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Emergency
KNOWN FAULTS · Renault

Renault Clio (II) / Clio Campus common problems.

2000–2012 · Petrol / Diesel

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

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5 known faults with sources

Engines: 1.2 / 1.2 16V (D7F / D4F) (Petrol) · 1.4 / 1.6 16V (K4J / K4M) (Petrol) · 2.0 16V RS (F4R) (Petrol) · 1.5 dCi (K9K) (Diesel) · 1.9 D / dTi (F8Q / F9Q) (Diesel)

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

Electrics, front axle and timing belt on the Clio IIKnown weak points
Engine / equipment
Renault Clio II and Clio Campus (petrol and diesel)
Period mentioned
1998–2012
Symptoms
Electrical faults (loose connectors, central-locking remote, weak battery), unstable idle, worn suspension, rusty silencers, poor brake lines and fuel hoses; fewer than half pass their first roadworthiness test without defects.
Possible cause described
Age-related wear: the idle valve gets dirty and timing belts can break if overdue. There were recalls for the brake-servo vacuum valve and for the 1.2 software (emissions).
Check for the garage
Check when the belt was changed; clean the idle valve; check connectors, brake lines, exhaust and suspension before the roadworthiness test.
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: 1.5 dCi (K9K) (Diesel)

Connecting-rod bearing wear on the 1.5 dCiEngine (rod bearings)
Engine / equipment
1.5 dCi (K9K), early series
Period mentioned
Approx. 2001–2006
Symptoms
Engine knocking, especially when cold; low oil pressure; at worst, engine failure.
Possible cause described
The connecting-rod bearings wear early, especially on cars driven a lot at low revs. It mainly affects models before 2006; Renault covered much of these repairs.
Check for the garage
Listen to the engine from cold, measure oil pressure and check the oil-change history. If it knocks, do not keep driving.
Cost cited in the source
No verified estimate; from replacing the bearings to replacing the engine.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)

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