Faulty Renault Clio bonnet catches !!

[monkeygremlin]

We had a letter from Renault telling us to take our '02 Clio to the dealer for inspection. A mechanic came out, cleaned all round the catch mechanism, both on the car and bonnet and then sprayed about half a can of lubricant into the spring catch. He then demonstrated how to correctly close the bonnet. i.e let it slam shut by dropping it from about 12 inches. It didn't cost anything.

 

[Shimmy]

We had a letter from Renault telling us to take our '02 Clio to the dealer for inspection. A mechanic came out, cleaned all round the catch mechanism, both on the car and bonnet and then sprayed about half a can of lubricant into the spring catch. He then demonstrated how to correctly close the bonnet. i.e let it slam shut by dropping it from about 12 inches. It didn't cost anything.

Aye I got that too, just a tub load of lube on the catch.

I closed the bonnet like that anyways.

 

[Dogbreath]

Errr hang on, we need to maintain catches these days ? ?? Maybe on a board of car enthusiasts thats fair game but most people in the realworld do nothing to their cars bar put petrol and water in them (in diff holes hopefully)

I dislike watchdog as much as anyone but expecting the general car users to self maintain a catch is a design flaw.

Apparently expecting most car users to even know how to lift the bonnet these days appears to be expecting too much, never mind checking fluids etc.

Bonnet catches getting stiff and sticking as they get old and rusty is hardly a new phenomenon, and yes I would expect a car owner to notice that their bonnet won't shut properly if they ever managed to get it open. Perhaps I need to lower my expected standards to somewhere below that of my 2 year old daughters abilities...

 

[K.C. Leblanc]

Watchdog used to be good but now they're utterly crud. They seem to want to over sensationalise everything and leave out good advice.

I don't remember them at any point durring their artcle on Vectra handbreaks surgesting that owners should park in gear. Surely if they are genuinely consurned basic information like that should be included.

 

[EddScott]

Mates 02 V6 bonnet flicked up. Made a mess of the bonnet and it hit the ariel on the roof and dented the roof too.

Think the Renault dealer sorted it for him without complaint. He didn't say he had a problem getting them to repair the damage.

I told him to buy a P1 but would he listen?

 

[Ev0]

Errr hang on, we need to maintain catches these days ? ?? Maybe on a board of car enthusiasts thats fair game but most people in the realworld do nothing to their cars bar put petrol and water in them (in diff holes hopefully)

I dislike watchdog as much as anyone but expecting the general car users to self maintain a catch is a design flaw.

No, whoever does your servicing needs to check and maintain it It's in the MOT as well.

Like I said above I'd bet the majority of people having problems are on cars that are not serviced properly probably due to them being hardly used so people don't bother.