Clio won't start

[Jonny1*2]

I installed a race battery the other day. Fired up fine. Did oulton on Wednesday (1hour and a bit each way) and was having issues there too. Went out this morning to start it (not been turned on since wed) and nothing. Ignition/dash lights all seem to come on, but when I turn the key to position 3, no noise, nothing. The battery indicator is saying the battery is Amber.

As said this happened at oulton too when the car was slightly facing up hill. Put fuel in it and it fired up (fuel light hadn't come on). It's now stuck on my drive facing up hill. Not sure if there is any significance there? Ideas?

 

[Jonny1*2]

Just tried jump starting it, but nothing, so I presume that discounts the battery/wiring? It's trying to start on some occassions, but others it's just making no noise as said. I've plugged in the RS tuner and the only faults on there are;

Intake air temp sensor - memory
Vehicle speed sensor - memory (which i'm assuming is something to do with why i'm getting service and traction light on)
Electronic throttle control limit acquired (not a fault) - present

The imobiliser light remains on when the key is in position 2 (cant remember if this is normal). I've tried this with both keys too.

Could it be an imobiliser issue or a fuel pump issue?

 

[Jonny1*2]

If I turn the key straight away through it cranks, but nothing. If it wait for the noises (usual) to stop then nothing happens. I doubt it would be a key issue if both do the same. Plus one of them hasn't been used for a while, so battery is good in it.

Please help

 

[Connor3103]

I know a common problem for Clio's failing to start first time can be the fuel filter, but from what you've mentioned above it definitely wouldn't be that as it's not starting at all. Mine needs replacing and sometimes won't start first time, but at least you can tell that it's trying on each occasion.

I'm just getting started so I'm not the most engine savvy kid on here to be honest, but perhaps from what you've mentioned it could be something electrical as opposed to mechanical? It's probably just a baffling coincidence that you changed the battery the other day...

 

[Jonny1*2]

Just put my old battery back in place and no change, so it's not a battery/earth fault. Stumped

 

[Jonny1*2]

Bump.

Checked the relay, which seems to be fine. Fuel pump sounds like it's priming. All battery wires are giving off the 12v as is the alternator.

HELP please.

 

[Da]

If the immobiliser light stays solid it's an immobiliser fault mate.

It should go out.

 

[Jonny1*2]

It flashes as usual when the key isn't in. but then stays solid when you turn it to ignition point. how do you solve imobiliser issue?

 

[Sean6545]

Go out to it. Get in it. Close the door. Turn the ignition on for 30seconds. Then off.

Lock and unlock the doors then try and start it.

 

[Jonny1*2]

Re: Clio won't start (video added)

Tried that mate. No luck. I've done a vid of the issue.

[youtube]WV1LCppWubE[/youtube]

 

[James.f]

Whats the light above the battery doing on? that never comes on in mine,

 

[Jonny1*2]

Not sure about that one James. It's traction control, but kept doing that while on track. It kept coming on when driving hard on track :S

 

[fuel_slut]

Had similar problems on my previous Clios and it was either: Fuel pump relay fuses (corroded), loose wire on starter motor, Imob fault or faulty key/ key not being recognised.

Think you need to get this to a garage for further testing and diagnosis.

 

[Da]

Doesn't look good that mate, really needs diagnosing professionally.

Looks like some kind of electrical fault.

Immob light should definitely extinguish when trying to start the car.

 

[Jonny1*2]

If you can hear the relay clicking does this mean that it's not immobilizer? Not sure where it kicks in

 

[Jonny1*2]

Tried bump starting it tonight and nothing

If I take it to renault, will the clip system tell me whats up or am I likely to just be throwing away £80?

 

[Mike@Rentech]

Check for voltage at the starter motor solenoid , the main wire is 12 volts all the time and the small one is 12volts when ignition key is in start position only.
Failing that check the starter relay in the engine fuse box

 

[Riley!]

you checked the big red button under bonnet?

 

[f0xy]

Swap the small black relays round in the engine bay fusebox and then try it, if it works replace them ideally. This exact problem happened to St3ve on here last week, he replaced the relays and has never had a problem since..

 

[Jonny1*2]

Not checked then solenoid or the starter as it's a pig to get at, but wouldn't the car bump start regardless Mike?

Riley it's a ph2 mate, no magic button unfortunately

Jord I tested the relay, but didn't swap them over, mine are pink, no black ones in sight. I'll give it a go when I get home tonight.

 

[Jonny1*2]

Just removed all three pink relays, and moved them around. Nothing happened. Only wierd thing was when I removed the final one (the left one of the two next to each other), the TB started moving as if i'd put the key in which I hadn't :S Normal?

 

[st3ve]

There must be a difference in relays between the 172 and the 182.

I'm sure they still work the same though. Replace them with brand new ones, Renault only.

Before you say it mine looked perfectly fine too so just becuase it looks well doesn't mean it works.

 

[Jonny1*2]

i'll get some ordered and have a look to see if anything changes. fingers crossed as it's starting to look a little sad stuck on the drive.

 

[sir_ash]

i'll get some ordered and have a look to see if anything changes. fingers crossed as it's starting to look a little sad stuck on the drive.

Hi, have just aquired what's sounds the same problem but mines intermittent. Have a idea it's an earth or key receiver fault if I sort mine I will let ya no if you sort yours let me know as it seems there a common fault with them but no one has a cure.

