A few notes about the Renault Clio (2005 onwards)
Engine Oil
For this particularly series of Clio, the manufacturer uses several different specifications for engine oil which should be covered by Comma Syner-G, Comma Syner-D, Syner-Z or Ecoren. It’s very important to use the right product for the vehicle you are servicing.
Some of the engines in this series of Clio have quite small sumps – 4L for example. Usually flexible service intervals are used being the maximum 24-month which is quite a long time. Supplying the customer with a top up pack and reminding them that they should be checking the engine oil regular (see handbook for guidance) might also be prudent here particularly if you have noticed that the oil needed topping up when it was brought in. A quick check before you change might be a good way of reinforcing the importance of top up to the customer. Combined with longer service intervals and the increased use of sensitive components like turbochargers, a smaller sump size makes checking your oil more critical than ever before.
Brake Fluid
Renault use one or two specifications for brake fluid for this series and again you need to identify which product is suitable for the vehicle you are servicing.
Most people don’t think of brake fluid as a service item however, as with many manufacturer’s, Renault specify a change interval of 24-months. Brake fluid degrades over time by absorbing water from the atmosphere (even when it is apparently sealed inside the system) which lowers its boiling point. Boiling point is a critical factor in brake fluid performance because of the amount of heat generated during braking. If the boiling point of the fluid is too low then continuous or hard braking may cause the brake fluid to vapourise which in turn can result in a loss of hydraulic pressure within the system. The message here is that brake fluid is a safety critical item so check and change when specified – don’t assume that it will just be OK.
Power Steering Fluid
This series of Clio is fitted with a purely electrical power steering system so no power steering fluid is required.
Coolant
For this particularly series of Clio, the manufacturer lists only one specification for coolant which should be covered by Xstream G30.
Transmission
For this particular series of Clio, Renault uses a range of transmissions that includes manual and automatic. As well as the different fluid requirements, change intervals and capacities will vary depending on the type of transmission so we would advise you to either consult the handbook to ensure that you get the right product for the vehicle you are servicing.
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