Almost 2,000 owners of Renault, Dacia and Nissan models have decided to file a complaint against the Renault and Nissan group at the Nanterre (Haus-de-Seine) Criminal Court. The plaintiffs’ lawyer, Mestre Christophe Legevac, confirmed this information, reported to Le Parisien last Thursday.

The complaint will be filed for several reasons, including “deceit, endangering the lives of others, fraud and deceptive commercial practices”– the lawyer told AFP.

Almost 2,000 claimants

According to Master Christoph Legevakes, the number of complainants is currently 1,789. And that number could rise further as new registrations continue. So, “It is no longer just a matter of confrontation between a giant and isolated individuals”he points out.

Affected cars are equipped with 1.2-liter TCe or DIG-T gasoline engines, manufactured by Renault from October 2012 to June 2016. These engines suffer from excessive oil consumption, which can lead to engine failure between 40,000 and 60,000 kilometers, often on the highway, “creating an unexpectedly dangerous situation”– explains the lawyer. “We accuse Renault of playing Russian roulette with the safety of road users”he accuses.

The consumer association UFC-Que Choisir already sounded the alarm in 2019 about these engines. The class action was filed in January 2022.

Renault defends itself

so far “93% of identified customers who experienced problems with their 1.2-litre vehicle manufactured between October 2012 and June 2016 received help”– says the representative of Renault.

Group “never stopped and continues to consider appeals addressed to her. All requests for participation that could not be satisfied have been thoroughly investigated and responded to”, he adds, which is denied by the plaintiffs. According to Renault, the vehicles remain “Safe and compliant”.

These engines, produced in Valladolid (Spain) and Sunderland (UK) in the amount of 400,000 units, installed the entire Renault line (Clio, Mégane, Kangoo, among others), as well as some Dacia models (Duster, Dokker, Lodgy), Mercedes Citan and Nissan (1.2 DIG-T engine for Juke, Qashqai 2 and Pulsar). According to Renault, 133,050 cars were affected in France.