Renault: faulty engines at the origin of a collective action by motorists

Towards a new scandal in the automotive sector? In the JDD, Saturday, Me Christophe Lèguevaques said he was ready to launch joint collective action against Renault, Nissan and Dacia. In question, overconsumption of oil due to defective “1.2 TCe” engines, marketed between 2012 and 2016. For the lawyer, who made a name for himself by defending the victims of the AZF, Levothyrox and chlordecone cases in the West Indies, the case is “mass litigation”.

These engines used by the three manufacturers, as well as the Mercedes partner group, have equipped nearly 400,000 vehicles in France. This model is present in many vehicles, in particular the Clio 4, Mégane 2, Kadjar at Renault, Duster, Dokker and Lodgy at Dacia, Juke and Qasqai 2 at Nissan and Citan at Mercedes. In France, “we can say that there are just over 120,000 vehicles impacted” by these defective engines, complete Me Christophe Lèguevaques on LCI.

Like Hugo, present in the video at the top of the article, motorists complain of overconsumption of oil which can lead to engine failure as soon as the 50,000 km mark is crossed. A Facebook group called “Renault/Nissan 1.2 Tce & DIG-T Engine Breakdown” was created, with more than 3,700 dissatisfied customers.

According to the lawyer, manufacturers, all brands combined, procrastinate voluntarily and customers end up with costly and complex procedures. “For the moment, we have the impression that Renault wants to save time and above all not to meet its obligations”, he says on LCI and for whom, only a collective action can “make things happen”. In May 2019, the UFC-Que Choisir association, alerted by many consumers, had already stepped up to the plate.

“If justice grants our request and finds the group criminally guilty, our customers could receive compensation that exceeds the purchase price of their vehicle plus various damages”, summarizes Me Christophe Lèguevaques at the JDD.

With our colleagues, the Renault group indicated that it was not aware of this action. “90% of Renault and Nissan customers who have encountered problems with this engine have benefited from support”, says a spokesperson for the group, who emphasizes acting “case by case”. The manufacturer also argues that the overconsumption of oil does not affect the safety of its customers. “even in the event of a drop in power”.