"Economy Mode"

[qprdude]

Does anyone know if the delay before economy mode kicks in be altered on a C5 2.2 exclusive, 2008.?
Economy mode is always on when I start up, and if I do a short journey it kicks in immediately after stopping the engine. If I do a long journey, it sometimes stays off for 5 minutes or so, but never much longer. Bit of a pain if you want to listen to the radio when SWMBO is in the shops.
You're all going to tell me I need a diagbox session aren't you., either that or it can't be changed.

[Ben82]

I know on mine it can be changed with the Lexia, so would imagine this is still the case in the 2008. I remember someone saying that the ECU overrides that delay if the battery is getting low etc?

[RichardW]

Not sure it can be changed on later cars - it depends on the state of the battery. Our C4 is much better now I have replaced the battery - but still a PITA!

[qprdude]

Yep, I had a feeling that battery condition would have something to do with it, as the longer journey gives it enough boost to let me have 5 minutes of the radio. Bit of a bugger when you have to start the engine to hear the results of a Saturday afternoon. (not to mention the ecological damage I'm doing, and probably breaking the law)

I had a C5 in 2004 (2001 model I think) and it didn't have economy mode, or if it did, I never found out.

[wheeler]

Ok eco mode works slightly differently on later full CAN cars (eg C4, mk2 C5 & C6) than it does on earlier VAN/CAN cars (eg Xsara picasso & mk 1 C5).
On VAN/CAN systems the Eco mode is just activated after a set time with certain consumers on, when the engine is started even for just a few seconds the timer resets back fully again & you have the same amount of time availabe to listen to the radio etc again.
On full CAN systems the amount of time you get out of eco mode depends on how long the engine has been running, If the car has gone ito eco mode then you start the engine you get double the amount of time in 'normal' mode (up to a maximum of 30 minutes) as you run the engine for. Eg run the engine for 3 minutes & you will get 6 minutes in 'normal' mode run the engine for 11 minutes & you get 22 minutes. however you cant get more than 30 minutes of normal mode so if you run the engine for 20 minutes you will still only get 30 minutes normal mode.
The battery voltage or condition has nothing to do with the activation of eco mode on these 2 systems.
I do notice yours is a mk3 C5 & although they have full CAN arcitecture there may be slight variations in the systems, i dont know too much about the mk3 but i do know some of them and other later citroen models have battery status monitoring systems (identified by a green unit on the negative terminal), i believe these do have an input to the triggering of eco mode as well as the timer function.
However if you are saying that even after a long run (over 15 mins) you come back to the car after leaving it overnight & its in eco mode then there is something wrong somewhere.

[qprdude]

Thanks wheeler, and I think it might well have something to do with the battery. There is nothing much directly on the - terminal, but there is a round, green glass/light on the nagative side of the battery top it'self. It's probably standard.
I'll have to get the stop watch out and give the time formula a check when I remember. The "economy made" is definitely always on in the mornings, even if I've driven 200 miles the night before,and if I remember correctly, even after the car has been parked for a couple of hours. It starts OK, but takes three or four cranks from cold . Not anything to worry about yet, but not quite as crisp as similar size diesels I've had in the past.

[Fake Concern]

Really interested in the post from Wheeler. I have a C4 (Mk1) and when i first got it, I think it hadn't been used much for a while and I noticed that things such as the headlights on from the key remote, wouldn't work after about an hour. Now that i use the car a lot it will still work after a few days parked. It's a shame you can't change the time setting to more than 30 minutes though.

[qprdude]

OK, I'm a silly old sod. The green light is simply a state of charge light in the battery. A green light seen through the plastic "porthole" on top of the battery, indicates a charge of 65% or greater. Below that figure, the light will show yellow or clear (black).

[wheeler]

Thanks wheeler, and I think it might well have something to do with the battery. There is nothing much directly on the - terminal, but there is a round, green glass/light on the nagative side of the battery top it'self. It's probably standard.

A pic of your negative would help identify if you have the battery monitoring system fitted, they are commonplace on most modern cars now, especially ones that have stop & start technology. They usually also have a warning sticker telling you not to connect jump leads direct to the terminal.

[qprdude]

Your wish........

The braided lead going diagonally across the negative terminal is connected to the terminal via a small black junction box on the left of the terminal in the photo.

[wheeler]

That certainly looks like a BMS unit on the terminal.

[qprdude]

Cheers mate. Seems like the battery is still charging OK by the look of the green light. I will have to check on the delay before Economy kicks in, because maybe I have never actually tried to see if it lasts 30 minutes after a long drive. Usually after most drives, I'm out of the car like a startled rabbit .

[mooseshaver]

This patent may relate to the battery monitor. Citroen is mentioned at the bottom. I don't know if this is in our cars.

http://www.google.com/patents/EP1598913A2?cl=en" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;