SERV, ESP & ABS Lights on AND car randomly cutting out?

[mike74]

As per the title really, these last few days the SERV, ESP and ABS lights have been staying on or coming on and the car has cut out a couple of times but I've been able to restart it immediately, however this morning the car cut out whilst driving along but wouldn't restart despite about 30 mins trying with many lights staying on SERV, ABS, ESP, OIL, Engine management.

Just gone back to it after work, so it's been standing for 8 hours, started fine, running fine, no lights on!

Any suggestions??

 

[bloke]

was the eml staying on when it wouldn't start or was it clearing after a second or two?

 

[GavC]

I'm no expert but check the easy things that you can - remove and clean throttle body, battery terminals clean and secure

 

[MRBILLYUK]

I had similar symptoms earlier this year and it turned out my alternator was knackered, all the lights on and it cut out , but mine wouldn't restart . Maybe you have a loose wire on the alternator ?

 

[mike74]

Thanks for the replies, update... It's back to not turning over at all now and the following lights all stay on -

STOP IMMOB SERV ESP BATTERY OIL

Also put a cheapy generic OBD reader on it and that came back as no fault codes stored.

Does that narrow things down or just complicate issues?

I would have thought a weak battery or dodgy alternator wouldn't cause it to actually cut out whilst driving?

And a dodgy immobiliser wouldn't result in the other lights coming/staying on?

 

[GavC]

Thanks for the replies, update... It's back to not turning over at all now and the following lights all stay on -

STOP IMMOB SERV ESP BATTERY OIL

Also put a cheapy generic OBD reader on it and that came back as no fault codes stored.

Does that narrow things down or just complicate issues?

I would have thought a weak battery or dodgy alternator wouldn't cause it to actually cut out whilst driving?

And a dodgy immobiliser wouldn't result in the other lights coming/staying on?

New battery would be another simple thing to swap out

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[bloke]

what is the engine management light doing?

 

[GavC]

Check for any blown fuses?

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[mike74]

EML light is going out.

Something else I've noticed.. if I turn the ignition to position 2 and wait to see if the lights go out (which they don't) then give the key a further turn to try and start it, it won't turnover at all, just a click. But if I turn it from off straight to position 3 without pausing at 2, the starter motor does engage and turns the engine over (unsuccessfully)

 

[GavC]

Experienced similar symptom because of a tired battery. Get a new one installed and take it from there.

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[MRBILLYUK]

Thanks for the replies, update... It's back to not turning over at all now and the following lights all stay on -

STOP IMMOB SERV ESP BATTERY OIL

Also put a cheapy generic OBD reader on it and that came back as no fault codes stored.

Does that narrow things down or just complicate issues?

I would have thought a weak battery or dodgy alternator wouldn't cause it to actually cut out whilst driving?

And a dodgy immobiliser wouldn't result in the other lights coming/staying on?

When my alternator went titsup , all the lights you have on came on but I managed to get home . When I got home , i turned it off but it wouldn't turn back on again . Is it just clicking when you try and start it now ? If so , again going off my own experience is that your battery might be flat . If you're battery is flat then that sounds like your alternator could be cream crackered. Get a multimeter on your battery . You should be looking for 12.5v or above when turned off if it's holding a charge and with the engine on you should be looking for around 14.4 ish volts.

 

[mike74]

Again, thanks very much for all the replies, I really appreciate it.

I'll definitely look at the battery/alternator as my first option, my only query with either of them is surely they wouldn't cause it to cut out whilst actually driving? Or would they?

 

[bloke]

if the battery goes flat then yes it will cut out.

 

[mike74]

Further update - Still not sorted, doesn't appear to be battery, alternator, or crank shaft sensor, no faults showing up on the garages OBD reader, no obvious loose wiring connections... garage suggesting it might be the ECU, which I'm guessing wouldn't be economically viable to get replaced, shame really for a 182 that's only done 68k.

 

[STEVE.M]

garage suggesting it might be the ECU, which I'm guessing wouldn't be economically viable to get replaced, shame really for a 182 that's only done 68k.

Take it somewhere that knows it`s arse from it`s elbow.
Somewhere like Diamond Motors.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Further update - Still not sorted, doesn't appear to be battery, alternator, or crank shaft sensor, no faults showing up on the garages OBD reader, no obvious loose wiring connections... garage suggesting it might be the ECU, which I'm guessing wouldn't be economically viable to get replaced, shame really for a 182 that's only done 68k.

When people say it " might be " this , that or the other , like the garage you took it to saying it " might be " the ECU , says to me they're just guessing .
So when you say it doesn't appear to be the battery or altenator , have they tested them or even tried a new battery ? Have they checked the earth strap from the gearbox ?
Depends where you are ? But like @STEVE.M says , get it to Mick at Diamond motors if possible . He's an expert at finding electrical gremlins .
Do you have any form of breakdown cover that could get your car towed there ?

 

[mike74]

Just a final update for anyone who might be interested.... turns out it was 2 entirely separate and unrelated issues that just happened to manifest themselves at the same time!

The SERV, ESP and ABS lights are the steering angle sensor.

The cutting out/not starting was some corroded wiring in the ignition system.

 

[imprezaworks]

Result.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Glad you got it sorted. Bit of a bugger when you've got 2 problems at the same time .

 

[Coops Mk1]

nice result to get it sorted, as you say would of been shame to scrap it

specifically what area of the ignition wiring was corroded and as such causing the issue? be useful to know exactly for other fault finding in the future on forum searches

 

[MRBILLYUK]

nice result to get it sorted, as you say would of been shame to scrap it

specifically what area of the ignition wiring was corroded and as such causing the issue? be useful to know exactly for other fault finding in the future on forum searches

It would also be useful to know who actually found the fault , garage / auto electrician ( name ) and location etc ......... I'm asuming it wasn't the first garage you took it to as they were suggesting it " might " be the ecu .It gives people an idea who to use and who to avoid .

 

[mike74]

It was a mobile auto electrician who came to the garage, sorry not sure just what part of the ignition loom was corroded, still took the sparky over 2 hours to track it down though!

I've got no issues with the garage, they're only a small, local, one man band in a very rural area, can't exactly expect him to have Renault specific diagnostic equipment, the steering angle sensor fault only registered on his reader once the wiring fault had been rectified.