Patched — Renault Dongle Fault

| Issue Type | Description | Severity | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | Unencrypted communication between the dongle and the vehicle’s OBD port allowed potential packet injection; in lab conditions, this was exploited to disable speed limiters. | High (Critical) | | Functional Bug | The dongle intermittently emitted malformed CAN frames, causing the vehicle’s infotainment system to reboot and triggering false "Check Engine" warnings (DTC U0140). | Medium |

The process is essentially a targeted software reset that re-establishes communication and clears security blocks.

Once inside the cabin, thieves plugged a bypass dongle into the onboard diagnostics (OBD) port. This forced the vehicle's computer to accept a blank, unprogrammed smart card in seconds, completely bypassing the engine immobilizer. Affected Models and Years renault dongle fault patched

Go to your infotainment system's settings, then to "System" or "Update" to check for pending downloads as shown in Renault's video .

: Physically hiding the port to prevent dongle access. | Issue Type | Description | Severity |

Renault has addressed this in newer models (starting with the and

A weak battery is the primary cause of electrical signal corruption in Renault vehicles. Ensure your battery is healthy to avoid voltage dips. Once inside the cabin, thieves plugged a bypass

In an era where vehicles are as much computers as they are mechanical machines, security vulnerabilities can have real-world consequences. Recently, owners of various Renault models, particularly those utilizing Keyless Entry and Go systems, were alerted to a potential security vulnerability often referred to as the "Renault dongle fault" or "CAN bus injection vulnerability."

: If the dongle was vulnerable to hacking or had security flaws, a patch could be developed to fix these vulnerabilities, ensuring that the device and the vehicle's systems it interacts with are secure.

If you own a Renault built between 2018 and 2023, you might be wondering if your vehicle has the latest protection.