Renault Scenic woes

[Volksy]

Got a call from my sister today, her '03 turdbox of a Scenic had failed to proceed, quelle surprise

 

It's had a problem with the Autobox, where it will shunt then put itself in limp home mode, 3rd gear, but if restarted cure itself and be ok for the rest o the day, I know this is some exorbitantly priced valve or solenoid which needs replacing, but she's lived with this since she got it 6 months ago. I assumed it had finally failed at it was now stuck in gimp mode.

 

Went to have a look at it tonight, and the box was behaiving itself, but the engine wasn't. It won't rev initially past 3k and just misses, splutters and generally acts as if it's hitting a rev limiter. As it warms up it will gradually allow you to rev further up the range, however the exhaust/intake note changes, becoming deeper and it will pop through the exhaust on the over run. At one point the EML was flashing, it's had a set of coil packs recently, so could it be a failed LAMBDA sensor, or another sensor? I don't have a code reader, should have access to one later in the week, provided it's logged a fault. I know the autobox will fail soon, so just want to get it running ok to she can trade the pos in.

 

Any ideas chaps?

[kinkersaab]

Air flow meter?

[andrew e]

From experience, new coil packs doesn't mean there not shagged again. My mums 24k from new megane auto cleared 5 I think n that mileage over 7/8 years.

[Volksy]

True, however when they go it tends to drop one cylinder constantly, whereas this seems to bog and loose power. I'm possibly thinking a collapsed CAT, as it's just had a new centre section of the exhaust.

[andrew e]

What about the coil pack HT's?

[CIH]

I knew a pukka Renult guy who insisted on fitting Denso 'packs. If it's on Siemens he'd chnge them regardless.

[Volksy]

The coil packs are mounted on top of the plugs pretty much so the HT section is integral to pack, these can fill with oil from a leaking rocker cover, but no sign of that, its odd, as in my experience when they fail, it's absolute, not just at one point on the rev range,

 

Kinker, AFM or vacuum hoses I guess could be right.

[andrew e]

Call her back and ask if her mechanic drives a Scorpio or Honda Accord

[Volksy]

lol, I'm her mechanic.

[andrew e]

This is the cure my Nan's neighbour tried - SCENICS BAD 4 UR SHARED DRIVE - It was that fierce she had two new windows, a conseveratory, a garge door, a fence and a house repaint. Oh and new guttering. Next door pretty much had the same but with added replacement(!) block paving. The fire brigade spent two hours dowsing it because it was 6 foot from the gas cuboard...

 

 

Sorry about the thread drift!

[kinkersaab]

If it has an AFM, un plug it and try it, if it runs better, then that will be the culprit, seem to remember this being the case with a past Renault of mine, and it deffo was with an Alfa I had. speaking of Renaults, today I took back a particularly desirable 2001 laguna 2, 110k 1.8 auto in green with scabby bits a plenty.... GR2 4 retail.

[oldford]

It could be the throttle potentiometer unit.

[scooters]

Bad luck ....weighed in our 2002 scenic 2 weeks ago list of uneconomical repairs...practical cars but never again..unbelievaby cheaply constructed and testament to renners policy of only supplying spares for cars under 10 years old..a sad development from this once great manufacturer

[Volksy]

I think that will be this ones fate soon also, my sis bought it whilst I was living abroad, has been no end of trouble so just want to get her as much money back, or off, another car.

[scooters]

My philosophy re chod daily family car was to always buy on reputation for reliable sensible mechanics. The scenic impressed on practicality etc but due to being utter shit is not a viable motor out of warranty. This is even the case for diy mechanics as parts avaliability is already pisspoor especially for mk1 and mk1 facelift models.

 

If your budget is under 1k then the best mpv option imho is a 'bishi space waggon....yes the doris will moan about old fashioned shape but very well screwed together indeed

 

I replaced the scenic with a legacy estate which cost the same and is like a rolls in build quality comparison

[Bren]

Renault's reputation, especially in this country, leads me to believe they will be the next Saab. I have owned a R5 GT turbo and a laguna 2.0 auto, both good cars, but not viable once they start to get old.

[Volksy]

I completely agree Scooters, my sisters main reason for buying it was, that it was an auto (25 years of driving in central London) and her height, she's just about 4ft11. She doesn't actually need an MPV, it's more that she can see out of one.

 

So will be on the hunt for something for her, the 205 dizzle on here may be just the ticket, if I can persuade her back into a manual...

 

The next Saab? I dunno, I like my old swedebarges, the only thing with them is they're not economical, and a worth feck all. The latter is an advantage when purchasing on a shiters budget, just not if you have any intention of selling them on.

