2003 Renault Laguna Dynamique from UK and Ireland - Comments

I bought a 2yr 9m old Laguna V6 Dynamique Sports Tourer with 15k on the clock. I really like the look of the car and it is very easy to drive. On a good run I can get over 33mpg. After a couple of months the front passenger window stopped working. A rusty!! corroded cable was to blame and the garage replaced this. Approx 6 months later the Water pump for the windscreen needed to be replaced. 1 month after that the temperature gauge was went off the scale and resulted in the complete instrument panel needing to be replaced.

All the above was replaced under the warranty from the Garage. However, the following was not covered as it was outside the warranty period. Boot release and catch as the boot wound not open as the components were corroded!!!. I have also had 3 out of the 4 ignition coils in the engine fail in the space of 4 weeks. The Renault dealership is very friendly, but never is a loan car available.

The car is only 4 years old.

If you get a good one I am sure it will be great, but I have run out of patience with mine. Good Luck.

I own a 2003 Laguna 1.9 DCI Dynamique. The car was fine until the warranty ran out. Since then I have had to replace the Turbo and the clutch and now I have major problems with the engine. I was low on fuel and before I could fill the car up it packed in. Its been to both a private and a main dealer with low fuel pressure problems and no-one can fix it. Such a shame as it's a fantastic drive and a good looking car. I won't be buying a Renault again. I would be interested to hear from people who have had similar problems.

I have a 2004 1800 cc 16v Laguna.

My car cuts out when slowing down for corners a lot!!! For no apparent reason; wet days and just atfer starting the most, but even after a long drive on a nice day. It is very scary; the steering goes heavy and it's almost impossible to turn. I've had a couple of near misses.

I've taken it to Renault, and when they take it out, it won't do it. The main dealers are a nightmare; they just keep saying there isn't a problem.

Has anyone else had this problem (and got it resolved). Someone told me to get it remapped or chipped. Doe anyone know what chip, and where to get it?

It's getting worse, and I'm gettin quite scared of it.

Other than it trying to kill me, I love the car. I'm only 23, and it has been a great car for me for 3 years.

Get a tuning box mate; got one on my 120 and it pulls from 1000rpm now like a trooper!

Hi, I've got a 2004 plate 1.8 16v Dynamique and have the same problem in that the car is cutting out for no apparent reason, and come to think of it, it has started now the wet whether has arrived.

The car will drive perfectly, then without warning the revs drop to about 600RPM at idle and within a couple of minutes the engine cuts out, sometimes it will start straight away and other times it takes a few minutes to get going again.

The car is out of warranty now, but is covered under warranty from the garage where I bought it from, they have had it in and cannot find any problems/fault codes on the diagnostics machine.

The car usually cuts out after running for a minute or two after being stood overnight. I spoke to a local main dealer who suggested that there may be a problem with the key card or reader, they charge £50.00 to run a diagnostics check.

The car is going back into the local garage tomorrow, so hopefully they will have some answers! On checking various sites on the t'interweb I found that the problem may be either to do with the prime pump, fuel pump, fuel gauge sensor, top dead centre sensor, cambelt or ignition coils!

I will post another comment if and when the problem is sorted. Other than this problem, I love the car!!!

I bought a 52 plate Laguna Dynamique just over a year ago and all I can say is thank goodness I took the 2 years extended warranty with it. I got to know the Receptionist at AC on first name terms... anyway.

My car has also nearly killed me a few times. As stated in previous comments the steering goes very heavy when pulling away from a space, a few times I've had to really pull the wheel round to miss other parked cars etc.

It also went through a stage where it kept cutting out and not starting again. Once I called the breakdown, the guy said it was dirty petrol, yeah right! The second time he cleaned some parts of the engine. On the third visit from breakdown service the guy stated it was a sensor of some sort needed replacing, and 'touch wood' its not happened since.

The car is also VERY sluggish in first and second gears... I dare not attempt a hill in 2nd gear if I want to reach the top.

My car is due MOT in June and I think I Better start saving now for it!

APart from that, the car looks good and is roomy :oP.

Laura

...

Being an owner of a Renault Laguna (our life´s worst investment) seems to give everybody wrinkles. We have spent an enormous amount of money on this car. FIVE times the last two months we have had AA drag it to the garage. Each time a new spare has been put in at a high cost - but the car still stops at all times. We drove for 6 hours one day - no problems, but then all of a sudden it went out and wouldn´t start. The garage say they have no idea what is wrong. Seems we are many in this boat. Anyone has met a great mechanic who could actually solve the problem?

Two more great problems - the driver´s door won't unlock from the outside so we have to open the door through the back door. Not exactly a safe thing in the middle of the street! And finally one of our two keys stopped working. Garage says it will cost us3-400 Euro to re-code it. So, now we only have one key...

Can you by-pass the system somehow if key 2 fails so you can still use your car?

Have an odd feeling that the start/going out problem could also somehow be related to the vehicle computer...

Hoping for constructive ideas for repair!

Elsebeth, DK

We will NEVER buy a Renault again - never.

