Multiple Zoe Failures

[IN51GHT]

OK then,

after the first Zoe, suffered total electrical failure just 4 days & 150miles into ownership the replacement car was delivered today.

Brand new, 8 miles on the clock, what could go wrong.

Well, I thought after a couple of miles "the heating isn't very warm", then when I stopped at the next road junction I heard this.



Now that's not right is it?

The noise stopped shortly afterwards, now nothing but ice cold air coming from the vents, so the recovery firm will be towing away in the morning.

Bloody annoyed & tempted to knock the whole EV thing on the head, despite the Zoe being a lovely car.

Any new car excitement left after the first car gave up is well & truly destroyed now.

Gutted.

[IN51GHT]

Called City Motors for an update yesterday....after me sending them the video to demonstrate the noise they were looking for a loom fault!!!!!!!

[IN51GHT]

Who knows? Sounded like a bearing failure to me, no fluid leaks.

There was a clunk, a bang, then silence shortly after that video was taken, still no heating though.

[IN51GHT]

Well then.

Just called City Motors for an update.......

The diagnostic laptop has broken, waiting on the replacement to be upfated.

Brilliant.

[IN51GHT]

Jimmyarm said:

I haven't looked over one in detail (yet) but it does sound like plastic fan blades hitting something.

How do the Zoes produce cabin heat ? If they have a coolant heater it could be the electric coolant pump failing so you get no coolant flow through the heater matrix (hence no heat).

It was producing a small amount of heat whilst the noise persisted, than came the clunk/bang & nothing. It was a guttural noise, deep in the heater assy, like a knackered bearing. Definitely was not a sound of a fan hitting a shroud. The garage can't see anything externally.

[IN51GHT]

A/C compressor FUBAR, no UK stock. On back order from France, minimum of 2week lead time.

Pissed off.

[IN51GHT]

Just got off the phone to customer care, basically got told I should think myself lucky they are delivering a hire car (24hrs after the car went wrong).

[IN51GHT]

an email has just been sent to the Renault UK managing director.

[IN51GHT]

It's very polite, at this stage, stating the facts & saying IMO the only option is for Renault to replace.

[IN51GHT]

Also starting to use the power of social media. It does have it's uses when certain high profile motoring journalists follow you on twitter.....

[IN51GHT]

c2mike said:

IN51GHT said:

Just got off the phone to customer care, basically got told I should think myself lucky they are delivering a hire car (24hrs after the car went wrong).

So you are getting a hire car. Why so much anger?

Jesus.

Zoe 1 died after 150miles & 4 days, Renault replaced the vehicle, that car died after 1mile. You wonder why I'm cross.

[IN51GHT]

So then, we are now up to day 33 of Zoe ownership, of which time the car has been in my custody for just 12 days!!!!

Renault's latest excuse is technically I've only had a single failure. The fact that it was a single failure after 4 days on the first car & a single failure after 1 mile on the replacement car doesn't seam to worry them.

Edited by IN51GHT on Monday 19th January 12:00

[IN51GHT]

The promised morning update on ETA of HVAC parts never materialised.

[IN51GHT]

Some good news.

Despite being told there is no stock anywhere, a batch has just arrived at Renault parts depot in the UK.

Should be with the dealer in 2-3 days.

Could have been so much worse.

[IN51GHT]

gianlu said:

now, not sure if it is me getting paranoid after having read all in51ght issues, but my heater/blower started to make noise this morning, similar to in51ght but much less louder, but very easy to hear on a very quiet car. And it is sending a light vibration throughout the car. It was the first day sub zero (-6) so I want to hope it was juts over working. Anyone else had anything similar?

Get it checked out, if it is a fault there are parts in the country as of yesterday (assuming it's the same fault as mine)

Edited by IN51GHT on Tuesday 20th January 13:19

[IN51GHT]

gianlu said:

IN51GHT said:

Get it checked out, if it is a fault there are parts in the country as of yesterday (assuming it's the same fault as mine)

Edited by IN51GHT on Tuesday 20th January 13:19

Well, i've lost the heating. So tomorrow i'll have it checked :-/

Log a complaint with customer care, if there's a common issue here they need to act on it.

[IN51GHT]

This is looking really bad for the reliability of the Zoe.

I'm slightly worried.

[IN51GHT]

Sounds like the car is going through it's final checks after repair & should be with me later today...at last.

[IN51GHT]

Just had an email from Renault PR, they want to interview me as to what would make somebody doing my job by a Zoe in order to run a story.......

Let me think about that!!!!

[IN51GHT]

The promised call from customer care to discuss the resolution of this never happened.