Another Renault Problem, Serious

tophurler

Hey,
Now I know Renaults are a heap of sh*t and unreliable, I've had a laguna for over two years and it hasnt caused trouble. That was until last saturday evening. After about an hours drive home through the rain/floods I switched off the car, ran into the house for 5 mins to grab something and came back out. Noticed that the boot wouldnt open eventhough the car was still unlocked.

Tried to unlock the car with the key card, nothing. Key card is perfect as it's relatively new. So, I sat into the car and inserted the key card into the ignition and pressed the start button, nothing. There isn't even a display light coming on when the card is inserted, no radio working, no clock, nothing. It's as if there's been a total loss of power in all the electrics or the on-board computer has packed it in,

Would anyone have any idea what might be wrong? I'm hoping to get it hooked up for a diagnostic check over the next few days, just very worried that this is going to cost an arm and a leg to repair. Would be grateful of any helpful advice or anyone elses experiences?

Thanks
TH

Guy:Incognito

tophurler wrote: »

Hey,
Now I know Renaults are a heap of sh*t and unreliable,

I assume you will write off every make that gives a problem this easily so? 1 issue that may be self inflicted in 2 years is hardly classed as unreliable.


How much of the floodign exactly did you drive through? No cars are waterproof, be they French, japanse, German or american.(awaits someone to post a link to an aquatic car )

stepbar

Try disconnecting and reconnecting the battery. If it doesn't work you could have a flat battery. Happened to me once or twice.

superjosh9

Stekelly wrote: »

I assume you will write off every make that gives a problem this easily so? 1 issue that may be self inflicted in 2 years is hardly classed as unreliable.

Think he was merely stating the general consensus here... a pre-emptive strike on any 'I told you so's!!

Surely it must be a battery thing as said..? All these electronics though...

tophurler

Stekelly, that comment was mean't sarcastically cos i know what a bad reputation they have!
There was one flood about 5 miles from home that I drove through, it was not that severe, very slow through it and car gave no indication of a problem on the rest of the trip home.

@stepbar, Wouldn't I still be getting some display lights on the dash when I insert the card if the battery was dead or is that incorrect?

superjosh9

tophurler wrote: »

@stepbar, Wouldn't I still be getting some display lights on the dash when I insert the card if the battery was dead or is that incorrect?

who knows with all the gizmos - it's worth a shot to play around with the battery or try a jump start or something, though make sure you have any necessary codes for radio etc. as these may be lost, and alarms can play up. I'm not at all familiar with the modern renaults..

Stekelly

Stekelly wrote: »

.(awaits someone to post a link to an aquatic car )

hope i didnt keep you waiting long

http://www.watercar.com/

Darragh29

Is any electrical device in the car (obviously that is powered by the battery), working, I mean is there any light or fan or anything electricial working at all??? If not, then the problem is fairly simple to resolve, as it is most likely a battery connection problem at the terminals or possibly an earth lead or a main fuse at the battery. Check that the battery terminals are clean tight and dry and that main fuses are not blown. When you say you drove through the rains/flood, did you actually drive into a flood, as in water up over the bonnet job???

itarumaa

For me it sound like that either you battery is completely dead or your battery´s minus cable is off,

and if you only was left in the road one time / two years its quite good,

I think my Daewoo has left me in the side of the road 4-5 times in two years time:(

I actually stopped counting after 4!

mildews

tophurler wrote: »

@stepbar, Wouldn't I still be getting some display lights on the dash when I insert the card if the battery was dead or is that incorrect?

From personal experience, If the battery is totally flat, you will get no display on the Laguna.

daveharnett

Stekelly wrote: »

How much of the floodign exactly did you drive through? No cars are waterproof, be they French, japanse, German or american.(awaits someone to post a link to an aquatic car )

Some japanese ones are :pac:

Big_Mac

It does sound to me like a battery problem alright.
If there is no electrical output from anything electrical then the power source is duff. As posted above, check the battery, make sure its putting out power and a load (sniggers) and check te main cables and main fuse. This should solve the problem for you OP, seems to be a main fault

Speedy007

Battery would be my first guess too

tophurler

hey guys, yup the battery was the problem, it's back on the road again.
Was confused as didnt know how the battery could have gone flat in what was literally only 5 minutes in the house before going back to the car. I may have left the lights on going in.

I suppose I can count myself lucky that the one time my renault did leave me stranded It was in the yard of my own home!!!

Thanks for all yer suggestions!
TH

galwaytt

tophurler wrote: »

hey guys, yup the battery was the problem, it's back on the road again.
Was confused as didnt know how the battery could have gone flat in what was literally only 5 minutes in the house before going back to the car. I may have left the lights on going in.

I suppose I can count myself lucky that the one time my renault did leave me stranded It was in the yard of my own home!!!

Thanks for all yer suggestions!
TH

First of all, they're not ****e. They're no more ****e than any other brand. Also, to expect the electrics of a car to survive a flood is.......misguided, to say the least.

And finally, it was the battery. Renault don't make batteries - feel free to post a pic of your dead one, here........

....oh, and your sweeping Renault statement too.

I say this as a Renault owner who changed to Ford, MB, Audi, Mazda......and have regretted it ever since. Especially when I still meet our old car out on the road......:o

tophurler

galwaytt wrote: »

First of all, they're not ****e. They're no more ****e than any other brand. Also, to expect the electrics of a car to survive a flood is.......misguided, to say the least.

Where exactly did I say that Renault were a s***e brand galwaytt? Answer: Nowhere.

galwaytt wrote: »

....oh, and your sweeping Renault statement too.

Read my follow up post, it was mean't sarcastically :rolleyes:

Anyway, thanks to the rest of ye who had something useful to say and helped me out big-time!
TH