Renault Clio 04 plate dci65 question

toasterman

My sister bought a new car yesterday and I've bought her "old" 04 plate Renault Clio 1.5dci 65 off her.
Great little car.. air con, electric windows.. both a luxury compared to what I've been driving.. but I've got one little niggle with it.
The clutch seems very very heavy.

I've had company cars before so I've driven Vauxhalls, Fords, Peugeots, VWs.. and this clio is like nothing I've ever had. I'm not a strong person by anyone's standards, but this clio seems to take a lot of work to push the clutch pedal down. The new car my sister has bought is the exact same 1.5dci clio, but an 08 plate.. and that is like a normal clutch.

As we did the changeover at the new garage where she was picking up her new clio, I mentioned this to the Renault garage and with a lot of umming and arring, they finally asked one of the mechanics to sit in it. He did, said it was very heavy, and that maybe the clutch was on the way out.

Thing is, it's been like this since day one that she had the car.. she assumed (or was told by someone) it is because she is a driving instructor and the dual controls (extra set of pedals) made it appear harder to push them down...it had the dual controls removed before I picked it up, and it's still just as heavy.

A google search finds me a few people saying "don't you find the clutch heavy?".. but it doesn't seem to be listed in honestjohn's guide as a fault.. maybe they just are phenomenally heavy clutches? Anyone know?

Thought I'd ask here as I know some mechanics are about and I've got some good advice here before.

harveybobbles

Cluth cables on them are poor.

Also, don't think Renault bothered with a DMF on the Clio's of that age, which made them hard work for town driving...

peediedj

i have a 54 plate cli 16v i love it great car i,ll buy other clios later down the line

tomstickland

harveybobbles wrote: »

Cluth cables on them are poor.

Also, don't think Renault bothered with a DMF on the Clio's of that age, which made them hard work for town driving...

DMF?
Dual Mass Flywheel?

First thing to do would be to fit a new clutch cable (if it has one).

Next thing after that would to inspect the clutch mechanism.

oldagetraveller

Could it be that the clutch on the other cars you mention were hydraulically operated and the Renault is cable operated?
With a cable there is a direct link to the mechanism from the pedal as opposed to the hydraulics doing most of the work.
Just a thought.

tomstickland

Cables also corrode and become sticky - a suitable greased new one makes a huge difference.

toasterman

Oldagetraveller - that could well be the case. I think I'm starting to get used to it now.

To other people who have replied suggesting the clutch could be wearing out or corroding or whatever - normally I'd say perhaps.. but it has been like this since day one. I am the second owner, my sister (previous owner) had it since brand new, and it has always been like it. Because of that, I'm reluctant to think it is a fault that has developed over time, really.

I myself drove her car about 2 years ago, when I was considering buying a brand new car, and she was selling me on the idea of a Clio (I actually ended up doing the sensible thing - didn't take out finance, and bought what I could actually afford with the money I had - an 11 year old Rover).
I mentioned at that time though that the clutch was very heavy and she told me that she thought it was because of the dual controls system in there.
It now appears to be the same without them.

It has been serviced on time, every time, throughout her ownership.
When she picked up her new Clio (which feels like the sort of clutch I'm used to), after a lot of badgering in the garage, they sent a (I think junior - looked about 18) mechanic out to look at the Clio I was buying (her old and new one were both at the garage), who said that it was heavy, but wasn't sure why or if it was meant to be like that.

I am starting to think from reviews that it just is heavy..a few other people I found online reviewing the car said the clutch is heavier on the diesel.
I might get my garage to have a quick look but its certainly not stopping me driving the car...just building up the muscles in my left leg.

I know someone who has the exact same make, model, year, and fuel type.. of car... so I'll ask him if his is heavy compared to other cars he's driven when I next get to speak to him.

jonfev

I've got the same model and the clutch has always been heavy. I've got used to it and only really notice if stuck in traffic.

cyclonebri1

Several things;

We have had a 52plte 1.5dci from new, the clutch has never been a problems to me or my wife(its her car and she's a complainer)

I don't think theres any thing to suggest that the clutch is on the way out just because it feels heavy, however the heaviness itself can lead to premature failure.

As sugested get a replacement cable from a motor factors and route it as carefully as possible to avoid tight spots, could have been a dry/tight cable from new.:beer:

toasterman

Thanks for the advice cyclone.. but theres not a chance *I'd* be doing that.
I'll mention it to the garage at it's next service.

cport80

I had an 04 Clio dci65 myself and I don't remember the clutch being particularly heavy but I had a 306 roadster before which was really heavy.

It's only once you move on that you realise how good the extra features of the Clio were. Little things like the button which locks all the doors. Unfortunately any clutch problems pale into comparison with the bonnet-catch issue on the mk 2's. After seeing the report on watchdog and Renaults answer being to issue an extra page for the car owners manual I decided I was not willing to risk my familys safety.