1998 Renault Clio RL Biarritz from UK and Ireland - Comments

Constant rain water leak into the front foot wells. I discovered it was coming from the air ducts that ventilate the foot wells. Finally sorted it out by cleaning the seal around the sunroof several times, and thoroughly cleaning the area around the drainage holes under the bonnet.

Paintwork seems to get damaged very easily. I always try to take care not to scratch the bodywork, yet little scratches are already appearing.

When I first bought the car, I was a bit unsure about spending so much money to upgrade from my old H-reg Nova. But I can see why the Renault Clio is such a popular car with younger people. It's very comfortable, and the interior is quite stylish. It has lovely gear change, and excellent handling.

This car is very easy to park, and a pleasure to drive, both around town and on longer motorway journeys.

The 1.2 engine, although slightly under powered when carrying passengers, is extremely economical. I would definitely buy another one!

We too have a Clio which leaks rainwater into the footwells, not fixed yet! Any further advice you can give would be welcome. A windscreen company has tried to seal the sunroof and screen, but there is still a leak somewhere. Thanks.

I also have had problems with it leaking, but mine was coming from the seal on the sun roof all I did was push the seal back down into its runner and it was sorted.

I drive a J Renault Clio RN 5 Dr, it has no sun roof and I have just had autoglass out to check that the water in the foot well was nothing to do with them, they thought it might have been so they refitted the windscreen sealing it properly this time.

Thought the problem had been solved and had just finished drying inside of car out, a few days of heavy rain later I have water once again in the foot well.

Any suggestions as to where it is coming from??

I too have a J registration Clio and I have a serious leak in the passenger footwell... it has come back twice in the last two months. Note: I do NOT have a sunroof!

I am going to have a very close look this weekend... once it stops raining!

An update on my leaking Clio RN 5dr J-reg... my mechanic traced it to a blockage in the pipes from the washer bottle to the rear wash wipe. He fixed it, but the leak came back...

To check this I filled my washer bottle with Halfords screenwash - it's a shocking YELLOW colour, but any coloured stuff will do - two days later (this morning) my passenger footwell is soaking and the liquid is coloured yellow!! AND it has a strong perfumed smell of the screenwash. It is being fixed again this Saturday...

I have a P reg Clio 1.2 RL. Great little car, great economy, with up to 400 miles from one tank (27 quid). However, the thing leaks like a sieve. Have a sun roof, covered the seal in Vaseline, and closed it tight. Seams to have stopped leaking. Then rained hard, and again leaked in to sunroof controls. Will see if it is the aerial seal. Passenger foot well fills up at least once every couple of months. Sealed rubber seal on passenger side door. Every morning it is damp inside, stinks of damp wet car, and the windows are full of condensation. Will take advice from other messgages and see if the air ducts under the bonnet are clear. Is it really that hard to make a car that does not leak???

I have a R-Reg Panache that I have started to modify, when I first got the car it was off my mum. I got a leak from around the sunroof controls. When I checked it out it was the aerial, I took it off, cleaned it and replaced it ensuring a a tight fit. Its been fine since.

I have a renault clio 1.2litre I had problams with leaking and a cleaned and tighting my aerial and it stopped the leak straight away, now I go in car washes and everything is fine no leaks.

I have just bought a 1998 Clio barritz 1.2 but have no maintenance manual.

Can anyone let me know the pressures for the tyres, both front and back, normal and fully loaded.

Sure, this thread seems dead.. just thought I'd join the leaky Clio group. I attacked the sunroof with glue too. Sealing around the infrared sensor seemed to WORK though! Hope this helps.

I had my sunroof resealed about 10 months ago and its just started leaking again, only much worse than before!

It has now started to fill up the map light cover until it shorts the circuit causing my internal lights to come on and drain the battery!

Thankfully there's a 12 month guarantee on the work so hopefully they'll sort it this time!

Hi Everyone, I just wanted to add to your already extensive comments on the Clio leaks, in particular, the sunroof leaks.

My younger brother recently purchased a 1994 1.8 16v Clio, it has been exceptionally well looked after with only minor scratches etc. After about a month he noticed that there was a small leak coming from the sunroof switch (electric). We both investigated and stripped away the roof lining removing the runners for the sunroof. We found a lot of water had leaked through onto the runners and when you accelerated, braked, turned left or right you usually ended up having a shower there was so much water there. As I said, we took it apart and resealed the whole sunroof only to find it was the seal at the back of the sunroof on the crivers side. As you look at the sunoof you can see daylight between the seal and the sunroof glass at the corner behind the drivers seat!. Readjusted the sunroof and all seems fine. Why couldn't we have had an aerial leak?. Hope this helps.

Hi,

I have a clio, sport 182 don't seem to have a sun roof, but have joined the party with leaks. my rear passenger foot well swimming, damp at front, but not as bad, any suggestions.

Been in for leak testing and they have found not one water leak.

We have a clio mk2 which leaked badly and made the drivers footwell soaking wet. Slackened sunroof bolts and injected mastic in frame which also cured rattling. Floor still got wet though and traced the leak to where the wiring loom enters the pillar where the drivers door hinges are mounted. Water runs down the pillar from the rain gutter and over the wiring loom connector which in our case leaked. Again a bit of mastic sealant cured the leak and the car now perfectly dry. Feel lucky to find it so thought we'd share the experience.

I am another member of the leaky Clio roof club. So far have had aerial tightened and sunroof resealed, but still an odd leak. I am worried as once the leak prevented the sensor working and I could not turn immobiliser off. Is there any way to by-pass the immobiliser?