1989 Renault Medallion problems
The Eagle Medallion, also marketed as the Renault Medallion, is a rebadged and mildly re-engineered North American version of the French Renault 21 marketed by American Motors Corporation under the Renault brand for the 1988 model year, and by Chrysler's Jeep/Eagle division for the 1989 model year.
The front-engine, front-wheel drive, four-door D-segment, or mid-size Medallion was launched in North America on 1 March 1987. The Medallion was imported from France, sharing its platform with the Renault 21. Just eight days after the North American introduction of the Medallion, Renault initiated the sale of its stock in American Motors to Chrysler on 9 March 1987.
History
The Renault 21 was introduced in Europe in 1986 to compete in the large family-size market such as the VW Passat. Its design was the work of Giorgetto Giugiaro. Modified to meet safety and emissions requirements, as well as rebadged as the Medallion, it became a captive import for Renault's corporate partner, American Motors Corporation (AMC). It went on sale on 1 March 1987 as a 1988 model and filled the gap left after the slow-selling Renault 18i/Sportwagon and the venerable AMC Concord. Both the 18i sedan and Concord had been discontinued after the 1983 model year, while the Sportwagon version of the 18i was marketed through 1986. Therefore, from 1984 until 1987, AMC/Renault dealers offered no sedan larger than the small C-segment Alliance. The larger D-segment Medallion sedan was thus important to American Motors dealers and filled a hole in its product line when it was launched.
The Medallion was an Americanized version of the Renault 21, "a highly successful car in the European market." The Medallion was the second entry in a three-model marketing effort to expand market coverage for AMC/Jeep/Renault dealers beyond the four-wheel-drive Jeep utility vehicles. The first product in that plan was the C-segment Renault Alliance that launched for the 1983 model year, while the third was the E-segment Eagle Premier, which launched ten months after the D-segment Medallion. AMC/Renault was planning to sell between 40,000 and 45,000 Medallions annually.
Badged as the Renault Medallion at its press launch in the winter of 1986, it went on sale 1 March 1987 - a mere 8 days before Chrysler agreed to buy Renault's shares in American Motors - as an early 1988 model. The Medallion retained its Renault branding after the Chrysler buyout, through the end of the 1988 model year, despite Chrysler's creation of the Jeep/Eagle Division in the fall of 1987. Because the Medallion had been launched as a 1988 Renault model prior to Chrysler's buyout of AMC and creation of the Eagle marque - Chrysler's first new brand since 1955 - Chrysler waited until the beginning of the 1989 model year to rebrand the Medallion as an Eagle, so as not to confuse buyers by selling the Medallion under both Renault and Eagle nameplates for 1988.
The cars were marketed as "Eagle Medallion" for the 1989 model year and sold through the newly formed Jeep-Eagle division. As a distinct Chrysler subsidiary, the nearly 1,200 AMC-Jeep-Renault dealer organization would initially remain independent. As part of the buyout, Chrysler would continue AMC's program for U.S. distribution of the new Renault Medallion for five years, but not to sell a specific number of the French imports.
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Common 1989 Renault Medallion problems
The Renault Medallion 1989 is a car with a rich history, but it also has some common problems that owners have reported. One of the main issues is related to the solder used for circuit board/fuse panel, which Renault had problems with. This can lead to electrical issues and make it difficult to diagnose and fix problems.
Another common problem is a misfire in one cylinder, which can be challenging to pin down and fix. This issue has been reported in a 1988 Medallion, and the owners were having a hard time fixing it, despite their determination to keep the car running. This could be due to a variety of causes, such as vacuum leaks, ignition problems, or fuel delivery issues, and it may require a thorough inspection and diagnosis to identify and resolve.
The Medallion also has issues with the cooling/heating system hoses, which are not readily available as replacement parts. This means that owners may have to make up replacements with short sections of straight hose, connectors, and clamps, which can be time-consuming and challenging. Additionally, the engine gasket kit was needed when the cylinder head was pulled to fix the front camshaft seal, which is a significant repair that requires careful attention and expertise.
The Medallion's build quality has also been criticized, with some owners reporting intermittent electrical problems, dead batteries, and other issues.
