Renault Scenic (2003 – 2009) Review

Renault Scenic (2003 – 2009) At A Glance

3/5

+Far better than the previous model. The Grand model seats seven. Practical and versatile. Excellent crash test rating.

-Potentially heavy tyre wear on Scenics with 17-inch wheels. Blown turbos on diesel models. Patchy build quality. Dashboard failures common. Heater fan motor failures common.

Insurance Groups are between 8–20
On average it achieves 93% of the official MPG figure

Shock announcement: I'm about to recommend a Renault. I have just spent a week with a Scenic dCi 120 Privilege and, far from finding faults, I enjoyed every minute of it.

One reason was the cheerful, perky, free-revving 120bhp diesel engine (this one had done 8,000 miles). Another was the near perfect 6-speed gearbox.

Real MPG average for a Renault Scenic (2003 – 2009)

RealMPG

Real MPG was created following thousands of readers telling us that their cars could not match the official figures.

Real MPG gives real world data from drivers like you to show how much fuel a vehicle really uses.

Average performance

93%

Real MPG

24–64 mpg

MPGs submitted

343

Diesel or petrol? If you're unsure whether to go for a petrol or diesel (or even an electric model if it's available), then you need our Petrol or Diesel? calculator. It does the maths on petrols, diesels and electric cars to show which is best suited to you.

Satisfaction Index

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Ask Honest John

Can I update the TomTom in my Renault Scenic?

"I am having serious trouble with my Tom Tom built in sat nav on my Renault Scenic 1.9 DCI 2010 Privilege. Can these SD cards be updated to ensure the maps are currently up to date for the U.K.? - and if so - where can I find these updates? Also - in order to get back home we had to use the girlfriends smart phone to get us back(which seemed much sharper and more precise) -would this phone/sat nav guidance system be better as it is internet based? I would presume the built in car Tom Tom sat nav is run on GPS signals? Could you advise me the best system possible - please?"
You can update the information on your SD card by safely removing it from your Renault, inserting it into a computer and visiting the Renault R-Link store here: https://gb.rlinkstore.com/ It is also possible to buy a replacement SD card with up-to-date maps already installed, which are available from a number of online retailers. Phone-based navigation apps have the advantage of convenience, a strong data connection and usually offer the ability to give traffic and other data by sharing information from other users. The downside of this is your personal data needs to be shared in order to get the most out of them, so if privacy is a concern then the in-built system may be preferable.
Answered by David Ross

What's the best car for a passenger with arthritis?

"My husband has arthritis of the spine and our Renault Scenic is very suitable for his needs, with the raised seating position making it easy to get in and out. However, it is costing us too much in repairs and we need another car. I need some advice on a reliable small car which will be cheaper to run and maintain but still have the height my husband needs."
Without knowing your budget I can't be very specific, but have you looked at the Kia Venga, Nissan Note or the Hyundai iX20? These are smaller in size than the Scenic but have taller bodies and higher seating positions than normal small cars. It would also be worth looking at small SUVs (again these have higher seating positions for ease of getting in and out) such as the Vauxhall Mokka, Honda HR-V, Mazda CX-3, Peugeot 2008 and Renault Captur.
Answered by Lawrence Allan

Is a turbo 'whistle' a symptom of turbo failure?

"The other day I was driving my 2012 Renault Scenic 1.5 DCi when the Check Anti Pollution System Message came on with a slight loss of power. I managed to get the car to a mechanic. He took the vehicle out on a test ride and everything seemed okay. I was advised to drive as normal and to return if the warning appeared again. On picking the vehicle up, my wife noticed that there was a turbo whistle when changing from second to third and therefore the car was returned back to the mechanic. Have been informed that it's the turbo and have been quoted £700 for this to be sorted. There has been no smoke from the exhaust of any colour and I'm a little dubious as to whether it is the turbo. Any thoughts?"
A "turbo whistle" usually indicates a worn and failing turbo bearing, which is pretty much all there is to go wrong with a turbo. They fail because not enough engine oil is getting to the bearing to cool and lubricate it, and the reason for that is usually that the turbo bearing oil feed and oil return pipes are blocked with carbon from switching the engine off when the turbo is too hot. Could be that simply replacing these two pipes will fix it.
Answered by Honest John

Do I need to change the cam belt in my 2007 Renault Scenic after five years and 5000 miles?

"My Renault Scenic is ten years old and has covered 17,000 miles. Five years ago, at 12,000 miles, I had a new cam belt fitted. It's now been another five years, do I need another cam belt? The car has a full service history, with services every 12 months."
I would, and this time also a new waterpump, belt tensioner and new aux belt because if the aux belt fails it can wrap itself around the unprotected lower timing belt pulley.
Answered by Honest John
More Questions

What does a Renault Scenic (2003 – 2009) cost?