I have a Renault Safrane which has an intermitant fault with the gearbox. The car will at any time it pleases drop down to third and report that the gearbox is in "Saftey Mode", one the engein is restared the car goes back to normal. The garage wants £1800 for a new one to be fitted. Anyone know if the problem can be solver in any other way.

I love my car and dont want to have to get rid of it.

Hello ,

what safrane do you have ?? and what year ??
If it,s a AD8 automatic gearbox , i can help you because it,s prob a electric default and not mechanic.
I own a renaults 25 and restored my automatic transmission so i know i bit about it..
If it,s a newer safrane maybe i can help you.

greetings Justin

The car is a RT2.2 VI Auto 5 Door Hatch. M 95 (B543)

I guessed it was electrical because it said in the hand book if the problem reset after restarting the car that it was electrical rather than mechanical.

We got this car in Jan 2001 to replace our 25 Txi, It's a nice car but not as comfortable as the 25 was.

The dealer has replace a pressure switch sensor on the box (£300) but this didn't solve the fault, so we are now trying to get our money back for that.

Any help you can give would be greatly appriciated

dawn.n.dusty@ntlworld.com

Thanks

Let,s keep the messages here , this way everybody reads it and can diagnose his own transmission..
many transmissions work thesame way.
Renault uses the automatic gearboxes 4141 mb3 ad4 ad8 ar4 lmo dp0 su1 su0 and many more , but i guess you,re car has a ad8.... that was mounted in the safrane 2.2vi
You,re local dealer replaced the pressure-sensor why ??
did they test it with a xr-25 or clip computer ???
What did they say was the fault ???
When does the light burn of you,re automatic gearbox??? always, sometimes , cold , hot engine...??
Let,s say (it burns all the time) but , i have to be sure...
possible defaults are pressure sensor, but this must be very clear on the xr-25 (0.0 bar while the engine is running) or , more then 0.1 bar when the engine is off.....
then , i can say for sure the sensor is broken..
did they checked the oil level ?? must be doen with the test xr-25 on 60 degrees celcius !!! on a special way !!!
second possible default , the xr -25 says hydraulic failure... then i have the question "when you put the car in drive , does it take a while before it starts driving ???
when this is NOT so , try to clean the hydraulic block and check ore replace the E.V.M valve (electric modulation valve) for the pressure...

as you see , i need to know what the xr 25 says (xr25 is the renault testing equepment)
otherwise i can,t say what to do for sure !!
ALso i need to know when the light burns and how the car drives !!!

I work at renault and my hobby is automatic gearboxes, but please understand to keep all the talking here..

greetings Justin

I have spoken to the service dept and asked them the questions I can't answer myself. I will let you know as soon as I get a reply.

Your not by any chance working anywhere near Wiltshire or Newcastle .....I could book the car in your garage, as we frequent both places.

Thank you again for your time

Dawn

I don,t live in england...... or ireland

Sorry

I will hear from you