..David
Im about ready to get a baseball bat and wack the crap out of my car. I have the same problem as mentioned above. I bought the car in october, 2 weeks later cut out whilst driving in rush hour traffic too. took it to the dealer he said he had to change some electrical cables. so all good took the car home. Novemeber happened again, December happened again and now the other day happened nearly had a crash. Ive been to the garage every time this has happened and im not impressed. Just got the car back yesterday and today about 1hr ago it has cut out again. left it for 10mins and now its running fine so why is this happening?
I think best course of action is to get a can of petrol and set light to the car cause ive never had so much trouble with a car before!
also my warranty has ran out, so it can only go so long before i get charged for the repairs!
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Hi all i picked up my clio from renault on saturday one arm one leg later, did about 20 miles fine problem fixed no problem. until i went to start her up again on the second attempt smelt petrol stopedd checked under the bonnet and the main fuel pipe leading to the fuel injectors on the front of the engine wasnt connected!!!! fuel all over the HT leads and alternator! so i went back to renault in Mansfield and gave them what for and they offered this in compensation a service, 12 months warranty which covers my ECU anyway(£400) (read previous post) and a full tank of petrol. this is what a bit of bartering got me a full service parts and labour inc, valet only outside tho!, 12 months warranty, reduced service in a year with 6 months warranty after that and a full tank! the problem seams to be fixed but now i have the extra warranty i will get the computer done and i will put some extra measures to stop the wiring loom chaffing on the cage finally got the problem sorted so there is hope but it cost me nearly a grand! hope you can catch it early enough not to need renault to fix it tho.
hope this helps
hunter1260
Edited by Webmaster on 24/02/2008 at 00:12
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Hi all,
Strangely, it's comforting to find a forum full of people who are also ready to hunt down and kill all responsible for this fault.
I've had my Clio for a year (admittedly, it's second hand) - for the first six months it was fine, but since I've had nothing but problems - the latest of which, being this delightful "I'll cut out whenever I pink fluffy dice feel like it" one. I've taken it to three different garages, paid an incredible amount of money and nothing has been fixed. Originally, as with above, the problem was generally only when in first gear and pulling away from junctions. However, this morning, it decided it couldn't be bothered at about 30mph and just cut out.
I'm so reluctant to take it to a garage again as I feel throwing £100-odd down the drain would have the same effect. I'm now looking into getting a new car - which I can't afford but I suppose peace of mind is priceless... Good luck everyone - I hope you find a cheaper solution than me!
:o)
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 08/02/2008 at 10:04
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Hi
I can't beleive this is such a common problem. Why has it taken the Renault garage 4 weeks to finally figure this out?!! They rang me sounding so pleased that they had found the problem - car required a new throttle body. However after forking out £350, the dreaded electric light returned the next day. 3 weeks later and they have finally found the problem! (loon wire)
My car is 2nd hand, 2001 model. I have owned it now for 2 years, and had nothing but trouble with it. This is the last straw!!! I agree with the majority here........don't bother with a clio, sell it or burn it!
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I empathise with the many comments on this thread as my clio dci is currently in the garage with the same issue. They originally told me it was the tdc sensor but upon testing found it wasn't. Now they are fixing the loom. I'm told it'll be £235. This is on top of £145 2 weeks ago for a cracked driveshaft that was causing my abs to operate all the time. I am really hacked off now as although she is very economical and cheap to tax and insure this poor reliability due to incompetant design on Renaults half is making it an expensive car to run.
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Having read all the comments above with regard to starting problems, chaffing wiring, running at 2500 revs, massive Renault garage bills, I'm disgusted. My son's 03/53 1.2 dynamique petrol, has been over the past couple of years showing most of the symptoms mentioned by people in this chat room. It started off with dodgy starter motor problems, has progressed to starting when it feels like it, suddenly going into get me home safely mode (max 30mph) which is extremely dangerous when you're on a motorway. I was quoted £650 at my local Renault garage to have this problem fixed, thiswas after paying to have the problem diagnosed (£130.00 I got this figure reduced after negotiation). A new wiring loom, surprise, surprise, and a throttle unit, why oh! why don't they just tell the truth and say, there is a duff cage over the wiring loom which chews through the wiring and shags everything up electronically. Instead they say with glee, we have diagnosed the problem and it is bla bla bla. They know before they start diagnostics what the problem is, why not be truthfull. (A breakers who deal in french car spares only Cit-Ren Ltd who I contacted over the cost of a used throttle unit, knew straight away what the problem would be, so why don't Renault dealership's. I thought my son's problem was unusual, I see it is the norm. Changes yor view on Renault UK doesn't it.
