C5 Indicator switch

birstall · Post by **birstall** » 04 Jun 2006, 10:43

My indicator switch has a dodgy connection when I indicate to turn right. The problem only started recently. If I press hard it will work, otherwise sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't. Have thought to dismantle to either i) check for dry joint somewhere, or ii) clean contacts with methylated spirits.

Took steering wheel shroud off and it appears that you have to take the airbag off to get any further. Didn't want to go any further with it without getting some advice first.

Has anyone else had this problem and is it easy to get access to the switch when you've taken the airbag off?

Cheers

Pete

SimonM · Post by **SimonM** » 04 Jun 2006, 10:57

Hi Pete, its the Comm2000 unit, its a known fault. Unfortunatley its sealed unit and a dealer only replacement as the unit has to be coded to the car. If your car is still under warranty get them to replace it.

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 04 Jun 2006, 15:26

SimonM wrote:Hi Pete, its the Comm2000 unit, its a known fault. Unfortunatley its sealed unit and a dealer only replacement as the unit has to be coded to the car. If your car is still under warranty get them to replace it.

the COM2000 can be replaced easily by anyone,it only needs to go to the dealer if the car has ESP as the steering wheel angle sensor needs to be calibrated otherwise the ESP warning light will come on.

PowerLee · Post by **PowerLee** » 04 Jun 2006, 16:02

The COMM 2000 unit also has a FOUR year warranty from the cars date of registration

PSA Peugeot / Citroen held there hands up to the s**t design, Ive even heard of cars older the 4 years old having them changed FOC as a goodwill favour.

Go & speak nicely to your local Citroen dealer

birstall · Post by **birstall** » 08 Jun 2006, 23:24

Thanks for the advice, guys.

My car is a 2002 model so just outside the warrantly, however the main dealer is only half a mile away, so I may go and try to negotiate something with them. Will let you know what happens.

Cheers again

Pete

TOMTOM · Post by **TOMTOM** » 05 Jan 2007, 12:29

According to my local dealer the com2000 unit is guaranteed for 3years or 60000 miles. I wouldn't expect any favours from them if the vehicle is outside these limits.

mooseshaver · Post by **mooseshaver** » 05 Jan 2007, 12:40

My indicator switch went just oustide warrenty. Can't quite remember the cost, but its was a huge amount for that little box and fitting.
I did try taking it to a non citroen garage, but when they rang for a price on teh part, they were told the car had to be reprogrammed for the new part. Stupid multiplex wiring.
I kept the old one incase the new one faisl and I can stop mechanical bits.

PowerLee · Post by **PowerLee** » 05 Jan 2007, 16:17

mooseshaver wrote:My indicator switch went just oustide warrenty. Can't quite remember the cost, but its was a huge amount for that little box and fitting.
I did try taking it to a non citroen garage, but when they rang for a price on teh part, they were told the car had to be reprogrammed for the new part. Stupid multiplex wiring.
I kept the old one incase the new one faisl and I can stop mechanical bits.

Multiplex wiring isnt stupid, the new COMM you have had fitted also wont fail, PSA changed the supplier

You cant blame the cars multiplex system for a cheap shoddy part fitted at the factory.

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 05 Jan 2007, 17:15

PowerLee wrote:
mooseshaver wrote:My indicator switch went just oustide warrenty. Can't quite remember the cost, but its was a huge amount for that little box and fitting.
I did try taking it to a non citroen garage, but when they rang for a price on teh part, they were told the car had to be reprogrammed for the new part. Stupid multiplex wiring.
I kept the old one incase the new one faisl and I can stop mechanical bits.
the new COMM you have had fitted also wont fail, PSA changed the supplier
.

Ha Ha yeah right,the new ones aint much better.they are still giving indicator & airbag problems.

svesey · Post by **svesey** » 05 Jan 2007, 22:37

Disconnect the battery, Wait 5 minutes. remove the airbag & the steering wheel. Carefully note the position of the steering angle sensor (look for the white pointer). then remove the comm switch
The comm switch is not sealed & can be opened by carefully prising the retaining tabs. Clean the affected contact wipers & the pads on the pcb. Then relubricate the cleaned contacts with some of the surplus grease from other contacts. Carefully reassemble and all should be well.

TOMTOM · Post by **TOMTOM** » 07 Jan 2007, 11:36

Many thanks for that info svesey but to get back to basics, how exactly do you remove the air bag and steering wheel? Thanks in advance.

Tom

svesey · Post by **svesey** » 07 Jan 2007, 23:55

To remove the steering wheel. First remove covers from the steering column
They are retained by screws which are removed from underneath. They have either phillips or Torx heads I cannot remember. If you then look in at the back of the steering wheel you should see 2 openings within which you shouldsee the wire clips or loops which retain the airbag. If You or an assistant presses & releases the centre of the wheel (operating the horn switch) you should see them move. Use a screwdriver as a lever to release them. The airbag will come away from the steering wheel. Carefully note the position of tthe wires & then remove them. The steering wheel is retained by 1 nut. I cannot remember if there is a master spline so mark the position of the wheel relitive to the steering column just in case. The wheel should then pull off but may need some not so gentle persuasion

TOMTOM · Post by **TOMTOM** » 09 Jan 2007, 13:14

Thanks once again svesey. To get back to your original post, when you talk about prising apart the comm switch presumably you are talking about the part underneath the air bag and not one of the operating stalk ends(otherwise why remove the air bag)
I only mention this because my problem seems to lie with the button on the end of the wiper stalk not operating the trip computer. Do you think cleaning the contacts as you suggest would go anyway to solving this problem?
(I have just been quoted £317 to supply and fit a new comm unit - £144 for part - £126 labour - +vat)

PowerLee · Post by **PowerLee** » 09 Jan 2007, 13:24

£144 for the COMM2000 is cheap.

£126 labour isnt.

My mate who works for Peugeot current record for a 307 COM2000 swop stands at 12 minutes from driving into & then back out of the workshop again

svesey · Post by **svesey** » 10 Jan 2007, 00:01

I only opened one comm switch & that was because of intermittent operation of the indicators similar to that described in the first entry on this thread. You operate the switch & notice as you turn that the indicator didn't operate. Next time it works perfectly. As far as I remember the contacts for that button are at the end of the stalk & are connected to the pcb by wires fed down through the centre of the stalk. I havn't dismantled either stalk so I do not know how to go about it. Sorry I cannot be of more assistance. I really should have taken pictures of the dismantle-reassemble process in case they were of use to someone but at the time all I wanted was for the indicators to work. This was several months ago and so far so good. Many of the so called unrepairable units are indeed repairable with care. eg BX light switch, electric window regulators on XM & Xantia, certain faults on th C5 COMM unit