Hi,
Have 1998 Scenic 1.9dti with IR remote immobiliser. Sometimes the immobiliser won't respond to remote and takes a few tries (remote presses) before immobiliser light goes out and it can be started. The doors and interior lights lock/unlock/work as normal with each remote click, so the remote seems to be working and the car is recognising the signal. Just not resetting the immobiliser. The strange thing is, when the car does start it has reset the clock and trip odometer and the radio key-code has to be re-entered.
Every now and then when returning to car it is 'dead' to remote unlocking - no door unlocking/locking or sign that the remote is doing anything. If you open the door with key it will eventually allow the remote to disable the immobiliser after turning the ignition key a few times and/or clicking the remote a bunch of times.
These effects happen at 'random' in different locations so I don't think it's IR interference(?)
I don't have a spare keyfob to try (£150 each!) but will get one if needed. I'll get a new battery for existing one, but I don't think the remote is the problem.
Anyone had a similar experience with megane/scenic? I just know a dealer will fail to find this intermittent fault, but it's going to strand me or my wife at some point miles from anywhere...
Any advice much appreciated.
Ta!
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Som
The resetting clock, and radio needing the security code, point to the main car battery dropping to a very low voltage (perhaps just for a short period) and causing these items to behave as though disconected. Normally this is the sign of a battery on its last legs and usually occurs when the car is started and the starter takes its large current and cranks slowly. You don't mention starting troubles so I guess that's not the problem. I doubt the problem lies with the remotes. It seems more likely there's a fault on the central locking which is pulling a big current and momentarily dropping the battery volts down, and on some occasions pulling it low enough to stop the central locking operating. It may just be that the battery is failing. Has the car had starting problems?
Regards
John S
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Hi John,
Starting is 100% fine once the immobiliser is cleared. Starts pretty much first turn and doesn't seem as if battery is weak. No idea how old it is though.
I had the problem today and thought it was AA time when car seemed totally dead with no response to the remote. Turned the ignition key a few times and nothing at all, not even trying to turn over. About the forth time it suddenly started and ran fine, but with the red dash warning light flashing away as if the immobiliser was still armed. Drove home like that no problem. Since then the car has been used again with no problems at all (immobiliser etc working correctly).
Renault electrics!?
Cheers,
Simon
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Som,
A couple of ideas for you - we twice had similar immmobiliser problems on a '97 Clio.
On the first occassion, with zero response to the remote, the fault was diagnosed as a bad connection in a set of immobiliser wires in a shared white plastic connector under bonnet, apparently the connector had worked loose.
The second episode, we had intermittent remote response. I
eventually spotted a tiny leak at the front edge of the sunroof - rain water had seeped into the immob's IR receiver PCB housing. Popped it out, dried off, good as new. Until it rained again.
Good luck,
Ed.
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Som
As it's a '99, I guess the battery is original. However, the clock and radio resets are a sure sign that the battery volts are dropping right down. Combined with this problem of no response at all to the ignition key, it makes me even more convinced this is a main battery problem and not an immobiliser problem. At 4 years old, the battery itself could be the problem. Modern cars will start even when the battery capacity is right down. However, first I'd check the battery connections. Remove and clean these, including the point where the battery earth is fixed to the body. Also see if there's an earth from the engine block to the body, and do the same to this.
Regards
John S
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Yep, you were right, John!
The main battery + terminal was loose. I should have checked earlier I know, but it is buried under the driver's seat in Scenics... At least it can go in the archives for other owners with really bizarre electrical gremlins. I mean, the car must have done 2000-odd miles with this loose connector - the 'immobiliser' problem has been cropping up for months. Not a hint of a problem once the engine was running. I think the process of bouncing up and down on the drivers seat in frustration when it wouldn't start was reconnecting the terminal.
Thanks very much everyone for your help.
Happy new year!
Simon
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Simon
Excellent! Glad to have been able to help.
Regards
John S
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I agree with John S.What happens when battery level drops it is incapable of powering all circuit`s.As soon as you operate the starter motor.What little power it has is concentrated on the starter motor starving the Radio clock ec`t of any power at all.To them it is like disconnecting power supply.So would go for Battery
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Glad you got it sorted. I have a 1998 Scenic and can confirm for future reference, that if the immobiliser is not cancelled, the starter will still turn the engine over, it just will not start. Just seen this thread for the first time, so knew that it wasn't an immobiliser problem.
Happy 2004.
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Just stumbled on this thread, My laguna imobilser light came on once when driving..............the car still drove, and drove me back home again....only did it once worked fine ever since (touch wood) my mate had a ford Ka though and the Iommbilzer kicked in @ 70mph down a busy motorway, he pulled over restarted and drove away..... i dread the day that is going to happen to me
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1983 (A) Vauxhall Astra 1.3L
1993 (K) Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0i GLS
1999 (T) Renault Laguna 1.6
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