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What a shame that this great car often the first car for many in it's 1.2 form should exibit such problems, it's creating a market of potential buyers who will NEVER go near a Renault again.
Hopefully I can solve this, I work in the industry, harness problems have been my business for 27 years!
And lets get one thing straight it's not only Renault who have this problem, 90s onwards cars are covered in sensors and wiring and it's only getting worse.
The main problem is the dealers diagnostics depend on the wiring loom being good, it is difficult for the kit to tell a duff sensor from a crap harness, it is taken that in this day and age we can string one wire from A to B without messing up, well yes A to B is OK but try tat 400 times with low cost labour and hey presto harnesses with intermitant faults, I think we all accept the car may go wrong but the endless procession to the dealer with the fault still there is the killer.
I am about to attempt to fix a 1992 1.2 for a friend, it's been to the dealer for a diagnotic which reported MAP (Manifold Air Pressure) sensor and ECU (Engine Control Unit........the computer) as POSSIBLE causes of cutting out at junctions and erratic starting which are (and heres the clue) INTERMITANT.
It is true the problem of the metal covers on the ECU rubbing the wiring through is well known to the "trade" I guess that not all cars are aflicted with this very visual fault but it is the number 1 place to start and s previouos posts if this has happened then voltage may have been splashed round to sensors and they are damaged too..........unliky though.
Another reported fault is within the plastic tube in the harness simply as broken connections, this I do nott understand as there shouod be not connections inside the conduites, except there could be inline crimps in there, inline crimps are a major headache to find but easy to fix, I'll know ore once ive been able to get to the car.
So 99% of the time for intermitant read WIRING/CONNECTOR fault......electronics tend to pack up for good or work.
I happen to know that the rate of replacement of ECUs is so great UK stock is exausted. Im sorry but ECUs do not pack up at that rate......95% of these ECU replacements are as a result of the diagnostic kits inability to find the wiring fault combined with a suck it and see mentality from service staff and the fact that the ECU's security code themselves to the car once fitted so they can not simply swap over a unit to see if its the problem and at £400+ a time this is a very expensive game of trail and error.
So before I get chance to weild the test meter after this weekend anyone out there with any experiance for disturbing the wiring on or around the ECU and engine block especialy the MAP sensor and this faullt occuring/going away.
Anyone with any ECU or MAP sensor stories to tell, please post, we will get to the bottom of this with sufficient data. Meantime ill get under the bonnet and post my findings here.
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slarty [Love your coastlines..]
As there are five different 1.2 units in a '92 Clio 1; we'd better have the engine code [E7J ??? etc.]
Any idea of the exact codes found? The MAP sensor hose is a good first check - the idle control set-up can be many different things depending on engine code.
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Screw lose ill get the exact codes. As fas as i understand the MAP sensor can thow the fueling out so cutting out ocures and the intermitant nature poiints to wiring/connector fault. I know throttle body and lamba sensor can may be do the same but im going on th basis the Renault diagnostic has narrowed it down to MAP or ECU seeing as the MAP has been replaced and worked for 5 weeks im gussing the ECU is o.k and the MAP was, the action of replacing the map distrubed the wiring fault.
How did you guess the coast line?
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slarty
Just because there are codes stored, doesn't necesarily mean that it was this fault that left them....
Stalling-when-coming-to-rest rarely flags a code; I'd "bear the codes in mind" until the make of fuelling equipment is known - A Bosch Mono-Mot with motorized throttle-stop failure is my best guess until then. [Or a Marelli, or Delco, or Bendix, stepper motor - all systems used on these.]
