TOPIC:

Took both the 2 year old 1.5dci kadjar and the 2.5 year old clio 1.5dci into the dealers today. Kadjar for scheduled service + recall for emission mods and the clio simply to have a failed dash light fixed under warranty.

The kadjar was serviced and the emissions (reprogrammed injection system recall according to the letter from renault uk and the dealership) applied. Took forever but that's the dealer. Very wary, read nightmare stories about massive fuel consumption increase after said mods. So, 1st impressions after only 20 miles back home?. Drives the same, but at tickover only it sounds totally different to when I drove it in, louder, more "diesel" sounding and more rorty. Very different. Also overall fuel consumption figure drops more rapidly when stationary than it did before. However I did that 20 miles using less fuel overall than I think it would normally have used.
Too early I know to draw conclusions but I feel it wasn't the backwards step I thought it would be. The weird thing however, and I had no further work done on RLink etc, I now have a car in a circle symbol in the top right of the dash. It have a compass pointer which reads N. This wasn't present ever before but I understand others have this?, weird, full stop.

The annoying thing about the visit was with the clio, we had had the emissions recall thing by post for the kadjar so was planned and expected. Without notification they tried to apply a similar fix to out clio without my consent. The clio is owned outright whilst the kadjar is lease so hopefully you understand my issue here of a renault service centre trying to apply mods without the owners consent. Given my concerns about alerts about increased fuel economy I stopped them changing the injector  map at least until I have the chance to evaluate the longer term effect on the kadjars performance.

The other interesting thing was, and I posted about this earlier, I wanted to at least get in or try a Kolios demo car and talk about the revamped kadjar due early next year. Bottom line from the dealer was they can't get hold of diesel kolios's or kadjar for love not money at present, petrol is no problem. The new kadjar, minor facelift and tech update according to this dealer???? 

i too had the update at the 2 year service and i cant say consumption has increased, but it does feel more lively. I haven't noticed the increased noise on tickover but stop start works better than it ever has 

we both commented after the first service something had changed but you cant put your finger on it, it is now i would say like it was before the first service 

turboted10 wrote:

The weird thing however, and I had no further work done on RLink etc, I now have a car in a circle symbol in the top right of the dash. It have a compass pointer which reads N. This wasn't present ever before but I understand others have this?, weird, full stop.

 

That's SatNav without a route.  Press the page button on the RH side of the steering wheel and it will change.

Yes, get you, but the point is it has never worked before and the update wasn't to do with rlink/satnav etc

After the first service nothing changed for me. It shouldn't do really as there was no software change just a wash band brush up.

After driving another few miles I have to say the fuel,usage seems the same, just the more rorty or sporty note at tickover

A few weeks on and there is no difference in fuel consumption to be seen which is a relief, I bought my car for economy and didn't want to see that ruined. Does it feel livelier?, possibly it does. What I haven't tried is the difference between ECO on and ECO off, it was a distinct change before may not be now.

I think I can identify the increase in noise after researching the VW emissions thing for my daughter. They have an Audi Q5. That went in for the VW fix and the ecg and other stuff failed shortly afterwards. It seems that their fix increased the standard ecg's duty rate fromm say 10% to more like 85% and it can't take it. Renault as part of their software update have made changes to alter the emissions at low revs and cooler engine temps, ie, the conditions that they are tested under. They are claiming the initial programming was to protect the engine rather than cheat emissions. Other manfs are claiming the same.
 Incidentally things changed in 2016 at the time this VW emissions scandal broke. The 1.5dci in the renault range was changed probably to accept a heavier duty cycle, mine being an early 66plte car, it would have preceded this date and so had the earlier ecg valve. That's a worry given it's being asked to do more work, (I'm sure that's the difference I can hear, a change in exhaust note), but only have the car for another 12 months so........