Renault Duster AWD : Official Review

revved_up · 16th March 2018, 13:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by SajiNSalin

revved_up, please share your 50k bill. I have completed 45k and have not replaced the brake pads so far, it will probably come up next service. I asked about the differential oil, they told me it need not be changed. Maybe at some point of time we have to insist that it should be changed.

Here is my 50K service bill. Total Cost - 5475

- I got 10% discount on labour and free dry cleaning.
- I refused to get EGR cleaned as it was done in last service and i could not find any documentation from Renualt which asks it to be done every 10k
- I refused brake cleaning, since disk pads were changed in last service and brake cleaning was done for rear drums. Instead asked them to check noise from brakes. Maybe they opened and cleaned rear drum.
- I refused to get engine dressing.
- I refused to get wheel alignment and balancing done, since i do it outside
- i refused to do car lubrication, since i found it as a gimmick(got it done in last service)

IMHO, service advisors are pushed by management to get customers to agree on above things to make more $$.

. They go silent when asked about logic or being asked to show circular where Renault recommends these things in periodic services.

Renault Duster AWD : Official Review-img_0065.jpg

Renault Duster AWD : Official Review-img_0066.jpg

SajiNSalin · 16th March 2018, 14:17

Thanks, revved_up. I have not got the EGR cleaned so far and Renault Trivandrum never asked me about it. What does it cost? What is item no 8; blade assy back? I have another 5000km to go till the 50k service. Did you replace any diesel injectors, clutch, suspension etc.?

revved_up · 16th March 2018, 15:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by SajiNSalin

Thanks, revved_up. I have not got the EGR cleaned so far and Renault Trivandrum never asked me about it. What does it cost? What is item no 8; blade assy back? I have another 5000km to go till the 50k service. Did you replace any diesel injectors, clutch, suspension etc.?

I think EGR cleaning costs about 1000-1200.
Point number 8 is rear wiper blade.
No i have not replaced diesel injectors and clutch yet. However, all shockers were leaking and they were replaced in last service.

SajiNSalin · 16th March 2018, 17:39

Thanks for the information. What was the cost of the shocks?

v6kgang · 16th March 2018, 17:57

If I remember correctly, around 7K per shock including labour and taxes. Got 3 of mine replaced , one at a time at 50, 60 and 70 K service.

nettooran · 21st March 2018, 18:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by v6kgang

If I remember correctly, around 7K per shock including labour and taxes. Got 3 of mine replaced , one at a time at 50, 60 and 70 K service.

Is it covered in warranty if reported before the initial warranty period?

v6kgang · 21st March 2018, 18:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by nettooran

Is it covered in warranty if reported before the initial warranty period?

I was refused saying it's regular wear and tear. And it seems to be a widespread problem as well.

SajiNSalin · 22nd March 2018, 12:46

The clutch is also another potential trouble. It is also not covered under warranty, as it is also considered by Renault as regular wear and tear. Fortunately, the diesel injectors seem to be under warranty.

tomraven99 · 1st April 2018, 08:18

Has anyone tried out alternative shock absorbers? Ironman and Bilstein both have lift kits for the Duster. I guess these would be better and durable than the OEM shocks.

KMan · 17th April 2018, 12:00

Hi all. It has been a while since I posted here, but it has been an eventful last few months with Renault. It started off with variations in power while driving. Anywhere between 1500-2000 rpm, on accelerating, there was, on occasion, a sudden surge of power. Took it to the workshop and as it usually happens, the issue did not present itself on the test drive. The SA said to continue driving and come back if it keeps happening.

A few weeks later, all the warning lights popped on at the same time. Thought it was something to do with the same problem. Got the car towed to the workshop where I was told that rats had chewed off the sensor wires, underneath the engine cover. And the fuel pump was bust, which was causing surges. I was told that the quality of fuel was the cause, which is weird because I've been filling up at the same place since over a decade and have never faced this problem. Anyway, both the issues were sorted and I was not charged for the pump. I was also told then that i would soon have to change my rear shock absorbers by the next service, since the leaks had begun.