 

[st3ve]

Hi, have just aquired what's sounds the same problem but mines intermittent. Have a idea it's an earth or key receiver fault if I sort mine I will let ya no if you sort yours let me know as it seems there a common fault with them but no one has a cure.

Yes there is;

Replace the two black or the three pink ignition relays with new ones Renault only.

 

[Tigger]

I have the same problem but my immobilizer light goes out as normal :S

 

[sir_ash]

Thanks for the reply.I have orderd them today so gunna see how it goes cheers

 

[Jonny1*2]

So £60 and three relays later and I'm nowhere? I presume I've changed the right ones? The yellow ones are the new ones. The only difference was the new ones had 5 prongs instead of 4.
Any other ideas?

 

[Jonny1*2]

Tried a second hand decoder ring tonight. The light went from solid to flashing, which to me suggests that either the decoder I got was broken, or it wasn't and there is another issue. Any ideas?

 

[myclio172]

Did you get this sorted mate?

I had exact same problem and turned out to be a bad earth....

Negative wire on battery connector corrdoded, wobble it and see if it helps.... if it does strip it back and recrimp, may be best to solder too and then sleeve it.

 

[Jonny1*2]

No mate not sorted it yet. I'm struggling really. I had an auto electrician round and the problem seems to have got worse. My clip was reading the ECU, but wouldn't erase faults. It was showing a connection issue between the cars computers;

120 is the injection comp which is showing as ok. You could read it, but nothing else. The red lines are the issue. Since the auto elecy has been round, the 120 is now a solid red block, and it won't read it at all. I sent the ECU away to Camco and it's running fine up to immobiliser point (as far as they can test to without car), and the immobiliser isn't showing any faults what so ever. So i'm going to get a different auto elecy out and see if he can solve it. I'll get him to double check the earths for me (other guy wasn't interested in looking at them for some reason :S)
It's royally pissing me off now. I'm at WSR next weekend, and it looks like i'm going down in the 106 D

 

[Tigger]

Turned out my starter motor needed replaced (fixed my starting problems) - if that's any help?

 

[Karlos475]

My first post!! Wayhay!!
I had the same issues as yourself and have found the problem to be faulty relays or their connections.
The three smaller (brown in your pic) are ignition, immobiliser and throttle relays try swapping them about.
Karl

 

[Jonny1*2]

Turned out my starter motor needed replaced (fixed my starting problems) - if that's any help?

Don't think it's that mate as it will attempt to crank if I turn the key all the way round in one go. Just not when you leave it at position 2, then turn it.

My first post!! Wayhay!!
I had the same issues as yourself and have found the problem to be faulty relays or their connections.
The three smaller (brown in your pic) are ignition, immobiliser and throttle relays try swapping them about.
Karl

Crap, are you sure? Can't believe I changed the wrong ones Think the auto eleccy guy looked at them, but i'll have another check. Hi and Welcome btw

 

[Karlos475]

Yeah, when I removed the middle one to check my fault, I'd turn the key and nothing at all would happen. Worth a try.

 

[Jonny1*2]

ok cool, i'll have another look later. Did you get a solid immobiliser light?

 

[f0xy]

The immob system is all on the UCH by the way, all it does if the conditions are met (correct key etc) is send an 'OK' signal to a pin on the ECU... If the immob is active it wont let you erase/modify the ECU, so that would explain the guys computer not being able to do it, I had the same with my ECU once. My guess is the UCH isnt sending the correct output (if any) to the ECU... Which could indeed be relay related, or the UCH itself..

 

[Jonny1*2]

Makes sense Jord, but CLIP isn't showing issues with Immobiliser or UCH :S I've been told the immobiliser is in the ECU itself though? Was talking to a guy from Camco and he said that I could get my ECU immobiliser removed.

I swapped those relays over last night to see if that made any difference, but nothing

 

[f0xy]

Nah, its in the UCH under the glovebox. There is a wire from the decoder ring on the key barrel going into it, then a wire coming out to the ECU in the engine bay. The Renault tech docs explain the whole immob system, il see if I can dig them out. The ECU requires a specific OK signal (every ECU has a different one) before the engine will be 'unlocked' so to speak, which is provided by the UCH if the key etc is correct.

All they do to 'remove the ECU immobiliser' is trick it into thinking that its receiving an OK signal, mine and all the other Mk1 F4R's use this same method. We have to solder an emulator onto the ECU (which imitates the UCH's signal), then hard reset the ECU to remove the stored immobiliser code. Then, when you turn the ignition on the ECU stores the code from the emulator, and because it matches it thinks everything is OK and lets the car start. Problem is, that method is yet to work on a Ph2 as far as we know, because its only ever been done on Ph1 ECU's. This is down to the Ph2's and newer using the more complex CAN-BUS system which confuses the matter further, so id be interested to see how he could emulate the ECU on a Ph2/182..

 

[Jonny1*2]

Any wiring diagrams you have mate would be useful. I've got the usual f4r manual, which at least tells you what the pins on the ECU do, and a little about the fuse box, but not much else. It seems very strange for it to lose connection with each other though, unless I knocked a wire when I was messing in the engine bay. Its wierd that the UCH (BOX 645 on the clip picture) is reading fine though. I would imagine there to be a fault flashing up if that was the case :S. Buy Bens ECU/UCH etc and fit them? Not sure if 172 ECU on a 182 will cause issues. Will probably need reflashing with the correct info.

Not sure how Camco do it. Needless to say it's not cheap.