1998 Laguna will not start (Immobiliser problem?)

Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 7

Hi all, i'm a newbie here and not very mechanically minded but I am having a problem with my car and my mechanic is too proud to give up and tow the thing to the dealer! (I am grateful though cos it's probably gonna save me money!)

I have a 1998 Renault Laguna Executive automatic (SR+AC) 2.0 Petrol and I bought it second hand knowing that the flywheel needed replacing, it took my friend 3 weeks to get it done as someone previously had the spacers and shims on the pump drive in the wrong order causing it to lock up when you attempt to turn it over (and he was working on other cars at the time), once he solved this my friend attempted to reconnect the battery and start the car, this is where our next problem began.

As soon as he connected the battery all indicator lights began to flash as if the alarm was going off (but there was no siren), he repeatedly tried disconnecting and reconnecting the battery with the key in and out of the ignition, he tried pressing the key button and locking and unlocking the doors and that works as normal but pressing the button does not stop the flashing indicators.

We deduced that there was possibly an immobiliser override code that would get it running again but when we consulted Renault they said that was not the case as the only immobiliser is inside the key, once the key is put into the ignition the immobiliser light on the dash goes out as if it accepts the key and the car is ready to start and according to Renault it should do. This is where the car turns over but just will not start. We checked the spark plugs and they are sparking fine but the fuel is not getting through as the spark plugs are bone dry. Surely this is an immobiliser problem?!

I have trawled through endless amounts of posts and there are plenty of immobiliser faults but none seem to be exactly the same as this so I am at a complete loss.

Please could someone help?
Many thanks in advance.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

shims on the pump drive? Thats a new one on me I have to say!

Anyway, the flywheel shoudl have been fitted right, it is possible for it to be out though.

This will allow it to spark but thecam sensor will be saying no to fuel.

Anyway 1998 should be transponder key and turn the immob off which it seems to be doing.

However check the inertia switch first, this will cut the fuel and is easily knocked when the box is removed.

It could also be the inhibitor switch on the tranny, if its not in p or n it won't start, but if the switch is damaged, not connected etc then it won't start either.

The indicators flashing, is it a renault alarm or aftermarket? It may appear to be immobilised but you can't know for sure, the ren immob will be turned off with the key. So you might get it goign but have the indicators still goign which you can then focus on.

Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 7

Thanks for the speedy reply, I will pass these details onto my mechanic and see what happens then post to let everyone know how it went.

He also mentioned something else to me last night when he went round checking all the earth cables again, he mentioned that there were 2 sockets where something was obviously meant to plug in on the gearbox however he has not removed anything from there himself and the car was driving fine before the bulk of the mechanical work was done, he is under the assumption that because of the spacers being put on incorrectly on the pump drive that another garage has tried to fix the rattle that it had on the torque converter and possibly left some things off, but again it still says to us that if it were that bad then it would never have driven anywhere from day one.

I will take these ideas though and we'll work through them.
Many thanks.

Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 7

Sorry, re the alarm/immob, I believe that it is all standard fit and that maybe the siren should also be sounding but there is a possibility that the siren was disconnected.

Our knowledge of this car before we picked it up is extremely limited and therefore I cannot be absolutely certain about it's history but there is no visible alarm box that you would probably get with clifford or toad or something like that.

I spoke to a specialist alarm fitting company and said that there would be a strong possibility that I may need to call them out to bypass or disconnect the security system, their reply was that there would be nothing they could do as they are a Renault only system.

I didn't know what to think about this.

Anyway, i'll try those ideas and get back to you.
Thanks again.

Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 7

Well we found the alarm siren and we're guessing that it's standard fit, it was located under the windscreen wiper plastic cover and had been disconnected, whoever did it laid the plug on it so that to look at you would think it was connected. Once we plugged it it as expected it went off extremely loud. This tells us that a garage somewhere has most likely had the same problem but they somehow got round it where we cannot.