In summary, the Renault Medallion 1989 is a car with a unique history and some common problems that owners have reported. These issues include electrical problems related to the solder used for circuit board/fuse panel, misfires in one cylinder, challenges with the cooling/heating system hoses, and build quality concerns. However, with careful attention and expertise, these issues can be identified and resolved, and the Medallion can be a reliable and enjoyable car to own and drive.
1989 Renault Medallion car problems categorized by type of issue
After analyzing all complaints sent to the NHTSA and researching popular Renault Medallion problems, we found that the most common problems with these 2023 model year vehicles are:
- Seat belts problems
The graph below shows statistics for all 1989 Renault Medallion vehicle components and the number of complaints received.
1989 Renault Medallion complaints
The NHTSA has received 1 complaints about various vehicle components related to the 1989 Renault Medallion.
SEAT BELTS PROBLEM
- Date Of Incident: 1997-01-10
- VIN: VF1FF45G4K2
- Components: SEAT BELTS
- Summary: MOTORIZED SEAT BELT FAILED.
1989 Renault Medallion recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued 3 recalls for different components of the 1989 Renault Medallion.
- Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION
- Components: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM
- Summary: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE HEATER CORE END CAP CAN FAIL DUE TO MATERIAL STRENGTH DETERIORATION OCCURRING OVER TIME WITH EXPOSURE TO HIGH TEMPERATURE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM FLUID.
- Consequence: FAILURE WILL ALLOW THE DISCHARGE OF COOLING SYSTEM STEAM INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, CAUSING REDUCED DRIVER VISIBILITY.
- Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A COOLANT TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED HEATER CORE FLUID BYPASS VALVE.
- Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION
- Components: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS
- Summary: FUSE BLOCK WIRING TERMINALS MAY NOT ADEQUATELY CLAMP THE POSITIVE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION OF HEATER BLOWER MOTOR FUSE BLADES.
- Consequence: THIS COULD INCREASE ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE THAT COULDOVERHEAT AND IGNITE THE FUSE BLOCK AND TERMINAL WIRING, RESULTING IN ANINSTRUMENT PANEL FIRE.
- Remedy: MODIFY FUSE BLOCK TERMINAL TO ENSURE ADEQUATE RETENTION CLAMP LOAD ON HEATER BLOWER FUSE BLADES.
- Manufacturer: CHRYSLER CORPORATION
- Components: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
- Summary: LOSS OF RETENTION OF AN INTEGRAL OVER-TRAVEL SPRING ON THROTTLE CABLE COULD CAUSE SPRING DISLOCATION.
- Consequence: A DISLOCATED SPRING CAN CAUSE INCREASED IDLE POSITIONTHROTTLE OPENING AND HIGHER THAN NORMAL IDLE SPEED.
- Remedy: REPLACE THROTTLE CABLES WITH CABLES DESIGNED TO PROVIDE POSITIVE RETENTION OF THE OVER-TRAVEL SPRING.
Additional sources
More sources of information about 1989 Renault Medallion problems:
Curbside Classic: 1988 Renault Medallion (R21) - These Two Guys ...
May 23, 2013 ... Renault used the R9/11's (Alliance) transverse engine ... problems(still have a few to go) ... The Medallion died in 1989 and Chrysler didn ...
Eagle Medallion - Wikipedia
Eagle Medallion ; Renault Medallion (1988) · 1987–1989 · 1988–1989 · France: Maubeuge (Maubeuge Construction Automobile).
Remember the Eagle Premier? | GM Inside News Forum
Apr 17, 2012 ... One look at the Eagle engine and I haven't worked on one since. ... Or a Renault/Eagle Medallion 2.2/5MT. But ... Problems with LH (the second ...
Ever Seen One Of These? 1989 Eagle Premier ES | Barn Finds
Nov 6, 2017 ... The only problem area that the seller discloses (there could be things they aren't saying) is that the motorized seat belts are inoperable. I've ...
Vehicle Size and Fatality Risk
4644 Renault MedalUon sedan, 1988-89 V67=45. Car group 4608. Renault Medallion wagon, 1988-89. Wheelbase 108.3. 4644 Renault Medallion wagon, 1988-89 V67=48.
Other years of Renault Medallion
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