OK this is a bit of a long read – sorry! I has issues with my steering grinding and jerking so have just had some work done at a “reputable” garage to fit a Steering column, driveshaft and swivel hub bearings - parts supplied by me (second hand, apart from the bearings!). They had loads of problems because apparently the Steering Lock on my old steering col was damaged and therefore I needed a new steering lock, UCH and key card and, without any input from me, they sourced some second hand ones. They had it nearly 3 weeks and I got a call Monday to say it was ready and I picked it up on Tuesday. I was a little surprised that it was still in the workshop when I got there but never thought anything of it. The technician insisted on showing me a print from a CLIP scan showing some faults with the headlights – I thought that was a bit odd as I hadn’t requested a diagnosis but told them I’d replaced them with Xenons and haven’t fitted the levellers yet so I wasn’t worried… I paid a hefty sum ☹ and the car was “brought round”. As soon as I got in I noticed there is a permanent red spanner (and a flashing message “CHECK DOOR LOCKS”) on the dash which wasn’t there previously so I went back in. They explained that it’s because of the headlight fault which is confusing the computer and they can’t do anything about it but hooked it up to CLIP again to double check. I was pretty cheesed off as it wasn’t there before and I know I can’t live with that flashing in my face but what could I do? I set off home (a two hour drive) and took advantage of not having my dog in the car and cranked up some tunes. I arrived at my mum’s to pick up the dog and turned the music down as I pulled onto her drive and I was gutted when I heard the steering grinding and rubbing just like it did before (FFS!). After 20 mins or so I set off again with my dog – I noticed immediately that the instrument cluster wasn’t working and nor were my indicators (fair to say I was a bit cross!) Ignoring the steering issues for now (this is mechanical and obviously the car will be going back) but more of a concern for me is the lack of instrumentation (and the “CHECK DOOR LOCKS”) – could this really be caused by the minor headlight issues? After some fraught email exchanges it is clear that the only way to avoid the garage blaming this is on the headlight issues, or charging me more money, is to refit the originals (on my drive at this time of year, when it’s probably nothing to do with it anyway - great!) Today I looked at the instrument cluster issue (I don’t fancy a 2 hour drive with no indicators or clue to anything that is going on!). I have worked out that if I pull out the fuse for the instrument cluster (4th one up in the glovebox) and refit it, the dash springs back into life. I have also noticed that it stops working again if I leave the car for 15ish? minutes (something seems to stop/reset/switch off?) or if I pull the fuse for the door locks…. When I was looking I found the fuse “gripper tool thingy” in the centre console – and I didn’t put it there! And then a horrible thought occurred to me. This issue didn’t suddenly happen outside my mum’s house – it was already there. It happened at my mum’s because I left it for 20 minutes. It has been caused by the garage and that’s why the car was still in the workshop – they had to pull the fuse when I got there! (Now, obviously I could be wrong but I am cynical and all the clues point to them knowing and I guess they just wanted the car gone. Nice!) I also researched the “CHECK DOOR LOCKS” warning and child locks seem a common theme – could they have fitted a UCH from a car with child locks or something? Anyone got any ideas what’s going on? Can I avoid having to refit the original candles? Thanks guys. Paul
Hi Matt, I don't want to give any details - I'll give them a chance to put it right first they've always been OK in the past and this might be a "one off"... Of course if they don't I will name and shame! Cheers Paul
Sounds like they have fitted a wrongly configured upc or uch etc. Get the old stuff back and can get steering lock virginized/synced up easy enough. Id be asking for money back on the repairs
Thanks guys - I've emailed them to ask why they didn't go down the virginised steering lock route (and whether they still have my UCH and key card!).
The garage have replied asking for a link to a virginised steering lock! I guess they didn't know about them then!? Has anyone got a link? I am reluctant to do it off my own back in case I send them a link to the wrong one - I'm sure that will bite me. Cheers Paul
This is a particularly tricky situation because the internet will tell you what you should do, but in reality you are left with a handful of options. The nature of a car out of warranty means garages can make mistakes which causes issues and the customer can pay for it. Even if you were faced with another garage reviewing the car, you might struggle to get any recourse. Still, point one is, have they fixed what you asked them to? Did any other faults arise during the repair for the initial repair? Did they notify you of these? How do they relate to the original repair.
