1999 Automatic Clio MK2 RT 1.6 not working :'(( ECU PROBLEM!

[BubbaBoss]

Hello RenaultForums!


I have an ECU problem with my 1999 Clio RT 1.6 which is automatic and was in perfect condition before the ECU blew up. Basically I gave the Clio to 'Professionals' to wire up an sub, amp and speakers to the car, however the ECU must've blew up in the process of installing all of these equipments as I got a phone call from the 'pros' and got told that my car is not starting up and the power has completely been lost.


After taking the car home, I've tried million and one different methods and changing components and cleaning them however the car was still not starting and if it was, it would die as soon as the car would get revved, even a bit. I took the car to my mate who is an mechanic and he hooked up a Snap-On device which indicated that the ECU Memory Power Supply or something similar was blown/faulty. So he told me to get an ECU with the matching number, however my other mate told me that I need the ECU, UCH and the key ring sensor..


I bought the ECU and my original ECU code is :
S115303202 B
HOM7700867270
7700114236


and the ECU that I bought is :
S115303202 C
HOM7700867270
7700114236


I thought as there is only one letter difference at the end, it should still work, however once I plugged the ECU in the car, the yellow light on the dash with the heartbeat looking box came on and keeps flashing, however on the faulty ECU, this light only comes on for a second or two and then goes away. Ever since the sub. amp, speaker project, the car has not been on road at all, the most it has done is stalled and struggled to turn on. The car also loses a lot of power. A new battery has been bought, A new set of spark plugs etc. etc. and I've gone through thousands of forums to find a solution, however I haven't had no luck


Please somebody help me resolve this problem as it has been going on for so long, that it's making me want to give up!


As this is my first post, I'm sorry if I didn't include all of the information, just let me know what I need to share to get this bad boy started!

 

[bmh.01]

You can't swap ECU over like that, i'd bet theres nothing wrong with your present one tbh.

Are all the ECU supplies present and correct?
Does the immobiliser light go out with the original ECU fitted?

Where are you located?

 

[BubbaBoss]

Thanks for the fast reply bmh!

I have literally just put my old ECU in the car and tried to jump start it, It did start up while the cables were still connected to the other car, however once I tried revving it, Clio lost power and all of the lights behind the dash dimmed too. The immo light blinks red with the original ECU and the one that I bought separately, and tbh I can't remember the immo light not blinking, however during the jump start the car only starts with the Original ECU.
I am located in West Midlands, Oldbury

 

[BubbaBoss]

Can somebody please confirm if one of these two packages would work with my car?


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-C...CarParts_SM&hash=item3f10d5263d#ht_500wt_1048


http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Renault-C...CarParts_SM&hash=item27c5b45f3d#ht_754wt_1265


Somebody please let me know, I need to get the car working before the start of my University, I would greatly appreciate any help I get here!

 

[BubbaBoss]

Oh yeah and the Engine code is K7M 745 if that's any help?

 

[BubbaBoss]

BUMP!

 

[BubbaBoss]

Awhh fu*k it, I give up -.-'

 

[kerry-w]

You cant just swap the ECU as their coded for the whole set. You will need ECU, UCH, barrel transponder, keys, locks etc.

Might be easier to get your current ECU repaired?

 

[Chapster5]

Sounds to me like a dead battery, or alternator. If it runs fine whilst connected to the other car (Jump leads) then it's a power fault. Possible even the earth has been knocked loose on the battery. Check the voltage across the points on the battery it should read 12v when the car is running it should read 14v (alternator producing power).

Thats where I would start mate!

Leave the old ECU in

Nick

 

[theduck]

Where are you located? Happy to have a look if you are local.

 

[Chapster5]

Thanks for the fast reply bmh!

I have literally just put my old ECU in the car and tried to jump start it, It did start up while the cables were still connected to the other car, however once I tried revving it, Clio lost power and all of the lights behind the dash dimmed too. The immo light blinks red with the original ECU and the one that I bought separately, and tbh I can't remember the immo light not blinking, however during the jump start the car only starts with the Original ECU.
I am located in West Midlands, Oldbury

Where are you located? Happy to have a look if you are local.

There you go mate

 

[theduck]

Oops missed that.

Im only in Northfield mate, let me know when you are free and I'll have a look. At worst should be able to point you in right direction.

