Ask an expert

I recently bought a 2001 Renault Scenic 2.0 automatic. It's automatic gearbox behaves differently to any other automatic I have driven.

When I lift my foot off the accelerator to coast to a halt at traffic lights, the gearbox changes down, and keeps changing down audibly until it even gets down to first at walking pace.

This can make coming to a halt a jerky, unpleasant experience.

All other automatics I have driven have just coasted with no discernible gearbox activity and require foot braking to come to a halt.

Is this behaviour normal for this model, or is it a fault with my particular vehicle?

Peter

From the "Ask Jack" archives - 14 December 2009

The best advice I can give is to take the vehicle into your local Renault dealer and ask them to check the transmission performance for you.

If they have the same model on their yard, ask if you could drive that as a comparison.

We have always found their transmissions 'different' in comparison to other mainstream vehicles.

It seems to be a characteristic of the European brands in general from our experience, and something that people have to adapt to.

That's not to say the non European vehicles are all perfect, transmission wise, but the likes of the Renault do seem to have change characteristics all of their own.

It may be normal but it would certainly pay to get the agent to check it out.