Clio 197 keeps blowing 20a ECM fuse!

[Condogc]

Hi all, first post on here so not sure if I’m in the right section....

I’m currently pulling my hair out with an electrical issue on my 197. It keeps popping a 20amp fuse which I believe is for the ECM. It first happened on a spirited Sunday drive.....I lost throttle and it konked out with ESP and Low Battery warnings on the dash. Wouldn’t even crank and the cooling fans were running on full chat constantly.

Got it back to my garage and tested the fuses and a 20amp fuse blown, replaced it and it fired up again. However I only managed to get 10 ft out of my garage before it blew again.

SO! I started by checking the fuse box which I believe are fairly common for failing. This all looks good, no obvious burnt out contacts. I then started stripping the loom back from the fuse box to bulkhead expecting to find a break. No breaks in that part of loom whatsoever!

I’m adamant it has to be a broken wire somewhere but I just don’t know where to go from here. I can’t find any wiring diagrams so I can work out which wire into the fuse box feeds the fuse that keeps blowing and trace it back which leaves me searching pretty blind!

Hoping someone’s had this problem! If you’ve read this far down thanks for taking the time! All else failing I’ll be looking for recommendations for an RS Specialist in the North West.

(Hope the picture link works. I’ve circled the fuse that keeps popping)

 

[turkie172]

What kind of car have you 197 cup or keyless an year.

 

[Condogc]

What kind of car have you 197 cup or keyless an year.

Car is a 2007 Clio 197 Non-Cup with Keyless entry!

 

[turkie172]

OK it will be about the same as a 2008 I put a reasonable amount of info about the power switching unit in the "How to" section but you will need to be a forum member to see it and the wanted section it's about £5 a year and there are other one off payments. I'm not trying to say its the answer but it will help to identify the fuses and connectors that supply the fuse. There is an electrical systems wiring diagrams for Clio 197's it's called VISU and the cars codename for a Clio Mk3 is "X85"


It is a website based system that lets you look up components, connectors, diagrams, wire colours etc. I can copy and paste some info but you need to trace the fuse to a connector so I can zero in on the right diagram. But with all that said the basics like is the scuttle drains clear could this be water damage check the connectors on the injection computer for corrosion or has some stuff been done on the car recently clutch change, flat battery wheel arch liners missing.



You will see the connector codes "AN", "CT" on the diagram above matches up with the diagram below. Then the horizontal blue lines give the circuit ID numbers that can be used with the ECU diagram at the top.

 

[Mack gordon]

Did you have any luck sorting this? I’m having the identical issue. What did you need to sort it?

 

[Condogc]

Solved! Upstream Lambda sensor wires had melted on the exhaust causing a short! New Lambda sensor fixed it