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Trip computer resetting itself?



  2003 Clio 172
For the last week or so with these cold mornings, the trip computer/mpg, etc have been resetting themselves to zero most times that I start the car. After doing some research on here I read that it's likely to be the battery on its way out causing it, however I replaced the battery in May, so it is only a few months old. Is there any other likely causes, or is it still likely to be a weak battery?
 
  PH2 172
For the last week or so with these cold mornings, the trip computer/mpg, etc have been resetting themselves to zero most times that I start the car. After doing some research on here I read that it's likely to be the battery on its way out causing it, however I replaced the battery in May, so it is only a few months old. Is there any other likely causes, or is it still likely to be a weak battery?

Get the battery drop tested, and if good, check and clean all battery connections, the braided engine earth and loom earth which bolts to the rear of the gearbox.
 

JamesBryan

ClioSport Club Member
  Titanium 182
If it was a new battery in May, i can't see it being faulty already although there is always a chance.

I'd say you have a parasitic drain or a bad earth.

Have you got a volt/amp meter? I can tell you how to test for a drain.
 
  2003 Clio 172
If it was a new battery in May, i can't see it being faulty already although there is always a chance.

I'd say you have a parasitic drain or a bad earth.

Have you got a volt/amp meter? I can tell you how to test for a drain.

I do have a basic multimeter if that'll work?
 

JamesBryan

ClioSport Club Member
  Titanium 182
I do have a basic multimeter if that'll work?

Yes it should do if it has an Amps setting.

With a fully charged battery, disconnect the -neg terminal and clamp the black probe from the meter to the -neg battery terminal, then clamp the red probe to the -neg cable. Set the meter to amps, start with the highest it will read and work your way through the settings if it doesn't show a reading (starting high just prevents you blowing the fuses in the meter if you start too low).

They all show a few milliamp of draw when the engine is off, but several hundred milliamp would indicate a problem.

Let me know what reading you get.
 
  2003 Clio 172
Yes it should do if it has an Amps setting.

With a fully charged battery, disconnect the -neg terminal and clamp the black probe from the meter to the -neg battery terminal, then clamp the red probe to the -neg cable. Set the meter to amps, start with the highest it will read and work your way through the settings if it doesn't show a reading (starting high just prevents you blowing the fuses in the meter if you start too low).

They all show a few milliamp of draw when the engine is off, but several hundred milliamp would indicate a problem.

Let me know what reading you get.
Thanks. Have a few days off coming up, so will be able to give it a try and report back.
 

JamesBryan

ClioSport Club Member
  Titanium 182
I suspect it could be as mine was, which turned out to be a faulty alternator backdrawing current.

If you do get a high reading, you could take the red wire off the alternator and if the reading drops that's your culprit.
 
  2003 Clio 172
I suspect it could be as mine was, which turned out to be a faulty alternator backdrawing current.

If you do get a high reading, you could take the red wire off the alternator and if the reading drops that's your culprit.

Thanks, decent advice.

I'm hoping it is actually the battery now as it's still well within warranty period. Alternator would be a PITA lol.
 

Ol’ Tarby

ClioSport Moderator
  Clio 220 Trophy
I had a battery from euros fail within about 3 months, so I wouldn't rule it out.

I've got a battery tester and even after it being on charge for nearly 12 hours, the battery couldn't give more than 10ah

Typically I'd thrown the receipt away though, so had to buy another
 
  dan's cast offs.
manbat's own brand, am guessing as they are a distributor chances are they are cheapy ones bought in and stickered up. first call would be the battery.
 
  2003 Clio 172
Started car in garage this morning after having stood overnight and computer didn't reset. Drove car out of garage, switched off to lock garage up, etc. When I restarted the car the computer reset. Weird.
 

davo172

ClioSport Club Member
  TCR'd 172
1000000% battery!!
I had exactly same thing years ago it just drops enough on start up when cold to trigger reset. In garage fine.
Will show as fine when you just drop tester on it it the drop on start up that do you need to see.
 


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