RENAULT DCI with turbo/engine problems I AM NOT ALONE!!

[SDY245]

I"ll take your word for it since I dont have the knowledge to argue the case. Although we do have a family member who has a VW Toureg which has the 1.9 turbo diesel. Her turbo failed about a month or so ago and she just had another one fitted without any issues.

 

Total cost of about ZAR 10,000.

 

Total cost of the Renault Scenic repairs (Engine and turbo only and near in mind, the "new" engine is now blown so we need to be making a decision on this one soon.) runs to about ZAR 50,000 excluding repair work now needed. The parts alone Sleeves, rings and bearings will be about another ZAR 12000.

 

Conclusion remains, Reanult is a no go. A Dutch friend says Rust En Naarigheid, Agtervolf U Lange Tyd. Spells RENAULT and translates to roughly "rust and nastiness follow you for a long time."

[jstoge]

We haven't had turbo failure.........looks like I've got that to look forward to.

 

I believe our engine failure was the big end ? Everyone I spoke to told me that the engines have plastic parts which is why they fail, maybe I'm just daft expecting them to last more than 100K miles when it's been serviced as per manufactures instructions.

 

All leaves a bad taste and I still believe an inherent design fault that they need to address. Hence, why I'm still collecting information on cases with this engine. It's going well so far.

 

I'm also led to believe that the manifold failure is a common problem that is fixed free of charge in France, as it's subject to a legal issue.

 

The hunt goes on and I concur with advice to "Avoid Renault".

[SDY245]

Im not cconvinced that engines are not made to last. Maybe this is the case with modern engines, mybe not.

 

My previous car was an Opel Astra (Same as Vauxhaul) which for many reasons wasn't treated as well as I would have liked. I dd all my own servicing and sold the car when she was about 17 years old and had almost 300,000 km on the clock.

 

Like I said, life wasnt always easy so sometimes she went too long between service intervals, we had a radiator problem and I "cooked" her engine a few times and still she kept going. Admittedly being a bit of an oil user (as opposed to guzzler) by the end of her life with me. (About 50 ml per 2000 km)

 

Fuel consumption was still in the region of about 7 liters per 100 km which is excelent. She still had a lot of power too. With all the trouble I'm having with this piece of French toast, I regret selling the Opel.

 

If the engine (and I assume you're talking Renault DCI engine) has plastic bearings as you say, my mind is now made up and I will sell the Frenchie for whatever I can get for her and never venture near another again.

 

Good luckin your quest. Here in SA I have only one chance and its not very good at all. I have logged an official complaint on a website and expect absolutely nothing in return. If I even mamage to put one person off buying Renault, then I consider my job done. The more who opt out of the decision to but one, the better.

[cazcounty]

wow - this threads an eye opener...after owning the old scenic diesel for 10 yrs with only a wheel bearing going i thought id upgrade to the mk2 1.9 dci...i got one with a full dealer service history and only 70,000 miles - not even run in yet for a renault diesel so i thought! yep - turbo blew within 2000 miles, 800 quid to replace then within another few hundred miles it started drinking oil now the new turbos gone again . ill never buy a renault ever again. i would reccomend the old mk1 scenics to anyone but the mk2 is some kind of bad joke surley. im getting a peugeot saturday and was telling the dealer about the scenic, its a well known fault apparently and they wouldnt touch them px....how can renault get away with this?

[SDY245]

I'm not familiar with your consumer laws and possible recourse in the UK, but here in darkest Africa, apparently Renault can and do get away with their "couldn't care less" attitude.

 

I complained about the issues I have with the vehicle and between Renault SA and myself, we have less than 5 mails go between us and I have heard nothing from them. Not a single word. They just don't give a hoot.

 

Subesequently, I have done a bit more research and discovered that when the turbo blows, it does something to the piston rings and engine blow-by becomes a big problem. Engine blow-by is when combustion gasses pass the piston rings and these gasses contaminate the engine oil. This then causes a reduction in oil protection which causes excessive wear and this leads to more blow-by until the engine eventually wears out completely.

 

One of the more reputable Turbo companies in SA no longer offers a guarantee on Turbos fitted to the DCi engine. That is how severe the problem is here in SA.

 

Renault SA have gnored me and are porbably hoping I will go away. No chance of that and I am now going to embark on an anti-selection drive and warn anyone and everyone, not to buy a Renault, or a Nissan fitted with a DCi engine. (It is in fact the Renaut power plant.)

 

Renault will get away wth it because they have enough money to ignore the consumer and we are basically powerless to do anything about them. I don't have the resources to take them to court and in SA, most likely, nothing will happen anyway.

 

So I will loudly bark from my tree-tops and advertise to the world that it's a poor product backed by a "couldn't care less attitude".

 

A dutch friend of mine says this: Rust En Naarigheid Agtervolg U Lange Tyd.

 

It translates to Rust and Nausea will follow you are around for a long time if you own a Renault.

 

So if you're thinking about buying a Renault diesel, go ahead if you are willing to have the entire engine (piston rings, bearings et al) redone every time the turbo fails. And bear in mind, they do have alimited lifespan. They do fail without warning. You will not get away wth merely replacing the turbo.

[Welsh Riddler]

Hello

 

Just to let those who may/maynot have engine problems.

 

When the Turbo bearing goes (Happened twice on my 03 Laguna, and on our X reg 2.0Litre Zafira DCI), the road behind disappears in a cloud of smoke and the engine starts to run on the oil from the engine.

You must, must must break to a halt as quickly as possibly (safely) and then let the car stall as you break to a halt. If you just stop and take it out of gear/put your foot on the clutch the engine will rev uncontrollably and blow up or will use all the oil untill it siezes solid... the new engine scenario...

If the engine will still move (rock backwards and forwards), it may be OK. If the engine oil light does not come on as you break to a halt (until the engine stalls) then you may be OK

Note It may not turn over as cylinders can be oil locked, so you need to take out the glow plugs, suck out the oil from the cylinders and see if it will turn over.

Nota also the gasket on the Laguna is not symetrical and you have to line the exhaust port up with the gasket, otherwise the gasket will break and throw a bit ionto the turbo impeller causeing it to fail (for the second time on my Laguna).

 

Just my experience of owning old cars...... At least its not an engine management fault....

[jdefayette]

I was looking for a cheap family vehicle to substitute my Chrysler Voyager--left the automatic trany on the A22 near Mantua--and this thread has pretty well scared me away from those two Scenic Grand adverts I saw on line. Maybe I found out why they're so cheap.