 

[BubbaBoss]

Hello Kerry-w and thanks for the reply,
I thought the whole set was ECU, UCH and the barrel transponder? :S
Where would I be able to get the ECU repaired? I have hard time finding a trustworthy or even a website that looks trustworthy that would repair an ECU, however all of them look bit dodgy to me :S

 

[BubbaBoss]

Chapster, Thanks for the reply and the suggestions, however I'm 100% positive that the battery is working correctly as I recharged it and I only recently just bought the battery.. About a month or 2 ago to be exact, however once I left the battery on charge and plugged it to the car, The car started up however once you rev the engine, the car sputters and loses ALOT of power and if you hold the accelerator down, the car engine will make 'knockin' noises and turn off, doesn't matter how hard you try pressing the pedal to the floor, it won't rev and the car just dies.

TheDuck, I would appreciate that a lot as anybody I show the car to or ask help from, aren't able to help me in any way or even point me to the right direction,
Can you please pm me?

Bubba Bubz

 

[BubbaBoss]

If this is any help, I just tried starting the car with the old ECU, the car starts however once the accelerator has been pressed, the car sputters and stalls and loses power, A lot of it. The first 2-3 seconds when the car has started, the engine will rev high however after that it will drop down to the bottom and won't rev no matter how far you press the accelerator. If you keep 'pumping' the acclerator, the revs go high for a bit but then the car will stall and die straight away.

 

[kerry-w]

If this is any help, I just tried starting the car with the old ECU, the car starts however once the accelerator has been pressed, the car sputters and stalls and loses power, A lot of it. The first 2-3 seconds when the car has started, the engine will rev high however after that it will drop down to the bottom and won't rev no matter how far you press the accelerator. If you keep 'pumping' the acclerator, the revs go high for a bit but then the car will stall and die straight away.

Sounds more like the idle control valve to me rather then the ECU being at fault, had my old clio revving at about 4k when strting up then it would drop and stall, cleaned out the valve and it was fine after that

 

[Chapster5]

Hmmm unless the immobiliser is playing up? Thinking its not got the key in and killing the engine. Maybe a dodgy decoder ring?

 

[Scrooge]

..........

 

[BubbaBoss]

Kerry-W I will check the idle control valve as soon as I get back home, could you tell me where it's located and how to clean it? The reason why I say the ECU is at fault is because the car messed up in space of few minutes while there was wiring going on inside of the car, but before that procedure everything was working perfectly and it was in a great condition. Also when I connected the Snap-On Solus Pro, it showed an ECU error no matter how many times the error was cleared. I hope you're right on this one!

Chapster Just like I wrote to Kerry-W, Everything was working perfectly before the wiring and the engine doesn't die straight away, it revs correctly for few seconds then it starts dropping and loosing power, if I don't accelerate at all, the car shakes a lot in stationary and eventually sputters out and dies. :/

 

[kerry-w]

Kerry-W I will check the idle control valve as soon as I get back home, could you tell me where it's located and how to clean it? The reason why I say the ECU is at fault is because the car messed up in space of few minutes while there was wiring going on inside of the car, but before that procedure everything was working perfectly and it was in a great condition. Also when I connected the Snap-On Solus Pro, it showed an ECU error no matter how many times the error was cleared. I hope you're right on this one!

Chapster Just like I wrote to Kerry-W, Everything was working perfectly before the wiring and the engine doesn't die straight away, it revs correctly for few seconds then it starts dropping and loosing power, if I don't accelerate at all, the car shakes a lot in stationary and eventually sputters out and dies. :/

No idea where it would be on your car sorry, mine was a 1.2, taking it to the garage would be cheap enough if theres one close enough to have it towed to?

Dont think installing a sub could really mess up the ECU etc, they shouldnt have gone anywhere near the ECU or any other wiring around the car, its simply power wire through to the front and rest in the headunit. Have you checked where the power wire goes through, should be the passenger side footwell, maybe they accidentally cut a wire there or two wire casings split and are now touching and its causing the problem, long shot though.

