Renault Encore problems

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The Renault Alliance is a front-wheel drive, front-engine subcompact automobile manufactured and marketed in North America by American Motors Corporation (AMC) for model years 1983–1987. The Alliance and its subsequent hatchback variant, the Encore, were re-engineered Renault 9 & 11 for the U.S. and Canadian markets.

Initially available in two- and four-door sedan configurations, three- and five-door hatchback variants (marketed as the Renault Encore) became available in 1984, and a convertible in 1985. AMC also marketed a sports version called Renault GTA for 1987. A total of 623,573 vehicles were manufactured in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Production was discontinued after Chrysler's acquisition of AMC in 1987.

The Alliance and Encore derived from AMC's 1979 partnership with Renault, which held controlling stake in AMC. The cars featured exterior styling by Robert Opron, director of Renault Styling, and interior design by AMC's Dick Teague, with both the Alliance two-door sedan and the convertible body styles uniquely developed by AMC.

photo of Renault Encore car production

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Renault Encore model years

renault encore 1986 photo
Encore 1986
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renault encore 1985 photo
Encore 1985
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renault encore 1984 photo
Encore 1984
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Common Renault Encore problems

The Renault Encore, also known as the Renault 11 in Europe, was a compact hatchback produced by the French automaker Renault and sold in North America through the American Motors Corporation (AMC) dealership network. Despite its European origins and the Wisconsin-ized Renault 11 hatchback design, the Encore was not a huge success in North America, and the car tended to deteriorate quickly under American conditions.

One of the most common problems with the Renault Encore is rust, particularly on the hatchback. This is a common issue for many cars of this era, especially those that were sold in areas with harsh winter conditions or high salt usage on the roads. The search results mention that the Encore in question had a rusty hatch, which is a significant issue that would need to be addressed to ensure the car's structural integrity and prevent further damage.

Another common problem with the Renault Encore is the build quality, which was sub-par even by the standards of the time. The car was known for having issues with the timing belt, which could break and damage the valves. Additionally, the car had overheating problems, oil leaks, water in the trunk, and other issues that were related to the car's poor quality control.

The Renault Encore's engine was another source of problems. The car was equipped with a 1.4-liter inline-four engine that produced only 56 horsepower. While the car's lightweight design meant that it was not particularly slow, the engine was not very reliable and could suffer from issues such as overheating, especially in hot weather. The engine was also not very durable and could suffer from issues such as warped heads, which could lead to overheating and other problems.

The Renault Encore's transmission was also a source of problems. The car was equipped with a five-speed manual transmission, which was not very reliable and could suffer from issues such as slipping and failing to engage gears. Additionally, the car's CV boots and transmission cables were known to fail, which could lead to further transmission problems and expensive repairs.

The Renault Encore's interior was also a source of problems. The car's interior was made of low-quality materials that were prone to wear and tear, and the car's interior pieces could pop off randomly, even with normal use. Additionally, the car's HVAC control panel had a suspiciously foreign look about it, which could be a source of frustration for some owners.

In conclusion, the Renault Encore was a compact hatchback that was produced by the French automaker Renault and sold in North America through the American Motors Corporation (AMC) dealership network. Despite its European origins and the Wisconsin-ized Renault 11 hatchback design, the Encore was not a huge success in North America, and the car tended to deteriorate quickly under American conditions. The car was known for having issues with rust, build quality, the engine, transmission, and interior, which could lead to expensive repairs and frustration for some owners.

Renault Encore

Percentage distribution of complaints by Renault Encore years

We have researched Renault problems and analysed all the complaints filed against Renault Encore cars and compiled the top 3 most problematic Renault Encore model years:

Below you can see the percentage distribution of known problems by Renault Encore model years.

Distribution of the number of complaints by Renault Encore years

We've also compiled a chart for you with the number of complaints about Volkswagen Jetta cars of certain model years:

Renault Encore car problems categorized by type of issue

After analysing all complaints related to Renault Encore , it was concluded that the most common issues with these cars are:

  • Visibility problems
  • Engine and engine cooling problems

The graph below shows statistics for all Renault Encore vehicle components and the number of complaints received.

The NHTSA has received 6 complaints about various vehicle components related to the Renault Encore . Below are the 25 most recent complaints reported for Renault Encore vehicles.

