My Clio R27 will not start

PLEASE HELP

I recently purchased a R27 clio and on day one I managed to break the manifold flexis.
So, I took it to my local garage who fitted a brand new OEM manifold, new rear caliper and headlight bulbs. When I picked the car up it was running fine. The following day I had 4 x Michelin Pilot Sport 4's fitted to the car as I wanted to do a trackday at Donnington today again the car was fine on the journey home yesterday (3 miles)

When I woke up to start the car this morning (to my horror) it would not start. The starter motor was turning the engine over but no luck she would not fire up. The battery seems pretty new and was running 13v. I tried to start the car about 20 times before the battery went flat. (The car has never struggled to start before)

We also tried to bump start it a couple of times and still no joy.

After reading several forums, it seems the advice was to remove and clean the TDC sensor. Again we did this and tried to fire up again but no joy.

I am now starting to think it could be the fuel pump. Should I be able to hear this clearly when i switch on the ignition with the start button pressed once? (i have the stupid keyless system)

I also get a message on the display saying steering wheel not locked.
The immobiliser red light flashes. However when I try and start the car it goes solid red?

Could it be an immobiliser issue? Can we disable this?

Any suggestions would be amazing. I really want to love this car but it's killing me right now. :-(

Thank you
 
Ok two things might be wrong the heat shield over the starter motor might be touching the terminal and the fuse blown in the fuse box on the wing behind the passenger headlight hence no starter motor and steering not locked on the display. The heat shield is very easy to fit wrong and moved because the manifold almost touches it. The motor turning over but not starting sounds like a bad flywheel pickup sensor the car turns over but cant get the signal to fire the spark plugs clutch bits have been known to take out the sensor. I did the heat shield thing after changing the manifold myself I pulled the heat shield off without checking how it was fitted the clips go on the two outside cylinders I had clipped it around the larger lower one which kept it too close to the positive starter solenoid terminal I got the car started once then the fuse blew would not start again. I pushed a bit of mud flap between the terminal and shield and replaced the fuse until I got time to remove the starter fix the shield properly and refit I thought it easier than taking the manifold off the shield has not got enough room to refit in place. To fit the piece of mud flap I reached over the engine down through the manifold and because I knew how it was felt my way to push the material between the terminal and inside the heat shield the mud flap material I thought had the best chance against heat.
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Priming the fuel pump requires the key card to be inserted in the slot and the start button held for around 5 seconds. You should then hear the fuel pump prime and the steering unlock.
 
Thanks for your help so far guys.
I also forgot to mention that the daay before the car would not start I was accelerating up a hill and the car sort of misfired and power went very lumpy for a short time. I cruised the car for a mile or so and the problem seemed to go away. maybe unrelated again but thought i would mention it
 
Only be of advice I can give is charge the battery up or try and fit a new one and then get it plugged into a Genuine Renault Clip diagnostic tool to run for faults and check stuff.
 
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It sounds like the fuse box behind (shown above) the headlight is faulty it switches all the electrical systems it has been known to kill the fuel pump. Your manifold flexis are worn by corrosion but also the engine mounts failing allowing the engine and gearbox to twist and overworking the flexis so if you just got the car and plan to keep it make a list of stuff you can afford to do because with some forward thinking you can save a lot of labour by doing multiple jobs at the same time like the manifold repair dropping the cradle you can change the clutch, easily change anti roll bar bushes and link rods ball joints, track rod ends refresh the ball joints etc. and enjoy the car to it's full potential.
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I have the battery on charge now. I will try again in the morning and let you all know. I am going to check fuel pump whirring noise again to see if it primes. Otherwise I think I will get a new fuel pump fitted. I have also ordered a replacement TDC sensor as cleaning up the old one had no effect.
 
OK you charged the battery the starter turns the engine over so it's not the starter fuse then. So it is down to fuel and spark here is a list of the relays and fuses in the Protection & Switching unit from above.
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Now you need to tell us if the car is a cup (has a normal key) or keycard with a push button start and when you try to start it what the immobiliser light is doing like flashing fast, flashing slow or turned off etc and we will try to figure it out. For push button start certain events have to be seen by the car before it starts and the sensors for the flywheel etc this is when the Renault clip is great you can send the commands to for example turn the fuel pump on and off see if the keycard is working throttle pedal is connected stuff like that.
 
Fuel pump connector wiring if you want to give the pump 12V directly be careful the thinner wires are 5V for the fuel level if you put 12V down the wrong wires you will damage the level gauge sender. 2008 Clio 197

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Now you need to tell us if the car is a cup (has a normal key) or keycard with a push button start and when you try to start it what the immobiliser light is doing like flashing fast, flashing slow or turned off etc and we will try to figure it out. For push button start certain events have to be seen by the car before it starts and the sensors for the flywheel etc this is when the Renault clip is great you can send the commands to for example turn the fuel pump on and off see if the keycard is working throttle pedal is connected stuff like that.
The car has Keycard System. The immobiliser light flashes slow and when I try and start engine it was going solid red. I have been looking at those Clips online but am unsure which is the correct one to get? Could you send a link to one that would work for me please? Thanks :smile:
 
My new TDC sensor i ordered arrives in the post in the next few days. I will update my progress in the next couple of days once I have replaced that. I took the back seats out today and pulled the cover off the fuel pump to see if I could hear it better. When I was turning the car over you could not hear the fuel pump priming. I would have thought fuel pump failure was quite rare. fingers crossed anyway
 
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Just wanted to add I just tried to turn it over again to see if the rev counter moved at all and it does NOT.
Not sure if this will help diagnose the problem. Thanks
 
Only be of advice I can give is charge the battery up or try and fit a new one and then get it plugged into a Genuine Renault Clip diagnostic tool to run for faults and check stuff.
Do you have a link to one online that would be compatible? Or do they work for all Renault models? Thanks
 
Do you have a link to one online that would be compatible? Or do they work for all Renault models? Thanks

Normally on dealers will use a genuine Renault Can Clip diagnostic tool or a specialist renault garage.

You can buy them from Ebay but they are cheap Chinese copys and you need a laptop running windows.

All I can suggest if jumping over to Cliosport.net and asking who your closest renault specialist is as there will be more people over there that can help or maybe a user that has can clip and can help.
 
You could try and find a mobile mechanic or if you're sick of it, just sent it down to Chris at Beaniesport.
 
My money is on the fuel pump - If you can't hear it priming with the key card in and hold the start button for 5 seconds (until steering clicks to unlock) then your pump has died. Mine died just before 80k miles but I have read the same thing occur on cars on <50k.

Getting the pump out requires a fair bit of work (rear brake lines off, drop rear frame a tad and entire tank comes out etc), but i know you can buy replacement walbro in-tank pumps. I bought a second hand one original including the carrier for £25 and it's working perfect again.

Hope you get it sorted mate.