Few problems with my C5 ...

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 24 Feb 2010, 22:07

Well ive been continuing with the C5s issues, or rather it is, they are never ending. Wondering if anyone can help me out with diagnosing the following:

1) Knocking from the rear: This seems to be getting worse, on all minor bumps in the road at slow speeds something at the rear is constantly rattling, its a light rattle but loud. Im thinking radius arm bearings for this, as i cant think what else can cause this, but ive had these bearing go on another C5 and it created a loud cracking nose, not lots of rattling. Can they cause this noise? I dont want to replace them and find its no different.

2) Vibration at motorway speeds. Tyres need balancing maybe, but ive had two new tyres and its no different. I swapped the wheels front to back now and its no different. Sometimes it can be really bad, today doing 70ish the steering was vibrating badly and there was a thudding noise at the same frequency. However sometimes its fine and no problems.

3) Handbrake is sticking on the drivers side (front obviously). The handbrake is very slack and floppy for most of the movement then at towards the top it stops. I think the cable might be seized up, though the handbrake still holds the car. How easy are these to fit? Sometimes the brakes stick on and sometimes they dont. Maybe this is causing the thudding noise from the above issue?

I must say, the above issues are not something id expect from a 70K mile car on an 04 plate. Going by its body and interior condition its not had a hard 70K miles, its not even turned 70 actually, but seems to have a fair few issues which are really starting to annoy. Ive already had to do so much work to it already. Along with the drop links which now need replacing, battery needs replacing, two further tyres, possible rear wheel bearing etc etc its really not easy to live with at the moment, and i rely on it so much.

Chris.

lexi · Post by **lexi** » 24 Feb 2010, 22:34

Wonder if drop links and brakes combined could be causing vibration issues at front end. I`ve found it best to put Lemforder or genuine on. Could be the start of the Radius arm bearings. Mine were going on the HDI and it was worse when going over bumps and cornering at the same time.

It positively hopped and banged in unison

. Always with s/h car you are never quite sure of the miles are you?............even with the Mots seeming to confirm the miles people do get up to all sorts. The 70k it's done may have been a hard 70k also.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 24 Feb 2010, 23:13

Im pretty certain its done the mileage it says, full history, two elderly owners, great condition etc. Doesnt feel like its done any more miles, its just got a few teething problems.

The vibration has only started in the last couple of weeks, maybe i have a defective tyre or maybe it is to do with the one drop link which is going - though ive not had this cause a vibration on other C5s. I think its probably something to do with the sticky brake, as ive had this before on a different car.

I always get drop links fro Citroen, so ill have to get one ordered. Though it is only starting to go and isnt rattling all of the time.

My Citroen indy said either radious arm bearings or the rear brake pads rattling. It has just had new calipers, discs and pads, so that might be one explaination. It doesnt sound like radious arm bearings.

Think the easiest thing to do would be get my indy to take a look

TopDonkey · Post by **TopDonkey** » 24 Feb 2010, 23:22

The sticking handbrake is quite common and the cause is usually the cam on the brake caliper itself, on my C5 i just remove the wheel, spray it with plusgas right where the handbrake actuator pivots on the caliper and then if its really siezed on you have to whack it back and forwards to free it up a bit, then clamp some mole grips on and wiggle it back and forth through the whole motion whilst spraying plusgas on it till it moves freely, i then finish it off with some waterproof grease that is saltwater resistant

I actually did my handbrake pivots on monday in heavy snow !! as the front right was starting to sieze up, but once you do them, they are good for about 2 years before you need to do them again

TopDonkey · Post by **TopDonkey** » 24 Feb 2010, 23:26

Also, on the rear rattle, if the back box section of the exhaust isnt mounted far enough forward, it makes a loud rattling noise as you go over bumps and vibrations in the road, the back box sits really close to the rear chassis and rattles and rubs on it

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 26 Feb 2010, 12:46

Thanks very much TopDonkey, ill have a look at the exhaust later today

Im hopeing its not the rear radious arm bearings, it doesnt appear to be as ive found they give a harsh cracking noise when they start to go.

Ive just finished removing the rear brake pads and using grey coppper slip when refitting, as they were bone dry. So maybe that was the noise - ive not driven it yet.

I also removed the drivers side front wheel to have a loot at the sticking brake. Though the plastic coting on the cable, where it fixes to the caliper pivot, has cracked off and has allowed the cable to rust. So im sure this is why the brake is sticking on. Though the pivot did seem a bit weak, i gave it a good spray with some wd40 and it seemed to free a bit, but i mainly thought that it was the damaged cable which is causing it sticking, so didnt do too much with the pivot.

Im just about to take it back to the tyre place and get the wheels balanced again too. The rears i know are not balanced, which are the new tyres i had fitted about a month ago.

