Central locking stopped responding

[dunlopstar]

This fault has severely pi**ed me off to the max!

With my '99' Clio hatchback 1.6 Si' that i recently got as a project, the central locking worked now and then (the casing was bust and didnt always connect inside) so i bought a new fob and swapped over the chips. When i press the button now, the light always comes on and makes a good connection BUT the car doesnt respond (lock/unlock).

I have tried every freakin possible fix iv found on the net including each one of these:
Ignition off - disconnect neg. battery lead - ignition on - reconnect neg. battery lead

Take out central locking fuse, press lock button on fob and dashboard once, put fuse back in

Get in car, close doors, hold lock button on dashboard for 5 seconds till car relocks and immob. light stays on, press lock on fob within 10 seconds (various amounts of times)

Put key in ignition, turn to on position then off position around 20 times

Sit in car and press fob and dashboard button several times

Take out central locking sensor from interior light fixture and dry out as moisture can effect sensor from leak in aerial/sunroof

Iv done all this and absolutely nothing works.
I dont get it though, it was working atleast a little bit before and now the connections in the fob are working proper yet the car doesnt respond atall. I read that if the battery is disconnected for so long, the chip can loose its code, but i also read that everything above ^ is supposed to recode the key chip if that happens.
I believe that over having to take the key to Renault for them to recode the key or the car for a ton of money, because i work with IR tech at uni and its not that hard for one sensor to acquaint with the other, both just have to be engaged one way or another.

Iv listed all these methods incase anyone else has this problem and needs to try something because alot of cases have been fixed supposedly by carrying one of these methods out.

 

[Jonny1*2]

It shouldn't really lose it's code mate. I've had my car without battery for a good few months now and the keys are fine. Stupid question, but you have changed the battery and tried your spare key?

 

[dunlopstar]

Yeh I put new batteries in when I swapped over, there's a strong signal, the cars just not responding. I only got one key aswell so that's all I can try :/

 

[Rob]

Is it just the remote side of it that's not working? Or the actual CL itself?

i.e does the CL button inside the car work?

 

[dunlopstar]

Yeh its all good inside, fob just stopped responding with car to wirelessly lock /unlock

 

[Mike@Rentech]

Is the fob the correct one for the car, IE purchased from a renault dealer not EBAY.
Each fob is as unique as the key itself, cant be mixed and matched.

Well worth trying a re-sync otherwise, or the microswitch has come away from the circuit board. We have repaired hundreds of them for the very same fault.

 

[dunlopstar]

Yes, like i said, i only renewed the fob casing, the chip inside was swapped over, so its the original chip.
The key flashes when i press the button too so the button is still well fixed in.

What kind of re-synch are you talking about?

 

[Jonny1*2]

you need to put the car on clip, or a decent key coding software. Basically the car needs to re-register the keys with the UCH unit. It's a 5min job, but it's finding someone with the kit.

 

[dunlopstar]

Finally after looking into it more i believe that the central locking fob isnt working becasue the damn sunroof leak has short circuited the IR sensor!
Seems to be another common problem and frankly, logical.
A new sensor can cost quite a bit, probably £50 >

However, since the sensor doesn't hold any codes, it meerily reads the incoming signal and deferes it back to the immobiliser unit, picking a sensor up from the scrapyard will do the job and be so much better than buying new as itll probably only cost £5 <

 

[Josh_Clio14]

let me know if this works, my CL stopped responding and then the immobiliser stopped working shortly afterwards, all around the time i noticed the sunroof started to leak

would much appreciate a PM with info on where to find the sensor and if a scrap replacement works

 

[dunlopstar]

let me know if this works, my CL stopped responding and then the immobiliser stopped working shortly afterwards, all around the time i noticed the sunroof started to leak

would much appreciate a PM with info on where to find the sensor and if a scrap replacement works

Still to get a replacement but the sensor is located in front of the interior light on the roof right above the centre console. To take it out you have to pop out the light (which can be a bother getting back in) and pop off the mount that conceales the cluster of wires.
Both are attached with the usual stupid plastic clips (interior light has a metal one that has an entry point in the shape of a flat screwdriver slot at the side). After the lights out, carefully either prise the mount out by wiggling a bit out at a time or use a flat screwdriver to pop the clips. Mind, too hard and itll warp the plastic.

Sensor dome on roof mount

Sensor once taken out. Component is damaged

 

[Josh_Clio14]

hmm mine doesnt even have one of those black/reddish dome things, no wonder i couldnt find a sensor up there lol, must be somewhere else on mine, thanks though!

 

[dunlopstar]

Well my problem ended up simple, when u swap old key fob for new, remember to put the god damn IR LED back in place!