Mum's 0.9 TCe - Battery drain, weird issues

[CrippsCorner]

Hi guys, mum picked up a 2013 Clio Mk4 last year.

Over the weekend she was left stranded at the supermarket when the car wouldn't turn on, this has happened once before. A simple jump start works, but there's a weird message that comes on the dash saying something about the steering wheel is locked? I checked the battery today... 11.5v so sounds like that needs changing anyway.

She also has a service light on, and when turning on it does just flash up saying the car needs a service, is this literally all it means or could it mean something more serious? I looked at her service history and the last service was last January so it is due anyway.

 

[JamesBryan]

Message will be 'steering not locked'.

Basically means it hasn't locked the steering in the case of a fault so that you can steer the car during recovery.

Very common on low voltage situations, I would get the battery checked/changed and also test the alternator is charging too.

Service message will be just that.

 

[Martin_172]

as above, requires a battery replacement and a service by the sounds of it lol

 

[CrippsCorner]

Strangely it passed its MOT 2 days before these issues popped up!

She also just send me this message...

Worth asking your forum why if wheels park too far to the right car won't start?

 

[JamesBryan]

That's odd, however it sounds like the steering lock is preventing the car starting.

I would still get the battery checked.

If it still does it after a new battery, it could be the beginning of a steering column failure.

 

[RSRowe]

Everything you’re describing sounds like the steering lock cannot disengage (because of how it’s parked) and that won’t let the car start.

Dead common on the Mk3’s. Might be worth telling her to park with the wheels straight.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Thanks. Yeah not sure why she was in that situation... maybe weird reverse parking!

I've been using her car this week as my own is out of action, and so far battery been completely on point. I think it failed due to cold weather and it sat for almost week whilst her garage dragged their heels getting the MOT done still think battery change is on the cards, but blimey they've gone up haven't they!? Cheapest from ECP is £110 - Swear they were half that last time I bought one.

 

[vtec-e]

Have you checked www.tayna.co.uk/car-batteries

Not too sure what size goes in the Mk4

 

[Sash]

Thanks. Yeah not sure why she was in that situation... maybe weird reverse parking!

I've been using her car this week as my own is out of action, and so far battery been completely on point. I think it failed due to cold weather and it sat for almost week whilst her garage dragged their heels getting the MOT done still think battery change is on the cards, but blimey they've gone up haven't they!? Cheapest from ECP is £110 - Swear they were half that last time I bought one.

AGM stop start batteries are generally more expensive . My Mk4 doesn’t have start stop but it has a smart charging system so has an AGM battery.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Oh that's annoying, especially when it doesn't seem to work? Turned it on, but it says AUTO STOP NOT AVAILABLE when I stop... need to crack the manual out at some point, never had that in one of my own cars!

 

[JamesBryan]

Oh that's annoying, especially when it doesn't seem to work? Turned it on, but it says AUTO STOP NOT AVAILABLE when I stop... need to crack the manual out at some point, never had that in one of my own cars!

Battery voltage, outside temperature amongst other things will prevent stop start from working.

 

[Touring_Rob]

Pics of mum?

 

[Sash]

Oh that's annoying, especially when it doesn't seem to work? Turned it on, but it says AUTO STOP NOT AVAILABLE when I stop... need to crack the manual out at some point, never had that in one of my own cars!

Deffo pointing towards battery then.

If the voltage or temperature are out of spec it’ll disable the start stop (which, let’s face it isn’t a bad thing ).

 

[CrippsCorner]

Pics of mum?

 

[Gus]

The renault stop start system is a bit confusing. These are the 2 messages:

Stop start not available - could be lots of things, temperature outside, battery, are the fans in the car on etc....

Check Stop Start - this is 99% of the time down to not having the seatbelt on before turning the car on. Weird I know. I have attached the renault technical bulletin about it. This Check Stop Start is fairly common, the fix is to put the seat belt on before starting the car and you may need to do it about 10 times before the message goes away.

 

[Gus]

Reset the service message and spanner:

 

[Martin_172]

The renault stop start system is a bit confusing. These are the 2 messages:

Stop start not available - could be lots of things, temperature outside, battery, are the fans in the car on etc....

