Discussion
Afternoon all
I'm here to see if any of you knowledgeable folks have any snippets of wisdom for me.
I've been having a few issues with warning lights on the other half's clio as of late. It's a 2005 1.2 16v if that makes any difference. I've took it to a couple of places to tell me theres no fault but the lights keep coming back. I've seen a couple of engine management lights and a couple of air bag lights along with the temp gauge looking a little cold at times. I cant really keep paying to get it plugged in to be told nothing.
Does anybody have any advice or experience with the same sort of problem? Or could any of you recommend a decent auto electrician in the Walsall or Birmingham area?
P.s. I'm fully expecting a bit of stick for having a Clio with the case of the French.
I'm here to see if any of you knowledgeable folks have any snippets of wisdom for me.
I've been having a few issues with warning lights on the other half's clio as of late. It's a 2005 1.2 16v if that makes any difference. I've took it to a couple of places to tell me theres no fault but the lights keep coming back. I've seen a couple of engine management lights and a couple of air bag lights along with the temp gauge looking a little cold at times. I cant really keep paying to get it plugged in to be told nothing.
Does anybody have any advice or experience with the same sort of problem? Or could any of you recommend a decent auto electrician in the Walsall or Birmingham area?
P.s. I'm fully expecting a bit of stick for having a Clio with the case of the French.
Can't help specifically with your car, but generally I have had experience with French cars in the past (I somehow keep getting girlfriends with Peugeots and Citroens...go figure...)
My experience is that the electrical systems on French cars, especially the more complex ones (Lagunas for example) is that the electrics are not the best at all.
Sensors go west quite often, but mainly I find that if there is an electrical fault that is difficult to diagnose, it's often a multiplug connector somewhere giving trouble. They don't seem to be terribly well waterproofed, and moisture gets in and creates havoc.
For example - the last bit of fun I had with a Peugeot was the rad fans cutting in and out and coming on at odd times. Of course, like you, the plug-in diagnostics didn't reveal a fault. However, after a bit of faffing and fault-finding I found a large multiplug connector behind the bumper which had moisture inside it. When I disconnected it, all the contacts inside were corroded to buggery.
Unless you're any good at electrics (especially if your car runs a CANBUS system) then as you say, instead of getting dealers to keep plugging in a diagnostic tool, you really do need to find a decent local auto electrician.
When I have had electrical faults that have stumped me, these guys are normally like gods and find the fault pretty damn quickly...and it's often in a place that you would have never expected!
Good luck anyway, and let us know how you get on
My experience is that the electrical systems on French cars, especially the more complex ones (Lagunas for example) is that the electrics are not the best at all.
Sensors go west quite often, but mainly I find that if there is an electrical fault that is difficult to diagnose, it's often a multiplug connector somewhere giving trouble. They don't seem to be terribly well waterproofed, and moisture gets in and creates havoc.
For example - the last bit of fun I had with a Peugeot was the rad fans cutting in and out and coming on at odd times. Of course, like you, the plug-in diagnostics didn't reveal a fault. However, after a bit of faffing and fault-finding I found a large multiplug connector behind the bumper which had moisture inside it. When I disconnected it, all the contacts inside were corroded to buggery.
Unless you're any good at electrics (especially if your car runs a CANBUS system) then as you say, instead of getting dealers to keep plugging in a diagnostic tool, you really do need to find a decent local auto electrician.
When I have had electrical faults that have stumped me, these guys are normally like gods and find the fault pretty damn quickly...and it's often in a place that you would have never expected!
Good luck anyway, and let us know how you get on
Have you got side air bags in your seats? If so, it will be the cables under the seat moving about that brings the air bag light up.. annoying but the cables are just crap.
Only engine management lights I've had in my clios/megane are when the coils/coil packs or spark plugs are on the way out or dead.
Hope this helps
Only engine management lights I've had in my clios/megane are when the coils/coil packs or spark plugs are on the way out or dead.
Hope this helps
To be honest, for the amount I've forked out in having codes read, I may as well have just picked up a cheap code reader.
