Clio 182 won't start, help!

[fewie_172]

Hi guys went out to my 182 this morning and it wouldn't start , had a few attempts then pinched the wife's car for work instead. I've searched the forums and tried a few things but had no joy so thought I'd start a new thread and describe as best I can the symptoms hopping that someone can help me out:

1: The car turns over and tries to start for a few seconds then cuts out.
2: The battery is new this year, and the car had only been stood since Thursday.
3: The car is not behaving like the battery is flat, ie alarm happily arms/disarms and ancillaries come on.
4: I have tried both keys (each with new batteries) and neither will start the car, but both turn the car over.
5: I have tried two different immobiliser reset tricks listed on here, none have worked.


lots of threads suggest various different things about immobilisers and the red light between stop and serve, on my car the light is as follows:


1: After I disarm the alarm the light flashes slowly and does so when the key is in the ignition at either position "0" or "1".
2: if I turn the key to position two then the the red light stays on solidly, as does the stop and serve lights, the remain on as I crank it.


As I've attempted to start it now numerous times I have flattened the battery off so to try one last thing I tried jumping it off using the wife's car and still no joy!


I'm open to suggestions here! Don't have a good independent Reno specialist anyway near me that I know of and the local dealers are rubbish... Help!!

 

[R-Sport.]

Just an aside did I buy your 197 in nimbus?

 

[fewie_172]

Yes you did, I've still got the 182 I took from you in exchange! Can't help me get it running can you?

 

[172GARY]

I've just baught a 172 as a project got it very cheap and I've got the same problem now.
the 30 second trick didn't work for me either so I just faffed about with the key. Eventually it started by me holding the button on the key on the second click on the ignition then turning it to zero then lock doors then unlock them and tried to start it and it worked. Not an ideal method but it got mine started. Hope you get it sorted because it's an absaloute pain !!!!!

 

[fewie_172]

Cheers Gary, new suggestion so worth a try! If I do get it sorted it then needs cambelt and dephaser plus auxiliary belt doing..

 

[MicKPM]

Wiring, UCH or key fault. I'd bet even money on wiring

 

[sbridgey]

Crank sensor?

 

[172GARY]

No problem. I held the button on the second click for quite a while. Hope you get it started especially with it being your daily driver. The one I've just baught has a few things wrong with it but it's what they call the joys of motoring isn't it.

 

[fewie_172]

Cheers Mick, the 2nd key has never been used, still has tags on it from new, surely I'd be unlucky to have both fail. I fear that if its the UCH then along with the need to do the belts and dephaser it'll be more economic to break it...

 

[172GARY]

If it were to be a crank sensor would the eml light not be on the dash ? Just I had one of those go on a previous car and the light was on ? Or does this not happen on a clio ? Sorry for the stupidity just I've never had anything g to do with a Renault until now

 

[fewie_172]

No problem. I held the button on the second click for quite a while. Hope you get it started especially with it being your daily driver. The one I've just baught has a few things wrong with it but it's what they call the joys of motoring isn't it.

Cheers, took a short notice holiday for tomorrow then the wife can work from home Tuesday freeing up her car again but I need to sort it swiftly as I've a 30 mile round trip to work.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

A faulty TDC sensor wouldn't bring up a light buddy no. It takes literally 15 mins to take it out to give the pin a rub down with light glass paper and try that.

 

[172GARY]

Aww right thanks for the info think I'll give that a go on mine to see if it cures the fault. Are they a pain to get to or just a little fiddley ?

 

[MicKPM]

Crank sensor?

Unlikely - CPS wouldn't give a solid red led nor would it flag any fault codes.

Solid red means the key is valid but an important system is not checking in via CAN.

Normally due to wiring issue/poor connection.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Piece of piss mate, take the airbox out and its atop the gearbox;

(this isn't an F4R but its in the exact same place) From memory its two 10mm bolts!

 

[172GARY]

Thanks for the help Danny give this a try tomorrow at work if I have time. Also gonna check earth strap and wiring to fuse box etc. Also noticed today that there's some of the harness touching the exhaust manifold and melting could this be a problem also ? And another thing when I have my indicator on and then I press the brake the fog light starts flashing aswell. Is this a common thing on a clio ? Just in all the cars I've owned I've never known this to happen

 

[fewie_172]

Unlikely - CPS wouldn't give a solid red led nor would it flag any fault codes.

Solid red means the key is valid but an important system is not checking in via CAN.

Normally due to wiring issue/poor connection.

What would you recommend first? Fuses and relays? Or is it more likely physical wiring? Should I simple check wiring for continuity?

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

I don't think it will do it any good to be honest mate!

There are two earth straps, one on the gearbox and one behind the nearside arch liner. A faulty one caused me no end of grief on my old exclusive! It sorted about 3-4 issues all at once!

Nearside earth strap;

 

[R-Sport.]

Yes you did, I've still got the 182 I took from you in exchange! Can't help me get it running can you?

Lol i cant- sadly the warranty has expired after 4 years

i hope you get it fixed!!

s

 

[172GARY]

Thanks for the help will check these out and see if it sorts the problems out. Did you get a new earth strap or just clean the ends up on them

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Just replaced it with a Renault genuine one, heres why;

And then;

I'd have a go at wire brushing the terminals rather than replace it first buddy! Won't do it any harm and they're only £16 in any case!

 

[172GARY]

No worries mate I'll just replace thanks for the help

 

[fewie_172]

Right then, back to my issue. This morning I have:

checked each and every fuse and found no blown ones in either the fuse box under the bonnet or at the end of the dash, no joy.

removed each relay in the box under the bonnet and checked for any sign of corrosion and re-fitted them after spraying wd40 into the sockets in the relay bases, no joy.

i bought a new small relay from renault and replaced each of the 3 brown relays under the bonnet with it in turn, no joy.

i have re tried the 30 second trick, the hold the central locking button in trick and the clocks self test trick and none have worked.

After all these attempted starts I checked the voltage on the battery as I was worried I might have flattened it and found it to be at 11.4v so it's currently of the car getting charged up, I'll then refit and retry, which will also have given the ecu a chance to reset.


Can anyone help me with what to check next? I'm guessing the wiring but where and how? Had a quick scoot around and couldn't see any looms? Do i need to remove the air box to be able to see them? Still need to check the tdc sensor too but I'm sure it's not that because of the solid red light.

 

[The Chubby Pirate]

Did you take the tdc sensor out and rub down the pin?

 

[fewie_172]

Did you take the tdc sensor out and rub down the pin?

Not yet but Mick (Renault trained tech) said I wouldn't have a solid red light on the dash if it was the tdc. I'm going to try it anyway before if refit the battery

 

[MicKPM]

Check your earths first

 

[fewie_172]

Check your earths first

By earths do you mean the straps pictured above? Is this just a visual inspection for corrosion or can I test them with a multimeter in any way?

 

[MicKPM]

Visual to make sure they're actually intact and then physical to make sure they're electrically good.