Renault Transmission
Renault has sold four completely different kinds of automatic in South Africa, never mind the manuals: the Easy-R automated manual in the Kwid and Triber, a CVT in the Koleos and the turbo Kiger, and an EDC dual-clutch that came as a six-speed on some cars and a seven-speed on others. They share a badge and almost nothing else. Which one you have is the whole job here.
- Trade counter at 89 Chris Hani Road, Briardene
- Collect from the counter, or courier with the carriage in the quote
- Price, condition and fitment settled on a written quote
Transmission, explained
If there is one page on this site worth reading before you spend money, it might be this one, because "Renault automatic" describes at least four unrelated pieces of engineering that were on sale here at the same time.
The Kwid and the Triber use an automated manual
The Kwid and the Triber use an automated manual — Renault calls it Easy-R. It is an ordinary manual gearbox with a computer working the clutch, so there is no third pedal but there is also no torque converter and no second clutch. It behaves differently from every other automatic and it is repaired differently too. The Kiger was offered with that same automated manual on the naturally aspirated engine and a CVT on the turbo.
The Koleos uses a CVT. And the EDC is a dual-clutch, which is a fourth thing again.
The EDC is where people come unstuck
The EDC is where people come unstuck, because it is not even consistent with itself. In 2016 a South African Renault dealer could sell you a Kadjar with a seven-speed EDC behind the 1.2 petrol or a six-speed EDC behind the 1.5 diesel. Same nameplate, same showroom, same year, two different gearboxes. Anyone who tells you an EDC is an EDC is about to sell you the wrong one.
Then there are the manuals, which is what most of these cars actually are. The whole SA second-generation Sandero run was five-speed manual only, and so was the Clio V — cars.co.za notes that an automatic Clio V was planned for South Africa and never materialised.
How you know transmission are on the way out
Recognise any of that? Tell us the model and year and we will go and check what we can get hold of for you.
The questions we ask before we price transmission
Renault has sold an Easy-R automated manual, a CVT, a six-speed EDC dual-clutch and a seven-speed EDC in South Africa, alongside ordinary manuals. They share a badge and almost nothing else. In 2016 one local showroom could sell you a Kadjar with a seven-speed EDC behind the petrol engine or a six-speed behind the diesel — same nameplate, same year, different gearbox.
In plain terms, the call you have to make is which of four unrelated automatic architectures is actually in your car — and the model name on the boot lid is not enough information to make it.
Include the VIN and whether the car is petrol or diesel when you ask us about transmission. Two questions up front beats a part that has to be couriered back.
Transmissionwe source
Further reading on transmission
Independent sources, not ours. Worth a look if you want the background before you enquire.
Transmission — what customers usually ask
What are the common problems with Renault automatic gearboxes?
The documented South African issue is with the EDC dual-clutch. cars.co.za's Captur guide reports several instances of EDC faults and outright failures, and describes a transmission that would often still be hunting for an appropriate gear. A long-term test of a Kadjar 1.5 dCi EDC in the SA press described an initial hesitancy in the low-speed workings of the box. That low-speed hesitancy is characteristic of dual-clutch designs generally rather than proof of a fault, which is worth knowing before you condemn one.
Are Renault automatic gearboxes any good?
That depends entirely on which one, which is the point of this page. The automated manuals in the Kwid and Triber are simple and cheap to fix but shift slowly by design, and people who expected a conventional automatic are often disappointed by a car that is working exactly as intended. The CVTs get reasonable local press. The EDC is the one with a documented fault record here. None of that makes any of them unbuyable — it makes the history and the pre-purchase check matter.
How do I know which gearbox my Renault has?
Start with the engine, because the two are paired. A Kwid or Triber automatic is an Easy-R automated manual. A Koleos automatic is a CVT. A Kiger automatic is either an automated manual or a CVT depending on whether it is the naturally aspirated or the turbo engine. If it is a Captur, Kadjar, Clio RS or a second-generation Duster diesel automatic, it is an EDC — and then we need to know whether it is the six-speed or the seven-speed. Send us the VIN and that stops being your problem.
Is a slipping clutch worth fixing on an older Renault?
Usually, yes. A clutch is a wear item and replacing one does not say anything bad about the rest of the car. Where it gets more involved is on the automated-manual cars, because the actuator that works the clutch is part of the story and needs checking at the same time. On a dual-clutch it is a different job again and belongs with a specialist.
Can I put a gearbox from a different Renault into mine?
Only if it is genuinely the same unit, and model name is not enough to establish that. Bell housings, final drives, sensors and mounting points all vary between derivatives that look identical from outside. The Kadjar example above is the cautionary one. Give us the VIN and we will match the box to the car rather than to the badge.