[adeh61]

Hi All,
I have just bought a 2004 Clio 1.2 Dynamique 16v. After 3 days I have noticed the car will not start when driven and left for 4 or 5 minutes I have to leave it until it is cold. When driving the car it feals and drives really well, Starts easily when cold and also re-starts when warm if switched off and on again after a few seconds. I have read the forum and replaced the TDC sensor but this has not made any difference as this is a warm start problem I was hoping someone would have a recommendation of what to look for next. The Stop light on the dash lights up along with the electronic fault light and the exhaust warning light when starting warm but they go out when starting from cold apart from the exhaust light which sometimes comes on.

Thanks in advance

 

[adeh61]

The mechanic came out and said the scanner was picking up a throttle position fault but was sure that this could be cured by cleaning the throttle body. Although I have changed the TDC sensor he recommends that I also replace the wire and plug to the sensor. I will do this on Monday so hopefully the starting problems will be cured.

TDC

TDC

In a piston engine, top dead centre (TDC) is used to determine the position of a piston in which it is further from the crankshaft. This is used to determine when to generate a spark. Many Renault models appear to experience problems with the TDC sensor, but it is a simple and inexpensive part to replace.

Throttle Body

Throttle Body

In a fuel injection engine, the throttle body is the part of the air intake system that controls the amount of air flowing into the engine, in response to driver input. While the accelerator is often called a "gas pedal", it would be more accurate to describe it as an "air pedal".

The throttle body is usually located between the air filter box and the intake manifold, and usually attached to, or near, the mass airflow sensor.

The largest piece inside the throttle body is the throttle plate, which is a butterfly valve that regulates the airflow.

 

[davesss]

I doubt it's a TDC sensor problem because a faulty one does not show any lights up on the dash.

 

[adeh61]

The mechanic said a TDC fault does not show up but is the most common sarting problem so with the new lead we hopefully will eliminate that and then move on to the other faults.

 

[adeh61]

When I bought the car I noticed the fuse box cover was loose so today I took the cover off when the car was warm and would not start and proded the relays at the front and the car started. I took out the relays and one was very clean and 2 had a small amount of corrosion on them I cleaned them up and replaced them. The car started when warm and the fault lights went out. I then left the car, but when I returned it would not start, I proded the relays again and it started up again but as soon as I released any pressure from the relays the car stalled. I managed to push the relays to allow it to start again and it has started first time when I've tried it throughout the day but the fault lights have come back on. The relays seem to be clicking but I'm worried the starting fault will return. I am getting the throttle body cleaned this weekend so that will hopefully help. I will also get the new lead for the TDC fitted at the same time.

 

[Ralph]

Got to be worth changing the relays and spraying a bit of contact cleaner or WD40 round the contacts

 

[adeh61]

Thanks Ralph, I wasn't sure about putting WD40 on them but I will try it. I've driven the car this morning and restarted it about half an hour later first time. I was wondering if it was damp before because as the weather has got better so has the starting. The fault lights are still on though.

 

[adeh61]

Took out the relays sprayed the contacts with a bit of wd40 and re-fitted them. I started the car first time all the warning lights were out and the car has been running perfectly for the last few weeks. Hope this is the end of the starting problems and they don't return in wet weather.