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Renault Clio 2 - Immobiliser Fault

81K views 28 replies 10 participants last post by  bikerman6972 
#1 ·
Hi,

Having an issue with my Clio Phase II

Car opens with central locking fob, but car just turns over without starting.

Immobiliser(?) light on top middle of dashlights is flashing.

Occasionally car will start, but not often

Anyone got any ideas?

Thanks.
 
#2 ·
HI Horace 11.
I am having the same prob. Am now at the stage where i have to take out and put back in after 10 secs fuse 21 (oragne 5 amp(?) in fuse box by passengar seat) EVERY time i drive the car!
It resets itself to not work as soon as the immobiliser re-engages, i.e I take key out of engine...so even when filling up at petrol station I am now having to do fuse 21 trick.
Not ideal!!
SO if ANYONE out there has any ideas on HOW to FIX the problem Please please let us know!
I have a horrible feeling this may be a trip to the dealers as i dont know any private renault garages in the south east-ESsex or Herts ideally??
 
#3 ·
Damp?

I've had similar problems over the past few weeks whilst the weather has been very wet. It usually takes a couple of attempts to start the car - on the first attempt the immobiliser light will flash rapidly and the engine will die. Sometimes I'll need to remove the key, sometimes just turning the ignition off and on again will solve the problem.

A couple of things you might want to check:
  • The earthing points in the car, but I reckon if it was a dodgy earth you'd have more problems than a temperamental immobiliser
  • Have a look under the bonnet and see if there's any conspicuously damp areas, say near wiring looms etc. A suitable water dispersant like WD-40 might help here.

These are the things I tried - I didn't have earthing issues so I just put it down to dampness. Hopefully someone more versed in the black art of auto-electrics will be able to shed some light on this for you.
 
#4 ·
Clio II Immobiliser

Hi, I'm new on here. Was searching to see if anyone had answer to my problem! I have the same problem with starting the engine as Horace11 and others.

This began 2 weeks ago. Sometimes the car will start and other times not. The engine turns over and the immobiliser light flashes.

I have called the AA out twice in the last fortnight, of course the car started perfectly both times for them. 1st man thought it might be the crank sensor and sprayed it with WD40. 2nd (this morning) was annoyed and suggested immobiliser but did nothing, as it started. Obviously I cant keep calling them out, but its getting so I cant rely on the car now.

Do you think this is a fault on Clios? or are we just unlucky.

I drive a Clio Grande 1999. 1149cc

Thanks
 
#5 ·
Have you checked the battery in the key fob? Sounds obvious, but it's the sort of thing that's often overlooked.

Also, check the circuit board inside the key to make sure it isn't cracked - this is the cause of my own immobiliser issues and has been fixed, temporarily, by putting a small piece of thin plastic under the key's PCB to stop it flexing as much when the central locking button is pressed. Despite their chunky looks, the Clio plip keys don't take kindly to being dropped, kicked etc.

If it turns out that your key does have a cracked circuit board, you'll need to get it replaced - that's not a cheap option as you'll need to go through a dealer but ring around as prices will vary (eg. one dealer quoted me £160, another quoted me £135)

The last-ditch scenario would be to get your immobiliser permanently overridden - this would still cost you about £90 but may well invalidate your insurance.
 
#7 ·
Hi Daisy123
yeah maybe try the key battery...but surely the door would not unlock if this was the problem?

I am still having probs with mine...starting issues, drives fine.
1st thought was battery...so got a new one. ok for a bit.
Then trouble starting again so joined here and got a new TDC sensor which my dad changed.
Still no joy.
I am sure it is the immobiliser as we have located fuse 21 and now every time i go to use car i am having to take out fuse 21 for 10 secs then put back and it starts fine.
Not ideal but ok (this has been going on for a month...i think time to bite the bullet and take to renault!).

Or get the immobiliser immobilised...can do this for about £100 i think.

Also having probs with airbag and service lights being on.
Bloody clios!!
Apart from that love it!:p
 
#8 ·
Clio immobiliser

Took the Clio to Renault today, they checked the key and said its fine. Put Clio on a diagnostic computer to look for fault and couldnt find one!!!!!!!! Of course it behaved itself, they said they checked it several times during the day to see if it failed and it never!
One engineer thought it may be the TDC (Like Hayleyt) but was reluctant to do it in case it wasnt and then other work had to be done.
They could only suggest that I bring it in when it is next happening (Doh! I pointed out that if it was happening then I couldn't drive it the 8 miles to Renaults)

That was all they could suggest, didn't even charge me for the diagnostics, which he said was usually £80. but hasn't solved the problem. Other than calling out the AA again

Just a thought, if we are all having the same problem surely its the Clios that are at fault?
 
#9 ·
hi, I,m new on here but looks like a lot of people are having the same immobiliser probs as us!! it can take upto half hour to start our clio, the immobiliser light continually flashing. have taken it to renault and they said it needs new key but have to wait 5-10 days for it to come! my question is when you say you take out fuse 21 how do you do it? meaning is the key in the ignition (if so in what position?) as i tried it today but with no luck any help greatly appreciated
 
#10 ·
Hi Poohbear
When i take fuse 21 out I usually have the key out, but it dosent make much difference...the interior light goes out and sometimes the mileage counter will reset to zero.
I have also ordered a new key (eventually) and i'm hoping it may solve the problem but possibly mine is a worse immobiliser prob and the garage are just clutching at straws as they have no f-ing clue!
Hope it works for you.
I sometimes find revving it a bit or taking key out and locking and unlocking doors a couple times may start it too.
 
#12 ·
new key-same problem!!

