Is my car entitled to repair for free

highdef

Bought a second hand car a few years ago and noticed after a while that the clutch would sometimes stick to the floor and I'd have to unhook it with my foot to bring it back. Other times, I'd be making a slow speed maneuver, the clutch would stick to the floor but the clutch would half bite so although the clutch is to the floor, the car is crawling along. Furthermore, when this happens I cannot lift the clutch back up so the only way to stop is to turn off the engine or press the brake to stall the engine.....not very practical and rather dangerous.

Anywho, I did some research and it turns out there was a recall by Renault of this model in 2006 with the exact issue I have. The question is, if Renault have no record of the car having this issue fixed at recall time, am I still entitled to have this issue repaired, free of charge and several years after the recall began?

MuppetCheck

Call Renault, it's the only way to know for sure.

biko

What he said, recalls are often time limited so it may or may not be included.

highdef

I have emailed them and so far they have come back to say that they will price it up for. Obviously this would suggest that they want me to pay for it. Considering it's a potentially dangerous fault that almost certainly is a manufacturing fault with a resulting recall by the manufacturer, then free repair should be the outcome......again, as long at the fault is the same as what the product recall specified.

Now that I think about it, maybe this topic would be more suited in consumer issues or legal???

Anan1

highdef wrote: »

Considering it's a potentially dangerous fault that almost certainly is a manufacturing fault with a resulting recall by the manufacturer

What makes you so sure it's a manufacturing fault?

Ronnie Beck

Anan1 wrote: »

What makes you so sure it's a manufacturing fault?

In the OP

...turns out there was a recall by Renault of this model in 2006 with the exact issue I have.

biko

Check here for info from AA
www.theaa.com/allaboutcars/recalls/index.jsp

Anan1

Ronnie Beck wrote: »

In the OP
Quote:
...turns out there was a recall by Renault of this model in 2006 with the exact issue I have.

Just because the issue is the same, it doesn't follow that the cause is the same. A clutch is a consumable part.

highdef

Thanks Biko but I had checked there and unfortunately my model is not listed (quite a rare car). Anan1, it's not the actual clutch, it's the clutch master cylinder.
Here's a copy of the recall letter that a UK driver received in 2006, for reference:

Anan1

highdef wrote: »

Thanks Biko but I had checked there and unfortunately my model is not listed (quite a rare car). Anan1, it's not the actual clutch, it's the clutch master cylinder.

I'd write to Renault and see what they say.

highdef

I'll let you know of the outcome, if interested

Tallon

highdef wrote: »

Thanks Biko but I had checked there and unfortunately my model is not listed (quite a rare car). Anan1, it's not the actual clutch, it's the clutch master cylinder.
Here's a copy of the recall letter that a UK driver received in 2006, for reference:

If you're going to go to the trouble of blocking out your name and address, at least use a non transparent piece of paper...

highdef

It's not my letter. Another driver scanned it and made it available publicly on the internet.

CJhaughey

I was contacted by Toyota for an axle replacement on a landcruiser which was nearly 10 years old, they did the job for free.
Toyota have always been pretty good about recalls though, I don't know what Renault are like.

mickdw

CJhaughey wrote: »

I was contacted by Toyota for an axle replacement on a landcruiser which was nearly 10 years old, they did the job for free.
Toyota have always been pretty good about recalls though, I don't know what Renault are like.

If there was an actual recall for your car here in Ireland and your car has been missed til now, id say they would have to do it.
If ob the other hand, you have just found out about a recall in the uk from a few years back, id say you have no hope even if its a known issue.

djimi

The clutch getting stuck to the floor would be the slave cylinder I would have thought? Happened on my car a couple of years ago. Seems a relatively straightforward fix, although not sure how much the part cost. Can't see Renault wanting anything to do with what is essentially a consumable part in a 7 year old car, but worth a try I guess.

Henry Ford III

CJhaughey wrote: »

I was contacted by Toyota for an axle replacement on a landcruiser which was nearly 10 years old, they did the job for free.
Toyota have always been pretty good about recalls though, I don't know what Renault are like.

Toyota have had plenty of recent practice

Cheensbo

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Toyota have had plenty of recent practice

The practice of standing over their work,.. unlike certain European manufacturers with obvious timing chain problems & serious security issues.