I'll do some hunting for a decent auto electrician and hopefully the rain will hold off over the weekend so I can have a proper poke around whilst its light to see if anything jumps out at me.
I'll do some hunting for a decent auto electrician and hopefully the rain will hold off over the weekend so I can have a proper poke around whilst its light to see if anything jumps out at me.
J8 SVG said:
Have you got side air bags in your seats? If so, it will be the cables under the seat moving about that brings the air bag light up.. annoying but the cables are just crap.
Only engine management lights I've had in my clios/megane are when the coils/coil packs or spark plugs are on the way out or dead.
Hope this helps
I've already wiggled the cables under the seats. It don't really help that theres a bit of a height difference between my girlfriend and myself so the seats all over the place. No matter what I did with them the problem wouldn't go away. Only engine management lights I've had in my clios/megane are when the coils/coil packs or spark plugs are on the way out or dead.
Hope this helps
Yes coil packs could be a problem but that would produce a random misfire code would it not?
megatron said:
J8 SVG said:
Have you got side air bags in your seats? If so, it will be the cables under the seat moving about that brings the air bag light up.. annoying but the cables are just crap.
Only engine management lights I've had in my clios/megane are when the coils/coil packs or spark plugs are on the way out or dead.
Hope this helps
I've already wiggled the cables under the seats. It don't really help that theres a bit of a height difference between my girlfriend and myself so the seats all over the place. No matter what I did with them the problem wouldn't go away. Only engine management lights I've had in my clios/megane are when the coils/coil packs or spark plugs are on the way out or dead.
Hope this helps
Yes coil packs could be a problem but that would produce a random misfire code would it not?
The airbag light, as already mentioned, is normally the under seat wiring. Give the connections a squeeze (for want of a better word) and it may go out. There is a cure to stop this, involving removing connectors and soldering.
As for the engine light, if there is no change in how the car drives, (not going into limp mode etc) it may be an oxygen sensor. Should flag up on the diagnostic though.
If I remember correctly, there may have been an issue with wiring chaffing somewhere between the ecu or battery and the bulk head.
HTH
As for the engine light, if there is no change in how the car drives, (not going into limp mode etc) it may be an oxygen sensor. Should flag up on the diagnostic though.
If I remember correctly, there may have been an issue with wiring chaffing somewhere between the ecu or battery and the bulk head.
HTH
If I remember correctly there is a metal box at the back of the engine that cause the wires to rub. Remove box and all is ok.
I'll see if I can find a pic.
edit: http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?4815...
I'll see if I can find a pic.
edit: http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?4815...
Edited by ZiggyNiva on Thursday 9th January 16:28
Airbag light as has been said is probably the plug under the passenger seat. If you have the orange engine management light coming on plus others it may be a bad earth on the back lights, check how the brake lights and indicators work at the same time plus on mine the fog lamp tell tale partially illuminated when the brake was pressed.
ZiggyNiva said:
If I remember correctly there is a metal box at the back of the engine that cause the wires to rub. Remove box and all is ok.
I'll see if I can find a pic.
edit: http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?4815...
I was about to post this, I had a MK3 Clio with this exact problem. The wires were slowly eaten through and all sorts of electrical tomfoolery went on. In the end the car got stranded in limp mode and I had to have the wiring repaired and the box removed.I'll see if I can find a pic.
edit: http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?4815...
Edited by ZiggyNiva on Thursday 9th January 16:28
It looks like I've got a little bit of digging to do over the weekend.
Thanks for showing me how to find codes from the ignition. It should work on hers as it has a trip computer.
Hopefully the code reader will turn up by Saturday.
It's such a shame these things have such fragile electrics as they aren't bad little cars.
Thanks for showing me how to find codes from the ignition. It should work on hers as it has a trip computer.
Hopefully the code reader will turn up by Saturday.
It's such a shame these things have such fragile electrics as they aren't bad little cars.
Just a quick update on the ever growing list of problems facing my other half's Clio. Today was a pretty costly day and also a bloody long day for myself.
