding itself around the lower cam belt sprocket and this had caused the cam belt to jump and the timing was out by 90 degrees causing damage to the head and valves.

At first this may seem like a bit of bad luck but this is the second time this has happened to this car as I have the full history from the previous owner and it shows the same fault occurred in 2005 but with no explanation (now I know why).

If you look on the Internet this is a known fault with the alternator belt for the Clio which considering it costs on average £700+ every time it happens is pretty startling really,good old Renault!

My conclusion is that the Renault are absolutely rubbish at building cars and this turn of events only reinforces my resolve that I will never buy another french car again.

I have had my Renault Clio Expression 1.2 02 plate for two years now and although it feels quite a sturdy little runaround, it has had more problems than I care to remember!!

Within a day of bringing it home the gearbox started shaking while I was driving it - mainly in the lower gears.

More recently, The car has been juddering whilst stationary, and in first, second and occasionally third and fourth gears - sometimes to the point where it just cuts out intirely!

I also had a problem where the engine would turn over a few times before it would start but apparently the ignition was missing and touch wood it hasn't been too bad since its last service... although that was only a few weeks ago!

It's had a leaking roof for ages which no-one can figure out!! It leaks just in the right corner of the sun visor on the passenger side and the opposite corner of the drivers side... This is extremely annoying and as I am selling it I have had to cover it up with tarpaulin every night!! I haven't a clue what it is and to be honest I couldn't really care less!! I'll just be glad to get in my new vw golf on Saturday - warm and dry!

I know I haven't probably helped anyone with my ramblings but I figure that if I had read all of these comments before buying it I would have gotten a fiesta instead!

I've found this page searching the Internet for why my girlfriend's 51 plate 1.2 16v Renault Clio constantly loses power and what feels like little misfires whilst driving steadily. Doesn't tend to happen if accelerating hard more so just keeping at a constent speed. The best way to describe it is driving in the wrong gear.

Its got to the stage where it was 'missing' or losing power every 30 seconds... and the engine does not respond to the accelerator even if put into neutral. Today the coil light came on and the car broke down completely. I was able to start it straight away but continued to miss all the way to work.

I read about the little metal box behind the engine and checked mine. Low and behold it was completely loose and had chopped two wires to bare metal. I repaired this by melting a suitable plastic onto the wires to re-insulate them.

I also read about the ignition coils being a usual suspect for causing the problems so pulled them off the spark plugs and refitted.

The journey back to work it didn't happen once but still is slightly missing and chugging. 100 times better so would advise all to check these things first before taking it to a garage.

PEOPLE SHOULD SERIOUSLY REPORT THIS TO BBC WATCHDOG!! I AM. Renault seem to neglect their responsibilities with common manufacturing defects just like they did with the bonnets flying open.

Hi again.

Mine's the 1999 Clio RT 1.4. So try everything I can think of with this and go looking for the black metal box but can't find it. Admit defeat because she is still cutting out and take it to garage. Mechanic informs me that my car doesn't have the metal black box because is too early a model. So now I'm cheered up a little bit and think I'm alright and won't have hundreds of pounds worth of bills to pay. ask the mechanic to put it on a diagnostic (which thankfully is only going to be £20). Does that for me, rings me up and says, diagnostic is clear, can't find anything wrong. Arrggghhhhh! AND she is still cutting out on some trips. I did tell him that it always does it when I depress the clutch, so he said it may be a faulty stepper motor - as there is no timing on this car? I'm confused and fed up now. He said he'd cleaned the throttle bodies but these were'nt majorly gunked up or anything. This hasn't made a difference. So far around £80 spent on car and still not fixed. fab.

I have an 06 reg Campus Sport 1.2 16v.

It is an absolute pile of crap! And crap doesn't even begin to describe Renault's "customer service".

My problem is the same as everyones.

Car accelerates by itself, and then cuts out.

Been told by AA recovery guy that it's the throttle body, and it should cost £200 for the part/or may need a thorough clean.

The car was bought new, and I don't think problems such as this should occur within 15 months of being built, and if they do, that's why you've got a warranty. right?

WRONG! - doesn't seem anything is covered on this warranty, nothing at all!

I CANNOT STRESS ENOUGH - DO NOT BUY A RENAULT.

LOOK ALL THE WAY OVER THE WARRANTY (HAHAHA)

AWFUL! RENAULT CAN SWIVEL.

Hi.

I have a Clio 03 reg 1.2 16v.

Appear to have some sort of electrical fault, though thankfully not as serious as some of the cases on here!

Basically the cigarette lighter is not working (very annoying as can't power my satnav) and the radio cuts out every 20mins, like it would if you left it on when the engine was off.

Any one got any ideas? Both faults ocurred at the same time so seem to be linked.

Thanks.

Possible cure for your Renault.

hope this may be of some help to those of you at your wits end! Open your bonnet and on the right hand side next to the battery is a plastic fuse box cover, remove this and just behind the headlight you should find three little black relays in a line, remove one at a time and look for any white/green corriosion, if found change all three(£14.75 each!) this completely cured a 1.2 16v clio dynamic which has the same faults as descibed on here, cutting out, non start, and rough running, simple to check and may save you hundreds of pounds as this will not show up on a diagnonstics check. hope this helps some of you out. good luck

I had to drive my stuttering '02 1.6v Clio to leicester the other day and within a few miles I was in traffic with the engine management light on and the car stuttering, the tank was fairly low so I pulled in and decided to fill up with the premium unleaded having read a few people say it made a difference. Without giving it much thought, after some grub, we drove off and the light didn't reappear, it stayed that way for a whole week and drove great.

The following weekend I put in £10 worth of supermarket fuel from Jamie Olivers friends and within the first mile of driving the car went into 'limp mode', stalling at traffic lights and failing to pull away with any power. I made it to a duel carriageway where I used up as much fuel as poss before pulling over and filling up with the premium petrol again - as soon as I did, car fine again!

I can't explain it but definitely a quick fix to my problems, for now...