Renault are bang out of order.

[BrianR]

I contacted Renault customer service department having failed in my attempt to purchase a wiring diagram for a Clio 172 from my local dealer.

I spoke to a “team leader” after a bizarre conversation with an “advisor” who gave me the standard “the computer says NO” run around.

I was told it is Renault policy not to make this information available.
Surprised by this I asked them to confirm this in writing, and amazingly they did.

The letter says, and I quote
…”Thank you for your call about the wiring diagrams for your Renault Clio.
I am writing to confirm that we are unable to provide the information for you as we consider this sensitive information that can only be provided to accredited dealerships. “

Why do they consider this information “sensitive” I wonder?

Is it an attempt to prevent someone other than their own dealers working on these cars?

I wonder why Renault are uniquely sensitive on this issue when anyone can walk into a Porsche or BMW dealers and purchase these manuals in both paper and CD rom format.

I believe they are acting outside the law on this one and I am pursuing this with the OFT.

Has anyone else had this experience I wonder.

 

[Ross M]

is this not the same as something like coke giving out their recipes for example ? i.e. not possible

 

[bmh.01]

What sort of diagrams you after, dialogys has a certain ammount of info electrically wise. Can send you the pdfs if you like ?

 

[Josh@Renparts]

What sort of diagrams you after, dialogys has a certain ammount of info electrically wise. Can send you the pdfs if you like ?

i think its just the fact they said no.... Nobs!

 

[Lam7r]

I dont think they have any legal obligation to provide you with wiring details, be it making them available FOC or by charging for them so i dont think complaining will do much good really.

I could be wrong tho. Woould need to look into it. There could be something in the cumsumer act or something that says because you purchased the car you have a right to information regarding the equipment in it and details of that equipment etc etc

 

[LegoHead]

purchase a psp and do you get the rights to the circuit diagrams and firmware in the machine?
I think renault are right to say no if they want to.

 

[Alan]

Ownage by Dave ^^

 

[Josh@Renparts]

purchase a psp and do you get the rights to the circuit diagrams and firmware in the machine?
I think renault are right to say no if they want to.

Its the least renault could do..... Afterall, they can't solve any problems themselves. on a serious note though outside a cars 3 year warranty its up to the owner what they want to do with it. Personally they should as many other manufacturers do. Isn't this in the haynes?

 

[Fred@BTM]

its easy to get hold of, what do you need?

 

[LegoHead]

purchase a psp and do you get the rights to the circuit diagrams and firmware in the machine?
I think renault are right to say no if they want to.

Its the least renault could do..... Afterall, they can't solve any problems themselves. on a serious note though outside a cars 3 year warranty its up to the owner what they want to do with it. Personally they should as many other manufacturers do. Isn't this in the haynes?

what haynes? Renault arent doing anyone any favours, me included.

 

[BrianR]

Thanks for your input Guys, To pick up on the relevant points made,

I think Renault are trying to restrict the ability of an owner, who has after all bought and paid for their product, to effect their own repairs or diagnose faults.
As one of the replies pointed out, they are not very good at doing that themselves in some cases. Look at the number of threads on here relating to alarm and immobiliser faults for instance.

What I think is significant is that other motor manufacturers make this information available.

I was not asking them to give it to me without payment, I wanted to buy them.

It’s not like the recipe for Coke; the wiring of a car is regarded as “prior art” so there are no patent issues here.

If I drink a can of Coke, other than for tooth decay or health reasons, why would I want to know the recipe in detail?
If I open the bonnet of my car and see some red and black wires, why should I not be allowed to know what they do? Its my car.

Renaults answer was this is “sensitive information” I’m not sure how they reach that conclusion or are they simply saying, we would prefer we did this at £whatever per hour. That’s a restrictive practice.

The aftermarket alarm and stereo business suffered this problem 15 years ago.
The car makers didn’t offer a choice of CD players or remote alarms and told many customers that if they had “other” brands fitted by independent retailers, it would somehow invalidate the warranty on the whole car.

It took a big challenge from the car audio retail industry to reverse this and a lot of business was lost in the process. It was noticeable that the timing of the back down coincided with most car makers tying up deals with suppliers like Sony, Philips and Cobra.
Cobra were particularly despised by the substantial nationwide dealer network they had established when they effectively cut them out and sold direct.

Thanks to Fred and BMH for offering to supply information. I may well take you up on that thanks.

And finally Haynes doesn’t cover the Clio Sport models and the information is being withheld from them also.

 

[edde]

Renault won't even give all there Rencualt dealerships/techies the info so there no chnage for a regular customer.
I don't see a problem in them refusing to sell them. You can get a lot of wiring connections etc from the dialogues.