Renault Clip scanner needed for 2003 Scenic and 2015 Clio problems

[jaahn]

Hmm thanks. I will look at the TDC sensor, cleaning and wiring. I had in my mind that the auto had a different TDC set up to a manual(huh?) so never checked that properly before. And i did fix the initial immediate problem last year by changing the auto selector switch. But probably there were two problems confusing the issue. But after i fixed the first, the second has now developed a bit more.
I just have to dig down to the sensor area. Bloody hell how many hoses and other crap are there down there in the way.
I will get on to it soon as I have been busy on other irritations with cars.

 

[AlexB]

@jaahn @Peter Parle
I'm curious which suffix engine you guys have, can you see what the markings 1 to 4 are on the ID plate behind dipstick tube?

 

[AlexB]

Hi Jaahn
I have a 2001 Renault Scenic RX4 with 256000 km and occasionally have difficulty starting. I have traced the problem to a dirty Top Dead Sensor. Removing it and cleaning it solves the problem. Usually I have to repeat this every 6 months. It seems too simple a solution to your complex problem but it may help. Good luck. Peter

Sounds like you may have the original TDC sensor and connector with poor contacts.
Attached is the Technical note for the new style connectors to go with new style TDC/crank angle sensor.

 

[jaahn]

Alex this is my engine information. As best I could see and interpret the symbols which were directly engraved on the block. The * is actually a diamond mark like a renault logo', Not an easy place to access for sighting.
FR4. E. 747 , C * 2 * 33 * , D468318(?)19 Renault FDP
The rego papers show the engine number as : F4RE747C020330. NO CONFUSION THERE when they recorded the information when new !!
I might get onto that job shortly.

 

[jaahn]

Quick update. Yesterday the car did start after a longish crank. I moved it OK and then left it running to recharge. The idle was a bit uncertain and it stumbled a bit, never did that before ! As you may note I have moved on from thinking an immobiliser fault and to the TDC sensor. I knew about this a likely problem before so not sure why I took so long ??
So I have removed the crankshaft sensor. It looks clean and newish. BUT the wires to it have two pairs of the self solder joiners in series. So there has been two new sensors fitted before and they never removed the previous joiners when the second one was fitted. So I will cut them all off and do a normal good solder join on the two wires and use shrink tube to protect them. It will be a bit ackward due to the location and shortish wire from the harness but do-able.
I removed the air filter and the battery to get access. Then tied the confusion of coolant hoses off to the side with a couple of cords to enable some clear viewing and working space. The sensor is then visible as are the two holding bolts to remove. Just a fiddly job.
Fingers crossed. Raining today
Thanks to Alex who has sent me some Renault factory information Technical Data sheets, as he has also put here, and some PM ideas and encouragement.
I will probably also check the spark coils inside for flash over and clean and silicon grease them as recommended in another Factory sheet.
Jaahn

 

[vivid]

Mine has developed a bit of a 'stutter' but I'll guarantee its the last of the 'shitty' coils failing and will replace 2 with known good I think it'll sort it.

Coils are likely candidate for your stutter imo, but could be the TDC sensor. Just doesn't sound like a loose wire.

 

[jaahn]

Hopefully this is the end report on this problem.
I looked at the crankshaft sensor (TDC), removed it and discovered it looked like a new one and was clean and shiny. But the wires to it had two pairs of the genuine self soldering splices in series where obviously two new sensors had been fitted over the years. So i cut them all out and just soldered the wires directly together, used some heatshrink tube to protect them and zip ties to support them from waving about. A bitch of a job down there in the bowels of the engine room for an old fella but not technically difficult.As described above.

The second problem of the uncertain idle and a bit of missing was water in the spark plug tubes. A usual problem. So I pulled out the coils and plugs. The tubes are carefully positioned just under the scuttle panel so you cannot see directly down them But I cleaned them and dried them and also the coil tubes. Then a new set of plugs and i applied silicon dialetric grease on the plug ceramic tops and inside the coil tube ends as recommended by Renault (and as I have done to other engines also). Purring like a kitten. I will put the plastic engine cover back on when i discover where I put it for safe storage ??

