Clio 182 ABS and airbag lights permanently on - Renault wants a small fortune

[Blagmeister]

Hi all

First-time poster. I've had a Clio 182 for years now. Fault lights on a Renault happen but my regular mechanic has always sorted them - until now. Now the airbag and traction control lights are on permanently. I've tested it and the ABS definitely isn't working - locked up - don't really want to have to test the airbag! So he tried a few things (replaced one injector) but he couldn't work it out.

Took it to another local garage and he said that they thought the Body Control Module (BCM) was faulty and needed replacing - but that I had to go to Renault to do it as only they can program it. Does that sound right?

Now, I can pick up a BCM on eBay for 30 quid but Renault still insists it has to diagnose and wants £150 to do that - and £140 for labour, and another £65 for the programming. Ouch!

Any advice? Any ideas on how to do this cheaper?

(I hear Auto locksmiths can program a BCM - is that true - but what about the fitting?)

Cheers all.

 

[JamesBryan]

Wait, what... Your mechanic replaced an injector because of an ABS and airbag issue 🤨

Where are you? You need a Renault specialist to scan the car properly.

Don't mess about with the garages telling you it's probably the BCM 🙄

 

[Usr117063]

Where are you based? Someone with clip could do it for you.

 

[Blagmeister]

Where are you based? Someone with clip could do it for you.

Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. As in use CLIP just to diagnose - and go from there? Any suggestions?

 

[Usr117063]

Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. As in use CLIP just to diagnose - and go from there? Any suggestions?

It might be something simple and clip just to confirm the problem. The prices you are quoting for Renault to do it, you could A. Buy clip yourself and be able to diagnose the problem and any future problems if they arise, or B. find someone that can do it for you for free. Im in kent, faversham and could do it although a bit far. Im sure theres someone near you that could do it, perhaps put up a thread in the wanted section?

Something like this I would go straight to clip because you could be chasing a problem and replacing parts that aren't part of the problem.

 

[Blagmeister]

It might be something simple and clip just to confirm the problem. The prices you are quoting for Renault to do it, you could A. Buy clip yourself and be able to diagnose the problem and any future problems if they arise, or B. find someone that can do it for you for free. Im in kent, faversham and could do it although a bit far. Im sure theres someone near you that could do it, perhaps put up a thread in the wanted section?

Something like this I would go straight to clip because you could be chasing a problem and replacing parts that aren't part of the problem.

 

[Blagmeister]

It might be something simple and clip just to confirm the problem. The prices you are quoting for Renault to do it, you could A. Buy clip yourself and be able to diagnose the problem and any future problems if they arise, or B. find someone that can do it for you for free. Im in kent, faversham and could do it although a bit far. Im sure theres someone near you that could do it, perhaps put up a thread in the wanted section?

Something like this I would go straight to clip because you could be chasing a problem and replacing parts that aren't part of the problem.

Gotcha. Cheers, good advice.

 

[Blagmeister]

Follow up on this - ABS Sensors replaced with new ones from K-Tec as they aren’t made by Renault anymore. Lights went off at first but now flick on sometimes - and also a brake rumble which is diagnosed as a new problem - broken ABS rings. Garage recommendeds replacing both rear discs at the same time even though they are Pagid and less than a year old - as concerned about putting the ABS rings in that don’t fit three discs as they come in different tooth sizes. Do I really need to replace the nearly new discs? Thoughts?

 

[Mbeau]

Is it definitely the rear ABS rings that are broken? The rear discs generally come with new ABS rings. Very unlikely to be broken if they have recently been replaced.

It is more likely to be one of the front ones as they are probably the original ones. The only difference in the ABS rings are Cup and non Cup. They are thicker.

Not sure what garages you use, but they don't sound very knowledgeable! Hope that helps anyway.

 

[Blagmeister]

Certain it’s the rear ones. The garage saw one broken. ABS rings likely damaged by the previous garage I think trying to put on Ferrodo discs and telling me they wouldn’t fit for some reason and messing it up somehow and then swapping them out for Pagid.

 

[Coops Mk1]

Only fit genuine discs tbh, most pattern ones are useless