Key completely dead - Clio 172 Ph1

[Jakeeaton127]

Hello,

I’ve just picked up a 172 and the key was dead at first. So I shoved a new 2016 battery in it and it hasn’t made a difference at all. The light doesn’t illuminate and the buttons does absolutely nothing. Anyone know a fix to this?

The car was sat since 2018 so is there a chance it’s lost its coding to the car? Also it has a replacement passenger door, the lock on that doesn’t work with the key or interior central locking could that be something to do with it?

 

[James]

The red LED should light up when you press the button. It could be one of the solder joints have gone or corrosion on the terminals for the battery maybe?

Stick a picture of the PCB up mate

 

[Jakeeaton127]

That’s what the insides of the key look like. I’m guessing that’s what you’re after.

I’m definitely going to try what was left in the project forum for the car when I’ve got a minute.

 

[YorkshireKyle]

What does the otherside of the green PCB look like?

 

[Jakeeaton127]

What does the otherside of the green PCB look like?

 

[James]

Is that corrosion on that pad?

 

[TheBandit]

OEM keyfob uses a CR1220*. Might not be your issue, but my microswitch needed re-soldering as the joints had broken.

*on a 172 ph2 at least, is a ph1 different?

 

[Jakeeaton127]

Is that corrosion on that pad?

View attachment 1795379

Doesn’t look like it in person, it was a bit dirty though. I cleaned it and it didn’t do anything

 

[Jakeeaton127]

OEM keyfob uses a CR1220. Might not be your issue, but my microswitch needed re-soldering as the joints had broken.

Might be it, I just went with the battery it already had in it. @James did you change the battery in your ownership?

 

[TheBandit]

Might be it, I just went with the battery it already had in it. @James did you change the battery in your ownership?

It might be a non-OEM (or ph1 specific board then). Both batteries are 3v so if it worked before its probably right tbh. Be interested to find out what it is. if you have a multimeter you can at least check button continuity.

 

[James]

Might be it, I just went with the battery it already had in it. @James did you change the battery in your ownership?

Don't remember doing so mate, no

 

[Jakeeaton127]

It might be a non-OEM (or ph1 specific board then). Both batteries are 3v so if it worked before its probably right tbh. Be interested to find out what it is. if you have a multimeter you can at least check button continuity.

I haven’t got a multimeter to check it, another ph1, a normal one, on YouTube used 2016 batteries but it had two in. The internal of the key was completely different though so this could have a different board in it.

 

[James]

OEM keyfob uses a CR1220*. Might not be your issue, but my microswitch needed re-soldering as the joints had broken.

*on a 172 ph2 at least, is a ph1 different?

My money is on this. Was quite a common issue wasn't it?

 

[Louis]

Just reflow the board, use a heat gun or hairdryer

 

[TheBandit]

Baterry must be fine, I have never seen one. My ph2 keys have always looked like this:

I would suggest jumping the switch but you have to close the case to complete the battery circuit

My money is on this. Was quite a common issue wasn't it?

I think it's quite common as far as broken fobs go

Just reflow the board, use a heat gun or hairdryer

This is a good shout, even if it's just some fresh solder on the micro switch and go from there

 

[Jakeeaton127]

Baterry must be fine, I have never seen one. My ph2 keys have always looked like this:

View attachment 1795380View attachment 1795381

I would suggest jumping the switch but you have to close the case to complete the battery circuit



I think it's quite common as far as broken fobs go



This is a good shout, even if it's just some fresh solder on the micro switch and go from there

Mine looks completely different inside, the battery isn’t attached to the circuit board like that. It’s sat inside the plastic on the key.

I’ll have a look into the microswitch and reflowing the board.

I would mind if the bloody passenger door locks but it doesn’t so I thought I’d try this first of too see if it works.

 

[TheBandit]

Welcome to Clio ownership, I would suggest buying a multimeter ASAP - you will more than likely get your moneys worth...

 

[Jakeeaton127]

Welcome to Clio ownership, I would suggest buying a multimeter ASAP - you will more than likely get your moneys worth...

hopefully, it doesn’t give me any other electrical or key related issues once I fix it. However the chances of that are pretty much 0

 

[Jakeeaton127]

Im quite tempted to just buy a new key for it and just get that synced to the car. Im not sure how much that will cost though.

 

[James]

Im quite tempted to just buy a new key for it and just get that synced to the car. Im not sure how much that will cost though.

See if anyone here local to you has CLIP and knows how to use it. Think you can code keys through that?

 

[Jakeeaton127]

See if anyone here local to you has CLIP and knows how to use it. Think you can code keys through that?

I shall have a look into that. in guessing that's the old Renault dealer/diag software.

im planning on getting a spare key for the car in the near future anyways so I might as well replace it.

If I could fix the manual lock I could do without the central locking for the time being.

 

[James]

I shall have a look into that. in guessing that's the old Renault dealer/diag software.

im planning on getting a spare key for the car in the near future anyways so I might as well replace it.

If I could fix the manual lock I could do without the central locking for the time being.

Yeah that's the one mate


Does the key operate the barrel at all?

 

[Jakeeaton127]

Yeah that's the one mate


Does the key operate the barrel at all?

it does work-ish, on the passengers door, it goes into the barrel but it keeps turning unlike the drivers door where its barely half a turn and it locks. Ive got a feeling it's something within the mechanism that's not working but I'll need to strip the door cards out to see.

 

[James]

There's something in the back of my head that if I remember right it was like an anti tamper thing that if the wrong key was used, the lock just rotated. I may of completely made that up though!

If that door has been replaced then I'm guessing the lock isn't the original unfortunately mate. Not something I would of ever picked up on as the remote worked, and I never checked to see if the passenger side locked. There's no reason why it shouldn't still lock with the central locking even if the barrel was wrong though really. Unless who ever fitted it didn't connect something up correctly

@Danith may remember?

 

[Jakeeaton127]

There's something in the back of my head that if I remember right it was like an anti tamper thing that if the wrong key was used, the lock just rotated. I may of completely made that up though!

If that door has been replaced then I'm guessing the lock isn't the original unfortunately mate. Not something I would of ever picked up on as the remote worked, and I never checked to see if the passenger side locked. There's no reason why it shouldn't still lock with the central locking even if the barrel was wrong though really. Unless who ever fitted it didn't connect something up correctly

@Danith may remember?

I was thinking the same until I looked into the history that you gave me. In 2018, a Mr Williams, bought a bare door from Ebay in 2018. It doesn't have a lock on the picture so I would have thought that all the trims, locks etc would have just been transferred from the original door it had. Possibly explaining why it doesn't have the silver door trims inside as you showed me when I bought it.

Im guessing there is a chance, that when that was put on, they only ever tested it with the central locking and not the manual lock so it's been broken since. If its always had working central locking, no one would have noticed it.

As you say, the previous owner/owners might know.