Fortunately; this year doesn't have a fly-by-wire throttle body - and it's unusual to have an oxy sensor cause stalling.
[Everyone knows that you designed the coastline of Norway for the mice...?]
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Screwloose I particuly like the crinkly bits, your right Norway was one on mine.
Anyway you know your stuff Hitchikers and Cars! A bit more about me I too get involved in the car industry I have a UK factory doing nothing else, we sell world wide.
.*********
Howver I head under bonnet sure enough the metal cover over the ECU gone but.......rub marks from the metal edge nearly through the Red + feed but also a partialy into a yellow wire, the green oxide showed water/salt had got to the wires and I guess the metal lid could have splashed + on the other cut wire. I cut and repaired the red wire, water had not traveled up the wire so it soldered O.K
Pulled out the ECU plugs, bone dry and all the seals present at the back so no worries.
Ran the car just the same but this was observed, SERVE light on all the time, car runs perfect until the "Electronic Fault" Light lights up so I figured just take the bulb out job done!
If only twas that simple anyway with the "EF" light on the tickover hunts down to near zero then up again to 500 rpm at about 1/2 second intervals.
Its had 3 map sensors, first one in the Renault garage and the car ran ok for 3 months! second one gave a day of OK running and the third a few hours. You can rev the car hard and put the light out and get rid of the fault but let the revs drop (like comming up to a round about) and your at eisk on the light comming back on.
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There are so many makes and types of fuelling equipment on these, I'm really going to need that engine code; it should be on the front of the block; probably low down, gearbox end.
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Hi I'm new to this and I think I might be posting this in the wrong place but I have a 51 plate Clio 1.2 16v petrol and it also cuts out while driving. I get a light with a coil on the dash?
As glad as I am to see I'm not the only one with these issues, I could use some advice. I read about the "black box" or cage at the back of the engine and I can clearly see it but how do I remove it to check the wires and re-insulate them?
Its VERY loose and wiggles around if you touch it but looks like its welded together?
Any advice greatly appreciated.
Kindest regards to all,
Chris.
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Chris
Although the dealers are removing these boxes now [NCAP - what's that?] I'm loath to post that info on an open forum - you'll appreciate the legal implications in these litigious days....
If you were to persuade a mod to pass me your e-mail; that would be different....
If the box has nibbled the loom; then you can clearly see it where the edge of the steel rests on the loom. A temporary piece of insulating material stuck between will prove the point.
Wiring loom deterioration below the fusebox and battery is still the most likely cause.
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Thanks for the reply, a friend of mine is mechanically minded so I'll get him to check the wiring.
Everything going into the box looks ok so I'm not convinced its that but there have been comments about the silicone inside going crisp and allowing sparks to cross over as well as chafed wires so thought its a good place to start?
Had new coil pack last year, just cleaned the throttle manifold with carb cleaner, just given the car a full service, air filter, oil filter, new oil & coolants, spark plugs etc. This has cured the "rough idling" now ticks over nicely, its just this cutting out problem now!
I'll let you knwo the results of our inspection.
Thanks so much for your help.
Chris
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Chris Although the dealers are removing these boxes now [NCAP - what's that?] I'm loath to post that info on an open forum - you'll appreciate the legal implications in these litigious days.... If you were to persuade a mod to pass me your e-mail; that would be different.... If the box has nibbled the loom; then you can clearly see it where the edge of the steel rests on the loom. A temporary piece of insulating material stuck between will prove the point. Wiring loom deterioration below the fusebox and battery is still the most likely cause.
Chris Although the dealers are removing these boxes now [NCAP - what's that?] I'm loath to post that info on an open forum - you'll appreciate the legal implications in these litigious days.... If you were to persuade a mod to pass me your e-mail; that would be different.... If the box has nibbled the loom; then you can clearly see it where the edge of the steel rests on the loom. A temporary piece of insulating material stuck between will prove the point. Wiring loom deterioration below the fusebox and battery is still the most likely cause.
