1999 Renault Megane Coupe from UK and Ireland - Comments

It failed to start first time on a number of occasions, and is proving to be very unreliable.

It is very unreliable when attempting to start.

Sometimes it will and sometimes it won't.

Renault have had the car and cannot find anything wrong with it (but still bill me £50 for 40 minutes work!). Sometimes the problems will not reoccur for weeks, then it will not start on the first or tenth time for days.

The Automobile Association recovery man advised that it was the engine immobiliser, Renault say their machine say it is not!

Who is right?

I was caught out by this one when first got my car!Whilst sitting in the drivers seat, before putting the ignition key in, arm the alarm then immediately disarm it with the key fob, then try starting the engine.

The immobiliser is set up to activate itself after about 20 seconds of unlocking the car even if you put the key in the ignition and don't start it.

You will notice that if the red l.e.d next to the speedo starts flashing rapidly it means that the immobiliser has been set and the engine will only turn over but not start. A very irritating feature!

Did you ever find the solution to this problem? We have the exact same experience with a megane cabriolet. The garage cannot find anything wrong with the car because it always starts when they have it.

I have had similar problems. Went to work in UK for 7 days and returned to a cold start... would not start until several tries. not a battery problem. Was advised the problem may be moisture getting into the plugs, given all the rain we get here in Ireland. I have yet to prove this. It will start from day to day though if I leave it for a number of days I will have the same trouble...

I have had a pretty similar problem with my megane sport, I was informed by an AA patrolman in Oct 2002 that water can get into the immobiliser recveiver unit (the one in the roof console) and that can short it out, since the end of october I have had a waterlogged receiver unit three or four times, with it occurring only yesterday and does not seem to want to dry out, and has locked to car totally, so with Renault who is right and who is wrong, I have had a waterlogged immobiliser unit.

I have a Renault Megane 1.4 energy on a "P" plate with just

over 42,500 miles.

My partner tried to start the car and found that it would not start, I tried to start the car and noticed the RED Light flashing erratically. After consulting the owners manual the result from them was that immobiliser had been set and it needed to be reset with the master key.

Only having had one key with the car when buying it, I procceded to dismantle the key to check the chip, and after fiddling with it for a while the car started.

It has been stopping and starting now for six months, has been taken back and fourth to a Renault main dealer and each time it has started for them, and each time it has not for me.

The car as I speak is at a local garage to see if they can't fix it.

Is there thing that I can do to repair it.

Matthew.

My megane sport has just developed an immobiliser problem. Sometimes it will start, sometimes not. Very frustrating. I have read other comments (the one about water in the roof) made me think that this has happened after washing my car! I don't know if this will help anybody else, but if failing to start, get out of car lock door with key and then try starting and it might start, myn does, but I do not understand why! HELP!!!

If car always starts at garage, but not at home, make sure you give the garage your main key, not a spare. Could be that the transponder chip (not radio sender) in most used key is intermittent. A neighbour had this - garage could never find a problem, it was just the key!

BTW I need a spare key for my Scenic - £125+VAT with labour! wtf!

I've just bought a megane coupe 2 ltr 16v.

I seem to have this exact problem also and think I may have the answer you have all been looking for.

When you first turn on the ignition the red light on the dash should be permanently red (not flashing).Wait a few seconds untill light goes off completely, then start your engines.

The fault seems to be a time delay on the fuel cut off, therefore if you fail to start first time it will take a few more goes til you get the fuel going again.

This seems to work OK, but its still annoying when your in a rush to go and it starts coughing and spluttering.

Please tell me if this helps as I would be interested.

D.lynn2@ntlworld.com.

I've got immobiliser problems too! I can start the car first thing in the morning not problem, then drop the kids off at school, then try and start the car and nothing happens, not even the starter motor turns. Try locking and unlocking for about 5 minutes and then it starts!

Any ideas?

I have been having periodic starting problems with my Renault Scenic for about 3 months now.

After one journey, I stopped for 10 minutes and returned to the car to find the engine wouldn't even turn over. Lights plus electric windows still work so can't be the battery.

This problem happens 2 or 3 times in succession once every 3 or 4 weeks. The Renault garage couldn't find anything wrong with it. All they could do was send one of the mechanics out to the car with me to give me a demonstration on how to use the key! As I pointed out to them, I have been driving the car around perfectly well for the last 3.5 years and knew exactly how to operate the key!

If I sit in the car and wait for about half an hour, whatever the problem is seems to clear itself and the car starts.

It is very frustrating as no-one seems to have any idea what the problem can be. I've had people telling me it could be the immobilser, the starter motor or the key. However, as all of the things are not cheap to fix, I am not keen to get the work done and find that it wasn't that after all.

Any ideas gratefully received.

I've had a P reg. Megane for about 3 weeks, it has become very sporadic in it's starting. I disengage the immobiliser, turn the key, the lights come on everything seems to be fine and...nothing! It just doesn't want to turn over, however, if left dormant for a sufficient amount of time it'll start at the first attempt. It sounds like many people have this problem I'm just glad I this found out before taking it to the garage. If anyone ever does find the solution please post it on this site, I shall be eternally grateful. Cheers; Matt, stuck in Bristol.

Matt in Bristol -

I had a similar problem, but only when the engine was hot. It would start fine from cold, but if you have to stop for five minutes, it was almost impossible to start again even though the starter motor would turn the engine over. Turned out that the TDC (Top Dead Centre) sensor connector went high-resistance when it was hot so the engine management system didn't know when to fire the plugs. I think it was about £50 to get fixed at a Renault dealership. A clean up of the connector should help though as they did this and it seemed to work (they didn't have a new connector and wire loom available from stock). Good luck.

On another question, anyone got any idea why my speedo goes nuts. Looks like it's getting some interference from the rev counter as I can blip the throttle when sitting still and the needle on the speedo will jump up to about 30mph. However, it will jump around like it's on a pogo stick if drivinganything over 40mph. I had the battery replaced in the car (1998 1.6e Megane Coupe Sport) a couple of weeks ago, but the problem only started yesterday.

Any ideas? Reply here and I'll check back.

Thanks in advance.

Dave

Having just been offered a spare key from Reg Vardy for my wife's Renault Megane P reg at about £80, does anyone know of a reasonably costed substitute and who makes them in the UK. I hate being ripped off by this lot.

Cheers.

John Webb.

Thank goodness I am not the only one (i have terrible luck with cars!)

I have purchased a Megane Coupe Sport in Feb 2004 and it has recently started not to start. As mentioned above, the dash lights come on, but the engine does not even attempt to start. I have tried locking and unlocking the car, but that doesn't seem to work. I am going to try and take it back to the garage where I bought the car this week - will probably be given some excuse to pay masses of £££. Either that or call the AA, not that they will be able to help!

If I find a cure to this infuriating problem, I shall post again.

I have been looking my self trying to solve this problem on my girlfriends car and found that theres a wire on the back of the starter about an inch long, this seems to be exposed to the elements which causes it to rust which in turn causes a bad connection and the car won't start. change this and all SHOULD be well.

Let me know how you get on bhavpatel00@yahoo.co.uk.