Renault Kangoo Questions & Answers (page 2 of 2)

Coil sets are like most things electric they don't like heat also auto parts are made all over the planet the quality/spec can vary, crap Chines coils will break down in short order because the plastics uedued to insulate are cheap and the moulding may be thinner.
How many of us know how to check out the insulation? Not many and there are a of of fake parts from Turkey,
Citroen /Peugeot /Renault all have factories in China I'm not saying everything made there is bad but the country does not have any copyright laws so anybody can make anything and sell it.
If you like you can carry a can of silicon spray in your kit and if the dash starts to light up like an Xmas tree take the leads of and spray them at least it will get you home if you're out in the sticks, another tip is to buy a bottle of domestic boiler additive it lubes the water pump stops the formation of sludge, is safe in iron or alloy engines and it keeps the system clean, in the UK its about £6 and change a bottle and you only use half the bottle so it will last 2 years, with today's cars you need all the help you can get some people blank off the EGR valve because it only puts a lot of crap into the induction system and blocks up the cat converter.
Any car made in France are prone to bad earths renault had an issue with the earth on a rear light that threw up all sorts of problems, water/condensation in the fuse is another, brake light switch, battery, act always check your earths out first it can save you a lot of expense, get your partner to buy you a digital multi meter for a present.

Anyway hope some it helps.
Renault owner from across the splash.

Thanks for the advice ferkemail. I will definitely be getting a multi meter. Since I'm not that keyed up on engine parts I will get a friend of mine who works with cars to show me where everything is. Much appreciated. Bye the way, I now have it back - so far so good. The dealership have been extremely helpful in insisting that Renault Australia get involved. They did and have tested and retested many times and done a complete computer upgrade plus other bits & pieces (minor parts). Hopefully this will be the end of my trouble as I really love the car and have it all set up for my dogs.

OK I'm in UK I got a 1.6 Renault k4 engine twin cam, petrol, my local garage will charge £350 to change the belt/puppies and water pump, considering the work involved that's cheap, as for going to the dealers forget it that's going to cost £500 plus.
Hope it helps.

In Australia if you just buy the (timing belt kit), that includes a belt, a tensioner device and two bolts, its $200. But there's more expense if you buy the water pump kit as well and most people do, because of the extra cost of getting it fixed later.
I have a kangoo 1.5 diesel. I have read horror stories about the timing belt change, where the car has to be on jacks, the engine detached from a lot of components and jacked up high to get access to the timing belt. Then a special Torx spanner to take off a cover plug, also a pully that requires loosening and retightening with a tension wrench to specification, while the engine is locked in position with a screwdriver.
I have to find the money and get this done yet, it seems like a lot of labor cost by a qualified mechanic.

Hi, you did not say why the fuse blew, did short the positive wire? If you did, you're going to have to check all of the fuses, on my renault modus there is a fuse section just inside the passenger side down from the glove box, then you have the main fuse/relay box under the bonnet on the battery side, to check your fuses you need a multimeter set to continuity and check every fuse in sight, some systems use the same relays so find the relay for the pump and swop it for another to see its that, renault electrics are crap, go onto YouTube and check out videos on electrics for Renaults, I don't know about loving my renault more than my dogs if it came to a choice I would shoot the car, I love my dogs I got a Labrador cross German Sheppard, big as a bear my other dog is a Staffordshire bull terrier!
Hope it helps!
From across the pond.

OK what looks like a drain plug is in fact a level plug because it has a tube up inside to set the level, to check the level properly the transmission needs to be up to temp I believe its 60deg, with the gearbox in neutral and the engine running you undo the plug if some comes out like a trickle its ok, if none comes out you just pour in half a litre at a time until it starts to come out that is then the correct level.

If you overfill the trans unit the fluid will foam up causing airlocks in the system this will result in hard shifts, overheating,these units must only have FULLY SYNTHETIC FLUID nothing else will do .
There is another problem when changing or topping up the fluid there is a counter in the computer that has to be either zeroed in the case of a fluid change or adjusted to the correct figure for topping up the counter is only accessed via the Renault (clip software )
If the evm valves have been changed its essential that the counter is zeroed or its back to square 1 these units are more complex than people think, I got a PDF online explaining how it works it makes good reading as to how Renault design these units for dealer service only !
Ok I hope helps !

Dear how to get your PDF explanation?

How did I get the PDF? I just checked out out everything on the net referring to the AL4 dpo gearbox and was lucky to find to find the Citroen training PDF it tells everything about the transmission including showing service reports on customer comments, on reading it you start to understand that it was designed to generate millions for the dealerships, don't forget that these transmission's are used throughout Renault/Peugeot/citrons because they all belong to Frances PSA group so they share common parts and systems.

Mines a Renault modus 1.6 but I could change the gearbox with a Peugeot or a citrone I may have to use my computer but the box is the same the shifts are by solenoids opening and shutting they are just mechanical/electrical they do what the computer tells them.
I'm amazed at the prices you Ausies are getting charged for repairs, why anyone would be told that a drive shaft would have to order from France is beyond me, it's a shaft is a shaft it just needs a UJ kit and a gater oil seals are common size for PSA vehicles.

Yes they are a awkward to work on but at the end of the day its just a set of sub assemblies if your stuck for a part go to a breaker yard and have a look at Renault/Peugeot or citrons chances are the parts will fit Jesus I can fit Nissan note rear discs on mine complete with bearings/ABS rings its a straight fit its all in the research!

Hope it helps just check things out if you usually do your own repairs you can replace the evm valves in the gear box with parts off the net its not rocket science but you will have to take it to a transmission shop to update the computer that's the only extra cost, in the UK £40 approx!