Cue to present day. For the last couple of weeks, was trying to get the same changed. However, due to unavailability of parts and scheduling conflicts, the job was not able to get done. Then suddenly, the Kopar Khairane workshop which I regular, shut down without notice. On asking them the reason, they said they had an issue with the landlord because of which they had to shut down over night.

Now, for the last two days, I'm in touch with the Panvel workshop. They experience has not been fun. They keep saying they will get back to me about the parts availability but I never get a call back. I have to keep chasing them. And after finally losing my temper after two days of waiting for a call, I was told that they had no rear suspension parts anywhere in Mumbai and it would be at least a week before they could get their hands on any.

It has been an absolute headache dealing with this whole business. These are just the major issues I am facing. There are a bunch of small niggles which are too many to type. Times like this, I miss Toyota and my Innova which served me so well. Safe to say, I will not be a repeat Renault customer.

Also, anyone who has any tips on how to expedite this matter, please feel free to share.

revved_up · 17th April 2018, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by KMan

Also, anyone who has any tips on how to expedite this matter, please feel free to share.

Please open a formal complaint with Renault customer care, that should expedite things.

Also send a message to Renault India on Twitter and FB, that also helps. You can give the link to your post for reference.

Zappo · 17th April 2018, 12:21

With my short experience of some 2-3 years with Renault (Duster AWD) I have learnt one thing for sure. Irrespective of how much we berate the Indian brands the fact still remains that they are far more reliable in day to day terms.

My Duster keeps throwing up new surprises from time to time and I have no clue what to do about these. Worse still, the A$$ is so incompetent that I do not even feel like taking the vehicle to them. The traction control light on the dash has a mind and will of its own. It switches on and stays there for days and then again suddenly goes away on its own. I gave it to the service center once and they charged me some 1000 bucks for some kind of fiddling with the connections etc. However, after the problem kept reappearing they gave me all sorts of reasons like your transmission is kaput and needs a change (i felt like giving him a hard kick on his backside), The sensor is faulty but its a big job and we also don't have parts, Your entire electrical wiring will need to be taken down and refixed and that will be a costly proposition, yada yada.

While I decided to start ignoring the traction control light a new issue popped up. At times on starting the car up the medianav goes on automute. At such times you can do whatever you want to but the blessed thing simply refuse to make a noise, be it the radio, media, phone or anything else. Only solution is to switch off the car and wait for a while before restarting the car again. Once again the A$$ has no clue. I have got all kinds of responses on this problem some of which border on being ridiculous.

For the last 3 weeks yet another problem has started showing up. The car is driven primarily by my wife. She says at least on two different occasions the engine check light had switched on for some time and then went away. I am dreading where this is gonna lead up to now... Don't want to take a guess :(

v6kgang · 19th April 2018, 12:01

I have experienced all the 3 problems quoted by you. For the Engine check light and ESP light I had Renault troubleshoot for 2 days (at least I think they did. They had the car for 2 days) post which they came back and said esp sensor was a problem and they just had to clean the sensor and it's all working now.

Sure enough the light never went off till I parked the car in my parking spot which illuminated 2 mins after I left the service center. So I have stopped complaining now. The rear wiper is not working and waiting for eternity for the service center to call in regarding the motor availability. The only way to be happy with this car is not to drive it and am exactly doing the same. I parked the car in a good spot and using my D400 for daily commute to office.

Every time I drive the car for more than 30 mins a new problem seems to crop up. And the woes on parts availability cannot be stressed enough. And while computing the P&L statement for this year, I observed that I have spent close to a lakh (97K) on service and repairs on this car the past year. (Used to be around 20K for manza)

Mod Note: Please avoid typing like..... this......