Check Stop Start - this is 99% of the time down to not having the seatbelt on before turning the car on. Weird I know. I have attached the renault technical bulletin about it. This Check Stop Start is fairly common, the fix is to put the seat belt on before starting the car and you may need to do it about 10 times before the message goes away.

this is a failsafe to stop the system restarting the car if you have got out and the door switch is faulty.

 

[CrippsCorner]

Reset the service message and spanner:

Thanks, but I don't want to reset it. My mum doesn't believe in servicing cars, lol. She's literally never serviced a car in 30+ years of driving, She's also never had an annoying message on a dash reminding her every day... so I'm thinking if I leave it there, you never know, she might actually get it done!

 

[CrippsCorner]

Just to add to this... she seems to have some kind of lighting (wiring) issue which is possibly draining the battery?

If she leaves her lights on auto, sometimes the lights actually stay on after the car's turned off. Obviously, when she then tries the next day, the battery's dead.

 

[Martin_172]

Just to add to this... she seems to have some kind of lighting (wiring) issue which is possibly draining the battery?

If she leaves her lights on auto, sometimes the lights actually stay on after the car's turned off. Obviously, when she then tries the next day, the battery's dead.

sure she's not flicking the full beam on? this will cause them to stay on and drain the battery and very easy done!

 

[RSRowe]

Could be a stalk, squib, or UCH issue that. They’re pretty common.

 

[Sash]

sure she's not flicking the full beam on? this will cause them to stay on and drain the battery and very easy done!

It would sound the bleeper though

 

[Martin_172]

It would sound the bleeper though

Not if it's activated after engine stop it doesn't.

 

[Sash]

Not if it's activated after engine stop it doesn't.

Mine does…!

 

[Martin_172]

Mine does…!
View attachment 1678760

Must depend on the uch software, start engine, once the stop start stops the engine with headlights off, flick the stalk to full beam and open door, doesn't chime. I only found out about it after 2 flat batteries on my old dears motor!

 

[Sash]

Must depend on the uch software, start engine, once the stop start stops the engine with headlights off, flick the stalk to full beam and open door, doesn't chime. I only found out about it after 2 flat batteries on my old dears motor!

Hmm, mine doesn’t have stop start… are you actually turning the car off or just letting the stop/start ‘stop’ then getting out? Not sure if I explained that very well.

 

[Martin_172]

Hmm, mine doesn’t have stop start… are you actually turning the car off or just letting the stop/start ‘stop’ then getting out? Not sure if I explained that very well.

yeah so the issue I came across was, after dropping off a pupil my mum was jumping over to the drivers seat as she's tiny, just must have caught the stalk and flicked it onto full beam, not noticing as it was day time, get back to the house, into the driveway, stop, handbrake on, stop start stops the car, jump out (no beep with the lights on), walk away, car locks, mirrors fold etc, lights stay on.

if you do the same scenario but the headlights are turned on before you do it, the car beeps!

it happened a second time after she had cleaned the interior and must have knocked them on again! by this point we realised what it was.

then one day i got to work in my 220 trophy and a customer came in to say i had left my lights on, went out, car was locked, lights on, and because of the above checked the stalk and i had knocked the full beam on!

 

[Sash]

yeah so the issue I came across was, after dropping off a pupil my mum was jumping over to the drivers seat as she's tiny, just must have caught the stalk and flicked it onto full beam, not noticing as it was day time, get back to the house, into the driveway, stop, handbrake on, stop start stops the car, jump out (no beep with the lights on), walk away, car locks, mirrors fold etc, lights stay on.

if you do the same scenario but the headlights are turned on before you do it, the car beeps!

it happened a second time after she had cleaned the interior and must have knocked them on again! by this point we realised what it was.

then one day i got to work in my 220 trophy and a customer came in to say i had left my lights on, went out, car was locked, lights on, and because of the above checked the stalk and i had knocked the full beam on!

How bizarre. I’ve had it where pupils have knocked the full beams on while driving and I’ve not noticed but the headlights have been on but not the full beam and then the stalk doesn’t do anything, no flash no side lights no main beams (the indicators still work though).

 

[CrippsCorner]

Mine does…!
View attachment 1678760

Ahh! She messaged me a few days ago to say that an alarm was going off when all this happened lol, this must have been it

 

[Martin_172]

Ahh! She messaged me a few days ago to say that an alarm was going off when all this happened lol, this must have been it

bingo!