List of Renault Encore complaints

Renault Encore 1986
  • Date Of Incident: 2024-11-24
  • Date Complaint: 1997-07-11
  • VIN: 1XMAW93636K
  • Components: VISIBILITY
  • Summary: OWNER HAD WORK PREFORMED ON VEHICLE DUE TO RECALL CONCERNING HEATER CORE. RECALL WORK WAS COMPLETED AND THIS RESULTED IN HEATER CORE MELTDOWN. OWNER IS VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS PROBLEM. *AK
Renault Encore 1985
  • Date Of Incident: 1995-04-24
  • Date Complaint: 1995-04-24
  • Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
  • Summary: WATER PUMP FAILED, CAUSING LEAK. *SKD
Renault Encore 1985
  • Date Of Incident: 1994-05-07
  • Date Complaint: 1995-04-21
  • VIN: 1XMDM93055K
  • Components: VISIBILITY
  • Summary: HAD VEHICLE SERVICED AFTER VEHICLE WAS SERVICED FOR RECALL THERE HAS BEEN NO HEAT, LEAKING OF ANTI-FREEZE AND WATER. TT
Renault Encore 1984
  • Date Of Incident: 1995-02-22
  • Date Complaint: 1995-03-01
  • VIN: 1MXMDN329EK
  • Components: VISIBILITY
  • Summary: HEATER CORE RECALL REPAIRS REFUSED DUE TO UNAVAILABILITY OF PARTS, HEATER CORE STILL BLOWS COLD AIR. (92V-051). *AK
Renault Encore 1984
  • Date Of Incident: 1995-02-02
  • Date Complaint: 1995-02-07
  • VIN: 1XMDW9368EK
  • Components: VISIBILITY
  • Summary: HEATER CORE FAILED PRIOR TO/AFTER RECALL REPAIRS (92V-051). *AK
Renault Encore 1984
  • Date Of Incident: 1994-02-27
  • Date Complaint: 1994-02-27
  • VIN: 1XMDM9309EK
  • Components: VISIBILITY
  • Summary: HEATER CORE FAILED AFTER RECALL REPAIR. (88V-087) *AW

Latest 5 recalls Renault Encore

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 8 recalls for different components of the Renault Encore.You can explore the year of the Volkswagen Jetta you are interested in by selecting it from the list.

  • Model: Renault Encore 1985
  • Report Received Date: 1992-04-10
  • Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION
  • Components: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
  • Summary: THE END CAP CONNECTING THE HEAT EXCHANGER'S CORE TO THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM COULD RUPTURE AND ALLOW HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
  • Consequence: THE COOLANT ESCAPING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT COULDCONTACT THE DRIVER'S FEET AND INJURE THE DRIVER. ALSO, STEAM FROM THE HEATEDLIQUID WILL CLOUD ON THE WINDOW SURFACES AND IMPAIR THE DRIVER'S VISION ANDCOULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
  • Remedy: REPLACE THE HEATER CORE WITH A CORE OF DIFFERENT DESIGN WHICH WILL NOT RUPTURE AND LEAK IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
  • Model: Renault Encore 1984
  • Report Received Date: 1992-04-10
  • Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION
  • Components: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
  • Summary: THE END CAP CONNECTING THE HEAT EXCHANGER'S CORE TO THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM COULD RUPTURE AND ALLOW HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
  • Consequence: THE COOLANT ESCAPING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT COULDCONTACT THE DRIVER'S FEET AND INJURE THE DRIVER. ALSO, STEAM FROM THE HEATEDLIQUID WILL CLOUD ON THE WINDOW SURFACES AND IMPAIR THE DRIVER'S VISION ANDCOULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
  • Remedy: REPLACE THE HEATER CORE WITH A CORE OF DIFFERENT DESIGN WHICH WILL NOT RUPTURE AND LEAK IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
  • Model: Renault Encore 1986
  • Report Received Date: 1992-04-10
  • Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION
  • Components: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
  • Summary: THE END CAP CONNECTING THE HEAT EXCHANGER'S CORE TO THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM COULD RUPTURE AND ALLOW HOT COOLANT TO ESCAPE INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
  • Consequence: THE COOLANT ESCAPING INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT COULDCONTACT THE DRIVER'S FEET AND INJURE THE DRIVER. ALSO, STEAM FROM THE HEATEDLIQUID WILL CLOUD ON THE WINDOW SURFACES AND IMPAIR THE DRIVER'S VISION ANDCOULD RESULT IN A VEHICLE ACCIDENT.
  • Remedy: REPLACE THE HEATER CORE WITH A CORE OF DIFFERENT DESIGN WHICH WILL NOT RUPTURE AND LEAK IN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.
  • Model: Renault Encore 1985
  • Report Received Date: 1988-05-31
  • Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION
  • Components: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
  • Summary: COOLING SYSTEM PRESSURES DURING OVERHEATED ENGINE OPERATION MAY EXCEED THE STRENGTH CAPABILITY OF CERTAIN COMPONENTS DUE TO INADEQUATE VENTING CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEM PRESSURE CAP.
  • Consequence: THE BUILDUP OF PRESSURE MAY CAUSE HEATER CORE TO RUPTUREAND DISCHARGE HOT COOLANT AND STEAM IN THE PROXIMITY OF THE DRIVERS LEGS.
  • Remedy: REPLACE ALL COOLANT SYSTEM PRESSURE CAPS WITH ONE HAVING ADEQUATE VENTING CAPACITY.
  • Model: Renault Encore 1986
  • Report Received Date: 1988-05-31
  • Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION
  • Components: VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM:HEATER CORE
  • Summary: COOLING SYSTEM PRESSURES DURING OVERHEATED ENGINE OPERATION MAY EXCEED THE STRENGTH CAPABILITY OF CERTAIN COMPONENTS DUE TO INADEQUATE VENTING CAPACITY OF THE SYSTEM PRESSURE CAP.
  • Consequence: THE BUILDUP OF PRESSURE MAY CAUSE HEATER CORE TO RUPTUREAND DISCHARGE HOT COOLANT AND STEAM IN THE PROXIMITY OF THE DRIVERS LEGS.
  • Remedy: REPLACE ALL COOLANT SYSTEM PRESSURE CAPS WITH ONE HAVING ADEQUATE VENTING CAPACITY.

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