2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue | Technical matters | Back Room Forum

Tue 1 Aug 2006 14:59

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - baronfive

Hi,

I was wondering if anyone could shed some light on a idling issue that I am currrently having with a 2003 1.6 16v Renault Scenic (Petrol).

The vehicle drives perfectly both cold and hot, however when starting the vehicle from cold it will not idle. In addition to this, the vehicle sometimes requires a few seconds turning over.

I have checked previous forums, it was recomended that the crank angle sensor be changed to solve the problem, I changed the sensor but the symptoms still exist.

I was wondering if anyone had experienced or cured the problem?

I do not believe the problem to be the coil packs as the car runs well (apart from idle) and no DTC's have been found.

Spark plugs and the air filter have been changed.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

Stephen

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Tue 1 Aug 2006 17:43

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - Altea Ego

Renaults have problems with the temperature sensor, sounds like a likely culprit in this case
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >

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Tue 1 Aug 2006 23:42

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - baronfive

Would a faulty coolant temp sensor not cause the engine to run too rich or too lean constantly.

It seems as soon as the car has been driven for 1 minute it is fine?

Stephen

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Wed 2 Aug 2006 00:25

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - Altea Ego

These type of things dont always fail in a hard state, its not an on/off output but variable. The problem can also come and go with heat.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >

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Wed 2 Aug 2006 00:34

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - baronfive

Thanks for your replies TVM, I will try a new sensor in tomorrow.

Stephen

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Wed 2 Aug 2006 19:02

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - baronfive

Unfortunately I installed a new temperature sensor unit today, it made no difference at all.

If anyone out there has had any experience of a 2003 1.6 16v Renault Scenic which won't idle but will drive perfectly, please, please let me know how you fixed the problem.

To recap, the car drives (at speed) perfectly but on starting from cold won't idle and therefore cuts out the engine.

To date I have:

Changed spark plugs
New Air filter
New crank angle sensor
New temperature sensor

All to no avail. I have just taken off the plastic inlet manifold, air filter housing and throttle butterfly, nothing looks out of place. I will renew all the gaskets and blow out the only pipe present, apart from that I am stumped!!

Any help would be much appreciated

Stephen

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Wed 2 Aug 2006 19:27

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - chairmanmatt

I'm not the most competent with mechanics so don't take this as a definite answer, but have you checked the Idle control valve. May need a cleaning. Just a thought.

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Wed 2 Aug 2006 20:57

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - baronfive

Thanks for your response.

Unfortunately as far as i know, there is no idle control valve on this type of engine.

If anyone knows different let me know

Thanks,

Stephen

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Wed 2 Aug 2006 21:12

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - Screwloose

Stephen

It's a Renault; so IF this is a K4M 700 engine with the Sirius 32 management system [there's loads of 'em] then the idle control valve is the normal little Marelli, round, black, 4-pin, stepper-motor mounted on the throttle body. Take it off and give it a squirt of WD-40- it won't move. The resistance across the outer pins should be the same as the inner pair - 50-ish ohms disconnected.

Those were genuine Renault plugs - weren't they?

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Wed 2 Aug 2006 23:24

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - baronfive

Screwloose,

Thanks for your response, it is indeed a K4M 700 engine, the marelli round motor seems to be cunningly mounted towards the back of the airbox on my particular model. I will check and clean it tommorow.

I did not use genuine renault plugs however, I made sure that the plugs going in were the same make and model number as the plugs which came out - but who's to say the correct plugs were in it in the first place!

I will let you how I get on tommorow.

Thanks,

Stephen

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Thu 3 Aug 2006 01:05

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - Screwloose

Stephen

As with so many other cars these days; you should only use the genuine Eyquem plugs in these engines. You would not believe the plethora of weird faults that the wrong plugs can cause - they can even send the instruments loopy.

The ISC valve can be a real joy to access - and they'll be Torx fasteners too.

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Fri 4 Aug 2006 11:18

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - baronfive

Hi,

Cleaned and tested the idle speed control valve, unfortunately the problem still exists.

Going to change the plugs today, if that doesn't work I'll have to take it somewhere that can put it on the computer, I can nearly guarantee that the computer won't show any faults.

Its a strange one......

Stephen

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Mon 22 Oct 2012 20:13

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - dix114

Hello stephen i know this is a long shot but did you ever sort out your renault scenic idle when it was cold any info would be greatly appreciated thanks ian.

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Mon 2 Feb 2015 22:06

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - Toakenspy

Was wondering if the cause was ever determined? I have a rough idle exactly as this one and stumped.

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Mon 4 May 2015 18:38

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - Neogi

I have a similar problem with my Scenic 1.4. The car had a failed cam belt. 12 valves were replaced by the garage according to the Invoice I acquired when I bought the car from the previous owner. He had driven it 8,000 miles since then. There was no items for hydraulic lifters on the Invoice. I suspect the inlet pair on my Cylinder No. 3 got damaged and are therefore not opening the valves enough at idling. There was no EML on. Recently though it has come up with Cat error.

The car runs reasonably OK as I drove to France and back - a round tour of 700 miles doing about 9 miles to a litre. The power is a bit on the low side when I compare it with my other Scenic that is a 1.6 but 8v engine.

If the hydraulic lifters' internal spring are damaged, could they get stuck in the depressed position and so not keeping them up high enough at idling when the oil pressure is low.

The car had passed the emission test for its MoT, so I guess no burnt valves.

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Tue 7 Nov 2023 12:40

2003 1.6 Renault Scenic Idling Issue - Keith C.

I would try one or both of the following when your Scenic will not cold crank but runs fine when warmed just a little: a dirty or faulty Camshaft TDC sensor....OR, a dirty or faulty solenoid on the evap control system. Both or either can cause rough cold idling or even too lean a mixture to cold crank...but then work fine after the engine is warmed.

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