I finally gave up today and contacted our local Renault dealer who quoted Â£66 plus vat to run the diagnostic on it to see why it wouldn't start and this wouldn't necessarily show the problem so more lengthly investigative procedures may need to be used, for a disabled person living on benefits, to hear them say that scares me big time.

My mechanic is adamant that there is nothing mechanically wrong with what he has done and he assures me that he has checked everything that Chris H advised and all is fine, he mentioned that the things he repaired can only go on in one certain way, he has told us on numerous occasions exactly what he did and considering that he is family I have to trust him, which leaves a faulty immobiliser. If it truly is a faulty immobiliser does anyone have any idea how much Renault will charge to replace this, how long it could take or what other procedures they will try? On the latest phone call to Renault I didn't mention that any mechanical work had been done otherwise I believe they would put it down to bad workmanship, my mechanic has a lot of years of experience and he has repaired several Laguna gearboxes in the past, should I be totally open with them because last time they didn't want to accomodate us when they heard that we did it ourselves?

I am at a total loss now as the car is totally draining my money as well as my energy.

I appreciate any help and info though guys.
Many thanks for the ideas.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

renault will swap out the key, bic and fusebox and set it up so around Â£900 for that.

A renault alarm is easily removed and bypassed as well, so do that, its badly fitted by crimps, so get that out first.

Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 7

Thanks again for the speedy reply, would it be possible for you to be a little more specific about the process of bypassing the alarm/immobiliser or do you know anywhere we can get the instructions to do this?

We had the AA out to it today and he went straight under the drivers seat to a black tray with some wiring in it, there was a black box with a plug going into each end and then another box with a MATRA sticker on it with just one wire going into it, he played around with these by unplugging them and trying to start without them then plugging back in but the alarm was still going off, there also seemed to be a lot of corrosion on these plugs going into the boxes. We picked up an identical black box (with plug into each end) from a scrap yard to try that and it still didn't work. He said that it would need to go to Renault.

We were considering attempting to bypass the alarm but if we made it worse and butchered it and then had to take it to Renault anyway then it would cost even more, and I also heard that if it is not done by the right people it will invalidate your insurance!

I am totally lost with this car, but again I appreciate your time and am very grateful.

Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 7

Well I had to give up and take it to Smiths Renault here in Peterborough, they ran diagnostics and assured me that the flywheel was damaged which was giving intermittant readings to the sensor and therefore stopping the car from firing up, when I told my mechanic about this he hit the roof and was adamant that they were trying to rip me off, he said "the flywheel would read a fault because while they are trying to start the car the f**ck*ng alarm is going off!!!"

Renault pretty much guaranteed me that a new flywheel would cure the problem of the car not starting but they were not sure what was going on with the alarm and that the alarm problem is totally unrelated.

After explaining this to my mechanic he told me in no uncertain terms "tell them to ignore the flywheel because when I fetted it I checked it and was absolutely certain that it is fine, and tell them just to clear the alarm, you want to be able to disconnect the battery, then when you reconnect the battery you want to be able to fully deactivate the alarm system with the button on the key which at present is only locking and unlocking the doors."
I told this to Renault and their reply was "well it's your money mate!"
So now they are going through an investigation process of the alarm system which I have no idea how much it will cost or how long it will take or what they will suggest needs doing.
I am stuck in a battle between Smiths Renault and my cousin who is usually an impeccable mechanic but neither of those two stand to lose anything, only me!

What would you guys do?
I Appreciate your thoughts.
Thanks.

Forum Moderator Joined: 02 Mar 2004 Posts: 19978

I'd go with flywheel as well.

Like I said the alarm will be an aftermarket/renault add on so it is seperate like I said earlier.

if the flywheels is damaged then its not going to go and like you said earlier the immob is disengaged when the keys in.

Get another flywheel on it.

Newbie Joined: 06 Oct 2005 Posts: 7

Thanks for the reply, I'll get them onto it.

I wish I could get the bloody alarm to shut off though, it just keeps going every time you turn the keys in the ignition.

Renault quoted me Â£620.00 incl. VAT for the flywheel job, I'm just hoping the electrical problem doesn't still get in the way once the flywheel has been done.