If I had a scanner that would read the Renault port I would have been given the correct code much earlier and saved quite a bit of time and worry. In the end it was not the immobiliser as I had thought. You can spend too much time looking for similar faults on forums and get side tracked. Thanks again for the help here from the Renault warriors and the Factory Technical sheets and suggestion from Alex in particular.
The car is starting 100% and driving 100%. Indeed I do not think it has gone so well since I bought it. It is smooth and pulls well and the ride is comfortable too. I have done all the belts, filters and transmission oil changed. I think I intend to sell it now actually as I do not have a need for it any more, having bought a new car and one less driver in the family now too unfortunately.
Jaahn

 

[vivid]

Hopefully this is the end report on this problem.
I looked at the crankshaft sensor (TDC), removed it and discovered it looked like a new one and was clean and shiny. But the wires to it had two pairs of the genuine self soldering splices in series where obviously two new sensors had been fitted over the years. So i cut them all out and just soldered the wires directly together, used some heatshrink tube to protect them and zip ties to support them from waving about. A bitch of a job down there in the bowels of the engine room for an old fella but not technically difficult.As described above.

The second problem of the uncertain idle and a bit of missing was water in the spark plug tubes. A usual problem. So I pulled out the coils and plugs. The tubes are carefully positioned just under the scuttle panel so you cannot see directly down them But I cleaned them and dried them and also the coil tubes. Then a new set of plugs and i applied silicon dialetric grease on the plug ceramic tops and inside the coil tube ends as recommended by Renault (and as I have done to other engines also). Purring like a kitten. I will put the plastic engine cover back on when i discover where I put it for safe storage ??

I don't even know where I put my cover, but I don't use it anymore. I found it was more trouble than it's worth if you can stop the water ingress. Usually blocked pipes in the skuttle?

If I had a scanner that would read the Renault port I would have been given the correct code much earlier and saved quite a bit of time and worry. In the end it was not the immobiliser as I had thought. You can spend too much time looking for similar faults on forums and get side tracked. Thanks again for the help here from the Renault warriors and the Factory Technical sheets and suggestion from Alex in particular.
The car is starting 100% and driving 100%. Indeed I do not think it has gone so well since I bought it. It is smooth and pulls well and the ride is comfortable too. I have done all the belts, filters and transmission oil changed. I think I intend to sell it now actually as I do not have a need for it any more, having bought a new car and one less driver in the family now too unfortunately.
Jaahn

Apologies about the CAN Jaahn,

I've acutally had no luck getting the software right for that CAN on the 2000s Renaults yet anyway, but I plan on giving it another go later today. In the meantime I've ordered some CAN chips to start hacking and additional diagnostics, I think many model specific codes can be found online to decipher them... starting here: https://github.com/dirksan28/Scenic2DashCanEmu

 

[jaahn]

I don't even know where I put my cover, but I don't use it anymore. I found it was more trouble than it's worth if you can stop the water ingress. Usually blocked pipes in the skuttle?



Apologies about the CAN Jaahn,

I've acutally had no luck getting the software right for that CAN on the 2000s Renaults yet anyway, but I plan on giving it another go later today. In the meantime I've ordered some CAN chips to start hacking and additional diagnostics, I think many model specific codes can be found online to decipher them... starting here: https://github.com/dirksan28/Scenic2DashCanEmu

View attachment 240550

Vivid that CAN software mucking about is beyond my pay grade No apology necessary thanks. I guess what I was thinking re the scanner, is when the initial problem showed up i would normally put a scanner on the port and get some code or codes which points you in a direction. Even cheap scanners help but with this car nothing worked on the port and my wife was ill so that was the priority. She has I regret to say now passed away !

So i just guessed and researched but it was a bit random and led me up the garden path a'ways. My old French Car scanner was stolen some time back so I have not bothered to get a good one again. and to be honest I am sick of lugging a laptop out and using shit old clunky software, must be getting old and cranky.

But I have a good result now, and have found the plastic engine cover, so will refit that for a clean appearance. Just on the note about the water problem. It has been very wet a couple of times here this year with serious rainfall, and I have trees to shed leaves and clog up the scuttle drains and grills and the previous owner must have had that too as the interior filter was the most clogged I have ever seen. These have now all been cleaned.

Keep up the work on those CAN chips and communications. If I was younger I might read up on it but just looking for the easy life now.
My center display is dim and sometimes hardly there, can I clean the contacts on the board plugs to help that. I have had the dash top off before and that is not too hard.
Cheers jaahn

 

[shibuichi]

Jaahn, so sorry about your wife. Take care of yourself.

 

[vivid]

Jaahn, so sorry about your wife. Take care of yourself.

Totally Jaahn hope you have lots of people around in such a hard time. I hope you are ok?

I'm waiting on some CAN modules to arrive and I'll have a play, but Alex mentioned to me just before there was something in the software that might have been disabled, and pin 27 and 57.

I'll take a look at that tomorrow as I have some server outages with work tonight.

Incidentally I could not get ANYTHING out of my cheapo ELM device on the OBD port on the Scenic RX4 or the early Megane convertible, except communicating with the port itself. Not THAT suprising but my old LagunaII v6 did all sorts.