I think it can be done on Ren0link software, if not its a case of pull the eeprom file off the chip in the lock and change it to suit, not too difficult with the right gear. Any company that offers it or a virgin unit will be ok. Garage cant have worked on many renaults of this era as its quite a common fix.
Thanks guys. The garage have ordered a virginised steering lock and the car is going back in next week - wish me luck! By the way they are a renault specialist but rarely deal with steering lock issues apparrently which is why they had not heard of virginised ones! (certainly feasible but slightly worrying and I'm the poor Smuck that is paying (literally) for their knowledge gap!). Thanks again. Paul
Update Right, my car is back and everything is working (although I still have the noise from the steering – which was the whole point of taking it there in the first place!). The garage fitted a virgin steering lock and refitted my original UCH but they suspect that the steering noise is another duff steering column. I involved the manager and to be fair he was very professional, apologised and agreed a partial refund of approx. half of the original bill (which was nearly £1200!). But that doesn’t really feel like a result and I will not be going back to K-TEC. I cannot forgive their workshop manager for trying to fob me off and returning the car knowing that as soon as I got home and parked up for any length of time the instrument cluster wouldn't work. It also turned out that my wipers didn’t work (and pulling the fuse to get the instrument cluster didn’t help here). I wonder if he knew or cared? I had a fraught and dangerous trip taking the car back last week as it was misty and drizzly – I shouldn’t have driven it. Had the weather changed for the worse the car would have been undriveable - or worse I could have had an accident (imagine finding out that your wipers don’t work when tanking down a motorway or something!?). I also don’t appreciate the massive amount of time (and sleepless nights) I’ve spent on this. Had I not posted up here or had my wits about me I would have had to refit my old headlights just to prove it’s them and not me. And how come these experts had never heard of virginised steering locks? I also know that they purchased the second hand steering lock and ancillaries from a lad on here and gave him a hard time because they didn’t read the ad properly (in his words “, a supposed Renault specialist that didn’t seem to understand the issue or what I was telling them”) which also explains why they had it for nearly 3 weeks. I’m also annoyed that they couldn’t diagnose or fix the steering issue. I don’t even think the issue is with the steering column. If it is I am incredibly unlucky (hmm, I think I am to be fair…) especially as I got the Steering column from Ash who stripped it from a car that he picked up personally and drove back from Surrey to Swansea – a trip of over 250 miles - with no issues. And finally, and this is purely subjective, I have no evidence to back this up whatsoever but it "feels" like my car has been thrashed. The clutch biting point is just off the floor and I’m having issues engaging gears and the engine is tappety. Probably just a coincidence but it wasn't like that before. Anyway, can anyone recommend a garage that knows these cars like the back of their hand and can be completely trusted? I don’t mind travelling a bit – as long as I don’t have to take it back!! Cheers
So basically you're back to square one and ~£600 out of pocket ? I bet you're well pissed off and rightly so. I can't believe that they've not actually got to the bottom of it and just sent the car back to you, the 'they suspect the issue is the steering column' just isn't good enough IMO. Did you say it was ok for them to purchase second hand parts ? That doesn't sit right with me either. They do some decent stuff Ktec and have been in the business for a long time, but I've seen too many of these stories over the years to ever use them myself.
AW Motorworks look awesome - 3 hr drive there (but according to google a 10 hour train journey back!!?!). I'm based in Bristol. Matt - the rack had crossed my mind (the noises started shortly after I had the bush replaced and a suspension refresh...). However, the rubbing/grinding feels like it is all through the column with some of the grinding appearing to come from near the steering wheel. It is much worse when it's hot and dry and sometimes when it's damp and cold it's not really noticeable. But it does feel like there is a dry, tight fitting bush rubbing and grinding or something... (K-tec did say there was a bit of wear in the rack (as there is in most of the R26's they see) and that the inside can corrode - but didn't diagnose this as the issue). When I pulled up onto my mum's drive I recorded it on my phone: https://youtu.be/QWy-aS80aBw https://youtu.be/slLVJ-0ggkw (There would have been some serious bad language had my mum not been there!!)
Well yeah, apart from them fitting my swivel bearings and driveshaft. They didn't ask me about fitting second parts but tbh it was a relief that they were because it would have been a lot more money for new parts (but there again I assumed they knew what they were doing!) and was very surprised to learn that they got them off of Ebay!. Well pissed off is an understatement mate.
