Any idea what is causing my son's 1998 Renault Megane to cut out?

My son has had a 1998 Renault Megane from new, now 12 years old and 90,000 miles on clock. It keeps cutting out when driven. It starts again, but then cuts out again making it dangerous to drive. Renault has had it on the diagnostic machine (£30 wasted) and could find no fault. It is now at another garage where they are looking for bad electrical connections. Any ideas?

Asked on 8 November 2010 by AL, Worsley, Manchester

Answered by Honest John

They often have a problem with the crankshaft sensor on the flywheel, its connectors, or the cable between the connectors. Could also be the mass airflow sensor. But if diagnostics cannot pinpoint the fault it might be the fuel tank sender pump, its relay, or the earth to the sender pump or its relay. They never show up on diagnostics as the reasons for a fuelling problem.

Tags: sensors electrical faults diagnostics cutting out

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