MatraSport Forum

Each model => Espace => Topic started by: Anders Dinsen on February 05, 2011, 10:38:26 am



Title: I love my Espace - just not when it complains
Post by: Anders Dinsen on February 05, 2011, 10:38:26 am
Our Espace is turning 10 years old this year... and she's still as good as new - almost ;)
I had booked here for service at my regular garage including a renewal of their excellent rust protection this week. They replaced almost all of the front suspension with new parts I supplied. I hoped it would remove the knocking that I've been experiencing from the front right side.

And that's fixed, indeed :) I like having a silent car!

Besides, she's will need a MOT check this summer, so it might have failed on that. It was the bearing on the top that had a bit of play.

But for some reason, the autobox has started playing on us!  >:(
Shifting is often very jerky and it stays in 1st far too long. It feels as if the torque converter cannot get out of lock or something. It works great during acceleration. I actually don't know if the garage has done anything with the gearbox, e.g. changed oil, but I'll have to take it back to them next week to get this fixed. Hopefully, it's just a matter of clearing a fault code somewhere - I have experienced that before, when there was a fault registered on a valve in the gearbox and the computer tried to make the car run without using that valve. It could also be a sensor playing up, though. Or the gearbox could be failing - I am prepared for that.

But I checked the round connector today on top of the gearbox - it was dry though. Water there will mess it up completely since all sensors will be supplying wrong info (particularly oil temperature).

Here's the connector, by the way:

(http://gallery.dinsen.net/d/32334-2/DSC_1484.JPG)

/Anders


Title: Re: I love my Espace - just not when it complains
Post by: renaultbiler on February 05, 2011, 08:51:43 pm
What mileage does this have now ?
I seem to remember you have done som oil changes on it, question is if it was done in time or not first time.
Also bear in mind that a slight ignition fault or similar will affect the gearbox behaviour.

IF they have changed oil, lets hope they used suitable oil - but i doubt it, remember this is supposed to have ONLY the Esso oil as mentioned another place in this forum - even ZF use this oil on this gearbox when they rebuild them - and if you ask me thats for a reason, they dont keep various oil types in stock if they dont have to.


Title: Re: I love my Espace - just not when it complains
Post by: Anders Dinsen on February 06, 2011, 08:36:51 am
It has done 220 kkm now, so it's generally regarded "overdue" I think.
First oil change was 5 years ago @ 130 kkm.

I didn't ask them to change the oil - if they did, I'm actually sure they would have used the correct one as prescribed by Renault, but let's see - they had suffered a bit of illnesses on the garage last week, so only there was only the wife of the original owner there to hand the car over to me. I'm in touch with them on Monday.

But the problem seems to have vanished yesterday. I actually tend to beleive that there might be a link to ignition problems here... The brake pedal was extremely stiff until I pushed it to the very bottom a couple of times - that restored the correct feeling. They have changed pads and discs on the rear, but I've never experienced this before. Something must have been stuck in the brake booster? In any case, after this the problem went away and it started behaving normally.

Let's see what happens.

/Anders


Title: Re: I love my Espace - just not when it complains
Post by: Anders Dinsen on February 08, 2011, 07:10:01 pm
Ok, wish me luck. Here's what I found this afternoon/evening in the gearbox control unit connector:

(http://gallery.dinsen.net/d/32573-5/DSC_1849.JPG)

Darn, it was difficult to get the control unit out of the car.
I also cleaned the connector on top of the gearbox too more throughly than in the weekend.

Now time for dinner. Then a test drive!

/Anders


Title: I love my Espace!
Post by: Anders Dinsen on February 09, 2011, 04:52:34 pm
Just a quick note to let you know the problem is SOLVED - she's running perfectly again :)
Cleaning connectors did the trick! No need for gearbox renovation this time!

/Anders


Title: Re: I love my Espace - just not when it complains
Post by: renaultbiler on February 09, 2011, 06:11:46 pm
Good to hear ;D

I spray these contacts with contact grease from Tunap to prevent moisture attack!


Title: Re: I love my Espace - just not when it complains
Post by: Anders Dinsen on February 09, 2011, 07:12:57 pm
Good to hear ;D

I spray these contacts with contact grease from Tunap to prevent moisture attack!

This one?
http://www.tunap.com/en/ranges/automotive/products/p372.html

/Anders


Title: Re: I love my Espace - just not when it complains
Post by: renaultbiler on February 10, 2011, 05:15:55 pm
Yes - always available on my shelf !  :)