Another thing that was a bit odd - when it came back (with issues) I noticed a "hole" near the passenger door lock - it looked like a grommet was missing or something so I stuck a bit of tape on as a temporary fix. When it came back the second time (issues gone) the tape was gone and I can now see something in there - it looks like a bit of foam. I have absolutely no clue what it is or what they did - in fact I'm starting to question my own sanity!
does it only do the noise when the car is warm? mine made a noise like that when warm and the steering had sort of play/dead feeling between 11 and 1 o'clock. i changed the steering motor and that helped abit but the noise hasn't come back since i had the rack done https://rsmegane.com/threads/ur-megane-r26.3869/page-12#post-220171
Have you thought about speaking to Matt @ Supreme Motorsport over the Bridge in Ammanford ? - maybe an easier place to get to and from
Mine sounded a lot like that mate an felt notchy, all I ended up doing was puttin a fair bit of copper grease on the side where the rack bush is and was instantly perfect. Bush had just dried up thankfully. Sounds like you’ve had an absolute nightmare
I'm sorry. A used steering wheel lock can be bought here for 25e. The new one is a bit more expensive 250e . Possible and less. Used can be reset for an additional 10 e and no service is required for replacement. The car recognizes it as new and adjusts it itself. Work that lasts 10 min
Anyone got any experience of WPS? Refurbished rack £253 and less than 10 miles away! (If a new rack fixes the issue I'll be both really pleased and REALLY cross!) https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284356385256 Cheers
ive seen them, they come with 3 years warranty so should be alright and says they can fit them as well
Thanks everyone for your help with this. I'm going to go for a new rack - hopefully it will sort the issue (and I know there is a bit of play in it and I want the car to be right!) I'll let you know how it goes. Thanks also for the suggestions for decent garages - I'll be checking them out. Cheers
UPDATE: Hi Guys, Despite being desperate to get the new steering rack fitted , due to Christmas and covid and Sod’s Law I have only just managed to get it done. During the last couple of months I have become more and more disillusioned with the car as it has continued to develop more and more noises from the steering (and underneath), the constant struggle to get it into first gear (and other intermittent problems). I have basically lost that loving feeling and for the first time in 9 years of RenaultSport ownership was starting to think about cutting my losses and getting something else. Anyway, that was until Cooksport fitted the rack on Wednesday and, at their suggestion (in view of the gear selection issues) changed the gearbox oil as well. OMG - is this the same car? No noises, no issues selecting first gear - running as sweet as a nut, I can't believe I was starting to give up! So whilst I am now a happy bunny, what Cooksport found was quite shocking! - The pinch bolt at the bottom of the steering column was loose as were the locking nuts on the track rod ends!!! So I can't be sure how much the rack actually helped in the end but there didn't seem to be any play in the old one. Guess who did the tracking, supplied and fitted the gearbox oil and re-checked the steering – bloody K-Tec! I’m fuming with them all over again. What a bunch of cowboys. Again they returned my car in a dangerous state. And even failed to notice these loose nuts when I returned the car (see the posts above - they fobbed me off saying that the column I supplied must also be faulty). I now believe they didn't even bother looking! I also can’t believe that K-Tec supplied incorrect/unsuitable gearbox oil. I had no issues prior to them changing it and this alone was ruining the car - the number of times I've been cussing and having to pull away in 2nd... What the hell are they playing at!!? Anyway, I’ve finally got my car sorted and I can't recommend Cooksport enough (they are knowledgeable, friendly and honest!) and will be my “go to” garage from now on. However, I also recommend that you don't touch K-tec with a barge pole. In fact I am thinking about taking this further, maybe with some kind of legal action..? Cheers Paul
got a mate who ordered a hybrid turbo kit from ktec. 3 times the manifold has been back,as none of the mounting holes line up.. and 3 times its come back still wrong. Doesnt exactly give you confidence the rest of the 2k kit is going to be ok! Really does make you wonder,who the fk is running that place.
shocking service from such a high profile company.. my mates a engineer,so no way that was going to wash. we assumes most people would just drill out the mounting points.But thats never going to hold in time with turbo manifolds unless everythings 100%.. No doubt ordered in from china.
