2nd May 2008, 07:45

Just bought Renault Clio 1.5 Diesel, I wish I'd read these comments first!

My problem is a leak that ends up under the back seat, passenger side, not in the floor well. I've no idea where it's coming from, possibly from the aerial. The front of the car is dry (so far).

Has any one else got a leak which ends up under the back seat and knows where it comes from?

5th May 2008, 13:39

For all those affected by the water leaky sunroofs, that then fubar the IR sensor, I have found a way of disabling the immobiliser without the plip key remote.

http://www.bba-reman.com/content.aspx?content=Test_for_Renault_Key_Immobiliser_failures_emergency_recode

The password to unlock the zip is "reman". For the program itself it's "trantir",

As for the whole sealing of the aerial affair; it's easily and cheaply done.

Simply remove the courtesy light cover and gubbins within that. Then you need an 8ml socket to remove the aerial. With that done, you can take the aerial off the roof. T cut around the two holes, and then cover with silicon sealant; clear is probably best. Don't be shy with it, then just wipe away what comes out. It shouldn't affect your paint work, and will seal the aerial hole. Most garages charge around £50 quid for that. But it takes 15 minutes at most.

If you have any questions, you can email me on jmeATliveDOTcom.

28th May 2008, 02:49

Oh dear, I also have a leak in the exact same place (my sunroof) and this morning my whole electrical system has gone, no engine no lights nothing! anyone looking to buy a renault, Don't!

3rd Jun 2008, 11:14

I have recently bought a 52 Clio and thought I was the only one with a wet passenger seat. I have taken to putting a bin bag over the sunroof when I'm not driving it!!! I think we should all contact Renault, as there is obviously a massive problem here. Who's up for it, please let me know.

Miranda.

11th Jun 2008, 05:53

I have a P reg clio with a leak also! Seems like every clio ever made has the same fault - surprised at the number of comments in this thread! Just direct watchdog here and they'll see the scale of the problem.

Anyway, my leak come from the sunroof surround. It appears to be made from a plastic that expands / contracts with the weather causing it to eventually lift from the car body. I put a clear silicone sealant around it last year, and it worked well. However, the sealant has now cracked and started to come away from the plastic, fueling my belief that the sunroof surround expands in the sun.

So the water has broken into my infra-red immobiliser circuit yet again, and this time it appears to have finished it off. I'm going to completely remove it later and give it a clean. If that fails I'll be ringing around garages to get the immobiliser deactivated.

12th Jun 2008, 01:32

Got the immobiliser working again - the wire connector at the back of the infra-red box had corroded and sagged contacts. I just cleaned them up with a q-tip and meths and bent them back into position. Works fine now - just got to re-seal my sunroof before the next downpour!

30th Jun 2008, 09:25

Hey, I got a 98 Clio, and I've just had this exact same problem.

Could somebody give me some quick tips on how to remove the IR box? I've managed to reset the immobiliser manually, so I can at least drive it, but that's only a temporary workaround!

Thanks :)

12th Jul 2008, 16:01

Hi all, I'm kind of glad others share my problem 'leaking sunroof!'. I managed to get the sunroof off (manual), on the handle there is a small red button, push this to release the catch and you can pull the sunroof out (be careful!). The drainage holes can then be seen. The problem with mine is that they are damaged! i.e. there are holes in it! So my next step will be to try the sealant option, I'm just going to block these holes with sealant and hope for the best, also around the sunroof and aerial. Will let you know what happens :)

30th Jul 2008, 14:00

Well I think I must have spent the last 30 minutes reading everyones tales of leaking water in their Clio. Please add me to the list. What a nightmare. My 2002 Clio started leaking a few months ago and I sealed up the sunroof (where it connects to the roof) with clear silicon sealer. Everything OK for a few weeks and then an inch of water in the passenger footwell, and immediately behind that at the rear. What is the solution to this? Any advice gratefully received.

30th Jul 2008, 19:10

Just thinking how are you getting on with Watchdog? Hope it comes on t.v soon so you can get it sorted.

6th Aug 2008, 04:52

I own a 1998 1.2 Biaritz which was also leaking from sunroof, well at least I thought it was until I discovered that the leak was coming in through the aerial and into the interior light. To fix it I loosened the aerial and carefully applied silicon to it, and then tightened up the aerial again. If done correctly it works and looks tidy!

Hope this helps!

6th Aug 2008, 16:06

My daughter has a Clio with a leaking sunroof. She has already paid £50 to have the drains unblocked - didn't work. We sealed round the sunroof with Vaseline - worked for so long. Now the garage is trying to charge her over £100 for a new seal, which they say is not guaranteed to work. Will try the aerial seal I think.

Good luck all leaky Clio owners.

7th Aug 2008, 05:43

I own a Clio mark 3 (06 reg) that has NO sunroof and have just started getting the wet passenger foot well problem. Have thoroughly cleaned out the drainage holes under the bonnet, and rigged a fan heater up inside the car before I start off every day as all the windows are covered in condensation. As the car's still under warranty I contacted my Renault Dealer who want it for a week just to investigate! Am really saddened as the car's been great so far but I'm seriously considering changing it. Renault must be aware of this problem and I think it's terrible that this defect dating back so many years has not been addressed by them.

10th Aug 2008, 17:23

I am also a '52 Renault Clio owner with a leaking sunroof problem. The wetness was appearing in the front corners of the roof lining and dripping onto the seats. Like many of you I have spent quite a bit of time trying to solve the mystery. I have considered many of the suggestions which have appeared on this site and tried a few of them. Finally this week SUCCESS!A perfectly dry interior after torrential rain storms. It suddenly struck me that water may be accessing the car via leaky seals on the two front hinge points in the sunroof. Because of their positioning and their shape you would not be able to spot water entering the car, with it going straight into the roof lining. On the outside these just look like two black plastic buttons. To carry out the repair, firstly remove the sunroof, identifying and pressing the red button to release the opening mechanism. Carefully lift and hinge up to almost vertical to remove. I found it useful to have a helper on the other side to assist. To loosen the nuts on the hinges you require a star shaped drill bit. Take apart and you will probably discover seals which have long since deteriorated. I simply used a high modulus clear sealent on both sides of the glass, making sure that the hole was well sealed. Anyway this worked for me - it may for you.