C5 heavy steering - how does yours feel?

RustyUK · Post by **RustyUK** » 20 Jul 2010, 16:06

Hello all,

Since having driven various other vehicles lately (a golf tdi, long transit, old rover, focus and couple of smaller cars) something has become obvious - the steering in all these vehicles was so unbelievably light!

I've had my 2.2HDi C5 for some 2.5 years now, and I've reached a point where I simply don't know if the steering is faulty. It's certainly powered - trying to steer once when the crank pulley failed demonstrated the difference when it isn't! But it's defiantly nowhere near as light as the other cars + van I've recently driven, yet I don't recall it suddenly getting stiffer. Tyres are well inflated, although it feels somewhat like I'm driving on flats.

So, subjectively, I think it's "probably" been getting stiffer and stiffer but objectively I just cannot tell. How do other C5 owners find their steering compared to other cars? Is it noticeably heavier? Should it be so light you could steer with your little finger? Is there any test I can do to figure what, if anything, might be faulty? Suspension is fine, although my clutch is also very heavy compared to other feather-light vehicles (but I'm pretty certain during my ownership that always was).

Clogzz · Post by **Clogzz** » 20 Jul 2010, 16:39

Mine is light, not to steer with the little finger, but say with the thumb.
I steer around street corners without grasping the wheel, only touching with the inside of three fingers.
You may have low LSD fluid, to check by rocking the car sideways from the metal outside the radiator.
You should see it slosh around near the seam of the tank at normal height.
The car may have the wrong size of wheels or tyres.
Besides size, wheels also have centre offset or something.

Picture is of level at low setting.

jimleshed · Post by **jimleshed** » 20 Jul 2010, 16:48

Mines pretty easy to steer too.
Bet we could make up a standard test.
Erm... sit with car on the flat at tickover.
Hook a spring balance to the outermost point of the wheel spoke where it joins the rim.
See how many Pounds/Kilos required to turn the wheel, by pulling on the balance.

Not sure if I have a spring balance at home though.....

h2ocooler · Post by **h2ocooler** » 20 Jul 2010, 21:32

Mine is easy now, index finger from lock to lock sitting still, it was getting stiff but on checking the fluid it was low, soon as i topped it up it was back to normal.
Rob

Post by **myglaren** » 21 Jul 2010, 06:42

Mine is quite light and easy.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 21 Jul 2010, 11:00

Yes they should be quick light, not overly so but a nice enough weight.

KevMayer · Post by **KevMayer** » 21 Jul 2010, 18:05

My C5 had started to feel heavy on the steering a while back so I had the tracking checked. It was towing out too much so it was adjusted to near parallel and it feels better now.

The spec for the C5 is from zero degrees (parallel) to 3mm toe out (0 deg 27 mins toe out).

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 21 Jul 2010, 18:27

The tracking was way out on mine when i got it, which did make it a little heavier and not direct. With the correct tracking setting setting, set to zero degrees, it feels lighter and also much more direct to drive.

Worth getting it checked

timborob · Post by **timborob** » 22 Jul 2010, 12:42

I have No problems with my steering though I will say it is a little bit heavier than previous cars i have had.

would get it check out just as recommended just incase.

RustyUK · Post by **RustyUK** » 22 Jul 2010, 14:22

Thanks for all your replies.

I've checked the LDS level and sure enough, on minimum height the level was around the seam of the reservoir. It took a litre of LDS to bring it up to the MAX mark, but after usual citrobics and steering lock-to-lock a few times, there's not much difference - maybe a little bit lighter, but still rather spongy.

Maybe it's time to move on while the thing still has some value. I think my ten year love affair with big Cits is coming to an end

To be honest the C5 was always a bit underwhelming compared to the Xantias.

Citroenmad · Post by **Citroenmad** » 22 Jul 2010, 15:03

What year is your C5?

I find steering and handling moved on a long way as C5s progressed.

Ive been driving our SX today, ive not driven it for ages, i cant believe the difference in handling from my VTR to the earlier SX, the SX really doesnt want to be pushed around at all, my VTR seems much happier and tighter to drive.

RustyUK · Post by **RustyUK** » 22 Jul 2010, 15:18

It's an early model, 2001, old enough to just be a Y reg rather than 01.

Thing is, structurally it's sound, no hint of corrosion and just had a new rear bumper under insurance (some tit ran into the back of me at a roundabout) which has neatly taken care of all the dinks and scrapes accumulated in it over the last 9 years! Aircon is working perfectly (recently serviced), but it goes through "moods". Some days it feels sluggish with low mpg, other days it feels more responsive. As with the steering though, it's becoming hard to tell whether this is all real or just my own changing perception / moods.

It does seem fond though of chewing up crank pulleys. I've had it replaced three times in the last ~18 months, most recently under warranty with a suspected faulty batch, but I can't help wonder if it all points to something.

I wonder how much tyre brand might affect steering too? I have P9000's on at the moment, probably just over half way through their life. I wonder if they're just too soft?

jimleshed · Post by **jimleshed** » 24 Jul 2010, 11:11

Just out of interest I measured the force require to turn the steering wheel on mine just now. (for method see earlier post.)
Approx 5Llbs on my (t)rusty spring balance. perhaps 6llb to start and 4-5 to maintain rotation, which surprised me as my steering seems quite light, as light as my other car (Mazda). But then it is subjective.