2002 Renault Clio Extreme from UK and Ireland - Comments

Hi,

I bought my Clio 1.2 16v 51 plate in sept 06. In Feb my Clio would not start. It fired up, but would not run. I had RAC come out, they tested it and said it was a throttle problem, then they towed it to the Renault garage where I bought it.

Renault said they had to do a computer test on it and charged me, even though RAC gave them their report.

Renault said it was the spark plugs so I agreed to go ahead with the work. Then they called me again to say that it was the throttle body that needed changing and would cost me 750pound + vat. I was not very happy as I had paid extra for a 2year warranty on this car which apparently does not cover any of this!!

After an argument with renault for charging me for the spark plugs which was originally the problem (obviously not!!), I towed my car to my local garage to have the throttle body changed. It did end up costing the same as Renault were going to charge me, but this has actually not made any difference!!! So Renault have failed in testing is its own product for problems.

My car is still in the garage as the computer cannot locate the problem, and my Clio still will not start.

I will keep you posted on this.

I will be making an official complaint to Renault, for the service, the wrong diagnosis (twice),and the warranty thing (considering I have only had the car 5 months!)

Also, I cannot wait for the finance to be paid off on this car, I will not be buying another Renault as I also had problems with my previous car-a Megane!

Last June I had all the problems of juddering and stalling in my 51 plate Clio Expression 1.2 16v. I called out the AA who diagnosed a faulty MAP sensor. Went to renault, who diagnosed this along with a faulty wiring loom. This solved the problem and the car was running well until today. Again the warning light came on and this time I had no throttle whatsoever. This came back, but the car is now as bad as it was before. Am I covered by a guarantee for the work they did last year, or more likely will they say it is something else and charge me a small fortune.

Message to all, I have a renault clio 1.2 dynamique. It use to cut out and stall. sometimes not even start. The car was bought brand new and since the 3rd week of owning it the car has been cutting out. It has been back to the dealership and they could not diagnose the fault. Over 20 times it went back in to the dealership. In the end I decided to take things into my own hands. I went online and found loads of people with the same problem. My friend was a mechanic at the renault branch I was taking the car too. and he told me that they didn't know what the problem was. I then found an article online and it mentioned the black box at the back of the engine under the bonet. I had the security catch taken off! and took the clip out. I then taped round all the wires using electrical tape. I placed the cables back in and Left the security box off. this instantly solved the problem.

Hope this help!

My Renault clio 2001 1.2 expression+ Somtimes it will not start

and judders when travelling at low speed and feels like I have to rev it before it stalls every time I get in the car, it has had new sensors, coil pack, and sensor wiring fitted after many occasions to my garage, now I am told it is down to an immobilizer problem and would need a new alarm systym fitted at around £300 I've decided against this as it is not guarantied to sort the problem.

I have a Renault Clio 1.2 16V (2002), and the coil light turns on in irregular time intervals. I have to stop, turn off the car and turn it on again. Even this doesn't solve the problem always. My car was serviced twice. First time they run diagnostics and couldn't find any problems, and second time they cleaned all the wire contacts, in the ecu and all around the engine. Nothing helped. The yellow coil light turns on frequently and the car loses its power.

Does anyone know if the computer stores the error which caused the coil light to turn on? I ask you this because when I go to service, this light is off (Murphy's law).

Hi all. Yet another Clio 1.2 16V with electrical problems. 51 Dynamique, 43K miles. Recently the electrical warning light (orange) has started coming on in traffic and the engine cuts out. Turning the ignition off and restarting can clear the problem, but I need to rev the engine for about 20 seconds before the warning light goes out…..otherwise it just cuts out again. Has been into independent garage today (I won’t be using a Renault dealer as past experience has taught me all I need to know.. once bitten etc…) and they diagnosed a faulty “map sensor for inlet airflow”. All–in repair cost £150 and guess what ….it happened again within 20 miles!

Is there a definitive answer to this problem? I have seen comments on TDC sensor, chaffed wiring, chafed vacuum tubes and etc …. Are there any competent Renault mechanics out there with the golden bullet?

First, the Clio only seems to have had numerous problems because the people who search for such sites are those who have had problems. Try a search for a comparable car, such as a Ford Focus (which I almost bought) or a Peugeot 206 (which came with only a two-year warranty).

Second, I will be quite frustrated if I have to replace an expensive computer. I've had an electrical fault off-and-on for two years -- the ABS and Serv lights come on intermittently. It was difficult to diagnose the pattern, as it might not happen for a fortnight, then twice in a day.

Often, if the lights came on, turning the engine off and then, within about half an hour, re-starting, the lights would still be on.

I finally did notice that driving in heavy traffic would often trigger the warning lights. The lights also often came on while at a stoplight.

The dealer replaced a wheel sensor (under warranty a year and a half ago), but the problem recurred. They've checked the wiring and sensor and and and...

I just took the car on a windy road (Great Ocean Road in Australia), 250 miles of right and left, up and down, 50 to 40 to 60 to 80 to 40... Exactly the kind of driving for which I bought the car. No ABS warning lights. Car was ideal (okay, it didn't have a sunroof).

I'm awaiting Renault's response, as the problem initially surfaced while under warranty, but it no longer is. Just spent a few hundred dollars when the computer said that there was a problem, but the mechanics found NOTHING wrong. To confirm this, when the warning lights have come on in the last month and I've had a safe opportunity, I've slammed on the brakes and the ABS has worked.

In short, the ABS works and has always worked. The warning lights often come on at stoplights in heavy traffic, but not always, and sometimes they come on at 10kph, or recently, while taking a right turn at 50kph.

