Scenic Ignition Switch Issue

Alright gearheads, need some help. My 2001 Renault Scenic diesel is playing up something fierce. 246884km on the clock. Cranks but won't fire sometimes, other times it cuts out mid-drive, and when it does run, it's rough as guts. Suspecting the ignition switch, any fuses to check before I pull it apart?

4 comment(s)

Sounds familiar. I had a similar issue with my Scenic. Not sure what year mine is, but it's definitely a Scenic. Check the crank position sensor, that's a known culprit for intermittent starting and cutting out. Also, have you had the ECU scanned for any fault codes? That's the first place to start before tearing into the ignition.

Cheers for the heads-up! Crank position sensor... hadn't considered that. Whereabouts is that located on these engines? And yeah, I've got a cheap OBD2 scanner, but it's not throwing any codes, which is weird. Makes me think it's something electrical, like the ignition switch proper.

If your OBD2 isn't showing anything, it might be a deeper issue than a simple sensor fault. Given the symptoms – no start, cutting out, rough running – and the lack of codes, I'd honestly recommend getting it looked at by a proper workshop. Could be a dodgy connection in the ignition wiring loom, or the switch itself as you suspect. Better safe than sorry when it comes to electrical gremlins.

Appreciate the advice! Took it to a local auto-electrician as you suggested. Turns out it was the ignition switch. Replaced it for 52€ and she's running sweet as a nut now. Cheers for pointing me in the right direction!

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