Start Up Problems - Dephaser Pulley

[t7hgc]

We own an 04 1.6 VVT 5 door Scenic. The car has 36 thousand miles on the clock at present. We have had this car in the dealership at least ten times in the last Year. The initial problem occurred just out of warranty where the car had a rattle on start up and this progressed to the engine cutting out. It was an intermitent problem but increased to several times a day. We had taken the car into the garage several times but the technicians explained that they had to hear the problem before they could diagnose it. It had been placed on the diagnostic computer but this did not identify the problem. After a couple of visits where they denied they knew what was wrong with the car I asked for a technician to accompany me to the car as I started it up. On route the head technician explained that it could be the dephaser pulley, which I didn't know existed, and asked me if it was the 1.6 as this was the engine which had this common fault. Since that time we had the pulley replaced in July 07 where Renault agreed to pay 80% of the fix. The problem then reoccurred 6 months later. This took 3 more times to the garage to hear the problem (3 more days off work) and was replaced under parts warranty. 2 days after this, the fault (rattle) began again, and the car has been back in the garage twice and booked in again for 4 days at the start of July and the garage say they will not replace it until they hear it. The garage realigned the heat shield on the exhaust stating the problem was now fixed and the rattle, which I know is the dephaser, occurred the same night at home. We are now losing power in first gear and when stationary with the engine running the car shakes noticeably which is apparently linked to the dephaser. We are exasperated and have received little help from Renault since the fault reoccurred and feel they are obviously aware of this fault across this range of cars but unwilling to admit this. We have had other faults, both window regulators failing where the front window just slides down into the door leaving you to secure the car. Luckily this occurred in warranty both times but causes concern when leaving the car unattended. And also a fault with the front passenger seat which caused the airbag light to show constantly with the whole seat needing replaced. We now feel Renault UK are uninterested as the car is out of warranty and they even refused to speak to my wife, the registered owner, as I had logged the complaint. Has anyone else had a similar experience and or could offer any guidance or advice?

[andywills]

yup, trading standards

[nordicblue]

i will be spaeking to them on thursday as my dephaser pully was replaced 2 years ago by renault lonndon west and it have olny done 15,000 miles and started playing up again.
I also have a merc sprinter that will get parked over the dealers drive unless the do it f.o.c. and the loss of trade will cost them more.
I spoke to renault uk today and although my car was supplied by a renault dealer its an import.
Loosing my cool also with them.

good luck

[nordicblue]

spoke to a guy from renault uk and they recken the ecu has lost its coding for the throttle body i have to ring tomorrow to see if renault are going to cover this or part