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Before you buy a used Renault Clio (II) / Clio Campus.

2000–2012 · Petrol / Diesel · 5 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 Clio (II) / Clio Campus, real photo of this generation
M 93 · CC BY-SA 3.0 DE · 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 5 of its engines.

  • Electrics, front axle and timing belt on the Clio IIKnown weak points
    Period mentioned
    1998–2012
    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.

1.2 / 1.2 16V (D7F / D4F) · 1.4 / 1.6 16V (K4J / K4M) · 2.0 16V RS (F4R) · 1.9 D / dTi (F8Q / F9Q)

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

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

1.5 dCi (K9K)

Diesel

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Renault Clio (II) / Clio Campus
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
1.2 / 1.2 16V (D7F / D4F)PetrolFewest documented11 with conditions4
1.4 / 1.6 16V (K4J / K4M)PetrolFewest documented11 with conditions4
2.0 16V RS (F4R)PetrolFewest documented11 with conditions4
1.5 dCi (K9K)Diesel31 with conditions4
1.9 D / dTi (F8Q / F9Q)DieselFewest documented11 with conditions4

According to the data we have, the engines with the fewest documented faults are: 1.2 / 1.2 16V (D7F / D4F) (Petrol), 1.4 / 1.6 16V (K4J / K4M) (Petrol), 2.0 16V RS (F4R) (Petrol), 1.9 D / dTi (F8Q / F9Q) (Diesel).

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

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  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.
Renault brake recalls (2000–2014)Brakes

How to check it: Check the recall by VIN; inspect and replace, reprogram or correct the part named in the recall.

View full entry
Renault airbag, seat-belt and pretensioner recalls (2000–2012)Airbags and seat belts

How to check it: Check the recall by VIN; inspect and replace, reprogram or correct the part named in the recall.

View full entry
Renault steering, suspension and axle recalls (2001–2014)Suspension and steering

How to check it: Check the recall by VIN; inspect and replace, reprogram or correct the part named in the recall.

View full entry
Renault engine, injection and accelerator recalls (2001–2013)Powertrain and engine management

How to check it: Check the recall by VIN; inspect and replace, reprogram or correct the part named in the recall.

View full entry

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

Engine (rod bearings)

  • Look out for: Engine knocking, especially when cold; low oil pressure; at worst, engine failure.

    Ask them to check: Listen to the engine from cold, measure oil pressure and check the oil-change history. If it knocks, do not keep driving.

Injection / turbo

  • Look out for: Injection warning, jerking, rough idle, loss of power, smoke and sometimes a no-start.

    Ask them to check: 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.

Known weak points

  • Look out for: 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.

    Ask them to check: Check when the belt was changed; clean the idle valve; check connectors, brake lines, exhaust and suspension before the roadworthiness test.

OBD codes worth looking for

If they let you read the fault memory with an OBD reader, these are the codes mentioned in this model's sheets:

P0087

Sources

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

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