[ashmicro]

my sister had a Scenic II, and it was just out of warranty when she got it. It was bloody awful. The coil packs on that were made by Sagem (the purveyor of cheap rubbish mobile phones). Dunno what was wrong, but the car kept blowing spark plug 4. Barmy instruments, it ate brakes and eventually threw a leg out of bed. Replacing the engine was fun! She GAVE it away @ 5 years old, and started again with a 2001 Rover 400 1.4 which was much better made and never had any issues. My mate's Mum ended up buying it when my sister got a Mazda 5, which is excellent.

[messerschmitt owner]

there are no old 1990s renaults on the roads for a very good reason! They are true autoshit!

[theorganist]

We have a 1998 Scenic 1.6RT and apart from the central locking sometimes playing up it has so far proved to be a reliable car in the eight months we have had it (probably spoke too soon now)!

 

However it definately does feel rather cheaply made (more so than my 14) and it is certainly suffering from grot around the rear arches, it has also had the sills welded at some point! It feels very underpowered too!

[cort16]

God these Renaults seem cronic. From what I hear the earlier ones (Laguna I, Scenic I) are okay once all the loose bits fall off.

It seems to have all started to go tits with the generation starting with the Laguna II. Saying that I had a Renault 21 and it was shit.

I still want an Avantime though.

[scooters]

We have a 1998 Scenic 1.6RT and apart from the central locking sometimes playing up it has so far proved to be a reliable car in the eight months we have had it (probably spoke too soon now)!

 

However it definately does feel rather cheaply made (more so than my 14) and it is certainly suffering from grot around the rear arches, it has also had the sills welded at some point! It feels very underpowered too!

 

 

The Mk1's (pre facelift) do seem to be a bit less disposable than the others- they all drive ok and do the job - it's just that they were designed to last 3 years

[AnthonyG]

Renaults have been crap since the first Megane hatchback of 97 or so. Diesel 19s seemed quite tough but the Megane Mk1s have all been scrapped, theres a couple of coupes left round here and thats it. The only pre-2000 Renaults I see now are the odd 5 and Clio/Laguna Mk1s. They all started rusting round the sills again with the Megane Mk1 as well.

 

Aren't Citroen Picassos meant to be cheaper and more reliable? - although I know Pog had an absolute obsession with the non functioning rear brake lights on his!

[HillmanImp]

I quite liked my Scenic. It was a 1.9 turbo dizzler. It helped me move house and also 3 of my friends on different occasions. Had done 190k and whilst pretty rusty on the arches served its purpose well. Clutch was on its way out but had been for 10,000 miles whilst I had it and had not got any worse.

 

Not suggesting all other Scenics are actually any good but mine served me well. Was pretty practical with the high roof. Was a relatively good buy for 300 quid.

 

Would not recommend spending millions on one but at bargain basement prices is probably okay if you need a cheap van like I did.

[Negative Creep]

Judging by the amount of new Meganes and Lagunas I see on the road it seems the public have voted with their feet

[pb1969]

I have to say it amazes me how popular renaults are considering theyre unreliability

 

Most times i see a renault i seem to find myself humming and singing in my head a version of "in the ghetto"

 

Then one night in desperation a young man breaks away

He buys a gun, steals a car, tries to run, but he don't get far.....its a renault

[Volksy]

Well, back to investigate earlier, and it is a collapsed Cat. So going to pull the exhaust off later in the week and empty the remains out, and trade it in swiftly, have no reservations about doing this as it will probably end up in the frag queue within a week.

[Renault18]

 

Trust this Scenic is one of the early Scenic 2 models. The phase 2, mk1 (99-03) cars were generally really reliable - save the autos. The Megane of this time (again 99-02) was one of the best cars they've built in ages. I've had quite a few and rebuilt ones involved in accidents or had cambelts go. I know of loads of them (mainly 1.4/1.6 16v) still going with big mileages and just routine maintenance. Two mates of mine have Scenics, one is a 51 plate, the other an early 03 - both are well over 100k. Both cars still look in good condition and are economical - they've have had cambelt changes and one's had rear shockers, but neither have had exhausts, batteries or any major expense - and this echoes my own experience. The Laguna II and Megane II seem to have tarnished Renault's image. Talking to a dealer or two recently confirms the fact that the guy who took over at Renault and told them that they'd better turn their act around has had an impact. Stuff since 2007/8 apparently turns up for service, but warranty visits have dropped right off - especially with the new Megane/Scenic.

 

Every time I mention Renault's iffy reliabilty record to the guy who does my MOTs, he agrees - but always points out the amount of Audis (mainly) VWs and Mercs from the late 90's/2000's he gets asks to recover as they've thrown an expensive elevtrical wobbler.

[HillmanImp]

 

Trust this Scenic is one of the early Scenic 2 models. The phase 2, mk1 (99-03) cars were generally really reliable - save the autos.

 

IIRC its a late mk1 phase 2 but auto. It's the auto box that is about to go.

[Volksy]

Yep, late model, phase 2/Mk1. It's a 2.0 16v RXE auto.