Good old Renault electrics

[Charles]

Started the wife's Espace this morning without any hint of a problem - even after -8c last night. Off she toddled from Oxford to Guildford to visit her cousin. Trip to Brooklands this afternoon - again no starting problems or hints of electrical issues. Returned to car at 5.45pm and - nothing. Flat battery - or at least battery voltage below the point when anything in the car will work.

Now I would understand if it had problems starting this morning but after two good hours running during the day, how can the battery just die like that?

Thankfully some nice chaps from MB world jumped her - the car that is! - and she got back home safely with the children, but I dread what's going to happen tomorrow morning.

Thankfully the AuPair's trusty little Megane started this evening after 2 weeks inactivity so at least we have a back-up.

[joylove]

She's been dead two weeks? Well doesn't time fly?

[blacky]

we have had a espace in over christmass that would run fine for weeks then just stop its self
The fault was the alternater just chargeing enough to put the light on the dash out but not enough to charge the battry so it ran till the battry dropped under 11.5v then it would just shut the car down
It took us over a week of useing it on a night to trace the fault

[Geoff]

I once had a battery that started the car as normal one morning in winter with no problems.
On leaving work that evening the battery was dead!
A short circuit battery tester proved it to be knackered, one cell boiling immediately!

[Charles]

Started fine this morning - I'm beginning to wonder whether Mrs L didn't close one of the doors properly and the interior light being left on drained the battery below critical voltage.

Could be an interesting conversation ...

[Ikule]

Started fine this morning - I'm beginning to wonder whether Mrs L didn't close one of the doors properly and the interior light being left on drained the battery below critical voltage.

Could be an interesting conversation ...

i'll look for your obituary when it's posted on the web then.............

or better still get the battery tested before you have that conversation

[MarkWG]

Started fine this morning - I'm beginning to wonder whether Mrs L didn't close one of the doors properly and the interior light being left on drained the battery below critical voltage.
Could be an interesting conversation ...

i'll look for your obituary when it's posted on the web then.............
or better still get the battery tested before you have that conversation

or blame a sticky lock or switch.. squirt of WD40 won't do it any harm, you'll look like an electrical genius & won't end up sleeping in the garage...or under the patio

[Charles]

Clearly Mrs L has been thinking about it because, when she returned home this evening, she admitted that this might have been the case because she didn't check the doors before "locking" the car and when she got back, the only door that was "unlocked"was the driver's door.

Doesn't stop me having bragging rights, but old age, experience and wisdom suggests that these are points worth storing up for the future.

[ALPB1033]

Usually the trouble half always forget her mistakes in a minute or two. But yours honourable truly will be remembered in her life time. So be careful Charles when you mention that in future and be warned!

[Charles]

After a couple of lemonades I'll feel no pain

[Duncan]

My parents old renault would do wierd electrical things whenever the winter salt was sprayed all over it.

I once had a problem in a landrover in the atacama due to a similar cause.

still, she probable left the lights on or the door open!

[Charles]

Who's side are you on here D ?

[Charles]

Quick update - the Espace has started first time every time since so one might assume that somebody might possibly by accident have left a door very slightly ajar for just enough time to run the battery down below the critical voltage point.

On a more serious note, modern electrics these days mean that nothing will work below a critical voltage rather than the starter motor turning over slower and the interior light being a bit dimmer.

Progress?

[Charles]

I think an apology to Mrs L "might" be in order - but so long as she doesn't read the forum then I should get away without it.

Over the last week or so the Espace has been behaving liking a recalcitrant teenager - sulking one day and refusing to start and fine the next.

The new CTEK XS3600 has been on and off like a tart's knickers but even when there has been 18 hours of charging/maintenance, the next moment there is nothing lit up. 5 minutes later, after much swearing - "What does bugger mean, Dad?" asked one of the twin veleceraptors - the dash lights up magically and all is well.

Thankfully the car decided to misbehave this morning for the garage chappy who came to pick it up (actually it was the Service Manager, but "chappy" sounds far more patronising) - by failing to start until the bonnet was lifted and the big manly booster pack was waved in the general direction of the battery when everything lit up and started.

Bit of a clue here!

The long and short of it is that the positive terminal connector (complete with ancillary band fuses etc) was corroded and there was a faulty connection that would work when jiggled gently but at other times didn't want to play. A quick rub down with wire wool and some tightening of fixings and now she is like an eager little puppy wagging its tail and wanting it's button pushed.

So why was it corroded, you may well be asking?

Even if you aren't asking, I'll tell you! The French have rather an amusing approach when it comes to designing the layout of engine bays. In this particular instance, the positive terminal is located directly underneath the coolant expansion tank which has a pressure relief cap that - when releasing pressure - dribbles coolant down the side of the tank and drips it straight onto the positive terminal of the battery. Coolant, as we know, contains chemicals that can corrode certain materials - including battery terminal connectors for Grand Espaces.

Voila - we have a solution and this post is about as close as I am prepared to even venture in terms of an apology to Mrs L. As for my feelings towards Renault - well, I daren't say in case the twin reads it and asks me what an " imbecillic twat faced moron of a car designer" means ...

[Toby]

I do feel for you. Sounds like quite a painful journey due to such a stupid design fault. I've never owned a french car, and here's even more reason. Very amusing post though!