2000 Renault Laguna Dynamique from UK and Ireland - Comments

Major problems with the Valeo Card Key fobs. The car was supplied with two card keys. Both keys developed the same fault 10 months apart, the miniature switches mounted on the printed circuit board directly under the lock/unlock symbols come adrift from the circuit board after a period of use. Replacement cost for new key as quoted by Renault dealer is c. £140 each.

Check yours now! Does one of the lock/unlock buttons feel more solid? Chances are you are suffering from switch demount syndrome. Take the spare Cardkey with you so you don't get caught out like I have... twice.

Cardkey build quality poor.

Acceleration is noticeably sluggish when moving from standing. My Doblo van pulls off way faster.

Steering does not inspire confidence, well balanced for motorway use, but seems to lose sensitivity at normal road speeds.

Very low laid back driving position, car seating is too low to the ground causing frequent driver head bashing on roof lining when entering the car.

Hi, its me again. Track rod ends had to be replaced at 48K both well worn and car was drifting nicely and the handling was frightening to say the least. Could only get direct from a Renault dealer (£90 pair) The car has now done 49,000 miles. Discovered the pressure switch on the power steering circuit is leaking PS fluid so I am having to replace this asap. Drive quality seems to be getting poorer, the Dynamique feels every minor glitch on the road surface and this is ttransmitted straight to the driving position.

Card keys are still just as crap, but thankfully my key mod. is still working OK.

5th February 2006.

I fitted a new pressostat on the power steering line as it was dripping out PS fluid. Problem is there is still another leak on the PS circuit. I keep topping up the PS reservoir, but the level is slowly dropping.

FED UP so decided to take drastic action... put the car up on ramps and removed plastic guard under engine bay to examine the steering rack. Good old Renault have done it again, another fine example of crap engineering. Both PS fluid pipe connections to the rack are held in by one puny allen cap head screw. The only thing stopping PS fluid pi***ng out from each line is a measly O ring. Now (obviously) on a vehicle such pipework is subject to vibration. Poor show Renault, these connections may be suitable for lower pressure circuits (Heater matrix, for example) but they are NO good for hydraulic circuits operating at some 10-15 bar. I sorted out the leak using some common sense engineering practice. Its not rocket science.

BTW, there is a CD manual of recent Renault models available from a seller on Ebay. This CD is very useful when you are in it deep, like I was.

My original article is turning into a Blog, I have so much to report about the unreliability of my 5yr old Laguna II car. Still having the usual problems with the tyre pressure sensors. During zero/sub zero temperatures the Schrader tyre sensors misbehave. I have read several other reviews and this seems to be a common problem on the Laguna II. Its quite amusing to guess which of the 4 wheels will be displayed as 'flashing' or 'missing from the car altogether' as one is about to start up the car on a cold morning. Mmmm, obviously NOT Mil-Spec electronics in these sensors. Vaa Vaa Futt!?!

14/3/2006.

After having 2 new track rod ends fitted the handling of the car actually seemed to get worse. Car felt like it wasn't gripping the road properly and seemed to dance about over bumps and potholes. Checked out the new track rod ends bought from Renault against the old ones removed. The new ones are longer than the originals!!! Front tyres are now scrubbed on the inner edge down to the belting. B***s.

The sooner I can get rid of this excuse for a vehicle, the better. I wouldn't dream of selling it on to some unknowing and unfortunate so I just have to wait a couple of years (thatlong?} until it devalues down to around 100 quid. {2nd hand Laguna 2's are as cheap as chips in the trade)

I guess nobody wants one.

Certainly money (14000) down the drain as far as I am concerned.

25/3/2006.

Both front tyres are scrap. Caused by tracking? being out. Took the car to be retracked and have two new tyres.

Front wheels moving in/out of wheel arch by almost an inch.

Bushes worn out on the A frame (body mountings) on both the left and right wheel.

New A frames - £59 each, £118 parts cost.

Replacing the front wheel A frames (front swinging arms) was not too difficult. I allowed 6 hours to replace these. Sure enough the rubber bushes had deteriorated (rotted).It must be the crap rubber that finds its way into these parts. Perhaps the bushes are made from rubber regrinds from the tyres I just took off and scrapped??

Its so good to be able to drive a car that doesn't steer off when it feels like it. It almost feels like driving a new car again.

