MajorCommonEngine

Renault Clio: 1.5 dCi injector and DPF/EGR problems

1.5 dCi injector and DPF/EGR problems is a common engine fault on the Renault Clio on the 2013–2019 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $700 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 15 documented faults on the Renault Clio.

Vehicle: Renault Clio
Engine: 1.5L
Years: 2013–2019
Fuel: diesel
System: Engine

This page covers the Renault Clio as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Renault Clio faults15 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

What goes wrong

The 1.5 dCi (K9K) diesel carries over its known injector weakness into the Clio IV, with worn injectors causing hard hot-starting, idle knock and black smoke. Cars used mainly for short town trips also suffer diesel-particulate-filter (DPF) blockage and EGR-valve clogging, showing as reduced power, a DPF warning light and limp mode. A good motorway run can clear a partly blocked DPF, but a fully blocked one or worn injectors are costly.

What you would notice

Hard hot-starting and idle knock
Black smoke and power loss
DPF or engine warning light
Limp mode after mostly short trips

How to check it

Where to look. Top of engine (injectors); exhaust line (DPF); intake side (EGR valve)

Ask how the car is used – a short-trip town car is more likely to have a clogged DPF.
On the drive check it pulls cleanly without smoke or limp mode, and confirm it starts promptly hot.
Look for a DPF or glow-plug light on the dash and ask for injector/DPF history.

Parts involved: Fuel injector, Diesel particulate filter, EGR valve.

What it costs to put right

$700 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

“Is this car mostly used for short town trips or longer runs?”
“Have the injectors, EGR valve or DPF ever needed work?”

Now check the Renault Clio you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

Autoricambi Tritella '1.5 dCi engine: most common problems, injectors, turbine'
Renault Forums (renaultforums.co.uk) '1.5 dCi injection fault diagnosis' thread

Renault Clio buyer questions

Is 1.5 dci injector and dpf/egr problems serious on a Renault Clio?

We rate it major and common on the Renault Clio. The 1.5 dCi (K9K) diesel carries over its known injector weakness into the Clio IV, with worn injectors causing hard hot-starting, idle knock and black smoke. Cars used mainly for short town trips also suffer diesel-particulate-filter (DPF) blockage and EGR-valve clogging, showing as reduced power, a DPF warning light and limp mode. A good motorway run can clear a partly blocked DPF, but a fully blocked one or worn injectors are costly.

How much does it cost to fix on a Renault Clio?

$700 to $2,500 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Renault Clio years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2013–2019 Renault Clio. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Ask how the car is used – a short-trip town car is more likely to have a clogged DPF. On the drive check it pulls cleanly without smoke or limp mode, and confirm it starts promptly hot. Look for a DPF or glow-plug light on the dash and ask for injector/DPF history. Look here: Top of engine (injectors); exhaust line (DPF); intake side (EGR valve)