If the dealer is replacing free under warranty I think that is your best option.

There have been reports that the fault is not with the starter motor itself but a faulty ignition switch which engages the motor with the engine running and wrecks the starter motor.

 

Agreed with warranty replacement. All things considered though. If this is an issue and is identified as one. At what point do the dealership call it in as a concern?

Again, do I have any argument to say I want an exchange etc

Cheers for the reply

ps. This is a young mileage car all the same.

 

I'm not a lawyer but I think you have to allow the dealer the opportunity to repair the car particularly with a bolt on part like a starter motor and I don't think it works on one chance and that's it.

 

May be worth a read as it applies to Renault and Nissan. https://www.techtips.ie/Autobiz/starter-problems-caused-by-ignition-switches.pdf

 

mine is 18 reg stepway basic model - same thing happened last summer - only covered 3k miles from new and starter motor packed up - main dealer had it for 5 weeks - fortunately because I made a fuss I got a courtesy car - the reason it took so long was because they couldn't source a new starter motor probably because so many of that year had failed .

Service manager admitted as such and repair included a new ignition barrel as well as the starter motor.

Been alright since ( touch wood ) - I suspect they have modified the fault.

 

Where do you get the ignition barrel from?

 

Hi I brought a new Dacia Sandero 2018 plate and in July 2022 I had to have a new starter motor. I took in to my local garage as my warranty was out from the main Renault dealer. They fitted a genuine Renault Starter Motor. I did however contact both the Renault dealer and Dacia surprised that a car of this age with low mileage this should happen. I got no joy from either.
Now on Good Friday 7/4/2023 I was driving feeling the car was struggling but no warning lights were showing so I continued my journey. On stopping I smelt a burning and could not restart the engine. After breakdown recovery I am waiting for yet another starter motor ! Renault would not send one to my garage and wanted the vehicle themselves to diagnose the problem was in fact the starter motor, but they were not taking anbreakdowns until 11th May!
I am so frustrated and angry and yet to contact Dacia. But one thing for sure I won't be purchasing another.

 

Hi janroome,

I presume that the latest failed motor is still covered by the starter motor warranty if Renault is asking for the car to be returned to their garage.

Hopefully they are not just suggesting returning to them for a repair and you will be stuck with a higher main dealer cost,

You should perhaps be wary that if there was a recall for replacement of certain starter switches and your car had been missed and it had also been missed by your local garage, the Renault Garage could be looking for a reason to absolve themselves from responsibility for the repair done by your local garage .

Has the main dealer accepted responsibility for the repair or just wants to investigate it and charge for repair.

I would certainly find out what your position is whilst the car is in limbo.

You haven't said what your local garage says about responsibility for the repair . If they reject any suggestion of responsibility I would consider a claim for cost through the small claims court if any cost to you is involved . You haven't also said whether the local garage replaced the starter switch which may well have been the cause of the failure of their repair

Bottom line, it is unusual for new starter motor to fail so early. Most starter motors last the life of a car. The Renault Garage will look for a reason why the last repair failed and could charge you if they find that the starter switch should have been changed by your local garage with the failed motor and that this failure mode is a possibility or even predictable

Your sentiments about Renault Dacia are understandable .


Ambvol

 

Cars built between 09/2017 and 10/2018 had a recall for ignition switch and starter motor problems.

I posted this on here a while ago, so it might be worth doing a search for more information.

 

Hi,
Thanks for your reply, yes the starter motor is still covered by warranty being under 12 months old. And the main dealer is wanting the whole vehicle to check if it is indeed just the starter motor failed. They will be charging me a diagnostic charge.
My local garage has already done a diagnostic test and checked the vehicle over, nothing else was coming up other than the starter motor fault.
The Renault dealer told me they were not looking at any breakdowns until May 11th!

I feel my biggest mistake was not taking it back to the main dealer when it first broke down. I now feel they will look, like you said possibly for a reason to absolve themselves.
I think I have a fight on my hands whatever.
But one thing for sure I won't be buying another Dacia.

Jan.

 

Hi all
I own a 67 plate Dacia Sandero Stepway
On Feb 7th 24. Starter motor burns out. I pay the excess on warranty
Then 12th March 24 . New starter motor burns out.
Now April 3rd 24 the 3rd starter motor burns out. This is booked into Renault staples corner. On Monday 8th April 24. I will take all above comments to them and show how everyone suffering same faults. There is obviously a manufacturer fault and these cars needs to be recalled ASAP. Putting our lives in danger.

 

Your dead right mate let me know how you get on

 

@BART - in my #8 I said there was a recall for faulty ignition switches, which cause the starter motor burn-outs. This was an official Dacia recall for cars of your period of manufacture, which a dealer should know about, and no amount of changing the starters will make any difference. Other Stepways have not been affected.
IF the dealer pleads ignorance suggest he refers to Dacia immediately.
I would think that whoever replaced the previous starters, if they were Dacia dealers, should repay your expenses.

 

Hi Bart

what an astonishing situation

Your concern is understandable.

Your yardstick for how long should a car starter last is answered by Googling for an average life of a car starter and you will find " the life of the Car" and 100000 miles. so it should be patently obvious that there is a vehicle problem.