Oh, bottom marks to Renault 'designers' for positioning of the bolt holding the frame to the body.Its almost impossible to remove the back bolt on each frame as the bolt hits the bulkhead making it almost impossible to withdraw it.

Makes a 1 hour job into a 10 hour marathon. Bad engineering considering these bushes are so crap that the A frames have to be replaced. My car has now done 56K miles.

What can I tell you about the coils that have not already been said! A 2000 model with 45,000 miles on the clock, I have owned it for the last 18 months, in general I think the car is very good in all aspects, great when it's raining too, open the window slightly and you get a free shower! Anyway back to the main problem... five sets of coils in 18 months, beat that...!

8/5/06 Blog continues.

Rear shock absorbers are, well shot.

Symptoms : Rear end jumps when going over manholes, speed ramps, etc. Nasty hollow thumping sounds like the rear parcel shelf is banging up and down.

Need to remove and replace both sides.

Kwikfit quote: CIRCA £275.

My price: £64 each from Renault parts plus 1.5 hours of your spare time.

A really easy job that anyone can do.

Car is now handling better than ever.

New rear disc pads fitted. Handbrake needs re-tensioning, arrrgh despair!! Have to remove exhaust heatshields to get at handbrake cable tensioner. Flaming French designers.

Panic over!!. The handbrake can be tensioned by opening a little flap in the bottom of the centre armrest. I didn't even know it was there, it's well covered by flock carpet.

Handbrake cable ends had jumped out of the handbrake tensioner bracket. M14 spanner and a few turns sorted it out, only a 10 minute job.

Hi.

I also have a Laguna II on an 01 plate. Had to replace a rear brake caliper on 58k at the cost of £220 for the part from Renault.

Now the rear suspension has started to make an awful groaning noise when going over different heights, like off my drive onto the road. Not sure what the cause of this is yet, but will probably cost easily in excess of £100.

My tyre pressure sensors also play games, but in all temperatures.

22/8/06

1.8 Lag Dynamique Y Plate 2001.

Car is being traded in against a new Honda Jazz.

I've decided to cut my losses with the Laguna as it let me

down yesterday by running out of fuel on the centre lane of the M5. Not my fault because the fuel gauge and the reserve indicator LED are now both not working. The rear bushes are shot and the car makes a lovely clunking sound from both sides when driving over humps. The drive become very uninspiring since 48K and the car has now done 63K. In short, I'll be extremely pleased to get rid of it

after 4 yrs of ownership. See above for the catalogue of faults beginning with the Valeo CardKey problems.

1 key fob useless now 165.00 - switch demounted from pcb - new turbo 1,600.00 - new intercooler 485.00 - new track rod ends 96.00 - new rh tyre pressure sensor 145.00 - New rear bushes 496.00. If you want a cheaper car to run, buy a porsche or ferrari - spares aren't that expensive, but 'Approved' renault garage staff appear to be real dimbos who are able to take hours and hours to do the simplest task and nop matter how junior they are, you will be charged more than a London Lawyers hourly rate. I have learned my lesson NEVER BUY A RENAULT AGAIN. Good smooth ride, but by god, you will pay for it.

Andy.

Hi, I'm from Romania. A have also a Renault Laguna 2 from 2001/145.000 km. Not to much technical problems, but very expensive to repair. The price it is so high and the bill is so astronomic. Just one exemple: gear box - six speeds - problems with synchrone cost more 1000 euro second hand or 6000 euro at new. With this money in Romania you can buy another one car, second hand, in good condition. I think it is too much for me and a wanna sale my Renault and to buy a german car. Nobody told me repair cost are so high.

I've a (2001 laguna 11), usual problems, jamming rear brakes, rear suspension bushes, front ball joints, speedometer going crazy £370, card not reading to turn off interior lights, and now the groaning and squeaking rear end, and only 50,000 miles.

Well what can I say about the Laguna, well crap would probably do it. Taken in by the range of gizmo's I thought I had a good deal and then the central locking started to screech on the drivers door when locked and suspension needed fixing on the front then gearbox bearings started to go making a funny noise in 5th and 6th gear, oh and not to forget the key fob falling apart inside the plastic casing. Simple solder job, but good old renault have made it so you have to destroy it to get inside. A laguna initial 1.9Dci owner always has his hands in is pocket. Still it has done 89k and still goes forward and reverse (just) looks good on the drive though. All I can say is that its french. I think my new rule is that if its not German, Swedish or Japanese stay clear.