patriciazimmermann1

Clio Rough Idle Stalling

Alright, Clio lovers, I'm in a bit of a pickle. My 2014 Renault Clio (gasoline engine) with 243823 km on the clock is acting up. The engine's running really rough, like it's about to give up at any moment. Plus, it stalls when I'm idling, which is super annoying at stoplights. Oh, and the check engine light is mocking me from the dashboard. When I accelerate, it feels like I'm riding a bucking bronco, lots of jerky movements. I've had a quick look myself and all the usual suspects seem ok. Any ideas before I throw a ton of money at a mechanic?

4 comment(s)

Hey there! Sounds frustrating, but I think I know what you mean. I had something similar happen with my Clio (don't remember the exact year, but it's close). Same symptoms – rough idling, stalling, check engine light party, the whole shebang. For me it was the ignition coil. It's basically what sends the electric current to the spark plugs to ignite the fuel. When they fail, the engine doesn't get enough power to run smoothly. Have you checked yours?

Thanks a lot! Ignition coil failure, huh? I haven't specifically looked at that yet. You mean actually taking it out? I'm not the most experienced. Is there some way to check them without dismantling everything?

Ok so, while there may be ways to kinda-sorta test them with a multimeter, it's risky if you aren't super confident. Even a visual check ain't gonna tell you much most of the time. Given your symptoms, I'd bet folding money on it being a faulty ignition coil or maybe just a loose wire/connector leading to it. If you're not comfortable digging in, honestly, take it to a shop. I know it's an expense, but it'll save you headaches down the road. At the shop the replacement and labour costed me about 95€

Hey, thanks so much for the advice! Took it to my local garage and it was indeed a defective ignition coil, like you suggested. The cable and plug connection were at fault! They sorted it out for 95€ and my Clio is running smoothly again. You saved me a lot of pointless checking!

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