The Renault Clio is a car specially catering to the average consumer. It is functional, tough, and has cost-effective ownership. At the same time, it also has some common issues. These include problems with its battery, its clutch, and its transmission. Apart from these issues, there also exist some Renault Clio accelerator problems.

For Renault Clio throttle issues, there can be a multitude of different reasons. The most common one is due to a bad or dirty throttle body. The throttle position and the mass airflow sensors can also act up. Valves such as the butterfly and the idle speed control ones can also be the culprits. Other than these, your acceleration could be ruined due to a dirty/damaged catalytic converter or filters.

Hence diagnosing bad acceleration is a rather tricky process as the problem may not be directly related to the accelerator. Still, the following are 6 common Renault Clio accelerator problems and solutions.

Throttle Body Problems

This is a common problem on the Clio. The throttle body or one of its connections can go bad. Or, the body can also become too dirty to properly function after around 70k miles.

Symptoms: The list of symptoms is endless; common ones include the Electronic Incident warning light and the vehicle going into limp mode. A dirty throttle body also ruins the engine’s performance and the throttle response.

Solution: You’ll most likely have to replace the body if you get an electronic warning light. Otherwise, you can try to have the body cleaned out.

Cost: The part will cost around $150 if it’s electronic (half the price of the manual one). Getting it replaced will cost you around $400-500. Having the body cleaned will cost around $200.

Faulty Throttle Position Sensor

Another common culprit for the Renault Clio accelerator problems is the throttle sensor. This can become faulty and ruin your Clio’s drivability. The sensor’s wire loom under the accelerator pedal can also hurt the acceleration.

Symptoms: The engine performance will decrease and occasionally, it will rev by itself at higher RPMs. If you plug in an OBD sensor, it should give you the message: P0120 – Throttle / Pedal / Position Sensor / Switch A Circuit. A damaged wire loom will cause limping and a reduced (or no) throttle response.

Solution: Do check if the wire loom’s good otherwise you’ll have to replace the sensor.

Cost: The sensor is quite cheap at around $11 so having it replaced should be inexpensive as well.

Mass Airflow Sensor Issues

This is a problem with the more recent Clio models. The MAF sensor is connected to the throttle valve and a bad one will also cause accelerator issues. It can either be faulty or dirty.

Symptoms: You can identify a MAF problem via a couple of signs. Apart from terrible engine performance, you can also expect misfires and a rough idle. Once you experience these symptoms, you can confirm the culprit via your scanner. You should get codes between P0100-04

Solution: You can clean the sensor and if the problems persist, replace it.

Cost: You’re recommended to clean the sensor yourself with a $25 bottle of MAF cleaner. The sensor costs around $35 and a replacement will cost you at least $150.

Damaged Throttle Cable

One of the Renault Clio accelerator problems is the broken accelerator cable. Like several of the other issues on this list, it can be quite dangerous as you can lose control of your Clio.

Symptoms: The car should rev automatically and the pedal can get stuck. You could get a warning light in some cases as well.

Solution: You’ll have to replace the throttle cable.

Cost: The cable’s pretty cheap at around $7 but the procedure will cost you around $100.

Bad Valves

More Renault Clio accelerator problems include a stuck or dirty throttle butterfly valve. A bad idle speed control valve can also be a cause.

Symptoms: A bad butterfly will prevent the throttle cable from closing properly (leading to high revs). A faulty idle control valve will give you a rough idle along with other symptoms.

Solution: The valves can be cleaned out. If their respective symptoms don’t go away then replacement is the way to go.

Cost: The idle valve is priced at around $25; the butterfly valve is around $45. Having them replaced could cost you in the $100-400 range, each.

Miscellaneous Problems

Your bad acceleration may not even be directly due to the accelerator. In fact, there is a number of possibly clogged components responsible for the mess. These include the fuel filter, the oil filter, and even the catalytic converter.

Symptoms: All the causes will ruin the performance, but they have distinct symptoms as well. A blocked fuel filter causes jerking, and a blocked oil filter causes sputtering. In the case of a blocked cat, you get higher CO2 emissions, bad odors, and even a Check Engine light.

Solution: The cat should be cleaned, meanwhile the filters should be replaced.

Cost: The costs for replacing the oil and fuel filters are around $100 and $50. You can clean the catalytic converter yourself for cheap with a cleaner spray worth $8-20.

In Conclusion

These were the main reasons for the usual Renault Clio accelerator problems. If you experience any accelerator issues, then ensure that you skim through the causes and symptoms mentioned here before you head to a mechanic or DIY.

FAQs

Why does my Renault Clio go into limp mode?

This can be due to several reasons, including the car having less fuel or a bad fuel supply. A low level of any important fluid can be responsible for it. Furthermore, you could be dealing with anything from transmission problems to faulty engine wiring and/or sensors.  

Why does my Renault Clio keep losing power?

Once again, this too can have one or more of several factors involved. For instance, you may be bothered by bad fuel injectors or a flowmeter malfunction. If you’ve got a turbocharged Clio, then the turbo could be responsible for the power loss as well.

How do I reset my accelerator pedal sensor?

A way to deal with the aforementioned throttle position sensor issues is to reset the device. This can be done simply by removing the negatively charged cable from your battery. Leave it unhooked for a couple of minutes and then put it back on.