Otherwise, at 4 and a half years, the car is still solid and has been quite reliable (only other problem was a faulty hazard light switch) and still handles the curves of a great driving road with ease and gusto. Hoping that Renault handles the situation (computer?) with the same.

Wow its not just me. I purchased a Renault Clio 1.2 16V Expression 02 plate with 34,000 miles on the clock. I quickly began to experience the Clio's electrical problems as the SERV light came on accompanied by the airbag light. I read reviews on the Internet recently and it appears this is another common fault. I took the advice of other comments and looked under my passenger chair and sure enough there were some loose wires. I pushed these back into place and hey presto! My next issue is of more concern. As others have mentioned my coil light regularly lights up and I loose power. In heavy motorway traffic I have broken down 3 times as my immobiliser won't let me re-start my engine for about 2-3 minutes. I took the car to my friend who is a mechanic and he quickly diagnosed the problem as the throttle body. Using the right contacts this should be resolved for about £200.

Hi people,

I recently had my car service from RENAULT (£290.00 bill), which they could not justify.

This is more for the people that have been experiencing problems with there car cutting out and that orange light coming on. If your spark plugs have been replaced, check there is a gap at the top, where the metal should slide into. I had my car service and that's exactly what the problem was. I had to call out AA and they sorted out the problem for me. When I called Renault, they informed me that there mechanic was not aware this was suppose to be done.. My best advise to people would be to get a AA guy to check your car out, as they know more about clio's than renault do. They didn't actually test drive my car before giving it back to me, which for health and safety reasons, they should do.

Hope this helps you guys.

Sam.

I have just recently bought a Y reg 2001 1.2 16v Clio Sport. I bought it from an auction which I not something I would recommend as I have had a number of problems.

1st being the passenger window would not close or open. I got my boyfriend to take of the door panel and he managed to sort the wiring so that the window would go down, but it would not go up.

2nd problem is the engine warning light flashes. It doesn't tick over on enough revs and just judders when not moving. I had spark plugs and a coil replaced, but it still judders and seems to be flat and have no power at all. when my boyfriend checked the spark plugs there didn't seem to be enough power getting to them as the spark was really weak. I am considering taking it for a diagnostic check, but am wondering if replacing the lambda sensor could help? anyone have any ideas what could be wrong and how much it will cost to fix??

To the previous poster, I too have recently bought a Y reg Clio 1.2 16V Sport (in Dec 06). I have a different problem to you which is the intermittent problem with starting. Last week I drove it to the pub after work with no problem. When we went to leave I turned the key in the ignition, all the lights came on, but no turn over. It has not started again for the last week, but I took it to the garage on Sunday night (push started) and they turned it over Monday morning first time. They and I are reluctant to change the starter motor as this does not appear to be the problem. I have recently contacted the seller and she said that they had this problem, changed the starter motor and problem went away... not sure if I am convinced, but that doesn't help me. Any ideas...? It has already been in the garage once and they couldn't find a problem so just cleaned the connections (for £25). Its not at a Renault garage...

I purchased a Renault Clio 1.2 16v sport Y reg a month ago and it is a nippy cute little motor... I absolutely love it! But in the last week or tow, I have noticed that the passenger airbag light comes on and off, along with the serv lighting up - This as I said comes on and off!

This is annoying me now, and after reading all the comments on here, I have done nothing but panic, so have managed to book my car in to get it checked now!!

Any clues as to what the problem is??? Someone help!! I don't feel very optimistic about having it checked either, as after reading all the comments on here, it sounds like the problem will just come back!!

Anyways, fingers crossed! All cars have their regular faults and problems!! Come back to me anyone silvanab@hotmail.co.uk thanks.

All, I posted my previous comments on the 15/02/2007 re my 2002 Renault Clio Dynamique 1.2 16v car. I have spoken to Renault and have even got my local paper to contact then on my behalf. No luck!!! Renault do not want to know anything about this problem, they have sent me an email advising more or less tough, out of warranty not our problem!!! I have now sent a complaint to VOSA, this has in turn been sent to Renault, I don't think I will get anywhere, although I am not giving up without a fight. I have not driven my car since February, as my previous experience of "cutting out" in the middle of a roundabout has petrified me, so completely pointless, but catch 22 stuck with a car, that needs nearly £1000.00 worth of work before I can do anything with it, GREAT. I have also been in touch with Watchdog, I have not had a response from them yet, although when I get a response from either VOSA or Watchdog I will keep you all posted as I think Renault should take responsibility for cars that are not fit for purpose!! Karen.

I have a 2001 Clio expression, last year the coil warning light came on and I kept loosing power, a bit scary when your doing 70 on a motorway. Anyway took it to a garage who told me it was spark plugs so replaced them all, 5 miles down the road it started again. I got the AA to take me to another garage who diagnosed an engine wiring loom problem which needed replacing, which solved the problem. That was on March 10th 2006, guess what? On 28th March 2007 it happened again. The Renault garage I went to charged me £500 to replace it and Renault will not help with the cost even though it was just out of warranty.

The first time it happened I thought I was just unlucky, now I just find it totally unacceptable.

It is however Renault's loss as I will not be buying

another, and I always got my car serviced by Renault.

Which is a shame as I love driving my Clio, and it is such a beautiful car, but I need one that is reliable.

My serv light and airbag light also used to be on all the time, it was checked over by the garage, but it never disappeared, I learnt to love this quirk of my beautiful little Clio.

Hi all again - further to my comments of March 16, 2007.

Clio 1.2 16V with electrical problems. 51 Dynamique. Electrical warning light (orange) and engine cutting out.

I have some good news. After having the MAP sensor replaced and the single cut out shortly thereafter, the problem has not recurred since. Maybe the engine management system was still learning after the sensor replacement? But now after a few hundred miles the car is still performing fine. But I've still got my fingers crossed!