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KNOWN FAULTS · Dacia

Dacia Sandero (I) common problems.

2008–2012 · Petrol / LPG / CNG / Diesel

Sources are not verified in real time and no entry confirms that your car is affected.

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6 known faults with sources

Engines: 1.2 16V (D4F) (Petrol) · 1.4 / 1.6 MPI (K7J / K7M) (Petrol) · 1.6 16V (K4M) (Petrol) · 1.4 MPI GLP (LPG / CNG) · 1.5 dCi (K9K) (Diesel)

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

Coils, thermostat, valve collets and front axle on the Sandero IKnown weak points
Engine / equipment
Dacia Sandero I (petrol, LPG and diesel)
Period mentioned
2008–2012
Symptoms
On the 1.2, coils and coolant loss from the thermostat housing; door locks, rust at the filler neck, an early-wearing clutch, ignition switch, starter and battery; at the roadworthiness test, suspension, steering, drive shafts, lights, brakes and exhaust mounts.
Possible cause described
Recalls: 1.2 valve collets on cars built 17/9 to 30/11/2010 (possible engine damage) and an ABS warning lamp that could fail (26/5–12/11/2008). The 1.5 dCi may need injectors and a turbo at high mileage.
Check for the garage
Check both campaigns by VIN; watch the coolant; check the front axle, brakes and exhaust.
Cost cited in the source
No verified estimate; ask the garage for a quote.A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Sources from the original database

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Engines: 1.4 MPI GLP (LPG / CNG)

Applies if: Factory LPG, built up to 23/9/2010.

LPG tank rusting on the outside on the LPG Logan I and Sandero I (up to 2010)Fuel system
Engine / equipment
Dacia Logan I and Sandero I with factory LPG, built up to 23/9/2010
Period mentioned
Up to September 2010
Symptoms
Rust on the outer shell of the LPG tank. According to L'argus it does not affect safety, but it can make the car fail its roadworthiness test.
Possible cause described
According to L'argus (July 2017), the supplier applied the tank's anti-corrosion treatment badly. It affects LPG Logan I and Sandero I built up to 23/9/2010 (and LPG Renault Clio II up to November 2010): 58,193 customers in France. Since May 2016 Renault has replaced the tank, in about two and a half hours, without an official recall and only if the owner asks for it.
Check for the garage
Have the LPG tank looked at in the garage or at the roadworthiness test. If the shell is rusty, ask Dacia to replace the tank: owners are not told by letter, you have to ask yourself.
Cost cited in the source
In France it was free on cars under 10 years old and 300,000 km (May 2016); these cars are now over 10 years old, so ask Dacia or get a quote.A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Sources from the original database

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Engines: 1.5 dCi (K9K) (Diesel)

1.5 dCi pump and injectors with Delphi systemInjection / turbo
Engine / equipment
1.5 dCi (K9K) with early Delphi injection
Period mentioned
Approx. 2001–2011
Symptoms
Injection warning, jerking, rough idle, loss of power, smoke and sometimes a no-start.
Possible cause described
In the early years, the Delphi high-pressure pump can shed metal filings that contaminate the circuit and damage the injectors one after another.
Check for the garage
Read the codes (e.g. P0087, low rail pressure) and look for filings in the diesel filter. If the circuit is contaminated, replace pump, rail and injectors and clean the tank and lines.
Cost cited in the source
Approx. €1,800–3,500 (pump, four injectors, rail and circuit cleaning)A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Sources from the original database

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Engines: 1.5 dCi (K9K) (Diesel)

1.5 dCi timing belt or pulley failureValve timing
Engine / equipment
1.5 dCi (K9K)
Period mentioned
2009–2011
Symptoms
Noise or squeal around the belts; if the timing belt breaks, the engine stops suddenly and can be badly damaged.
Possible cause described
On 2009–2011 engines, pulleys and timing or auxiliary belts were reported to break.
Check for the garage
Keep to the timing-belt interval and always replace the full kit (belt, rollers and pulleys); check the auxiliary belt and its pulley.
Cost cited in the source
No verified estimate; ask the garage for a timing-kit quote.A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Sources from the original database

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Engines: 1.5 dCi (K9K) (Diesel)

EGR valve sticking with deposits on the 1.5 dCiExhaust and emissions
Engine / equipment
1.5 dCi (K9K) with an electric EGR valve
Period mentioned
No specific period published
Symptoms
Uneven idle, jerks when accelerating, lack of power or the engine going into limp mode, sometimes with the engine warning light on.
Possible cause described
Soot and oil deposits leave the EGR valve stiff, stuck closed or not closing fully. According to Pierburg it is rarely a fault of the valve itself: the oil comes through the crankcase breather, a turbo with worn bearings or a blocked oil return, late oil changes or too high a level, and many short trips, above all in winter.
Check for the garage
At the workshop: read the codes with diagnostic equipment (EOBD P0400 to P0404 or P0172; Renault DF077, DF084 or DF241), test the valve electrically and its opening with the engine warm, and find where the oil comes from (breather, turbo, level). Pierburg advises against cleaning it, as it can be damaged: it is replaced if faulty, and an engine ECU update sometimes solves it.
Cost cited in the source
No verified estimate; ask the workshop for a quote for the EGR valve.A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Sources from the original database

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Engines: 1.5 dCi (K9K) (Diesel)

Applies if: Only if the injection pump is a Delphi (it says so on the pump): depending on the version, the 1.5 dCi has Delphi or Siemens/Continental.

Delphi injection on the 1.5 dCi: air in the fuel, metal swarf, regulator or injectorsInyección
Engine / equipment
1.5 dCi (K9K) with Delphi common-rail injection
Period mentioned
No specific period published
Symptoms
Hard to start or will not start, stalls, loses power or jerks; sometimes air bubbles show in the clear fuel pipe.
Possible cause described
The usual faults of the K9K's Delphi system are air getting into the low-pressure circuit, metal swarf from the pump contaminating the whole system, the pump's inlet metering valve (IMV), injectors with too much return flow and the rail pressure sensor.
Check for the garage
At the workshop, in this order: look for air and leaks in the low-pressure circuit and prime it; check the fuel filter bowl for metal swarf (if there is any, the whole injection system is replaced); measure the rail pressure, the IMV regulator's resistance (4.8–5.8 Ω) and each injector's return flow (25 ml at most in the test). A new injector's code must be written into the ECU.
Cost cited in the source
No verified estimate; it varies widely, from a filter or the regulator to the whole injection system.A rough figure from the original database, not an up-to-date quote.

Sources from the original database

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Engines for this model