Poor range

Renault Twizy
#1

Hi everyone!

I’ve recently bought a used Twizy with quite a high mileage. My local dealer gave it maintenance (brakes, gearbox, etc) but couldn’t start my Twizy after a few days. So it got sent to a Renault Dealership (40mins away). They discovered that the traction battery broke the charger, and the faulty charger broke the 12V battery. So the Twizy was undergoing service for 4 weeks and returned home with a bill of €1200.

Since I got it back, I can’t seem to get the eco score going. It always reads 0 or when it reads 3-4, it resets to zero again after a full charge. Therefore my estimated range is very low, around 20kms. This caused me to get stranded in the middle of my commute with a flat battery.

Has anyone had similar problems? I’m not eager going back to the Renault dealership because they are so far away.

Any help or tips are greatly appreciated.

Q.

#2

And why do you need to read eco score? It’s useles.

#3

When the battery is full it reads 20km and 0 eco score, and the Twizy was flat after aprox. 18km. Since the eco score is linked with the estimated range, I think it tricks the Twizy into thinking that it’s flat, while in reality there’s still some charge left.

#4

I guess is something with traction battery… My 1 year old Twizy can fully charged drive for something between 60 and 80 km. And I realy never look at the eco score, just estimated range and battery percentage…

#5

You are sure the breakes are not stuck on? You can easily find out if you put the car in neutral on a flat place and try to push it a little, it should roll without any resistance.

#6

Hey,

The traction battery and 12V battery are brand new, the charger has been repaired. So I don’t really expect there to be anything wrong with. Or at least I hope so, because it has cost me quite a substantial amount of money already.

I’m not eager driving with that little information as the battery indicator. I still suffer from range anxiety :stuck_out_tongue:

#7

Hey! Thanks for the tip! I tested it out and don’t think there’s anything wrong with. Also, it’s been a week since I got new brakepads fitted.

#8

Hello Vpk

The 1200€ were for change the charger, 12V battery and traction battery?

The taction Battery (Main battery) it’s yours, or rental?

I have problems with the charger, and have to change it, and only the charger have a coast of 850€, But it was that after look for prices, because one Renault dealer ask me for 1150€ (only the charger - without service). I find another one who ask me for 850€ with the charger and service.

I know that the 12V battery coasts about 120€.

The eco score not seem to me important, but the range of 20 km it’s surely sinal of any problem.

I advise you to take the twizy to the same dealer, because the service that they have done, surely has guarantee…

Good luck!!

#9

Hi! I rent the battery from renault so the new traction battery was on renault. However I still had to pay for taking it out and replacing it. The 12V battery cost 160€ and 545€ for the repair on the charger.

Renault didn’t want to change the charger because of the price. So they proposed to fix it. That saved some money. Maybe that’s a suggestion you could make to the technicians?

I don’t want to go to the same dealership because of the distance and the fact that I really need the twizy for work. So friday I’ll go to a nearby renault dealership. Their service isn’t great but I hope they can help. I keep you guys updated.

#10

Hello Vpk

In my opinion, you have everything to ask the dealer where the car was repaired, to solve the problem without further cost.

I can not advise you to replace the charger but, as it is an expensive replacement, I can advise you to ask them to do the same as the Renault dealer did here, in Portugal. He asked Renault for a new charger, who came to the consignment, that is, in case the problem was confirmed to be the chearger, I would stay with him, and pay the price. If it were not a problem for the new chearger to solve, Renault accept the devolution.

So, we can order the charger, certain that we would not spend money on the new element without result.

If you already have some money spent on a particular dealer, you should not go to another, without exhausting the solutions that the dealer where the car was, can present you. In my opinion he is obliged to solve the problem. I Think you don’t present them the posible solution or prupose them the way to solve it. You present the car with a problem, and certainly it was they who made the diagnosis and presented the possible solution. And they charged you a certain amount to solve it. If it was not resolved, either they refund the amount spent or solve the problem …

If you go to a new dealer, will start a new process and present you a new budget for resolution, as he has no responsibility for the work done by the other …

About the distance, a similar situation happened to me. I went to the dealer in my area of ​​residence (+/- 25 km) and did not like the way they worked, doubting even the skills to work in this type of vehicle. I pick up the car, put it in a trailer and went to a dealership 85 km away, and I can guarantee one thing: Since that day, any problem I will have in my twizy, it will be in that more distant dealer that I will solve it .

Wish you Good Luck.