All models / MPVs / Renault Grand Scenic / What to check

What to check: Renault Grand Scenic

EBy age

EBy miles

Ranked across all years of the Renault Grand Scenic, from its own MOT record and from what owners report. Tick it off at the car.

From this model's MOT record

The physical checks its own defect data says are worth your time, most telling first.

Bushes and ball jointsRuns high on this modelDrive slowly over broken tarmac with the windows down and listen for clonks from either end. Back at the car, have someone rock the steering wheel while you rest a hand on each front wheel; play you can feel through the tyre is a worn joint.Recorded on 10.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 5.9%

Lights and horn walkroundRuns high on this modelWith a helper, run every light: dipped, main beam, indicators, brake lights including the high-level one, reverse, fog, and the horn. On newer cars a dead LED section can mean replacing the whole lamp unit rather than a bulb.Recorded on 10.1% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.8%

Coil springsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the bottom coil of each spring; when springs snap it is usually there, and the break is visible. Step back and check the car sits level too. A dropped corner is often a broken spring.Recorded on 4.9% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.4%

Steering playRuns high on this modelWith the engine running and the car parked, waggle the wheel lightly about the straight-ahead. The wheels should respond almost at once. A dead zone before anything happens means wear in the rack or the track rod ends.Recorded on 3.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%

WheelsRuns high on this modelLook at each rim for kerb damage and check no wheel nuts are missing. A steering wheel that shimmies between 50 and 60 on the test drive often turns out to be a buckled or badly balanced wheel.Recorded on 3.2% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

Rubber boots and gaitersRuns high on this modelOn full steering lock, look in behind each front wheel at the concertina rubber boots on the driveshafts and steering rack. Splits, or grease flung around the arch, mean dirt is getting into a joint that costs far more than the boot protecting it.Recorded on 2.6% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.6%

Warning lights on ignitionRuns high on this modelTurn the ignition on without starting the engine and watch the dash. Every warning light should appear, then go out once it is running. Be more suspicious of a light that never comes on at all than of one that stays on; warning bulbs have been known to vanish before a sale.Recorded on 2.4% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 0.4%

Worth doing on any used car

These judge the seller's upkeep rather than the model.

Tyres, all fourRuns high on this modelCheck the tread across the full width of each tyre, inner edge included, and look for cracking and mismatched brands. A set of decent tyres is £500 or more on most cars, which makes this the easiest money to take off a price. If the pressure warning light is on, budget for sensors too.Recorded on 31.0% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 20.1%

Pads and discsRuns high on this modelLook through the wheel spokes at the brake disc. A pronounced lip on its outer edge, or a rusty and scored face, means discs and pads are due all round, a few hundred pounds on most cars. A haggling point rather than a reason to walk away.Recorded on 16.5% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 8.7%

Windscreen and wipersRuns high on this modelScan the glass in daylight for chips, especially in the driver's line of sight where even a small one can fail the MOT. Run the washers and check the wipers clear without smearing.Recorded on 2.7% of tests at age 6-9 · class average 1.7%

Because of what owners report

Drawn from the owner reports rather than the MOT data. These are the model-specific ones.

On a dCi diesel, check for any EGR or turbo replacement history in the service file.No record of either despite high mileage means it is probably still due, and a stuck EGR can take a new turbo with it.

Check the instrument cluster and dash lights work properly with the ignition on, including the clock and mileage reading.Flickering, blackout, or a mileage that resets is the digital dashboard fault, and it is not a quick fix.

Apply and release the electric parking brake a few times, including on a slope if you can.Any grinding, delay, or failure to release cleanly points to the parking brake motor or cables wearing out.

Operate every window up and down slowly, listening for grinding or slow travel.A regulator on its way out will judder or slow down before it fails completely, sometimes dropping the glass into the door.

Test drive over broken tarmac or speed humps, not just smooth roads.Knocking or crashing from the front end on 20-inch wheels is the known ride and suspension weak point.

On an automatic, pull away from a dead stop several times and watch for hesitation or a gearbox warning light.Stuttering or a 'check auto gearbox' message points to EDC wear that only gets worse and is costly to fix.

Ask for proof of the timing belt and water pump being changed on schedule on the 1.5 dCi.Some owners report belt or pump wear well before the quoted interval, and a snapped belt wrecks the engine.

Full Renault Grand Scenic reliability report