Then ill take a look at the back box, see if its catching somewhere.

Chris.

TopDonkey · Post by **TopDonkey** » 26 Feb 2010, 12:59

Even if the noise does turn out to be the rear radius arm bearings, its not a difficult job to do, it takes about 3 hours per side to change them, and last time i did them on my car, the bearings, seals, shim kit and spacer tube were only about £40 per side, i think i still have a spare set in my toolbox as i bought extras just in case !

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 26 Feb 2010, 13:25

Actually i think the radious arm bearings are going on my parents facelifted C5. Its starting to do the cracking noises. Its been carrying heavy boxes around for the past 2 months. Doesnt seem to be able to cope with it.

So it might be that we do that one this weekend, we already have the bearings. Not supposed to be a diffuclut job is it, my dad has done many Xantia and a few Xm ones (which odly dont seem to fail as often?) so we should be ok.

Thanks again

TopDonkey · Post by **TopDonkey** » 26 Feb 2010, 13:42

if you havent got the seals and the shim kit and the spacer, pop down to your nearest peugeot dealer and get them before you start, its the seals that seem to go that let water into the bearings that rusts them, and you should only need 1 shim kit to do both sides as it has loads of shims in

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 26 Feb 2010, 18:14

Will do thanks

My parents C5 has only done 50K miles and its started cracking at the rear now, so will have to fit new radious bearings. Its not really great to have to replace such a thing at 50K miles. Yet again im dissapointed with C5s.

Ive not checked my exhaust yet as the weather is shocking. Went to get my wheels balanced and they couldnt fit it in. Will have to go another day now.

Post by **Paul-R** » 26 Feb 2010, 18:36

If I've read it correctly the vibration is on the front. No-one has yet mentioned the possibilty of a faulty driveshaft. It seems to be the inner joint that goes and causes a vibration problem.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 26 Feb 2010, 19:05

The front tyres seem ok, most of the time they are fine, but sometimes there is a wobble. Its only done it twice, but its quite noticable. I think its possibly the brake sticking on, when i stoppped after it had been wobbling the wheel felt very warm, but the other side was cool. Im not sure if it would cause this though?

I had thought of a driveshaft problem, though there is no knocking.

bencowell · Post by **bencowell** » 27 Feb 2010, 12:43

Chris,

Your SX might have had its radius arm bearings replaced under warranty at the same time as the rear suspension rebuild, so it probably means they have done 100k, maybe 120k.

Don't be afraid or downhearted about having to replace them on the facelift VTR as they will probably last ages!

Ben

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 27 Feb 2010, 12:47

When did the SX have its rear suspension rebuild Ben? That one is still fine, it never goes wrong! 120K its on now, still no noise from the rear on that one.

Is my VTR hatch which the above issues relate too.

After waiting an hour in the tyre place this moring i got the rear wheels balanced, which seems to have sorted out the vibrations.

After lunch ill get under the car and see if i can see if the exhaust is hitting on something, though the rattle is less noticable after ive fiddled with the rear brake pads - however i have only done one side, so ill take the other side apart and grease these too.

I really like this car, cant wait for it to be perfect!

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 27 Feb 2010, 23:20

Spent some of the evening under the C5 trying to find the cause of this rattling from the rear.

First i took out the rear brake pads on the n/s and copper greased them and refitted them. Id done the other side yestersday. The discs, pads and calipers are new, so one possible cause that was mentioned to me was the pads rattling around.

I had a good look under the car and tried bashing a few things to see if anything made a similar noise. Everything is tight and the exhaust is not touching the under side of the car.

Though when i banged on the fuel tank there was a very loud rattling noise. Though comming from the heat sheilds. I removed the larger heat sheild which had a lot of road debris and stones collected in it. This actually made a very loud rattling when knocked from underneith. I emptied this and cleaned it up. I also noticed the other two heatsheilds above the exhaust were touching and rubbing, making an awful noise when rattled and they were rubbing through, so ive bent those out of the way.

I took it for a quick drive around the block and on roads which previously it would rattle like crazy it was very quiet. I didnt hear one noise from the rear, just the front drop link which has now gone - ill replace that next week when i get it from the dealers.

Ive now refitted the other heatsheild and im hoping when i use the car tomorrow it will be quiet. Though seems like a very simple thing to have been, im sure its not radious arm bearings. Im just hoping its a combination of the things ive fiddled with today thats done the trick, it was certainly much better earlier.

While i was under there i gave everything a good spray with some wd40, could probably do with waxoiling it at some point. All the pipework looks in good condition, thuogh there is really not too much to see on C5, unlike Xms and Xantias.

Maybe thats one thing i can cross off its list of 'to dos', but ill have to give it a better test tomorrow.

Chris.