Photo: Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
5 faults documented by at least two sources, listed by version then by mileage at onset when known.
5 known faults
Owners report a discharged 12 V battery preventing the car from starting. Car Verif cites the first mild-hybrid production runs up to 30 June 2023; on the E-Tech, the Renault forum mentions a control unit that does not go to sleep, corrected by a software update and, if necessary, replacing the battery.
L'argus reports numerous bugs (reversing camera stuck, digital instrument display), which sometimes persist despite updates. The OpenR Link multimedia system can freeze or lose the Bluetooth connection. Carchecker also cites software bugs from early production.
Owners report a discharged 12 V battery preventing the car from starting. Car Verif cites the first mild-hybrid production runs up to 30 June 2023; on the E-Tech, the Renault forum mentions a control unit that does not go to sleep, corrected by a software update and, if necessary, replacing the battery.
L'argus reports numerous bugs (reversing camera stuck, digital instrument display), which sometimes persist despite updates. The OpenR Link multimedia system can freeze or lose the Bluetooth connection. Carchecker also cites software bugs from early production.
Renault launched campaign 0EWA at the end of 2025 for about 25,000 Austral and 7,000 Espace hybrids built between 6 June 2022 and 20 December 2024: the oil-vapour breather hose can cause a smell of petrol in the cabin, a rise in the oil level and, if the signs are ignored, engine failure. The repair (replacing the hose and reprogramming the hybrid control unit) is free of charge.
Fixed free of charge by a dealer and not counted in the reliability score: ask for proof the work was done (invoice, or a VIN check at a dealer).
Sources
On the E-Tech 200, owners report the warning “gearbox breakage risk”, sometimes with the engine cutting out. L'argus records gearbox interventions (electrical connections or replacement of the actuator) on cars built up to the end of 2023.
The message “engine breakage risk” can appear because of the electric water pump on the 1.2 hybrid engines (H5F) built up to 30 June 2023; the pump was improved afterwards and the remedy is its replacement. L'argus also reports a drop in coolant with the message “injection to be checked”, which owners describe with no visible leak.
Owners report a discharged 12 V battery preventing the car from starting. Car Verif cites the first mild-hybrid production runs up to 30 June 2023; on the E-Tech, the Renault forum mentions a control unit that does not go to sleep, corrected by a software update and, if necessary, replacing the battery.
L'argus reports numerous bugs (reversing camera stuck, digital instrument display), which sometimes persist despite updates. The OpenR Link multimedia system can freeze or lose the Bluetooth connection. Carchecker also cites software bugs from early production.
An OBD scanner plugged in under the steering wheel shows stored fault codes, even with warning lights off: useful during the test drive.
Compare prices of parts for the Renault Austral I (timing, brakes, filters) to estimate the repairs to plan for.