Auto gearbox malady

[AussiBruce]

Not a good day - I have two Renaults, a Megane cabriolet 2.0L and a 1.6 Kangoo - both autos and both under 30,00 miles. In the last eight months both have developed the same auto gear box fault. The dreaded solenoid valve failure resulting in high gearbox pressure readings terminating in the box defaulting to limp mode.
After contacting Renault customer services, who initially seemed eager to help, I have been bitterly disappointed. Renault deny there is any known common fault with this gearbox model and refuse any assistance - and to cap it all they quoted £1,200 to repair the fault. Strangely the gent at the Renault service centre knew what the fault was before the diagnostic checks were complete and claimed the centre had repaired many of these boxes suffering the same malady.
My friendly independent autobox repairers have also repaired many of these 'common known' Renault faulty boxes but at a cost, worst scenario, of £680. So today I have been lied to by Renault and had an attempt at ripping me off to boot. Well, I love the cabriolet and the Kangoo is a great practical motor - but guess what, both are going and I shall never buy Renault again. Sour grapes you may shout, NO, just financial common sense. Brand loyalty is a two way street. I have had three Land Rovers before these motors, and thats where I shall be heading again, if they'll have me back.

[corasdad]

https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/ ... tm?t=81030

worth a look

[peter h]

Had the same problem on my 2008 1.8VVT Dynamique, EVM Value?

the part is about £56 but involved gearbox removal. COst me £450 to get mine done at my local renault Dealer (Lifestyle Renault, Tunbridge Wells, Kent) and it ewas done in 1/2 a day. Sound to me like they are taking the pish mate. Also ring Renault Customer care and complain about the price, £1200 is a rip off

[AussiBruce]

Thanks for the replies - believe me I have been on to Renault customer services - they flatly refuse to help denying this a known malady of this type of gear box. I had the second bit of bad luck today when the gearbox specialists that are doing the repair found further problems inside the box. Apparently there are two magnets inside it that collect swarf - mine looked like two huge mushrooms. The torque converter has been damaged beyond repair and also needs replacement. They have photographed the damage for me stating that a box with only 26,000 miles should never have sustained this sort of damage. They have urged me to pass the pics onto Renault. They further claim to have so many of these boxes brought in that they purchased a £100,000 jigg in order to properly diagnose the faults and then complete repairs. Oh well, it's only money.

[AussiBruce]

Further to this - The renault dealership who were to do the repairs, had customer services OK'd the 'goodwill' assistance, phoned today to see what was happening. Surprises of all surprises, when told Renault would not help with the repair they told me they would not have done the repair anyway as they do not have the necessary jigg to properly callibrate the valves - they send the boxes off to a company on Mersea Island, ESSEX to do it for them. That company, TAS, is the very company I am using anyway, but for half the cost. The bloke at Renault laughed. Plus TAS gave me a courtesy car free - Renault tried to charge me for theirs. I have informed Renault Cus. Services about my find - I bet that has caused a bit of discomfort. If anyone else needs to have their auto box repaired this company TAS is superb, apparently they have all the uptodate equipment and once done it is a better box than it was when it left Renaults and that is by a Renault service center's own admission. Now I feel a little happier, if not richer.

[freelanderuk]

A good outcome in the end