It is perhaps surprising that starter suppliers will accept returns under their warranty if failure is not the fault of the starter but the starter circuit.

Even if it's obvious that the starter switch is the cause of the problem , Dacia could claim that this failure is now outside the cars warranty because of the cars age unless of course there was a technical bulletin issued to agents to carryout recall action. and that its been missed on your car.

I would give notice to the Dacia customer relations director that there should have been a recall action action on this problem you should also find the address of automobile ombudsman to also make him aware of the starter switch problem. seemingly on certain vehicles that hasn't resulted in any support from the cars manufacturer.

Car manufacturers have a legal obligation to ensure that they have a system to ensure their cars are safe to use though out their life.


ambvol

 

@ambvol - suggest you follow-up my #8 and #12, which cover all the points you raise, and check how a recall works.

And it’s the ignition switch, not the starter switch

 

Hi JLB

If you check the times of my posting and yours may find that they are both made at the same time. They do on my machine

Yes yours is more informative but nothing wrong with mine.

In any case surely there nothing wrong in two posting from different forum members both saying the same . Surely the spirit of a forum is each member is not restricted and posts his help, advice or opinion I post mine in the spirit of this is what I would do. If this is this same or similar to other members , the OP will take the posting as a general opinium.

Starter switch ignition switch , yes I really must be careful just looked up to see if semantics cover technical parts I have perhaps referred to it wrong.

Please check the posting times of your last and my posting s. Not an issue . Your posting is the definitive one .

ambvol
😢 😢

 

Please check the posting times of your last and my posting s.

At the moment (10.16GMT 09/04/2024) mine shows 23hrs, yours 2 days!
More to the point, if someone posts while you're replying, the forum software generates a message telling you, so there is no chance of duplicating or posting something that's become irrelevant. If you didn't get that message my post must have been on-screen before you started.
However, I really don't like this kind of nit-picking, but at times I think you'd argue with an empty room.

 

. . . I forgot to add that I've left the room.

 

Hiya everyone my has just burnt out for a second time how do I find out about a recall 🤔

 

Read my #8 and #12 above.

 

Hi Barry ,

there are 18 postings on this issue. JLB gave details of the recalled cars in one posting

You could start by asking the Dacia agent about the recall and whether it applies to your car. The recall I believe was for specific cars fitted with suspect starter switches.

You may be told that your car is not in the specific ones in the recall , You may be told by the garage that they know nothing about a recall in which case you could try emailing Dacia.

ambvol

 

Hi everyone just put my vin number in .gov.uk to see if there was a recall on my car sandero stepway comfort TCE reg GY18WHB it came back with results no call back stater motor burnt out going to Dacia dealer tomorrow any help would be appreciated thanks

 

Likely to be a TSB (can't remember what the French name is for this) rather than a recall.

 

What car have you got, petrol or diesel?

 

Petrol mate

 

Tell the dealer that you know Dacia issued a recall regarding ignition switches for cars manufactured in the same brief period as yours. Make it sound like you know more about it than they seem to, tell them that you’ve seen links to it on the internet.

 

👌👍

 

Hi all
The original posting asked about money back on his used car purchase because of the starter motor fault . Perhaps its worth first noting the reassurance that a buyer of a used car has various degrees of protection under the Consumer Protection Act starting with 30 days and up to 5 years.

Over 30 days there is no legal right to money back unless there is a clear case of not fit for purpose or the there was a known fault with the car and not declared or the price reflected this fault

It should not be too difficult to establish there was a starter motor / ignition switch fault on specific cars and that Renault /Dacia have records on these faults.

Individual dealers seem to vary on their script for dealing with free repairs , they obviously are wary of losing their profits .

They can escape verbal discussions between customers so it important to ensure that you are not communicating to the wrong persons . Personally I would start by emails confirming my concern to the Director of the garage and copied to the Customer Relations Director at Renault. You could use the phrase "you believe that your car has a fault that was recognised by Renault around the period of the issue being accepted by Renault as a manufacturing fault" .



ambvol

 

not communicating to nig nogs the wrong persons

That is well out of order

 

Hi all

Apologies if anyone had misunderstood the meaning of the expression I crossed out .

It is slang, commonly used in North England with only one connotation by users- foolish person . No one in this area of England would think of any other meaning.

it didnt fit the sentence that why it was crossed out but should have been erased.

ambvol

 

It is slang, commonly used in North England with only one connotation by users- foolish person . No one in this area of England would think of any other meaning.

I wouldn't dispute that, but this forum is not just used by people from northern England. For example:
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English: "a very offensive word for a black person." Their underlining.
Nit-picking? Hardly, but it takes one to know one

 

Hi
It was crossed out , it is in the oxford dictionary, It is commonly used in my part of the world I apologised for any offence.

I think that it would be appropriate for the moderator to adjudicate on the complaint.

In the meantime I will resign .

ambvol

 

Why not just delete it. Click on the 3 vertical dots top right of the post and click on edit.

I don't think there is any active moderation on this forum, they can't get anyone to do it. I was asked but declined some time ago.

 

Hi Daedalus,

Yes many thanks for your helpful suggestion. I will edit the word as you suggest.

ambvol