Chris Although the dealers are removing these boxes now [NCAP - what's that?] I'm loath to post that info on an open forum - you'll appreciate the legal implications in these litigious days.... If you were to persuade a mod to pass me your e-mail; that would be different.... If the box has nibbled the loom; then you can clearly see it where the edge of the steel rests on the loom. A temporary piece of insulating material stuck between will prove the point. Wiring loom deterioration below the fusebox and battery is still the most likely cause.
To remove the anti tamper cover on the ECU plug you will find a little slot on the back face of the metal box, take 2mm diameter drill use it to feel through the slot into a wheel with holes in the edge move the wheel upwards by taking the drill out and finding a lower hole move upwards and repeat again with a lower hole, be patient as the thread you are turning is very fine. Eventually the thread will have wound the release catch along the thread and released the two halfs of the heavy anti tamper cover which regularly rubs through the loom. As a Renault technician said I have seen this problem once week for the last 10 years, take it off and throw it a far as you can. It serves no electrical shielding purpose it is just anti tamper. God bless Renault with all their quirky ideas, drive the change is the slogan, change the marque would be more appropriate.
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Chris Although the dealers are removing these boxes now [NCAP - what's that?] I'm loath to post that info on an open forum - you'll appreciate the legal implications in these litigious days.... If you were to persuade a mod to pass me your e-mail; that would be different.... If the box has nibbled the loom; then you can clearly see it where the edge of the steel rests on the loom. A temporary piece of insulating material stuck between will prove the point. Wiring loom deterioration below the fusebox and battery is still the most likely cause.
Chris Although the dealers are removing these boxes now [NCAP - what's that?] I'm loath to post that info on an open forum - you'll appreciate the legal implications in these litigious days.... If you were to persuade a mod to pass me your e-mail; that would be different.... If the box has nibbled the loom; then you can clearly see it where the edge of the steel rests on the loom. A temporary piece of insulating material stuck between will prove the point. Wiring loom deterioration below the fusebox and battery is still the most likely cause.
Chris Although the dealers are removing these boxes now [NCAP - what's that?] I'm loath to post that info on an open forum - you'll appreciate the legal implications in these litigious days.... If you were to persuade a mod to pass me your e-mail; that would be different.... If the box has nibbled the loom; then you can clearly see it where the edge of the steel rests on the loom. A temporary piece of insulating material stuck between will prove the point. Wiring loom deterioration below the fusebox and battery is still the most likely cause.
To remove the anti tamper cover on the ECU plug you will find a little slot on the back face of the metal box, take 2mm diameter drill use it to feel through the slot into a wheel with holes in the edge move the wheel upwards by taking the drill out and finding a lower hole move upwards and repeat again with a lower hole, be patient as the thread you are turning is very fine. Eventually the thread will have wound the release catch along the thread and released the two halfs of the heavy anti tamper cover which regularly rubs through the loom. As a Renault technician said I have seen this problem once week for the last 10 years, take it off and throw it a far as you can. It serves no electrical shielding purpose it is just anti tamper. God bless Renault with all their quirky ideas, drive the change is the slogan, change the marque would be more appropriate.
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Hi i had the same problem for quite some time i tried all sorts to put it right , and i think i have now found the problem,the symtoms were that the little coil symbol would come on at tick over and then car would stall ,if you tried to rev it the revs fluctuated, as soon as the little light went out it would tick over and rev fine,well after many hours i have now found if you disconect the pipe on the rocker cover that runs down to the emmissions filter under offside wing the car runs perfect and the light stays off ,there must be a blockage in the breathing system some where ,i was getting a fault code telling me manifold sensor which i tried changing three times ,taking this pipe off really does cure it,i have read many forums where people have had this problem and no one has been able to sort it please try this and let me know if it helps cheers
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Hi, I know this is a long time after your original post but if you see this, did your problem go away permanently after removing this pipe or did it return later?
Has anyone else tried this and what effect did it have on the cutting out problem? I'm at a loss and this is the only thing we haven't tried, but my husband is reluctant to do it.
I have a 1.2 16v 2001 clio that randomly cuts out at low revs with the engine management light coming on. Once the light goes off I can drive as normal. I have to rev the engine up to about 6000 for a minute or two to get the light to go off but this isn't ideal at 7am every morning!
Thanks.
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