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Weird electrical and random non starting issue



04-182

ClioSport Club Member
  AB Clio 182
Hi. I've had a look through the forum but only found partial solutions/advice. So here goes and apologies or the length.

Saturday morning 182 wouldn't start. door locks sounded sluggish and just single clicked when trying to start. thought battery so put it on charge. this at least let it lock.
Sunday morning. still wouldn't start and locks sluggish again so put it back on charge. After 10 hour slow charge tried it and it started. yey.
This morning, started first time and went to work.

Then tonight. got in, turned ignition one click/1st position and the rear wiper activated. turned ignition to 2nd position and just a single click from glove box. nuts.
Tried ignition again but this time straight to start, multiple clicking from under bonnet.
Tried ignition again but put key to 1st turn, then 2nd turn whilst holding button on key and still just a click.
multiple tries and if going to 1st position, wait, 2nd position to start I got single click. but when straight to start multiple clicks.

At this point I started to fiddle under bonnet. noticed the battery negative lead was quite warm so must be pulling current but then jiggled the white connector a little. pull, push, wiggle, squeeze together etc and thought I heard something click under bonnet so tried ignition again. 1st position, wait , 2nd position and still click but no rear wiper this time. straight to start and the engine started to turn over but wouldn't starts/fire.

Some progress. Next i started to flex the engine to gear box earth strap see if any corrosion. (clutching at this point). anyway tried it again and it started so legged it home.

Once home, turned off, tried ignition again and it started again. got out, tried to lock it and locks sluggish and wouldn't lock. three attempts to lock and finally it did.

Sorry for the ramblings but any ideas what to have a look at/change. Battery is good, when running the alternator is 14.46V so working.
 

Yarp

ClioSport Club Member
  Clio 182
A few years ago mine decided to be a dick and the alternator was drawing a current when the car was turned off. It used to cause all sorts of random electrical s**t until I swapped it.

Could always try disconnecting the alternator (don’t let the wire touch anything!) and see if there’s any improvement. You can test the engine/box earth with a jump lead from one of the lifting points onto an earth point somewhere to rule that out.
 


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