Scenic RX4 - won't start & loss of clutch pedal

markie76 · Unread post by **markie76** » 04 Jul 2008, 11:21

Hi,

My cousin has a 2005 2.0 diesel Renault Scenic RX4 which is not running due to;

1. Immobiliser not turning off.

A few weeks ago when he returned to the car it refused to start(turned over ok). A few 'mehanics' have looked at it and have stated the immobiliser isn't switching off and enabling the fuel circuit. He has removed the ECU/immobiliser and had it looked at - the initial feedback was that they can deactivate the imobiliser (enable the fuel permenantly) at a cost of £160+vat - but as its a diesel there are no guarantees that it will work. They state if it was a petrol then their method works flawlessly.

2. Loss of clutch pedal.

When driving at motorway speeds after a period of time he looses the clutch pedal and cannot change gear. He says the pedal goes soft and does nothing when depressed. When the car is parked up for a couple of hours the clutch pedal works as normal.

Can anyone offer any advice? He can't afford to part with £800 for Renault to fit & program a new ECU/immobiliser unit.

From internet searches I understand the Megane immobiliser has a history of playing up?
Does this also apply to an RX4?
Is is it true a diesel Scenic RX4 immobiliser is more complex than the petrol version?

Don't know if its worth mentioning that when he bought the car it only came with one key. He went to Renault to get a spare and they sold him one and programmed it for £200. However, this spare key has never been used to date.

Thanks in advance,

Mark

syncrosimon · Unread post by **syncrosimon** » 08 Jul 2008, 09:25

I had the same problem with the immobiliser on my Kangoo 4x4. I have had a new key, and a re-programme, and it has worked ok since then. I am now starting to get the same symptoms with the remaining original key. You try to start up, and she turns over, but wont fire up. If you look at the immobiliser light that flashes when ignition off, if she is gonna fire up then the light will be out, if it is flashing (usually at a higher rate) then the engine will not fire up.

Renault tell me this is the transponder in the key, which is read by a circular receiver atound the ignition switch, if the car does not read the key properly then it will not fire up.

I have found that locking and re locking often cures the problem. It does not do it on the new key.

It is dangerous to have only one key, as they are special order only, and take 5 working days to arrive from bliddy France, this can leave you stranded for a long time and could be inconvenient on holiday.

With regards to the clutch pedal, again on my Kangoo if you thrash the living daylights out of it, raises the gearbox oil temp, and the hydraulic coupling thing oil temp, which is monitored by a small frenchman in the ecu, who then blows the whistle and disengages drive. I was playing enthusiasticly in the snow a couple of years ago, and she just stopped dead. No drive, no gears, no clutch, nothing, it was like the French walk out at the EU over the English language, no body was home. The AA came out and by that time it had cooled down enough for play to resume.
I have no idea if the RX4 system is the same, but that could be it.

What I have found is that no Renault dealer in the UK has any idea over problem solving on these 4x4 vehicles, and I invariably know more about them.

Simon.

markie76 · Unread post by **markie76** » 10 Jul 2008, 15:10

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the reply.

I'm going to see my cousin on Saturday and will try to diagnose the immobiliser problem further.

I'll tell him to stay below 50mph as not to upset the frenchman in the ecu! (if we get it working again)

At least your ecu frenchman doesn't dump a box of tomatos or litre of hydraulic oil into the footwell aswell as cutting off drive!

Thanks,

Mark.