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Before you buy a used Renault Espace (V).

2015–2023 · Petrol / Diesel · 3 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

Renault Espace (V), real photo of this generation
Vauxford · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 3 of its engines.

  • Rear-wheel steering, rust, oil leaks and EGR on the Espace VKnown weak points
    Period mentioned
    2015–2023
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

    Applies if: Weak points of this model from inspections, breakdown statistics and recalls; anything specific to one engine is stated in the sheet.

1.6 / 1.8 TCe (M5Mt / M5Pt)

Petrol

We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.

1.6 dCi (R9M)

Diesel

2.0 Blue dCi (M9R)

Diesel

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Renault Espace (V)
EngineDocumented faults
1.6 / 1.8 TCe (M5Mt / M5Pt)PetrolFewest documented11 with conditions
1.6 dCi (R9M)Diesel22 with conditions
2.0 Blue dCi (M9R)Diesel21 with conditions

According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 1.6 / 1.8 TCe (M5Mt / M5Pt) (Petrol).

By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Petrol.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

We have no official recalls on record for this model. Our list is not complete: ask anyway, with the chassis number.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Renault dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 3 checked

Timing / injection

  • Look out for: Chain noise at high mileage; loss of power and emissions warnings in town use; injectors that will not come out when removed.

    Ask them to check: Listen to the chain from cold, check injection and emissions codes, and before removing injectors have extraction tools ready. Keep oil changes up to date.

Known weak points

  • Look out for: Failures of the rear-wheel steering motors on early cars, moisture in the headlamps, rust after a few years, engine and gearbox oil leaks; on the 1.6 dCi (R9M), burning smell, loss of power and dark smoke from the EGR.

    Ask them to check: Check every campaign by VIN; read the rear-steering codes; check rust and leaks.

Exhaust and emissions

  • Look out for: After a visit to the dealer, flat spots when accelerating and judder at steady speeds; sometimes higher diesel consumption. On the Mégane IV and Kadjar the engine may start and then stall.

    Ask them to check: Ask a Renault or Dacia dealer for the new injection ECU reprogramming for these symptoms (Dacia has offered it since May 2024 and Renault since January 2025). It is not a recall with a letter: you have to ask for it. First have them rule out other causes (particulate filter, boost pressure sensor).

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

More Renault buying guides

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