Help - Renault Laguna wont start

derm58

2005 Renault Laguna 1.8. Authentique 16v Petrol.

Hi all, Hope someone can help me. Was out for a walk yesterday and when came back to the car 2 hrs later it wouldn't start. Each time I put the keycard* in there was a clicking sound and the power kept switching on and off. Sometimes it would go dead entirely, other times it would sound like a machine-gun under the bonnet (though not very loud !)

Is this a common/small problem or is it a main dealer / have-to-sell-a-kidney to pay for it job ? Anyone come across this before ?

Later last night I tried disconnecting/reconnecting the battery for a few minutes but this didn't seem to do any good. Haven't been able to contact mechanic so dont know if he can fix or I'll have to arrange transporter to main dealer.

*The keycard hasn't worked for the last few years but the car has always started

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

keppler

derm58 wrote: »

2005 Renault Laguna 1.8. Authentique 16v Petrol.

Hi all, Hope someone can help me. Was out for a walk yesterday and when came back to the car 2 hrs later it wouldn't start. Each time I put the keycard* in there was a clicking sound and the power kept switching on and off. Sometimes it would go dead entirely, other times it would sound like a machine-gun under the bonnet (though not very loud !)

Is this a common/small problem or is it a main dealer / have-to-sell-a-kidney to pay for it job ? Anyone come across this before ?

Later last night I tried disconnecting/reconnecting the battery for a few minutes but this didn't seem to do any good. Haven't been able to contact mechanic so dont know if he can fix or I'll have to arrange transporter to main dealer.

*The keycard hasn't worked for the last few years but the car has always started

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

see if you can eliminate the battery by getting someone else to jumpstart you......preferably someone witha bigger engine than yours or a diesel......after that start looking at your starter moter by trying to start while being towed in third gear

derm58

Dunno if it's the battery - there's power to lights etc. but will try later

BrianD3

Just to be clear, does it click and make machine gun noises when you insert the keycard? Or does it do it when you press the start button having inserted the keycard?

Just because there is power to your lights doesn't mean that the battery is fit to start the car.

If it is doing what you describe when you press the start button my initial thoughts would be either battery or dirty flywheel sensor.

Nonoperational

Battery would be my strong guess. Lights working mean nothing at all.

mildews

gpf101 wrote: »

Battery would be my strong guess. Lights working mean nothing at all.

+1 on the Battery. A dirty flywheel sensor on the other hand would, in my experience allow the motor to turn over.

derm58

Thanks to Keppler, BrianD3, spf101 and Mildews - Battery problem. Some loose connection and low battery was the problem.



Thanks again to all,
I'll never make a mechanic !

derm58

BrianD3 wrote: »

Just to be clear, does it click and make machine gun noises when you insert the keycard? Or does it do it when you press the start button having inserted the keycard?

Just because there is power to your lights doesn't mean that the battery is fit to start the car.

If it is doing what you describe when you press the start button my initial thoughts would be either battery or dirty flywheel sensor.

Just to clarify - the power on to the dash and card reader was clicking once I put the keycard into the reader and when/if it wasn't dead I would press the starter the "machine-gun" noise would sound.