Dacia Sandero Stepway

[rustymotor]

That's interesting ^ have been reading up on 3 cylinder engines in particular and how the engineering problems were those of balance, i.e. while cylinder 1 on the up cylinder 3 is forcing down, I believe that the trick is to balance the crank to counter it.

[Dallas]

Update on the noisy heater fan.

Today was the day for Renault to diagnose my noisy heater fan, and....... still the problem goes undiagnosed.

Renault want me to commit to a potential £500 bill at the end of the diagnosis. Renault had my Dacia the whole day today, and all they would do it take off the scuttle vent panel to confirm leave's were present.

Obviously leaves are not covered under warranty, and they 'reckon' I have leaves in the heater fan box area. They want me to commit to a £500 charge for labour so they can dismantle the dashboard and correctly diagnose the problem.

If they find no leaves, then they will test the fan for faults. If a fault with the fan is found, then the warranty will cover the labour costs and a replacement fan. BUT! If they find leaves present in the fan heater area, then I'm faced with a large £500+ bill.

I've owned 30+ vehicles and never have I had leaves in the heater fan box that causes the heater to give a loud drone like noise. Normally if a leaf gets sucked into the vent you hear a ticking sound for a short time and then the leaf gets blown out.

What made me laugh was... The 2017 Renault Twingo I was given as a courtesy car had the very same heater controls and fan system as the Dacia, this heater fan whistled, it was more annoying than my droning Stepway heater. LOL

So as it stands, I dont know whether we have leaves in the system or a failing heater fan... or both.

I feel like I am driving a leaf catcher, not a Dacia.

[rustymotor]

Hi, doesn't the air intake to the heater blower go through the pollen filter? or have I lost the plot

[murphyv310]

Originally Posted by rustymotor

That's interesting ^ have been reading up on 3 cylinder engines in particular and how the engineering problems were those of balance, i.e. while cylinder 1 on the up cylinder 3 is forcing down, I believe that the trick is to balance the crank to counter it.

Hi.
The answer is to put each crank web at 120 degrees. That reduces vibration to an extent, a balancer shaft does help but it uses power so self depreciating.
Most vibration is below 900rpm to be fair.
What I don't get is why they don't make twin pot boxer units. The 602cc Citroen 2CV & Dyane unit was good up to 7000rpm and it was OHV.

[murphyv310]

Originally Posted by Dallas

Update on the noisy heater fan.

Today was the day for Renault to diagnose my noisy heater fan, and....... still the problem goes undiagnosed.

Renault want me to commit to a potential £500 bill at the end of the diagnosis. Renault had my Dacia the whole day today, and all they would do it take off the scuttle vent panel to confirm leave's were present.

Obviously leaves are not covered under warranty, and they 'reckon' I have leaves in the heater fan box area. They want me to commit to a £500 charge for labour so they can dismantle the dashboard and correctly diagnose the problem.

If they find no leaves, then they will test the fan for faults. If a fault with the fan is found, then the warranty will cover the labour costs and a replacement fan. BUT! If they find leaves present in the fan heater area, then I'm faced with a large £500+ bill.

I've owned 30+ vehicles and never have I had leaves in the heater fan box that causes the heater to give a loud drone like noise. Normally if a leaf gets sucked into the vent you hear a ticking sound for a short time and then the leaf gets blown out.

What made me laugh was... The 2017 Renault Twingo I was given as a courtesy car had the very same heater controls and fan system as the Dacia, this heater fan whistled, it was more annoying than my droning Stepway heater. LOL

So as it stands, I dont know whether we have leaves in the system or a failing heater fan... or both.

I feel like I am driving a leaf catcher, not a Dacia.

The fan is after the pollen filter so they are stringing you on Wes as no leafs can possibly get to the fan.
Go back and threaten them with trading standards.


***************** Crossed with Rustymotor, absolutely correct *********************

[Dallas]

Originally Posted by rustymotor

Hi, doesn't the air intake to the heater blower go through the pollen filter? or have I lost the plot

Originally Posted by murphyv310

The fan is after the pollen filter so they are stringing you on Wes as no leafs can possibly get to the fan.
Go back and threaten them with trading standards.

Thanks fellas, You just wouldn't believe it, I thought I was in a comedy sketch. I even explained to them that the leaves wouldn't have direct access to the fan unit itself, but this just fell on deaf ears.

All they would say was... We get so many vehicles in with this very same problem, and its always leaves stuck in and around the fan blades. I even spoke to the branch manager and bent his ear a little, he proudly kept telling me he has worked for Audi and BMW, and he always had cars coming in with leaves stuck in the fan unit.

Is it me, or am I missing something? I felt like I was in the twilight zone.

Looks like I'm going to have to contact Dacia customer relations again, but after today's episode I doubt they will be any different. Renault was just so sure of themselves, it all seemed a very well planned act which they must use on their customers time and time again.

[murphyv310]

Hi Wes.
Fiat dealers are just the same and funnily enough when I bought the Panda from Parks in Irvine they were multi franchised Fiat, Renault & Dacia. They are useless and born liars.
To be fair other than two front discs and pads that were in my eyes worn below the limit the car has been fine. I've done less than 3000 miles in one year but have given it two services.
I'm sure if I was doing runs rather than town work I'd be getting nearer to 60mpg like I did on my only long run last year to Cramlington.