2005 Renault Grand Scenic Dynamique from UK and Ireland - Comments

I purchased a Dynamique 1.6VVT back in July 2005. Loved the car at first site, great styling, and all the gadgets are a bonus. started to encounter break squeal within a few months, especially the back brakes when you do a slow reverse park maneouvre. this was rectified by Renault fitting some dampers on the calipers. Then the front brakes started to squeal which was rectified again by Renault by fitting larger brake calipers, all under warranty.

Started to get a cold start fault, the engine became very unresponsive when cold, some time resulting in the car stalling or kangarooing up the road until it warmed up a little. they re-mapped the ECU which seemed to sort it, but then the problems began to arise again. it developed a grating noise when cold starting as well, which I have been subsequently told, was part of the cold start problems we'd been having. this has just recently been in and they have fitted a new dephaser unit and cambelt which I have been told will sort this problem. lets see!!!

I'm getting returns of 34MPG so can't complain about that from the petrol engine pulling a larger than the normal chassis.

Hi I'm back (the original review writer).

The car has been in the Renault dealer more times than I can count.

Since the last update I have had:

Emissions Fault.

When starting in the morning it smells very fumey similar to body filler smell!!

Stereo fault (again)

Windscreen seal fell off.

The child locks on the rear doors went into reverse - two new locks

The carpet under the middle row of seats has shifted forward.

The fan stopped working on speed 2.

Part of the wiring loom melted - third time this has happened.

ABS warning light came on a month after I had a crash; I hit the brakes hard and the wheels just locked up; the dealer checked it out and told me everything was fine.

Total battery drain whilst the car was parked up.

Injection system fault.

Both front suspension mounts failed; they told me it was a very rare occurrence for this to happen.

The engine sounds like a diesel.

After a window lifter recall notice, the car had the required work done and now they squeal like little pigs when opening/closing them.

The two front windows failed to close when activating the dead locking.

Fuel consumption is low only giving 22/25 MPG if I'm lucky. On a long motorway drive this can reach a staggering 28MPG.

The car has recently had its 36K major service and it has come back with more problems. In my view this service was not done fully. (I planted a few small markers.) The brake fluid was never checked as the cap still has the fine layer of dust on it, the tryre pressure was not checked.

A bit of advice for other owners; insist on a printout of work that has been carried out.

Hi, I have a Renault scenic 1.5 Dci 2004. The fuel pump has failed twice once under warranty in 2005 and again in sept.2007 this time I am faced with a bill of £3000 because the car car is out of it. s 2yr warranty. It has only done 25,000 miles and renault do not want to know. They don't like the fact that I had the car serviced elsewhere although this has in no way invalidated the warranty. How do you get justice for what is after all a common fault and asks the question is the fuel pump "fit for purpose". I have lost all confidence in the vehicle and am left with the thought and possibility of a new pump failing again. my car has only done 25,000 miles so where is Renault's claim of reliability.

Dejected and skint.

We've had our 54 plate Grand Scenic 1.9dCi for a year now and it has only needed a service (the 36k "B" service at £260) and a pair of front tyres. A far more reliable car than the 51 reg Golf GT TDI it replaced which is ironic considering the reputation of both marques.

It's a delightful family car. It gives total reliability, a 5 star NCAP rating, acres of space, superb ride quality, low noise levels, stacks of gadgets, a punchy, refined diesel engine, 40+ mpg and all-day comfort. And compared to anonymous boxes like the Touran and Zafira, both of which we looked at, it's got a bit of flair about it as well. Well, for an MPV anyway, but at least they made an effort.

I have a few minor gripes. Although build quality is fine, some of the more minor fixtures and fittings inside are definitely on the cheap side of durable. Also, a pair of front wiper blades costs a staggering £60 from a dealer and are not widely stocked in motor parts stores. You have to trawl the internet to find them. Finally the electric power steering is completely devoid of feel spoiling what is otherwise a surprisingly capable, if softly sprung handler.

On the whole though, it's comfortably exceeded our expectations. Both my wife and I find it a pleasure to drive, and the kids absolutely adore it.

Hi!

We have owned the 1.6 Dynamique (55) version of the Grand scenic for 5 weeks and had to callout AA renault assistance 4 times!

Battery drained for no apparent reason; according to the AA I shouldn't be cleaning the car for 90 minutes at a time as the lights and cd drain off the battery's power.

Then we had a 'CHECK EMISSIONS' message on the dash, which 2 seconds later led to the car stalling. This happened 4 times before we could get back home. Renault did fix in 1 day, but AA scared us with computer diagnosis 'CAMSHAFT SENSOR ERROR'. But still under warranty.

Back brakes have developed a squeal on slow reversing.

Stereo button sometimes doesn't work.

Heated backscreen bars are broken.

The car cries for 3rd gear at 24/5mph.

Squeaky driver seatbelt inside the reel holder.

Parts are very expensive to replace; some nice person hit the door mirror and drove off, costing me £155!

Wipers need replacing after new ones were apparrently fitted 2000miles ago.£30 a set!

Cuts out a little easy, but the large chassis is being moved by a little 1.6 petrol engine, so what can I expect?

Wish I had bought the zafira!!

The car has fantastic looks, but it's just not worth the trouble for us. So it's going after just 5 weeks.

On the plus side, it is very comfortable and a smooth drive when out of 2nd gear.

Interior is nice and added gadgets are good too.

5 star ncap rating swung it for me; with nippers you need it.

We've had a fraction of the trouble you've had in 5 weeks in over three years!!