First thing this morning, I tried to start the car to drop it into the garage. In the lovely cold morning the car decided against starting. It took a few minutes to jump the thing as my other half decided to leave the hand brake on as I gave it a quick drag up the road with my car.
I chucked the car into a local auto electrician. Turns out he was a pretty decent bloke. He had the car for a few hours, did some tinkering and called me back saying that there was "s
te in all of the gutters and rain water was pissing into all the fuses". So you know, it could have been worse. I gave him a few quid and off we went. Turns out she failed to mention all the water dripping from the headlining. I might add that I've only seen the car in the pitch black since the trouble started happening.
I then decided it would be wise to get the original battery changed to a nice shiny new one. £40odd quid later there's a nice new battery. But oh wait, the cars handbook hasn't got the radio code in it.......bks!
After that I decided that because the cars clearly not going to get any maintenance from anyone other than myself I'd go out and get a quick oil change. Another £40 later, nice new oil and a car that's running a lot better.
Now tomorrows plan is probably more shouting and trying to get the headlining clean and dry. Also I need to dig out a set of radio keys in hope that the codes on the radio itself. If not It looks like I've got another little bit of expenditure.
In other good news my code reader turned up today, cant say the quality is all there for a tenner but if it does the trick it'll pay for itself in one usage.
All in all I'm a little relieved that it's probably just a bit of poor maintenance and a severe case of the French causing all the problems. Now I'm hoping that the dash no longer feels the need to do its best Christmas tree impression every bloody morning and with a watchful eye the thing should remain in ok shape.
I'll keep you all posted once the thing dries out.
First thing this morning, I tried to start the car to drop it into the garage. In the lovely cold morning the car decided against starting. It took a few minutes to jump the thing as my other half decided to leave the hand brake on as I gave it a quick drag up the road with my car.
I chucked the car into a local auto electrician. Turns out he was a pretty decent bloke. He had the car for a few hours, did some tinkering and called me back saying that there was "s
te in all of the gutters and rain water was pissing into all the fuses". So you know, it could have been worse. I gave him a few quid and off we went. Turns out she failed to mention all the water dripping from the headlining. I might add that I've only seen the car in the pitch black since the trouble started happening. I then decided it would be wise to get the original battery changed to a nice shiny new one. £40odd quid later there's a nice new battery. But oh wait, the cars handbook hasn't got the radio code in it.......b
ks!After that I decided that because the cars clearly not going to get any maintenance from anyone other than myself I'd go out and get a quick oil change. Another £40 later, nice new oil and a car that's running a lot better.
Now tomorrows plan is probably more shouting and trying to get the headlining clean and dry. Also I need to dig out a set of radio keys in hope that the codes on the radio itself. If not It looks like I've got another little bit of expenditure.
In other good news my code reader turned up today, cant say the quality is all there for a tenner but if it does the trick it'll pay for itself in one usage.
All in all I'm a little relieved that it's probably just a bit of poor maintenance and a severe case of the French causing all the problems. Now I'm hoping that the dash no longer feels the need to do its best Christmas tree impression every bloody morning and with a watchful eye the thing should remain in ok shape.
I'll keep you all posted once the thing dries out.
Edited by megatron on Saturday 11th January 18:01
megatron said:
I gave him a few quid and off we went. Turns out she failed to mention all the water dripping from the headlining. I might add that I've only seen the car in the pitch black since the trouble started happening.
I'll keep you all posted once the thing dries out.
It has a sunroof then, the only way It'll dry out is to export it to Australia or take the entire sunroof out and reseal it.I'll keep you all posted once the thing dries out.
jagracer said:
It has a sunroof then, the only way It'll dry out is to export it to Australia or take the entire sunroof out and reseal it.
I've heard Clio sunroofs aren't the best. Luckily it's only a manual one so It won't be a big job to re seal. Apparently it wasn't the sunroof, more a build up of gunk causing a leak. The water damage is right in the corner near the A pillar. We can only wait and see. But for now we have a functional, albeit slightly damp and radio less clio.
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