2009 Renault Grand Modus 1.5L Diesel · GV09 DHM

The defining mechanical narrative on this 2009 Renault Grand Modus centres on a rear seat belt failure that has now recurred across consecutive testing cycles, which is a meaningful safety concern rather than a routine advisory. On 23 May 2021 the nearside rear seat belt failed to function as intended and was recorded as a major failure, and the offside rear belt also failed on that same test. Almost exactly two years later, on 24 June 2023, the nearside rear seat belt again failed to function as intended and was recorded as a major defect, while the offside rear unit did not raise a defect on that occasion. A failure on a rear belt can arise from a retractor lock malfunction, a stalk or anchor issue, webbing damage, or an inertia reel that has seized from lack of use, and the recurrence on the nearside specifically suggests the underlying mechanism was not fully rectified at the 2023 repair. Elsewhere in the 2023 test the nearside front outer drive shaft CV boot was recorded as split with no further prevention of dirt ingress, accompanied by a minor for severe deterioration of the inner CV boot and a major for a missing steering rack gaiter, which together point to a cluster of underbody rubber and gaiter deterioration. The 2024 test passed with no defects recorded, so the most recent roadworthiness outcome is clean, but the pattern beneath it shows that the vehicle has had to be retested for serious items relatively recently. Annual mileage on this car is unusually low for a vehicle of its age, with 83,440 recorded miles accumulated over seventeen years, equating to roughly 4,900 miles per year on average. The testing record itself shows consistent annual presentation from 2019 through 2024, so the car has clearly been in regular use rather than left dormant, yet it has covered only modest distances. This combination is relevant because many of the defects flagged are exactly those associated with low-mileage, short-journey use rather than high wear: dry-seized seat belt retractors, perished CV and steering rack gaiters from age rather than mileage, and a 2021 brake pad advisory on thin front pads after only modest mileage, consistent with stop-start urban use. The mileage gaps between tests are small, typically a few hundred to a couple of thousand miles per year, and there is no evidence of a long off-road lay-up that would require separate consideration. Buyers should therefore interpret the low odometer reading as plausibly genuine but also recognise that age-related rubber and seat belt deterioration has already begun to dominate the defect profile. For a prospective purchase, the rear seat belt mechanism on both sides should be treated as the priority inspection item, even though the 2024 test passed. On inspection, fully extend each rear belt and check that the webbing feeds and retracts smoothly without sticking, listen for any ratcheting or hesitation in the retractor, and pull sharply on the stalk to confirm the inertia lock still engages correctly. Confirm that the 2023 retest repairs are documented and ask whether the nearside rear belt unit itself was replaced rather than simply re-tensioned, given the prior 2021 failure on the same side. The underbody rubber items should also be physically inspected with the car on a ramp where possible, looking for any residual CV boot grease traces, perishing at the steering rack gaiter ends, and signs of fresh ingress of dirt into the inner CV joints, since split boots can pass a current MOT if not yet leaking grease heavily but will deteriorate rapidly once compromised. On a road test, particular attention should be paid to symptoms that would indicate the steering and drivetrain components flagged in 2023 have either been renewed or have continued to deteriorate. Listen for a clicking or rhythmic knocking from the front wheels when turning at low speed, which would indicate CV joint wear following boot failure, and feel for any vagueness, clonk, or play through the steering as lock is applied or the wheel is rocked, consistent with worn steering rack inner joints. The front brakes should be checked for a firm pedal without judder under heavy application, given the 2021 thin front pad advisory and the 2023 parking brake efficiency advisory, and the handbrake should be tested on a slope to confirm it holds without excessive travel, as the 2023 record noted the braking system required adjustment or repair. Finally, examine the rear seat belt buckles for stiffness or failure to latch cleanly, as Renault rear belt mechanisms of this era can become lazy with age and low usage, and verify that all rear belts retract fully under their own spring tension without leaving slack webbing across the seat.