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-   -   Renault Duster AWD : Official Review (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/official-new-car-reviews/156651-renault-duster-awd-official-review-14.html)

Those are signs of rusting - similar rusting on mine too. Will post the pics soon.

Guys , As posted earlier there seems to be an issue with Renault production .

http://www.carscoops.com/2014/12/wid...-makes-uk.html

Renault called me on 9th Dec and advised that the defect rectification (Transmission replacement) is complete now and after some test driving they will hand over the car on 10th Dec, i.e today. A call came this morning from the Service Advisor informing me that upon test drive they found the underbody noise in 6th gear between 60 kmph - 70 kmph, is no longer occuring and that I can pick up the car now. I advised them that I will come at 2 pm today to pick up the car and this arrangement was confirmed. At 1.30 p.m the Service Advisor called me to inform that they can't deliver the car today because their Chennai plant has asked for some data and post verification of the data they will permit the ASS to release the car. Upon further interrogation, he said that the noise still persists albeit at very low levels but "in line with other AWD Dusters" and therefore the Chennai plant wants data to ascertain for themselves if my car can be handed over to me. I don't know what data is being referred to here, probably some analytics data.

This means 2 things (1) The SA's earlier claim that there is no noise now was a lie & (2) Current "low noise levels" in the 6th gear between 60 kmph - 70 kmph "in line with other AWD Dusters" probably points to a much deeper issue here.

My point in reporting this again here is not to crib about Renault (which I have already done in my earlier posts) but providing a fulll update to anyone whose following this thread and my posts, to check their Duster AWDs for potential problems in the 6th gear (and 5th gear as someone else has reported) between 60 kmph and 70 kmph.

The only solace is that the ASS has advised me that Renault India will pay me Rs.1200/ day from 6th December 2014 onwards till they deliver the car (though I haven't received an email confirmation from the ASS yet, which they said they would send me) so the meter is on for Renault India. I hope this puts some pressure on them to deliver the car.

Checked my RXZ AWD. Did the same as explained above to reproduce the issue. i can confirm that there is some un-easiness in 6th and 5th gear, but not as bad as the level of grinding. by your above post, now it's clear that Renault is also aware of this issue, which is good.
Nice...atleast this will make them return the car sooner. But make sure you get cash and don't accept any store/service credit. That is the only way to make them feel the pain.

Its rather worrying reading all these posts on issues that appear to be linked to QA problems.

A colleague and I have the initial launch batch 2012 2WD 110 RXZs - both of us are happy to report that both vehicles are in pristine condition till date (- fingers crossed:eek:). No sign of the infamous rust problem anywhere ( we checked all the 20+ points given in the UK sites), no sign of AC internal leakage, no problems with uneven tyre wear, all the underpinnings are still in pristine condition...

@ DIBIDENA2 - I had a Tata Sierra many years ago, which developed a problem of loud droning noise in 5th gear at slightly slower speed (around 70 km/h). Problem was traced out to a faulty propeller shaft ( the Sierra was a Rear Wheel Drive). The shaft was changed - and hey presto - the problem vanished. You may consider exploring that angle for whatever its worth.

To correlate - a point noted during the review of the AWD:-

I can only speak that both our 2WD version vehicles definitely do not have this problem - yes there is a drone in the cabin if one lugs the engine below 2000 RPM in 6th gear - but it vanishes rapidly when the engine is accelerated above 2000 RPM.

The reputation of Indian export Dusters to UK has taken such a hit (since hundreds in the UK have apparently been reported for rust problems) that if one just Googles "Rusty Duster", one is directed to UK consumer forum complaint sites and even sites where folks in the UK have even started raving about the (in)famous Indian culture of giving qualtiy a generous go-by. Read some of the accompanying jokes on Indians and work culture - gets one blood boiling...

There are even posts where chaps from Turkey and Romania are discussing that such rusting issues are non-existent / few-and-far-in-between on vehicles produced in their countries. There are fellas from South Africa sounding alarmed (their Dusters are Indian export) about potential rust and QA problems.

As a result all this, it is understood that Renault has decided to stop Indian exports to the UK and Ireland and have decided to replace with RHD exports from Romania, instead.

There are also reports in this thread of corrosion on drive-shafts and related dynamic components of 4WD Indian Dusters.

It would appear that the Indian arm of Renault has blown it BIG TIME, perhaps riding on the arrogance on their initial successes.

Renault India, please WAKE UP and smell the coffee!!

You guys appear to be responsible to be dragging down a good vehicle to an irrecoverable point - which will be a crying shame - and if so, you all do deserve to be shot by a firing squad (to put it a bit mildly).

And also -as a fellow countryman - let me put it on record that I'd gladly throttle the lot of you - for the disrepute that you have bought to our country!!!

I am now able to reproduce the issue with relative ease. Request fellows to tryt his on their AWDs and report.

