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Why does my Renault Scenic lack power up hills?

I just bought my first car, a second-hand Renault Scenic. It responds well and pulls away well on flat roads but uphill, it’s a different story. With foot to the floor and down to second gear, I'm lucky to get 30. We live in Cornwall where it is hilly. It has been suggested it could be the coils, injectors or that Renaults are heavy cars and therefore this is expected.

Asked on 10 June 2012 by AS, Cornwall

Answered by Honest John
Update from HJ: I responded that if the engine is revving hard it might need a clutch. Or that the catalytic converter was stuffed. AS later wrote back to tell me that the cat converter had been found to be blocked almost solid.
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