SajiNSalin · 27th April 2018, 12:26

5000 km of blissful driving the AWD since the last clutch change and 10 K after the two injector replacement. Loved this interval of great driving, just what the AWD is expected to do. Odo very close to 45k. Hope this will continue for some more time.

ampere · 4th May 2018, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmktm

Hi,
The rubber boot on my keys got worn off and looks like this. My SA said the cheapest option would be to buy a silicone jacket (Rs.210/-) online. Of course, he said he would be happy to order a replacement for @ Rs.5000/-

Anybody using these jackets already ?

Was looking at old posts came across this post. Even I had this problem 2-3 months back. Got a replaced casing on Amazon along with a silicon cover. Changed the case and added the cover. Works well and it looks new!

A thing to note: After I changed the case it did not work right away. Got me thinking. A check between old and new clearly showed a difference in length of the lead wire from pencil cell casing to the PCB contact. I played with it and made sure it would connect to the PCB after the casing is closed. And then it worked like a charm. About 500/- for the casing is all it took.

Hope this helps others with similar issues. Sorry no snaps.

16th March 2018, 14:17	#827
SajiNSalin BHPian Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 333 Thanked: 321 Times	Re: Renault Duster AWD : Official Review Thanks, revved_up. I have not got the EGR cleaned so far and Renault Trivandrum never asked me about it. What does it cost? What is item no 8; blade assy back? I have another 5000km to go till the 50k service. Did you replace any diesel injectors, clutch, suspension etc.?
	() Thanks

16th March 2018, 17:39	#829
SajiNSalin BHPian Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 333 Thanked: 321 Times	Re: Renault Duster AWD : Official Review Thanks for the information. What was the cost of the shocks?
	() Thanks

16th March 2018, 17:57	#830
v6kgang BHPian Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Bangalore Posts: 157 Thanked: 150 Times	Re: Renault Duster AWD : Official Review If I remember correctly, around 7K per shock including labour and taxes. Got 3 of mine replaced , one at a time at 50, 60 and 70 K service.
	(2) Thanks

22nd March 2018, 12:46	#833
SajiNSalin BHPian Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 333 Thanked: 321 Times	Re: Renault Duster AWD : Official Review The clutch is also another potential trouble. It is also not covered under warranty, as it is also considered by Renault as regular wear and tear. Fortunately, the diesel injectors seem to be under warranty.
	() Thanks

1st April 2018, 08:18	#834
tomraven99 BHPian Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Kottayam Posts: 164 Thanked: 176 Times	Re: Renault Duster AWD : Official Review Has anyone tried out alternative shock absorbers? Ironman and Bilstein both have lift kits for the Duster. I guess these would be better and durable than the OEM shocks.
	(1) Thanks

17th April 2018, 12:00	#835
KMan BHPian Join Date: Dec 2014 Location: Mumbai Posts: 40 Thanked: 22 Times	Re: Renault Duster AWD : Official Review Hi all. It has been a while since I posted here, but it has been an eventful last few months with Renault. It started off with variations in power while driving. Anywhere between 1500-2000 rpm, on accelerating, there was, on occasion, a sudden surge of power. Took it to the workshop and as it usually happens, the issue did not present itself on the test drive. The SA said to continue driving and come back if it keeps happening. A few weeks later, all the warning lights popped on at the same time. Thought it was something to do with the same problem. Got the car towed to the workshop where I was told that rats had chewed off the sensor wires, underneath the engine cover. And the fuel pump was bust, which was causing surges. I was told that the quality of fuel was the cause, which is weird because I've been filling up at the same place since over a decade and have never faced this problem. Anyway, both the issues were sorted and I was not charged for the pump. I was also told then that i would soon have to change my rear shock absorbers by the next service, since the leaks had begun. Cue to present day. For the last couple of weeks, was trying to get the same changed. However, due to unavailability of parts and scheduling conflicts, the job was not able to get done. Then suddenly, the Kopar Khairane workshop which I regular, shut down without notice. On asking them the reason, they said they had an issue with the landlord because of which they had to shut down over night. Now, for the last two days, I'm in touch with the Panvel workshop. They experience has not been fun. They keep saying they will get back to me about the parts availability but I never get a call back. I have to keep chasing them. And after finally losing my temper after two days of waiting for a call, I was told that they had no rear suspension parts anywhere in Mumbai and it would be at least a week before they could get their hands on any. It has been an absolute headache dealing with this whole business. These are just the major issues I am facing. There are a bunch of small niggles which are too many to type. Times like this, I miss Toyota and my Innova which served me so well. Safe to say, I will not be a repeat Renault customer. Also, anyone who has any tips on how to expedite this matter, please feel free to share.
	(1) Thanks