So i have a new car key fob from renault...still same problem. i just dont understand what can be wrong anymore!
There are no engine management lights up, nothing, it just takes a while to start...sometimes by revving it, sometimes take key out and lock and unlock a few times...sometimes haveing to resort to taking fuse 21 out.
Renault are stumped (2 x diagnostic tests at £70, plus 2 diagnostic tests at a friends garage). I am stumped.
PLEASE SOMEONE HELP ME!

:confused: :mad: :steam:
 
#13 ·
dont know whether its any help but i read on another thread that when you put key in ignition press the remote button as youre turning the key and it stops immobiliser light flashing so it can start, it workd on ours, (which can take half an hour to get started normally) have you had the coil thingy checkd in the ignition column? sorry if this not much help i just thought i'd mention it, unfortunately its just grasping at straws !!
 
#15 ·
havent got new key yet!! think it must be coming by row boat!! lol! thats why i have been reading all different forums to try and find how other people are dealing with it as it seems very common fault. I dont quite now what the coil is myself i just know its in the column and if it isnt the key at fault 9 times out of ten its that as it disingage the immobilisor. but pressing the remote on the key as we turn it in the ignition has workd well for us today, its just getting the hang of turning key and pressing button at exactly the same time hope it works for you to
 
#17 ·
Hi Poohbear, my key took nearly 3 weeks (when they said would only be 7-10 days!!) and as i said it doesnt work anyway...may attempt to take it back later as havent even taken it out of the packet(only a fob so just held it near ignition barrell like they said-nowt!)
I have tried the pressing button while turning nand i think it worked once...is very hard to do at correct time and as my car is so temperamental i'm not sure if it just happened to work on its own that time!
 
#18 ·
Any solution yet?

Is there any solution to this problem yet?

I have been having exactly the same problem on my clio for months now. I have had the keys read by an independent auto-locksmith who has worked for renault before, and he assures me that there is nothing wrong with the key circuitry. He said that clios are prone to short issues, so he greased the negative connector and said that might help, but it hasn't had any lasting effect.

I took it to renault, who changed the battery in the fob, which improved things for a while, but not much.

I find that pressing the button a few times before trying it in the ignition works most of the time when trying to get the car to start. The immobiliser will also disarm every time if I take the circuit out of the key and touch that against the immobiliser ring whilst turning the key blade at the same time.

I have one addition to make. In my clio, it can take several attempts to unlock the clio with the button from outside, and I have to be very close to the car in order to do so. HOWEVER; when I have just got out of the car, it locks every time. Does this sound familiar to anybody? As I say- the key has brand new batteries in it and sometimes it can take up to 10 presses of the key to get the car to register it.

In any event, I have the car booked in for Tuesday at Renault in Sutton Park (Who have been very professional in comparison to a dealer in London who I previously saw) so will post the results of that diag. A lady said it might be the case that the key and car have fallen out of sync with eachother, and need resyncing. I hope that's bloody cheaper than new keys!

If anybody has any information which might save me spending my student £££, please forward it on before then.

Stuart
 
#19 ·
Is there any solution to this problem yet?
Yeah - a new key fixed it for me :crazy:

As I mentioned in a previous post, you could check the various earthing points around the car but if it *is* a dodgy earth you'd be seeing other things than a temperamental immobiliser (eg. random dashboard lights coming on at inopportune times etc.)

As for resyncing the keys, it is necessary for a new key to be sync'd to the car's immobiliser, or at least it was in my case, but it seems rather unlikely that a key could fall in and out of sync at random. Even so, you're probably looking at half an hours labour costs for the resyncing process alone (£28 at the dealer I went to, new key plip and blade was another £100+)
 
#21 · (Edited by Moderator)
I dont know were this came from or if it works but here it is
try at your own risk.



***********************************************
I don't think that we should be posting instructions to bypass/disable immobiliser systems on a public forum.
**********************************************
 
#23 ·
Solution (ish)

I've been given a new key. It works every time in the lock.
No explanation of why both keys stopped working. I was powerless to do anything other than pay the £135.

Plip still only works if im standing on top of the car though... I'm told this is just the way the car is... hmm.
 
#27 ·
Yup.
My 'old' key still works (has a little chip of plastic stuffed in there to brace the PCB and stop it flexing) but has long been relegated to emergency spare - it still works, but you need to be very patient with it!

I figured that when it took some unfortunate MOT technician nearly 10 minutes to start the car because the immobiliser was sulking it was time to bite the bullet and spend the cash.

Other than spending outrageous amounts of cash, the other downside of this is that the parts usually have to be ordered from Renault in France - the dealers quoted 7-10 days but it actually took nearly 6 weeks :eek: If you're ordering a new key, be prepared to wait. And wait. And wait :)
 
#28 ·
Hi I'm having a similar problem to everyone else it seems. I bought my clio a year ago and at first immobiliser worked fine and so did the central locking. About an hour after buying it I filled it up with petrol but then couldn't unlock the doors with the fob so had to use the key manually. This carried on so I changed the battery in the key the next day - the central locking was working again but the immobiliser problems started. I would have to turn the key several times before the light would stop flashing and the car would start. I eventually worked out that by holding down the button on the fob whilst in the ignition, the car would start almost fine every time. Recently, this hasn't been working so well and seems to be much more hit and miss, leading to some embarrassing situations! I also dropped the key, and the locking has permanently stopped working, so guessing I've damaged the key somehow but car will still start as and when it wants to, as before. Also, the immobiliser is much more difficult to disable after filling with petrol, which doesn't seem to make any sense to me but is a recurring problem.

Do I need a new key? Renault quoted ~£170 for key and resyncing, but am worried to spend all that if it won't make any difference to the car starting. It's really starting to annoy me now, but don't know how I can sell it either because who's going to buy a car that only starts when it wants to!

Thanks for help.
 
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