Home » News » Motorgate Scandal: Thousands of Drivers Take Legal Action Against Renault Group for Engine Defects

Motorgate Scandal: Thousands of Drivers Take Legal Action Against Renault Group for Engine Defects



A few years ago, Olivier Blanchet noticed severe engine anomalies on the petrol Dacia he bought new a few months earlier. The engine makes a “machine gun” noise and his car consumes a lot of oil even though, according to him, “it had been regularly maintained”. He talks to his dealer about it and nothing happens. A few months later, a warning light came on and the engine broke, “only 115,000 km on the clock”.

Dacia – which depends on the Renault group – refuses any support. The computer scientist from Trégunc does not stop there. He spends long days inquiring and deduces, in 2019, that the problems affecting the engine of his car – an H5 FT – are the result of a design problem which leads to clogging and melting of the valves. ‘exhaust. “Dacias are not the only vehicles impacted. Because these engines also equip Clio, Kangoo, Nissan and even a Mercedes model. »

Cases in France but also in other European countries

Olivier Blanchet begins to inquire around him. And realizes that in a limited area, several Breton motorists are also concerned. “One day, I opened a Facebook page. In a very short time, a lot of people subscribed to it. To date, there are 7,500 members living in France, but also 700 English and as many Belgians and Spaniards. »

Olivier Blanchet claims to have collected testimonies from drivers whose vehicle had slowed down from 130 km/h to 50 km/h on the highway, in a few seconds, and who had been hit from behind. “The safety of people who take place in these vehicles is engaged. But also that of other users. The matter is serious, he comments. More than 133,000 cars could be affected”.

As the months passed, an association of victims of “Motorgate” was created, whose legal action is carried out by the collective action platform Myleo. This Monday, a complaint initialed by more than 1,980 signatories was brought to the criminal court in Nanterre (92) for “aggravated deception, deceptive commercial practices, fraud, destruction, and endangering the lives of others”.

Olivier Blanchet ensures that attempts at mediation have been made towards the Renault group, which believes that it has nothing to be ashamed of. Renault defends itself by asserting that 133,050 cars are potentially concerned “of which less than 10% may have encountered a phenomenon of overconsumption of oil”, indicated the manufacturer with the diamond to the Parisian. In January 2022, the group had indicated to the JDD that “90% of Renault and Nissan customers who encountered problems with this engine received support”.

Internal documents

The whistleblower claims to have in his possession internal documents that can provide proof that this design defect was known to the manufacturer. “This case affects people who do not roll on gold. Some had not finished repaying their loan when their engine failed. Others who sold their vehicle in good faith found themselves prosecuted”.

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