17th April 2018, 12:21	#837
Zappo Team-BHP Support Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 5,915 Thanked: 2,746 Times	Re: Renault Duster AWD : Official Review With my short experience of some 2-3 years with Renault (Duster AWD) I have learnt one thing for sure. Irrespective of how much we berate the Indian brands the fact still remains that they are far more reliable in day to day terms. My Duster keeps throwing up new surprises from time to time and I have no clue what to do about these. Worse still, the A$$ is so incompetent that I do not even feel like taking the vehicle to them. The traction control light on the dash has a mind and will of its own. It switches on and stays there for days and then again suddenly goes away on its own. I gave it to the service center once and they charged me some 1000 bucks for some kind of fiddling with the connections etc. However, after the problem kept reappearing they gave me all sorts of reasons like your transmission is kaput and needs a change (i felt like giving him a hard kick on his backside), The sensor is faulty but its a big job and we also don't have parts, Your entire electrical wiring will need to be taken down and refixed and that will be a costly proposition, yada yada. While I decided to start ignoring the traction control light a new issue popped up. At times on starting the car up the medianav goes on automute. At such times you can do whatever you want to but the blessed thing simply refuse to make a noise, be it the radio, media, phone or anything else. Only solution is to switch off the car and wait for a while before restarting the car again. Once again the A$$ has no clue. I have got all kinds of responses on this problem some of which border on being ridiculous. For the last 3 weeks yet another problem has started showing up. The car is driven primarily by my wife. She says at least on two different occasions the engine check light had switched on for some time and then went away. I am dreading where this is gonna lead up to now... Don't want to take a guess :( Last edited by Zappo : 17th April 2018 at 12:24.
	(3) Thanks

19th April 2018, 12:01	#838
v6kgang BHPian Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Bangalore Posts: 157 Thanked: 150 Times	Re: Renault Duster AWD : Official Review I have experienced all the 3 problems quoted by you. For the Engine check light and ESP light I had Renault troubleshoot for 2 days (at least I think they did. They had the car for 2 days) post which they came back and said esp sensor was a problem and they just had to clean the sensor and it's all working now. Sure enough the light never went off till I parked the car in my parking spot which illuminated 2 mins after I left the service center. So I have stopped complaining now. The rear wiper is not working and waiting for eternity for the service center to call in regarding the motor availability. The only way to be happy with this car is not to drive it and am exactly doing the same. I parked the car in a good spot and using my D400 for daily commute to office. Every time I drive the car for more than 30 mins a new problem seems to crop up. And the woes on parts availability cannot be stressed enough. And while computing the P&L statement for this year, I observed that I have spent close to a lakh (97K) on service and repairs on this car the past year. (Used to be around 20K for manza) Mod Note: Please avoid typing like..... this...... Last edited by ampere : 9th July 2018 at 06:07. Reason: Adding more info; Edited Dotty post
	() Thanks

27th April 2018, 12:26	#839
SajiNSalin BHPian Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Trivandrum Posts: 333 Thanked: 321 Times	Re: Renault Duster AWD : Official Review 5000 km of blissful driving the AWD since the last clutch change and 10 K after the two injector replacement. Loved this interval of great driving, just what the AWD is expected to do. Odo very close to 45k. Hope this will continue for some more time.
	() Thanks