Hello far away person, yes its fly by wire you will have to get it diagnosed at either the dealers or a transmission shop because of the Renault clip software involved, you can use an ordinary diagnostic unit for engine trouble codes but anything to do with the transmission it has to have the clip software it's there way of generating more millions.

Renaults are loaded with computer based faults transmissions suffer from complex software plus the gear box suffers bad cooling and has 3 sensors one of which is a condition sensor it reads the viscosity/heat of the fluid and will trip limp mode if the fluid gets to hot or to thin.
I drive a 1.6 renault modus it's the same basic set up you have this trans unit is used in Peugeot/citrons/renault over a wide rang of models.
It has a fluid condition counter in the computer so even if you only top it up you have to set the software, if you have a fluid change the counter has to be zeroed or it will keep tripping.

My advice is if you are going to keep the vehicle change the fluid on or before 30,000 miles get the counter reset, fit an aftermarket cooler wit an inline filter and put a couple of magnets on the metal pan. Only use fully synthetic fluid in these units, renault will say never change the fluid, yet every other auto trans mfg says change the fluid at 30,000 miles, the reason for this is that debris from the clutch packs with the steel spacers keeps getting pumped around the system causing damage to the solinoids valves (evm) valve body/seals/bearings/bushings/torque converter, etc. plus metallic particles can short out electrics in the unit.
If its keeps going into limp mode get it fixed because driving it in third gear (limp mode) will damage the gearbox.
They have other things that can trip limp mode such as a defective brake switch, bad earth on body and back lights/corrosion in the fuse/relay box /bad electrical connectors .
Check out peugeot/renault recalls from the UK warranty website then go onto YouTube and checkout AL4 /DPO problems and any renault/Peugeot web forums.
Well I hope this helps you mate if you get anymore probs let me know.
peter in the UK!

Peter, thanks a million. That sure is a lot to be going on with. Beauty of the internet - a man in UK can help a bloke in Australia. Thanks again. Mike

That's OK mate, you need to get as much info on these set ups as possible. I bought a tablet its an A33 it has a function where you can copy any video without the need for any software its called screenrecord and I use it to record YouTube videos on any and everything to do with citrone/renault/Peugeot as they use common parts systems. I also record how systems work and how to test them because there is always some good old boys out there who find away to do it, plus there are instructional vids to be had. I just keep recording them and have built up a database of these by putting a 32gig card in and saving the vids to the card and onto a memory stick, there are some PDF files too. I found a citrons one on the transmission with exploded views and a lot of text on how the system works and why.
Hope it helps you, check it all out.
Regards a pom!

Your gear box sounds like it's short on fluid, if it does not have enough fluid in it going up hill the fluid goes to the back of the box and the pump is sucking air into the system causing problems, you will need to check the level, you need to get the vehicle level, handbrake on start engine in neutral and undo the level, plug if fluid starts to run out of level, plug the level if OK but if nothing comes out you're short on fluid so you will have to undo the fill plug on top of the box with the engine still running pour in fresh until it starts to run out of the level plug.
When you have one of these units it will pay to drain the unit and fill with Fully synthetic fluid, a lot of people think they can run on dex2 or 3, they can't because they suffer from poor cooling. My advise is to drain the old out and fill with fresh.
There are 2 gearboxes, one just has a drain plug like my modus the other has a dual drainer/drain plug if like me you have only a drain plug look at the bottom of the box you will see a sensor, put a container under it and take it out start the engine in neutral and the fluid will run out.
OK hope that helps!

Oops.. I meant to say level plug. My modus only has the level plug it does not have a drain plug, I wish it did, life would be a lot easier but then it's French!
Opps again the level plug is the drain plug you just need an 8 mm key to put up there and undo the level tube that's up inside !

OK turn the key to ignition on press the menus buttons on the right hand stalk until you get to the oil change /mileage and then pull the little thumb wheel towards you for about 5 seconds and will cancelled it out it will then read next service at 18000 miles, if you don't know it also turns your CD to the next track and other functions .

Awesome, thanks for your answer.

If that don't work using the thumb wheel mine does, use the buttons on the wiper stalk to get to service and then press both bottoms at once the service light will start to blink and then it will zero saying next service in 18000 miles, but it will also cancel your trip milage and mpg read out !
Good luck from across the pond!

Get on to YouTube and find out how to test the units these vehicles are designed for dealer only maintenance, you may have to dig around but there is always some one who knows how to test the sender /receiver, when you have a French vehicle it pays to get every piece of information off the YouTube and save it off in your bookmarks and remember those parts on your vehicle are used on the other PSA vehicles Peugeot/Citroen/Renault, check out the parts and compare, my modus is really a Renault Clio and shares parts with all of the above and Nissan, not everything but some, if you get stuck for a part and have the knowledge /skill set you can go to a breakers/salvage yard and get a part from another model .
It also pays to look on eBay and then check what other models use the same parts !
And remember always carry a spare crank sensor and can sensor !
Hope this helps, drive French and you need all the help you can get !

Sorry no Idea? I bought my vehicle new with my retirement money and it is probably the last vehicle I will ever own, so I dont wish to lease it. Also I have never taken out a lease on a vehicle before.

Before buying or leasing a vehicle go onto a website like car warranty.com they have a vehicle recall list covering most models you will be amazed at some of the recalls it lists makes models and all the problems they have, some of these will be fixed free at a dealers, its a real eye opener!

Even older guy 67! still going strong and still fixing the Renault, going very well at the moment!