Mk2 Clio On Tonights Watchdog!!!!!!
in the 50's and 60's there were a spate of crashed and smashes caused by the bonnet being opened by the force of the air going under it. This is why the safety catch was designed.
A mechanic who used to used to service all my cars (and who used to work with Serling Moss in formula one) always kept the safety catch lubed up in case it failed. Did it on all makes and models as standard.
I asked why, he said "if it ever jams in the open posistion and the catch fails you'll have a flat head and no car left.... all for a 2 minute job" I sort of took the point.
Since then I've always lubed up the catch, i always do the door hinges etc as well as moving metal against moving metal causes problems later on.
It's all down to proper maintenance. Dealership monkeys don't have a clue - they're akin to foreign call centres. If it's not down on the sheet, they don't look at it. Even basoc things get missed.
I know people that have left dealerships with missing wheel bolts ffs.
The point is though that as a car owner and driver you should be responsible for the health of your car. The majority of people think they shouldn't need to, but a manufacturer can only be responsible for so much. Are they still responsible if a bonnet fails on a cat D, after it's been put back on the road? I'd say it's not the Mft's fault - it's the arse that put it back on the road in the first place.
A mechanic who used to used to service all my cars (and who used to work with Serling Moss in formula one) always kept the safety catch lubed up in case it failed. Did it on all makes and models as standard.
I asked why, he said "if it ever jams in the open posistion and the catch fails you'll have a flat head and no car left.... all for a 2 minute job" I sort of took the point.
Since then I've always lubed up the catch, i always do the door hinges etc as well as moving metal against moving metal causes problems later on.
It's all down to proper maintenance. Dealership monkeys don't have a clue - they're akin to foreign call centres. If it's not down on the sheet, they don't look at it. Even basoc things get missed.
I know people that have left dealerships with missing wheel bolts ffs.
The point is though that as a car owner and driver you should be responsible for the health of your car. The majority of people think they shouldn't need to, but a manufacturer can only be responsible for so much. Are they still responsible if a bonnet fails on a cat D, after it's been put back on the road? I'd say it's not the Mft's fault - it's the arse that put it back on the road in the first place.
I'm with you here Cue but manufacturers don't help themselves - BMW don't even want you opening the bonnet between services. It won't be long before a car will carry all the screen wash it will ever need out of the factory, my Mum's Mondeo has a 10 litre tank!
Most people don't know squat about cars, do you remember that Clarkson program years ago about cars and their owners? The silly posh city girl claiming how much she loved her Boxster, Clarkson asked her to show him the engine and she opened the bonnet, saying "Yeh, I did wonder where it was when I last put my tennis rackets in there".
Most people don't know squat about cars, do you remember that Clarkson program years ago about cars and their owners? The silly posh city girl claiming how much she loved her Boxster, Clarkson asked her to show him the engine and she opened the bonnet, saying "Yeh, I did wonder where it was when I last put my tennis rackets in there".
G
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:lol: :lol: I never did see that. Judging by that, I should have done!Steve said:
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I got the letter too - not sure i'll bother taking it to the stealers for them to 'look at it' - from reading the letter it doesnt seem ecessary too.
The previous owner had greased the bonnet catch and the door hinges etc before i took ownership of the car so i'm hoping there should be nothing to worry about. fingers crossed!
:shock:
The previous owner had greased the bonnet catch and the door hinges etc before i took ownership of the car so i'm hoping there should be nothing to worry about. fingers crossed!
:shock:
Owners maintnece of their cars is something we all do and rightly it should be our responsiblitity. The dealers should be there to back this up and provide advice and assisstance with any areas of maintenece we are not sure of. Whether any of this happens is debatebable but I don't think this is the issue that is raised by the letter.
The letter all came about because of the media interest in the story. The story came about because over 1000 people had had their bonnets fly up in their mark II clios and contacted watchdog. No other makes or even models of cars had contacted watchdog to report this problem as far as we know. I'm sure if we had all the data and a statistician we could calclate probablilities and significance etc etc but it looks very much like a problem/phenomenon that affects the clio II.
Of all the car owners in the world is it likely that just the clio II owners are poor at maintenence or cannot shut their bonnets properly???? Why should clio II bonnet catches require an addition to the handbook for maintenece - if it is required it should have been in the handbook from the start not just added in after 1000+ crashes.
Most other cars have bonnets and bonnet catches of some sort and no other make or model had reported this problem to the BBC.
The letter from renault is a get out clause, denying there is a problem and washing their hands of any responsibility if you die because of it.
I am not surprised at all by this action by renault, if you have followed my story you will realise that I could no longer be surprised by Renaults lack of feeling for their many many customers or their incompetence and head in the sand attitude. Maybe i'm just bitter?!
The letter all came about because of the media interest in the story. The story came about because over 1000 people had had their bonnets fly up in their mark II clios and contacted watchdog. No other makes or even models of cars had contacted watchdog to report this problem as far as we know. I'm sure if we had all the data and a statistician we could calclate probablilities and significance etc etc but it looks very much like a problem/phenomenon that affects the clio II.
Of all the car owners in the world is it likely that just the clio II owners are poor at maintenence or cannot shut their bonnets properly???? Why should clio II bonnet catches require an addition to the handbook for maintenece - if it is required it should have been in the handbook from the start not just added in after 1000+ crashes.
Most other cars have bonnets and bonnet catches of some sort and no other make or model had reported this problem to the BBC.
The letter from renault is a get out clause, denying there is a problem and washing their hands of any responsibility if you die because of it.
I am not surprised at all by this action by renault, if you have followed my story you will realise that I could no longer be surprised by Renaults lack of feeling for their many many customers or their incompetence and head in the sand attitude. Maybe i'm just bitter?!
^^^
You have every right to be bitter, I was reading your posts about the problems you've suffered. Renault customer service is indeed a joke, that is undeniable!
This whole thing of the bonnet catch is a wasted journey to the dealers anyway, you come away with no proof that they've even checked it - they don't sign or stamp any documentation to say that the bonnet catch has been inspected.
You have every right to be bitter, I was reading your posts about the problems you've suffered. Renault customer service is indeed a joke, that is undeniable!
This whole thing of the bonnet catch is a wasted journey to the dealers anyway, you come away with no proof that they've even checked it - they don't sign or stamp any documentation to say that the bonnet catch has been inspected.
trophy chick - good point you've raised. I agree, it's probably down to cheap springs not powerful enough to retract without the help of lubricant.