MatraSport Forum

Each model => Espace => Topic started by: José V. Gavilá on December 14, 2010, 03:45:22 pm



Title: Espace 3.0 V6 24V (1999) electronics problem
Post by: José V. Gavilá on December 14, 2010, 03:45:22 pm
Hi all,

I have not yet fixed the faulty rear suspension levelling system (parts are not yet available) but this morning another gremlin has showed up  >:( ...

I have followed the standard procedure I use since the car is every morning at its lower level in the rear axle: I open the driver's door, then I go to open the garage door and, when I return, I wait until car completely rises and then I start the engine. I have been doing that for some weeks without problem. But today, engine didn't run fine and I have got a new (to me) icon on the small LCD display at the right. It was a kind of oscilloscope display and, I guess, it is the equivalent of the electronics fault icon.

Engine didn't run fine, so something was really happening. I have heard some relay clicking noise coming from the ECUs box, at the passenger side. As it didn't stop, I have stopped the engine and waited a minute or so. I have restarted it and then icon has been present for just some seconds, followed by "SERVICE" and then has vanished (it was perhaps telling that there was an stored error code, I guess)

I have driven the Espace to work (18km). I would say there was some slight roughness in the engine, but it could be I was too picky.

All in all, something was wrong in the morning and perhaps, when I start the car in some hours to go back home, it will happen again.

There is one hint which could be the key on this... I had the car for two weeks at the Renault shop (yes, I finally took it there as I had no way to replace by myself the rear suspension dampers). But as parts didn't arrive, I picked it up a week or so ago. Car battery was flat!. I found that no less than three cabin lights were left on (it seems a fault in the switches, as they were in the middle position and should light only when a door is open). All in all, I took the car home and had the battery on slow charge for two days. And then I did a 700km trip without problem (except for the suspension lowering!). After that, I used the car for three days without problem.

But (I will check it later), battery could be bad and, perhaps, as it needs to run the air pump for the rear suspension dampers for a minute, and then I start the engine, it could be low on voltage and caused the electronics malfunction...

Have you ever experienced a similar problem due to a faulty battery?. I hope that is the reason for this new trouble  :-[ . Any hint welcomed!

Best regards,

JOSE


Title: Re: Espace 3.0 V6 24V (1999) electronics problem
Post by: george on December 14, 2010, 11:24:12 pm
Hi.

Yes low or faulty battery can cause strange dash displays on startup.
Mainly on cold days.
Had this problem for a couple of years.
Fitted a new battery on my car a few weeks ago and no strange dash displays since.

George.


Title: Re: Espace 3.0 V6 24V (1999) electronics problem
Post by: José V. Gavilá on December 15, 2010, 08:13:46 am
Hi George,

Hi.

Yes low or faulty battery can cause strange dash displays on startup.
Mainly on cold days.
Had this problem for a couple of years.
Fitted a new battery on my car a few weeks ago and no strange dash displays since.

George.

Thanks for the apparently good news  ;)

Well, yesterday, when I took the car home and today, coming back to work, I have not got any problem, so it could be just a battery glitch.

I should say that it won't be hard to understand, as I left the car sitting for months, to find that battery had gone flat. Then I recharged it and run for some months. Then it came the Renault garage battery problem... so I guess the battery is fed up of being discharged :) . And car batteries are not deep discharge units!

All in all, I will try to monitor it, even if only with a voltmeter, as it is of the truly sealed kind (how I hate not to be able to add distilled water and/or check electrolyte density!)

I will let you know what I find.

Regards,

JOSE


Title: Re: Espace 3.0 V6 24V (1999) electronics problem
Post by: renaultbiler on December 15, 2010, 07:22:06 pm
I always start the car before rear levelling system is finished, to prevent battery usage. I suspect my car have an intermittant leak in the compressor assy (valve or something) so sometimes its flat in the rear especially when cold outside (-10 to -20*c).

Battery voltage around 10v or lover is not sufficient for the BII unit so it might flag a fault, also remember that the engine computer on this car needs to store new adaptive parameters after battery drain - meaning you need to let engine run on idle for 10 minutes to store good parameter values in order to get it running right. Never give it battery power and drive straight off, it needs 10 minutes first.


Title: Re: Espace 3.0 V6 24V (1999) electronics problem
Post by: José V. Gavilá on December 15, 2010, 09:35:51 pm
Hello Tom,

I always start the car before rear levelling system is finished, to prevent battery usage. I suspect my car have an intermittant leak in the compressor assy (valve or something) so sometimes its flat in the rear especially when cold outside (-10 to -20*c).

Battery voltage around 10v or lover is not sufficient for the BII unit so it might flag a fault, also remember that the engine computer on this car needs to store new adaptive parameters after battery drain - meaning you need to let engine run on idle for 10 minutes to store good parameter values in order to get it running right. Never give it battery power and drive straight off, it needs 10 minutes first.

I also used to start the car before, but now, as it takes so much time (1 minute+), it threw me always an error, so I decided to go the other way. But, well, I will resort back to the former way!

Thanks for the hint about engine adapting... I thought it was not necessary on this car. And, yes, car is not as smooth as it was before!. So now I know the reason  :D!. Next weekend, I will disconnect the battery and let it that way for some time and then will reconnect and do the proper idle run. It is curious as all my other petrol cards (Citroen XM, Mitsubishi Carisma) need a similar run but I didn't even think this one would need it. My fault!

By the way, so far the problem has not repeated in two days... anyway, I will have the battery charging over the weekend and then will do the idle run procedure.

Thanks and best regards,

JOSE


Title: Re: Espace 3.0 V6 24V (1999) electronics problem
Post by: jack daniels on December 17, 2010, 11:32:47 am
if you are in the market for a new battery, then I reccommend silver / kalsium. They seem to be better in the cold. Mine is only 62Ah but performs like a larger battery with regards to leaving the lights on or very cold starts.