2015 Renault Twizy Problems: 9 Known Issues

On the 2012-2020 Renault Twizy, the 6.1 kWh LG-cell traction pack is managed by a battery control box (BCB). Two related failures dominate owner reports. First, individual cells or cell groups drift low: the BMS then limits or refuses discharge, so the car shows a plausible state of charge but loses power or shuts down under load, or the range collapses far below the already modest 50-80 km. Second, the BCB or its wiring fails outright, giving a 'traction battery fault' or service message with the vehicle refusing to activate the pack - the car will neither charge nor drive even though the charger and 12V system test fine. Owners have measured pack voltages sitting abnormally low (mid-50s V on a nominal 58V pack) with one cell well below its neighbours. Batteries were originally leased with a 75% state-of-health replacement guarantee; on packs over ten years old that threshold drops to 60%, which leaves a large band of badly degraded but 'in spec' packs.

On the 2012-2020 Renault Twizy, a very common Twizy fault is discharge or failure of the small 12V auxiliary battery, which prevents the vehicle from waking up its control modules and closing the main traction battery contactors. Owners report the car appearing completely dead, showing charging faults, or refusing to select drive after sitting unused; the issue is often caused by an aging AGM battery, parasitic drain, or long storage without a maintainer.

On the 2012-2020 Renault Twizy, twizy owners frequently report charging faults where the car will not begin charging, stops partway through, or shows a charging system warning. The problem is commonly linked to the on-board charger, charging cable/inlet issues, moisture intrusion, or low 12V system voltage preventing the charger and battery management system from operating correctly.

On the 2012-2015 Renault Twizy, a recurring and safety-relevant complaint from early Twizy owners is the accelerator pedal sticking down. It is strongly weather-dependent: it shows up in the combination of near-freezing temperatures and high humidity, and it affects the Twizy disproportionately because the cabin is open to the elements, so damp and frost build up in and around the pedal assembly during long periods parked outside. Owners describe the pedal staying depressed after lift-off, with the car continuing to accelerate until the pedal is freed by hand or foot. At least one owner-forum account links the fault to a crash. Renault replaced pedal assemblies under warranty for affected part-number ranges, but owners outside that range reported dealers declining to act unless the fault could be demonstrated on the spot - which is difficult with a weather-dependent intermittent.

On the 2012-2020 Renault Twizy, the charging flap on the Twizy's nose is held by a small moulded plastic hinge with an integral spring pocket. It is a well-known weak point: owners routinely snap it when they pull the coiled charge cable out of its recess with one hand while unconsciously holding or tugging the flap with the other. UV exposure and heat cycling on a vehicle that lives outdoors embrittles the plastic, so older cars break the hinge with almost no force at all. German forum threads on the subject run to hundreds of posts (one is literally titled 'charge flap broken, the 1,200th time'). Once broken the flap either flaps loose at speed or is lost entirely, leaving the charge socket and its coiled cable exposed to rain and road spray - which in turn feeds the Twizy's better-known water-ingress and charger corrosion problems.

On the 2012-2020 Renault Twizy, the Twizy's half-door and open-sided design makes it prone to water ingress, rattles, and latch wear. Owners report rain entering around the optional side windows and doors, difficulty latching or opening the scissor doors, and increased cabin noise from worn seals and misadjusted hardware.

On the 2012-2020 Renault Twizy 13 kW / 5 kW synchronous motor with Comex single-speed reducer, the Twizy's single-speed Comex reduction gearbox has no bearing supporting the motor output/input shaft on the gearbox side. The shaft is cantilevered off the motor rotor bearings only, so it deflects under torque. Owners report a rising gear whine or squeal at specific speeds (typically around 30 km/h and again at 70-80 km/h under full throttle), a hum on coasting, and a distinct clunk on load reversal (lifting off and reapplying the throttle). The deflection accelerates tooth-flank wear, so the noise gets progressively worse with mileage; German forum members report the noise becoming intrusive anywhere from roughly 20,000 km upward and severe past 70,000 km. Marginal oil supply to the input shaft aggravates it. In the worst cases the shaft itself has been damaged and required repair or a gearbox exchange.

On the 2012-2020 Renault Twizy, twizys fitted with the windscreen (and optional glass doors) get an electrically heated screen operated by a dash switch, and it is the only demisting provision the car has - there is no blower or heater matrix. Owners on both UK and French communities report the function simply never works or stops working: no telltale light, no relay click when the switch is pressed. Two causes recur. The dash switch itself is a known failure point - French owners describe having to work the control back and forth repeatedly to get anything, with the fix being switch replacement. Separately, UK owners investigating a screen that had never worked found the heated-screen relay absent from the fuse box altogether, apparently omitted or removed in build or by a previous owner. Because the Twizy's cabin is open to the weather and prone to water ingress, a car with no working demist is genuinely difficult to see out of on a cold damp morning.

On the 2012-2020 Renault Twizy, because the Twizy is light, uses regenerative braking, and is often driven short distances, its friction brakes can corrode from lack of use. Owners commonly report sticking calipers, seized slide pins, dragging brakes, and uneven pad wear, especially after storage or wet-weather use.