Description

Renault Trucks Trafic, Clio, Twingo, 5, 19 1997 Workshop Manual

You’re staring at a Clio that won’t shift out of first, or a Trafic that hunts for gears on a grade. The aftermarket book on your bench tells you to “check the transmission” – useless. What you need is the factory procedure for the specific Renault automatic transmission in that vehicle. This Renault Trucks Trafic, Clio, Twingo, 5, 19 1997 Workshop Manual is a 276-page bound document from Renault itself, not a photocopy from a third-party warehouse. It covers the MB, MJ, and ML series automatics with the exact torque values, hydraulic distributor adjustments, and bargraph fault-finding steps that came off the assembly line.

I’ve torqued enough head bolts to know the difference between a spec and a guess. The difference is pages like 23-23 where you find cross-section tightening torques in daN.m – not foot-pounds rounded up from a conversion table. If you’re working on a Renault 5 or 19 with the MB1 or MB3 transmission, you get the gear change thresholds, solenoid valve checks, and the kickdown cable adjustment. For the Trafic with the ML1 unit, the final drive assembly (page 23-98) and differential seal procedures are laid out with part numbers.

Automatic Transmission Coverage – MB, MJ, ML

This manual is built around the automatic transmission chapter – it’s the only chapter. You get the diagram of the MB type, identification by vehicle range, gear ratios, and the list of consumables. Transmission operation, strainer removal, hydraulic distributor disassembly, and solenoid valve testing are all step-by-step. The exploded views for the final drives on MB (page 23-111), MJ, and ML are included, so you can see exactly what order the clutch packs stack. That includes the converter seal, stator shaft, and drive plate removal.

What Makes This OEM Manual Different from Aftermarket?

Aftermarket manuals steal specs from a PDF sold online and hope you don’t notice the torque table is missing two bolts. This document came from Renault’s own service department in 1997 – it cancels and replaces the previous manual M.R. T.A.M., Part Number 77 11 088 275. The copyright is Renault’s, not a reprint house. You’re getting the original fault-finding flowcharts using the XR25 fiche and bargraph illumination – procedures that third-party books don’t even know exist. For the speed sensor, multifunction switch, and vacuum capsule adjustments, it gives the factory method. No paraphrasing.

Fault Finding Using Bargraph Illumination – The Real Diagnostics

The diagnostic section starts at page 23-132 with an introduction to fault finding. Three separate fiches (numbers 1, 24, and 26) cover different control unit versions. Each fiche includes the meaning of the bargraphs, additional tests, and adjustments for the load potentiometer. If you’ve ever chased an electrical ghost in a Renault automatic, the fault-finding aid on page 23-223 is worth the price alone. It tells you which connector pins to measure and what the voltage range should be.

3 Transmissions, 276 Pages – Which One Fits Your Vehicle?

Check the identification table early in the manual. The MB1 transmission went into the Renault 5, Extra, 9/11, 19, Clio, and Twingo. MB3 went into the 5, 9/11, and 19. MJ1 and MJ3 covered the 18, Fuego, 20, 21, and 25. ML1 was reserved for the Renault Trafic. If you’re working on a manual transmission car, this manual won’t help – you need a separate gearbox manual. For automatic transmission work on these models, this is the single reference you trust.

Torque Values and Fluid Capacities – Factory Data

Page 23-13 lists the specifications: parts to be replaced after removal, consumables like ATF type, and maintenance intervals. The cross-section tightening torques on page 23-23 are given in daN.m – you’ll need a conversion chart if your torque wrench reads in ft-lb, but I’d rather convert a precise number than trust a rounded one from a haynes manual. The differential seals and lock nut for ML get their own procedure, the converter seal has its own page, and every bolt on the gear section casing has a spec.

Related Manuals You Might Need

• RENAULT G9T G9U Engine Workshop Repair Manual 2003
• Renault PK5/PK6 Gearbox Repair Manual 2001 – Master, Trafic, Clio V6
• Renault Trucks 18, Fuego, 20, 21, 25 2000 Repair Manual – OEM Specs
• Manual Transmission – for reference on non-automatic gearboxes
• Manual Transmission – general transmission theory

Working on an automatic transmission without the factory manual means you’re working on the shop’s clock, not the job. The owner pays for results, not guesswork. This 1997 Renault workshop manual gives you the exact procedure – from speedometer drive pinion removal to final drive assembly. No shortcuts. No rewritten summaries. Just the OEM document, printed when these vans and hatches were new. Access the Factory Manual and get the transmission data you need before you pull a single bolt.

Does this manual cover the Trafic’s ML1 transmission completely?

Yes. The ML1 section includes final drive assembly, differential seal and lock nut, converter seal, and all exploded views. The fault-finding flowcharts apply to Trafic as well.

Can I use this for a manual gearbox?

No. This manual is exclusively for automatic transmissions (MB, MJ, ML series). For manual gearboxes, look at the related Renault PK5/PK6 Gearbox Repair Manual.

What torque conversion do I need for the values in daN.m?

Multiply daN.m by 7.375 to get ft-lb. Or just buy a metric torque wrench that reads in Newton-meters – 1 daN.m = 10 N·m. The manual uses daN.m because that’s what Renault printed in 1997.

Are the XR25 fiche bargraph diagnostics still current for older Renault automatics?

These fault-finding procedures were developed for the MB, MJ, and ML control units used from the late 80s through the 90s. If the transmission computer has the diagnostic light port and bargraph display, these tests work. The manual explains the meaning of each bargraph pattern and what to check when the illumination doesn’t match the reference. That’s the kind of detail aftermarket books miss.