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Hello

I just bought a car (2000 Renault Clio, 1600cc) about 2 months ago from a dealer and had been problems ever since. I've been hearing some weird noises like oil running down a surface from the top left corner of the bonnet when driving. And after a month, the car suddenly started smoking.

When I opened up the bonnet the whole area was exploded with yellow goo from the coolant, which turned out to be a oil contamination in the cooling system. I called the dealer and asked about it and after a while they took it back saying they would fix it for me.

Well, it returned two weeks later and they told me it was because of the previous repairs done to the car which left oil residue in the system, and it's going to come back time to time.

Couple of weeks later, it came back again so I took the car to a garage to get instructions on how to clean the tank by myself, and the mechanics thought it was weird to have any residue, since the other mechanic should have flushed the system. So they did a pressure check and found out the dealer had simply feeled in the hoses with sealant to give it a temporary fix to a real costly problem, and it will eventually ruin the whole engine in the long term. And apparently heat casket had a serious problem.

So I called back into the dealer and made them take the car back for the second time to repair, since they sold me a damaged car. I just got the car back yesterday and they told me again, the car still have some residues since it's impossible to get all the oil out. And what the other mechanic told me about the sealant was a lie, and the car is fine. Yet they said the problem will come back again and it will be real minor, nothing to worry about. The coolant is starting to form yellow goo again right now.

I can't believe the dealers anymore, so can anyone please tell me whether they are telling truth or lying through teeth? I heard from friends the dealers I bought from are sharks, which is a real worry

Thanks!

Your first description of events that took place is rather concerning. For a car to start smoking all of a sudden as well as oil and water mixing would normally point towards a major mechanical fault. I find it hard to believe that oil left in the cooling system from a previous repair would make the car smoke. It’s more likely to be a faulty head gasket (or other major fault) as your mechanic suggests.

On this year model Clio for the 16Valve engines, we are aware of a problem occurring when the engine oil is sucked through the oil breather and into the intake air box. It would eventually be sucked through the intake manifold and cause smoking out of the exhaust. It was caused by incorrectly aligned/faulty piston rings. Sometimes, the sound of oil sloshing around (In the air box) could be heard when cornering hard. The air box sits at the back of the engine.

That oil sound is what I'm hearing all the time! If it is the case, would all the problems stop? Or only the sound? Should I take the car to a garage and check out the current statues of the head/intake gasket?

You need to involve the selling dealer, speak to the owner of the business and try get him to agree to send the vehicle to a Renault agent for an evaluation of the problems you are experiencing. You might have to pay for this but, you should try negotiating (beforehand) some re-imbursement if the outcome is in your favour. This should put an end to any assumptions and both parties will have facts to work off. Have the dealer put the findings in writing.