Renault Duster, 1.3T (150 HP), M6
Manufacturer — Renault Russia Year of issue — 2021 In operation “Behind the wheel” — from May 2021 Mileage at time of report — 30,000 km
When the back door was opened, a gray spot appeared at the top of the opening. At first, it looked like dirt. A closer look revealed something different: the paintwork had been rubbed down to bare metal. The question that followed: what caused this wear? Could it be a sign of insufficient chassis stiffness or some other manufacturing issue?
The observer studied the door more closely and the cause became evident. In that area, the main seal is welded to a secondary seal with a different stiffness. The overlap between the two rubber seals is wiping the paint off. The same pattern appears on the opposite side as well, suggesting a recurring design feature rather than a one-off defect.
In this spot, the soft door seal is attached to a hard element, which behaves more like rigid plastic than flexible rubber. That hard backing causes the seal to rub against the paint as the door moves, removing it over time. If the soft caulk could form a complete loop around the door edge, the paint would likely be preserved better.
One wonders if Renault’s factory engineers have a ready-made remedy for this. The author plans to investigate further and share findings about the Duster in a future piece, explaining whether a fix exists or if the behavior is expected under certain conditions.
In early autumn, paint cracks appeared on the roof. The cause wasn’t immediately clear: a paint defect, the varnish itself, or insufficient body rigidity. Over the winter, the cracks did not advance, and new ones did not appear. This pointed to the issue lying with the varnish coating rather than the base paint or the steel structure, and the defect has been reported on several Duster units across different test runs.
You can ask questions about the operation of each car at: park “Behind the wheel” — we will answer.
- Learn more about the Duster’s main winter advantage here.
- Spare parts and consumables under the TM “Za Rulem” are available in bulk or small lots via the company store.
- “Behind the wheel” is also accessible on VKontakte.