I couldn't bring myself to buy a Zafira or Touran - they're just so bland in comparison. The Touran's reputation for reliability is also no better than Renault's. My neighbours have an 05 plate Touran 1.9TDi which has suffered a gearbox seizure (which nearly resulted in a massive accident at 60 mph with the kids on board), a complete electrical shutdown, and persistent problems with uneven tyre wear. The build quality is also no better than Renault's.

Renault Grand Scenic 2004 1.9 Dci.

Owned from new. Looked at Zafira, Touran, Verso, and others and still found the Scenic the best looker, best handling and most comfortable.

Love the car, but the faults, poor dealer support, and a total lack of acknowledgment with known faults is driving me spare - car is only 3 years old with 36,000 miles!

Average 45mpg on a combined cycle - not bad by all accounts, and I don't hang about. Nearly 60 on some motorway runs!

Faults/ Problems so far:

New sunroof after 3 months/3K - 'imploded' while going OVER a bridge - insurers had to pick up bill for roof and full body respray as renault said 'stone chip'???

Brake Calipers & 'Yokes' all round for the known brake Squeal - took a year! Took mechanic out for a drive in the end - his comment 'that bus over there has a loud Squeal' - no that's ME!

All confirmed known issues:

Brake Squeal - known fault,

Bonnet release catch - known fault,

Bonnet alarm sensor - known fault,

Glove compartment light sensor - known fault,

Sump oil leaks - known issue,

Rear seatbelts - safety recall,

Electric Window winding arms - even made a new type!

Issues where I cannot get a comment - although they picked up the tab...

Glow plugs,

4 door handles/sensors (handsfree locking),

Master and Slave clutch cylinders (clutch peddle would not fully rise),

External temperture probe,

Rear wiring loom - requires entire interior strip out - not properly secured to body work, hences 'rubs' causing random electrical faults.

Awaiting repair:

Rear demister,

'Check injection fault' - possibly alternator.

Car spends entire weeks at dealership. Local dealer so poor I know drive 45 miles to another one - local dealer suggested opens doors 'in a special way' rather than replace an acknowledged failing door sensor.

Note: Renault only replace on 'failure' not 'failing'!!!

Hope this helps you succeed in making your dealer understand your frustration at a fault they refuse to acknowledge. Keep at it, its not the car, its not the build, its the 'after support' and customer service. If they know about the fault - they should recall, or fix at a service interval or sooner!! - or g.

Bought a Renault Megane 1.6 VVT Dynamique 55 plate about a year ago. 2 days after picking up from dealer there appeared a rattling noise on startup. The dealer replaced a timing belt dephaser and the belt itself. Fine for 11 months. Last week, same problem. Returned to dealer who said it was a water contamination problem and "fixed". I was not convinced as I left- I was sure it was the same old dephaser problem- the noise was identical to the first time. Sure enough, next morning, same old noise- after it was "fixed". The car is booked in again for next week. As this is becoming most annoying, I am writing to head office. Good car in general though, but the problem lies with the dephaser I think. Anyone technical out there- Am I right?

Renault Grand Scenic 05 Plate. Have had the car for a year. Have had no major problems till now. The electronic display for the speedoo etc has completely disappeared. so have no indication of what speed or revs we are doing. So took the car to local Renault dealer. On the way to the garage the lights stopped working and then the windows. The car is out of warranty by one month. Renault turned round and said this will cost £850 for a new display but we said that does not explain the lights or windows. they turned round and said it is all linked. I am not mechanical, but that to me says the on board computer has gone wrong. I think they are just trying to get as much money from us as possible.

Renault Megane Scenic 1.5tdi on 04 plate. Had it just under a year. Filled it with supermarket fuel last week to go on holiday to the New Forest (live in Cornwall), got 5 miles and conked out. AA towed us to the local Renault dealing who diagnosed fuel contamination. Cost to repair ~ in the region of £3,500. No one wants to know. Local trading standards says no other complaints locally, but is a know Renault problem, but dealer says not. No response from Asda head office as yet but don't expect much luck there and insurance sent a man to look who just grunted and said nothing to do with them. How do we get some satisfaction. What do we do now - no car, no money for repairs and 3 years still to pay on finance.

Had a 54 plate grand scenic for 3mths (was second hand) and in that time nothing but hassle with it.

Firstly the passenger side electric window motor broke at the cost of £250, then the air conditioning system broke, a design fault apparently? theres another £500, about a month ago one of the rear electric windows broke due to the door being closed??? I think because the mechanism is partly made of plastic therefore so flimsy it can't handle the door being closed.

And now just found out that the third row of seats DO NOT release properly and so there now jammed in an upright position with what looks like no easy way of sorting the problem. It's a nice shade of blue though.

I don't pretend that this is a brand new car and obviously its out of any warranty but seriously... a 3/4 year old car and its more of a pain than a 1996 citroen zx I used to own.

Can't see whats so grand to be honest.

I bought Renault Grand Scenic, reg: 55. Have had since January 2008 with 46000 miles.

The ECU wasn't indicating any low oil level. The turbo failed and then the engine. Renault refuse to repair it under warranty.

I was told I missed a service at 36000 miles when I only bought the car at 34000 miles, whilst the car was saying it wasn't due for service till after 52000 miles.

I was issued a bill of £6000 - by Renault. Took the car back home and bought all the parts for the last 4 months.

Spent over £5000 off my own pocket and me not being a mechanic, but with the aid of Haynes manual step- by - step guide on how-to repair a car. I managed to take the engine apart and all its other components, and with no aid from a pro mechanic got the car starting today.

All these after 4 months and 1 day dated today 05/08/08. My last hurdle to climb is the clutch which is not functioning (when depressed is doesn't return) and should still be repaired under warranty.

Bought brake fluid today, filled the reservior and kept pumping but the clutch is not working. and am so lost.

Suggestions: carltabi@hotmail.com

Carl.