Renault won't start & steering wheel locked - help please

[Berlioze]

Posting in AIBU for attention!

MNetters, hear me out. We have a 68 plate Renault that won't start - it's temperamental, 7/10 starts fine and then, boom.

Stop-start technology, key fob. Tends to happen in the morning when first started or after it's stalled. Steering wheel gets locked, dashboard says press clutch and start in the usual way and sweet F-All happens. We tried everything - taking key card out and putting back in again, pressing brake instead of clutch, moving the steering wheel - it won't budge, it's locked and the clutch sometimes seems half-pressed already and will not go down fully either.

I read endless threads online. Car went into the garage, they can't find anything wrong after diagnostics. I'm losing my shit with it atm.

Lots of comments online to 'simply' move the steering wheel, but how if it doesn't budge??

Anyone else with the same problem, any solutions/suggestions please?

Does the wheel feel like it's locked (moves about an inch freely in each direction) or does it feel stiff?

It does move a tiny bit in each direction, so to me feels like it's locked. Clutch is halfway down but won't move at all, frozen.

I have a 16 plate Ford Fiesta. When this happened to me in the supermarket car park, I phoned my nephew who is a mechanic. He told me to try turning the key at the same time as turning the steering wheel from side to side and it worked. I realise that you don’t have a key but wondered if you could try putting the card in at the same time as turning the steering wheel. Good luck.

I had one of these! Jiggle the steering wheel left and right and wiggle the key a bit. Sounds weird but works.

Thank you all, sounds like I need to keep trying! I haven't tried putting key fob in and turning the wheel at the same time, such coordination in a Renault! It's a flat key card, not sure how to wiggle it 🙈

Also feeling super thick because the team of middle age mechanics smirked at me on pick up as if I had made it up, whereas it keeps happening and I want to sort it as often travel with young DC in the car.

EXACT SAME happened to me
but battery had died. Had to be replaced. Halfords can come to your location and change it. But you have to be sure it’s a battery issue.

It’s the steering wheel you wiggle not the key give it a good side to side shake to free the wheel lock

Cheers, I'll keep trying! 🤞

Battery died 2 months ago and it's brand new - I do wonder if all is OK with it, as this suggestion came up repeatedly online too.

I don't set my steering wheel lock because I find it hard to unlock.

I'm guessing you have the smart key fob rather than an actual key to turn.

On a YouTube video it says press the stop start button twice without torching any pedals and the steering lock should release.

Hopefully you can then start as normal.

@Lindy2 Thanks, I'll give that a go too 😄

When it's a key you normally turn the key to the pre-ignition whilst moving the wheel side to side and it frees. I don't know what the card equivalent is. Presumably you've got a card and then a button? So I'm guessing "card in" is pre-ignition and then the wobble would release it.

I don't know why the clutch might feel like that though, when my wheel locks nothing else is noticeably different

I know, never had this issue with the clutch before either. 🤷🏼‍♀️

Wiggle the steering wheel whilst inserting the card and pressing start.

I would think it has auto steering lock at its age and therefore electronic. Does it have any other electrical glitches? Renaults are usually saddled with electrical gremlins

Also tell me more about the clutch issue because it could be related…it uses a switch to determine its fully depressed in order to start the car.

Anyone got a multimeter to check the car battery?
Also my battery in my key fob went flat, I didn't even know that was a thing (must have thought it ran off magic)
Halfords couldn't change the battery, sealed unit, but I googled it and a local company came out and made me a new key, did something with a diagnostic type box and hey presto (see magic again) no more problems

No other electrical issues that we've noticed, thankfully.

The way it goes is as follows:

1. I insert key card as usual.
2. Dashboard clicks recognising the key card, lights up and instruction comes up to press clutch and start button, which is the usual way.
3. I do it and nothing happens - the car doesn't start. Instead, the steering wheel appears locked (moves a tiny bit only in each direction) and clutch is half-pressed down but I can't fully press it down, it's frozen. This doesn't happen every time, but it frequently does. No other clutch issues otherwise.

I can try my spare key card and replace battery in my main one. Not tried that yet. However, I think when I got the car we replaced the fob battery already and I think the car was warning me before the key card battery was low.

Okay you need to check if the only time it doesn’t start is when you’re having the issue with the clutch pedal.

Also, check your mat, I’ve known them to wedge under a clutch pedal and cause it to stick.

Has this started since you had the new battery? Have you checked it's the right battery type - a good quality stop-start one?

It wasn't happening before battery change. DH says he checked what battery was put in and it was suitable for stop start vehicles.

I'm keen to sort it within the next few months if possible, as the car is still on a warranty.

I have no mat at all as I've been planning to buy new ones for 6 months and still haven't🙃

In that case, I'd try replacing the battery again. Did you get it fitted professionally? If so, you ought to be able to go back and get them to check/change it for you.

I used to get this with my Renault Clio - wouldn't start, steering wheel would lock and at the same time the brake would become really stiff and impossible to press. I used to fix it by wiggling the steering while while also turning the key while trying to press the brake. Without fail the brake would suddenly depress easily and it would start. The first time it happened I called the AA out and he showed me what to do - bloody annoying.

There may be a tiny 'door' or 'lid' in your steering column that you can flip open with a Phillips head screwdriver (it would be about a cm in length). If this exists and can be opened, stick a pen or chopstick into the opening and push to unlock the steering wheel. I had a Hinda that used to lock frequently and eventually stopped putting the little lid/door back. I ended up having to get a new ignition.

Ladies. @MyDarlingWhatIfYouFly has got it. I was thick (a bit), it's the brake that gets stuck, not the clutch 🙈

Regardless, DH has figured out what happened. When the car is not in gear, it should start with brake + start button. If it is in gear, it should start with clutch + start button. And when it stalls, it doesn't stall completely if your stop - start is activated (mine was), so no need for brake or clutch + start button. I've now deactivated stop - start because I think this was part of the issue. I think I was also getting into a pickle trying to switch from pressing one pedal and then the other when it wouldn't start and effectively confused my own car. I shall do it slower and keep moving the steering wheel if it happens again. Typically, hasn't happened this week at all yet!