 

[gaz90]

I may be wrong but if your car was perfectly fine before you dropped it off, it started, drove fine, etc. Then surely the place that was installing the sub, amp and speakers are definitely to blame and should be responsible to fix it back to the condition you left it with them in? i.e running and driving fine. Maybe its just me but if I was in your situation I would definitely be blaming them and annoying the life out of them until they done something about it

 

[BubbaBoss]

Kerry-W Thanks for the response, however the thing is that this car has been on SORN for 2 years!!! Constantly renewing it, I've paid for so many recovery trucks and different garages, however none of them actually know how to fix it or they just drop the line ' The ECU is bust now you have to pay £££ '. I have checked all of the wiring underneath the seats as I read in one of the forums that these could be loose or broken, however they all in perfect condition and attached the way they supposed to be.
The car also got smashed into about year and half ago, and they took the DVD player, Sub, amp and speakers. I fitted new pair of speakers in there myself, and they work correctly as I've tested them with a standard stereo, however all of the other wiring has been removed from the car ever since the robbery.

Gaz90 Mate them lot who actually did wire everything and set everything up for me IS to blame, only if I knew where they are now! :/ As I said the car has been SORN for 2 years, and straight after this incident, I told them that they are responsible and that I would have to get a full refund and repair and what not.. Unfortunately never did see them again and the place I took it to went under new management :/

The only thing I remember them telling me is that one of the wiring went wrong behind the stereo (black yellow and few other colours are included, not the one where the speakers connect to and I'm pretty sure Yellow is Battery and Black is earth? :S), I never knew this back then, So I thought it would be minor, and the dude at the shop changed 'their mind' about miswiring as soon as they saw me doubt twice about bringin my car there... Ever since I thought it was minor.. Untill the ECU hit me and everywhere I went/asked they said it's the ECU :/

 

[BubbaBoss]

Thank you theduck for coming around today and having a look at the bad boy, I appreciate your help and generosity. :hail:

I will let everybody know what happens as soon as I get the MAP sensor changed, as that was suspected. Hope that's all that I need to get so I won't need to trouble nobody else with my problem :cheers:

 

[theduck]

No worries mate. Hope it sorts it for you!

Now get off the Xbox and go to euro car parts ;-)

 

[theduck]

Any joy?

 

[BubbaBoss]

Hello there!

Got the MAP sensor changed to a brand new one and fitted it, however it didn't make no difference whatsoever, the car still knocks hard and turns off once you turn it on and put the accelerator down, the car doesn't rev like it supposed to and the only way to keep the rev up or even make it go up is by applying pressure to the pedal really slowly.
Snap-On diagnostic tool also popped up with the same ECU Fault message, something about the ECU power supply or memory or something, I was thinking isn't there any relays that could've gone bad?

Kind Regards
Bubz

 

[BubbaBoss]

Update year after !


So, the car is still on the same spot, hasn't moved at all and took it to two local mechanics neither one had a clue what to do. The engine has only done 36K so really don't want to get rid of it as I think this is a minor fault but just a hard to detect one. I have got some pictures of the bits that are very suspicious to me, the first one being

The connection to the alternator
There is only one cable going into it, a white one but if you look at the connection on the alternator it looks like there was a green cable connected to it as well but no longer there.


This cable is completely loose and is not connected to anything, I've had a look everywhere and cannot figure out for my life where it connects to. The wire is covered with black cover but the colours are black and pink and it comes out of the engine fuse box.

I'll post up a video as well to show you all how the car is loosing power and even idle the car stutters until it turns off, only time it stays on is when i keep pumping the accelerator.

 

[graham8408]

hi bud,the wire with the plug is for a spotlight.

 

[graham8408]

sorry, i know as ive just done the wifes on her 1.2 clio.hope this helps.

 

[graham8408]

also the wire thats showing white with the green missing is the crank senser,it's a wonder it's running at all.take the black shruod apart,and you will find the other end of the green wire,bridge it to the plug and you should be off again.good luck.

 

[BubbaBoss]

hi bud,the wire with the plug is for a spotlight.

sorry, i know as ive just done the wifes on her 1.2 clio.hope this helps.

also the wire thats showing white with the green missing is the crank senser,it's a wonder it's running at all.take the black shruod apart,and you will find the other end of the green wire,bridge it to the plug and you should be off again.good luck.

Mate you're an absolute LEGEND!!