Would have to agree with all the above comments bought a renault laguna 11 1.6 Dymmanique with very low miles and it is the worst thing I have ever done in terms of buying a car.

The first thing to go was the light in the temp control unit was told that this "was a common fault" the next thing to go was a window regulator and again I was told this "was a common fault" then the passenger side went. Then noticed a creaking sound from the back of the car, the rear bushions had failed and I had to pay through the teeth to get them replaced. This car has relatively low soft miles and is well looked after serviced twice a year and so on... met a renault mechanic who would service the car as I figured getting the reliability of a renault garage, but at more reasonable prices.

Got the timing belt done, 'standard enough' then was told that the front shocks where gone got the front shocks done. Received a company car didn't drive the car for a long time about a year, put maybe 4000miles on it, started to drive t again more regularly and guess what front shocks gone again, track rod end gone, and the wheels are buckled and was told that these "are common faults" in the renault laguna.

Was told by the mechanic to get rid of the car while it was still worth something the body and interior of this car is spotless, this mechanic is now a sales man for one of the largest Renault dealerships in Ireland and was told that for a 02 laguna he would only give me only 2000.00 euro of another New renault laguna, the resale value of this car is the worst in the motor industry. Such a load of Renault won't even stand over their own product never again would not touch renault again.

The two key cards are gone as well and I am told... guess what? yes you guess this " is a common fault"

OK, so I feel a little better about our renault laguna, but still... after the cam belt was changed (it broke and the whole engine was re-done) there remained a judder. It started out as intermittent and has continued and gotten progressively worse.

Apparently it is mis-firing in idle. Its 6-7 months since the cam belt change (we ignored it for a while and I use it every day) so decided it was time to address the situation. Local garage won`t touch it because its been happening since the cam belt change and garage that did the cam belt change (and where we bought it from) won`t touch it either. I`m a little confused about what to do next. The real problem is sitting in the car when you need the toilet, the judder is that bad!!!

Any suggestions appreciated.

Hi, I bought 4 months ago a Renault Laguna 1.6 16V from Dec 2002 in Germany, low miles from 60 years old lady, until now nothing happened, but after I read all these comments... I can tell that I'm scared... OMG I hope that won't happen soon... the car is just awesome, for now 5 stars.

Greetz to all.

Pedro 22

Portugal

Bought our 2002 1.8 Laguna Dynamique in August 2007 and wish I had never clapped eyes on it. Lovely looking car and nice to drive (when it works) but the most unreliable heap of junk I have ever owned. And I have owned a lot of cars.

To begin with there was a major squeaking problem with the brakes but that was eventually fixed under the 3 month warranty we got with the car. However, since February, this thing has been the bane of our existence. It started cutting out occasionally which was bad enough but then the electronic warning light started lighting up with the car running at around 3000 revs with no response from the throttle pedal - quite dangerous. The warranty had expired so we had to go to a main dealer. They ran a diagnostic (£38) and then at first replaced the pedal (£130) but no luck. They then replaced the throttle body (£350) but no luck. They then ran a check on the wiring loom (£190) but no luck despite finding a fault and supposedly repairing it. Now they are suggesting it must be the ECU computer itself and they want nearly £700 to replace it. However, they offer no guarantee this will fix it.

I am in despair to say the least. It is now displaying this fault at least once a day and you need to pull over, turn the engine off then wait for 30-40 minutes for it to reset itself. How can a car in this day and age have an issue which requires the spending of over £700 (so far) and not be fixed? If we go along with replacing the ECU that will be over £1400 to fix a problem and that is assuming it does fix it - I have read online about other people with this problem that have had everything we have had done AND the ECU with the problem still being apparent. The main dealer I have been taking this to seems to be absolutely clueless and is still claiming this is an unknown fault despite numerous people on the internet having the same issue.

I will be getting rid of this car as soon as I am in a position to do so - my advice is TO STAY AWAY FROM RENAULT CARS NO MATTER WHAT. They look nice but that is scant consolation when the thing doesn't work and eats your money.

I have a 2001 Laguna 1.8 expression, with an Dual Fuel LPG conversion on, and it's been faultless since we got it upto today, we've covered 22k miles in it in 13 months.

Today the cable for the window regulator has broke, which we were expecting as it's been grinding since we bought the car.

Sorry to hear about all the issues everyone are having, I suppose with any models there are inherent problems.

I'd definitely consider another Renault, we've had 2 Meganes before that covered 100k miles before we got rid of them.

Residual value is an issue though, they don't hold they're money well.

I have a Laguna 03 80km Initial 1.9DCI 120bhp.

What a lovely looking car. Has all the luxuries of any top car, and I get plenty of looks. Runs perfectly and starts first time every time.

I do an extra service on it every 6mths, less than £70 worth the reliability factor and probably cheaper than a repair.

It's a big car for me, but I can live with it. The economy is not brilliant, but do a lot of short journeys for work and it's a heavy car but great on the M/Ways. Thinking of getting a tuning kit to see if it helps.

If you're thinking of getting one, make sure it's been looked after with FSH; it's the only way..."PURE LUXURY"

SOX.