1. Go easy revving upto 5th gear(shift at 1200-1500 rpm) and be at 50kmph while in 5th gear
2. Now with the speedo at 50kmph, shift to 6th gear..the rpm would be an approximate 1400rpm and would fall to about 1100 rpm on up shifting.
3. Now accelerate and see the vehicle struggling just a bit to get to that 60kmph mark when the turbo kicks in.
4. As and when the turbo kicks in, the grinding noise begins, keep accelerating till 70kmph and the noise is no more heard.
5. Do note that after shifting from 5th to 6th, if you continue easy revs then this sound doesn't seem to be there.Its only when you rev a bit hard as soon as you shift to 6th and are at the 50kmph level, you would hear this noise.

I tried shifting at 60kmph and upwards and heard no noises. Also before I get gyaan from fellow boarders on whether my shift to 6th gear at 50kmph are right or not, please be informed that the engine doesn't show signs of lugging at 50kmph in 6th gear on a flat surface and hence I am upshifting at that level. The same isnt possible on my verna where the enfine struggles if I shift at speeds less than 65-70 to 6th gear.

You are literally lugging your engine at those rpms.

I agree with CMS - 1100 RPM is far, far too low - you are definitely lugging the engine. You will need to keep a minimum of at least 1800 RPM in the higher gear and then attempt to accelerate in that gear from that RPM and see whether the noise manifests.

Looks like Renault has heard some of the rust and NVH issues and silently updated some models.

http://www.motorbeam.com/2014/12/car...ated-silently/

well thats the whole point.. if you had read my complete post, i already mentioned that this doesn't happen when the gear is shifted at higher speeds/rpms.It happens only at those speeds and rpms.

And about the engine lugging you guys mentioned- it surely isn't engine lugging.If it was engine lugging, why would the sound be coming from underbody?Also why wouldn't it start immediately at 50kmph where I am hitting the pedal hard? and start only at 60kmph and last till 70kmph.

Dumbfounded, it seems to be some kinda rare engine - transmission combo..:)

Amazon Green Duster AWD RXZ comes home!

My needs were pretty specific.
Mandatory:
* Best ride quality
* Top of the line safety (twin airbags & ABS is minimum)
* 5 adults should be seated comfortably
* Highway cruiser

Desirable:
* Traction Control/ESC
* 7 seats
* Imposing road presence
* Good fuel efficiency

Bangalore roads mandate a vehicle with higher GC. Been wanting to own an SUV forever! I was waiting for the new Scorpio and luckily the Duster AWD came around same time. We do atleast one trip to Pune every year and a effortless/comfortable highway cruiser mandated the 110 THP. Have done 4k+ highway runs this year (BLR/Pune, BLR/Goa, BLR/Kerala). Once I drove the AWD, it was a no brainer. The turbo lag has almost disappeared! The car feels a bit more posh (relative to older duster) and the rear AC vents are gone too, generating decent space for the 5th occupant. Not only my mandatory items were easily met, ESP/Cruise control/speed limiter were available too. The only question was whether I go in for the RXL or the RXZ – diff of 1.7 Lakhs! Given my wife, and later my kid would occupy the front passenger seat, I had to go in for the RXZ. Now I am appreciating the ESP, and will soon love the cruise as well! Getting insurance outside was not an issue at all. Saved 20K there. Unfortunately couldn’t transfer my NCB from my City as I am not selling it. It had 27.9kms on the odo!

I must thank 2 folks. First is obviously Rehaan's review on the AWD and the other person is the sales advisor from Renault Silk Board – Mr Abhishek H. Although he is just starting his career (4 months in the professional world), he has extensive knowledge of cars and provided the right advice. I was quite upset that I am getting little kit for shelling out 16 lakhs, but Abhishek kept emphasizing on what I am getting – he was so right! Highly recommended! Wish him a great career ahead too!

Will post ownership experience with pics soon!

yeah..very strange.I feel its the transmission not being able to handle the sudden surge of the turbo :Shockked:

Congrats on your new car.

lots of similarities in our garrages... i also have a city (3rd gen) which has run~ 30 + thousand kms and a amazon green duster AWD Rzx

this is how i also zeroed on this model after cancelling my city booking
I had previously test driven duster twice before(85 ps & old 110 ps 2WD models) .
Turbo lag & hard clutch put me off 110 ps 2wd, and 85 ps felt under-powered & felt like a downgrade from my Swift Vdi which it was meant to replace
( another reason being after driving honda city, i appreciate good ground clearance a lot lol:)
Also if i had bought a Rxl to save money, i always would have had a guilt consciousness for having skipped out on the 2nd air bag :deadhorse

You took insurance from which company? i paid ~ 28000 rs for zero dep insurance from hdfc ergo

Thanks - congrats to you too! Hope you're loving every bit of it, just as me.

Exactly - though the Cruise also played a role. I have driven cars in the US and trust me, this is one super cool feature on the highways! Given that I keep my cars for several years, I wanted to go for the top end.

I paid 32K (bumper to bumper) from National Insurance. Mine is a company leased car and we have only National as an option. I could have transferred my 50% NCB from my City but I am not selling it - its such a sweetheard! :)