I'm going to definitely take a look at the wires, I thought it would be for something else instead of the spot light as the cables coming out engine fuse box, but that would make perfect sense as the cable is not really long and doesn't reach anywhere really


I knew there was something wrong with the alternator/crank sensor and the fact there was only one cable connected and the green one was gone completely

Here I've got a video so you can hear how the engine works ( Please turn down your speakers/subs if you don't want to damage your hearing from this video) :



Mate all I've got to tell you is, if the crank sensor is the problem and me bridging the wire gets this car working, I'm finding you and I'm personally getting you a pint mate :cheers:

 

[BubbaBoss]

also the wire thats showing white with the green missing is the crank senser,it's a wonder it's running at all.take the black shruod apart,and you will find the other end of the green wire,bridge it to the plug and you should be off again.good luck.

So Graham opened up the bonnet today, and then I thought to myself.. wait a second, it isn't the crank sensor, the crank sensor however might need cleaning up but I cannot find it's location to save my life lol, The white wire is connected to the alternator not the cranksensor

 

[karol_SVK]

Hi, the one white wire plug to the alternator is fine.

 

[BubbaBoss]

Hi, the one white wire plug to the alternator is fine.

Cheers karol, I'm glad that's out of the way

I tried to find a place on the spot light where to stick that cable, however it seems like they are all working fine and headlights and all are connected and correct, so don't have a clue what the cable is doing there or where it's supposed to connect to

 

[Dan@SJM]

also the wire thats showing white with the green missing is the crank senser,it's a wonder it's running at all.take the black shruod apart,and you will find the other end of the green wire,bridge it to the plug and you should be off again.good luck.

Right, stop giving advice now.


the second connection by the battery is nothing to worry about, will be for equipment that's not fitted.

as karol has stated, the 1 wire to the alternator is just the exciter, so perfectly normal.

tbh, you need to take it to someone who has the correct equipment rather than just repacing stuff at random.

 

[Alastair.]

All these years and you havent taken it to Renault? £72 and they will tell you whats wrong.

 

[BubbaBoss]

Right, stop giving advice now.


the second connection by the battery is nothing to worry about, will be for equipment that's not fitted.

as karol has stated, the 1 wire to the alternator is just the exciter, so perfectly normal.

tbh, you need to take it to someone who has the correct equipment rather than just repacing stuff at random.

All these years and you havent taken it to Renault? £72 and they will tell you whats wrong.

Alright so that's all well and clear, thanks for clearing that up Dan, I've took it to 3-4 local mechanics mate and none of them have a flipping clue whats going on, I've spent enough money already towing the car everywhere as the car won't even drive nowhere and I've spent enough money for different mechanics to take a look at it and they just all end up coming back to me with the same answers. The Snap-On diagnostic tool came up with ECU Memory Power supply, so I'm really hoping it's not the ECU and everywhere I read on here and on the internet says that the ECU rarely goes and it's usually something else that triggers them. I also heard if I take it to Renault for an ECU it'll be costing me a lot!!

I can't even locate the TDC sensor, I know exactly what it looks like but I've looked for so long and I can't find it, I'm thinking that might have something to do with all this. but at the same time I'm thinking if it had something to do with it, the mechanics would've sorted it out.

Also on the dash, the yellow box with the squiggly line across it like a zig zag heart beat thing is also on, but it only comes on when i try and keep the engine running as much as I can,

If you watch the video you can hear that it sounds like the engine is clogged or something, but all this happened over night and ever since then it hasn't worked

 

[MicKPM]

Then I'd echo previous comments and say take it to someone that knows what they're on with then as the previous attempts obviously didn't have a clue.

I have a natural distrust for SnapOn code readers on French cars as they've never been particularly 'strong' and they're only as good as the software running on them... was your friends up to date with its subs?

Has anyone investigated the power issue flagged up by the code read session yet by confirming the ECU actually has power/earth where it needs?

 

[BubbaBoss]

...was your friends up to date with its subs?

Has anyone investigated the power issue flagged up by the code read session yet by confirming the ECU actually has power/earth where it needs?

Alright Mick, I'm pretty sure that it was all up to date, it was the big snap ons with all the keys for different cars etc (green chips), but I would say it is up to date as the snap on was being used daily at the workplace

And nobody has actually checked the power/earth of the ECU as far as I am concerned :S

 

[MicKPM]

So its a Solus then... keys need updating.

I'd start by checking the power and earths then seeing as that was flagged.