Citroen C5 1.6 HDi 2009 cutting after service

[Clydesdale]

Hello one and all

<<<"TLDR" Summary of below. Car was fine. Serviced and MOT'd. Since then loss of power and Depollution system faulty light coming on and off. Car cutting if accelerating anything other than lightly>>>

I was wondering if someone could help shed a little light on a problem I am experiencing with my 2009 Citroen C5 1.6 Diesel HDi. I am currently on the brink of a longer road trip and thought that as the car was coming up for an MOT and was within 250 miles of its service (currently 66K miles) that I would have the MOT and service undertaken at a garage recommended to me by folks within the office as being reputable and reliable. Car was running absolutely fine with no issues or faults.

On taking the car home it sort of kangaroo clutched a tad but all seemed OK. Just thought that it may have been some dirt or the like from the service but paid no more attention as all seemed to be OK. Headed out for work and the car was fine. On the way back the car cut out completely and I pulled into the side of the road. Restarted the car and all was OK but the "Depollution system faulty" notice came on in the dash with the engine management light lighting yellow. I called the garage and arranged to take the car back to where it had been serviced. After getting home the car just sat in the garage. Got up the next morning and the light was out and car was happy. Called the garage and they said that I should see how it goes and come back if there was another error.

Following day I had to overtake a truck and the car went into get home mode in the process. Im not a racer and I tend to cruise where I go. I will admit I rarely take the car above 3K RPM. I have an ODB II unit from the days of my old ford mondeo. Popped it in and the codes were P0093 "Fuel system leak detected - Large Leak" and P0087 "Fuel Rail/System Pressure - Too low". I proceeded straight to the garage and they said they would look at it. Got the car back and they said that it was the DPF and they had cleaned it and refitted it but to "see how it goes". Car seemed OK for that afternoon. Next day the car started cutting out. I just tried to get it back home. Called the garage and they are washing their hands of it stating that I need to take it elsewhere as its not a service related fault even though it only started as I got the service done.

I was told to try for a regen on the motorway. One 2 hour trip later I was back home and after I got back into the car I noted the light was no longer lit. (Engine Management Light). Took the car out today and it cut twice just driving normally on a straight road. Car feels somewhat gutless/powerless at the moment. I really do like the car but this is proving a perplexing worry. Current codes are different to that of the previous codes (but with the same symptoms). Codes now showing are P0200 "Injector circuit malfunction", B1300 "Power Door Lock Circuit Failure", and B0700 "Transmission control system malfunction".

Now I know that a little knowledge can be dangerous, and the ODB II scanner I have may not be reporting the fault properly, so I thought I would join up and see if anyone had any ideas ?

I originally thought of having the car serviced at another garage in case the first garage used the wrong fuel filter or the like, as I was only really experiencing the issues when I had to accelerate quicker than normal (note, not horsing it). This being said, the garage may be right in that its just all a coincidence that it coincides with a service, and I may be throwing good money after bad.

Any thoughts / suggestions will be more than welcomed !!

[RichardW]

Did the garage change the fuel filter? If not then get it changed. The fuel leak fault is associated with blocked fuel filter (assuming that the fuel is not leaking out all over the place!)

Does Clydesdale give a clue to your location?

[Clydesdale]

Hi there Richard.

Many thanks for the fast reply. Garage said they did the fuel filter. I had a quick look at the fuel filter and Im not overly filled with confidence that it has been replaced, its pretty much the same colour as that of the rest of the engine bay, but given the state of the roads I'm not sure if I'm doing the garage a disservice so to speak. Thankfully I can't see a tsunami of fuel about the engine bay so will take it that the fuel filter will have to be replaced (re-replaced ??) Just strange that it all happened after the service.

As for Clydesdale, I'm just overly fond of the gentle giants ! I'm currently based just outside Edinburgh at the moment

[Stickyfinger]

FYI....yes OB Scanner will report faults (some) but others are incorrect or inaccurate, it needs a Lexia. As a Citroen owner you will not save more money more quickly for £150.00 ....
I even take my one to the local garage if they are doing any work for me......I have even lent it to them twice for Pugs....I get a good discount

Richard is the expert ....Most fuel pressure problems fire the DPFault message.....guess how I know.....fuel filter

[qprdude]

Not sure about the 1.6l, but the fuel filter isn't visible id it? It's an element that gets changed, not the filter casing.

[Stickyfinger]

says...on Cit Service...........NOTE for Mk2
C5 II 5 DOOR ESTATE 1.6 HDi 110 particle emission filter (DV6TED4)
VFF476
M: PSA DIESEL FUEL FILTER.....which is the whole job and you plug in the re-heater/screw in the water sensor


Edit, same case filter but with these numbers....guess there is some upgrade there
As for the Mk3...
0610 06 1733 01A

M: PSA DIESEL FUEL FILTER
VFF476
or
EM: PSA DIESEL FUEL FILTER
E148068

[qprdude]

Just assumed, as I had my 2.2 done yesterday and it just said fuel filter element on the service invoice.

[RichardW]

The 1.6 is changed as a complete unit. don't know that you'd necessarily be able to tell it had been changed by looking at it. It may just be not primed properly, although I would have expected it to have cleared by now. Try pumping the primer (on top of the engine under the cover) a lot and see if that makes a difference. If not, then possible there's a fault with the filter - take it back and ask them to change it again.

I'm in Clydesdale (Lanark) so not that far from you!

[Deano24v]

if its anything like the fuel filter on the bigger engined HDI's its huge and a complete unit. not cheap either. gone are the days of a 10 quid insert. your're looking at 40-50 quid for one. Maybe the garage got a cheap replacement that isnt up to the job? or they never bled it properly when fitting?

[RichardW]

It's not that big on the 1.6 - about 10cm / 4" each way. Believe the Citroen price is about £55 but you can get it aftermarket for about £30. No wonder it often gets overlooked....

[Clydesdale]

Hi folks,

Many thanks for all the replies, seriously appreciated ! I'm about to jump in and change the fuel filter. Had to unfortunately use it for work today and did about 100 miles. It's OK if I use a feather touch on the accelerator and keep the revs low. If I go higher the car gets a little stuttery. Engine management light has gone out again. Will replace the fuel filter with a Mann fuel filter and hope that I get the priming right. At about £24 it's definitely not going to break the piggy. Will update the posts as I go. I take it that I will know when the fuel filter is primed ? should I look out for something spitting out if I overfill ?

RichardW, its a small world indeed ! Have family just down the road in North Lanarkshire

[RichardW]

The filter primes back to the tank, so nothing will come out. Un clip the primer from the top of the engine, then pump it (a lot!) you will hear the air gurgling back to the tank after a few pumps. Keep pumping till it stops. Now leave it for a while, and then give it a load more pumping. Has worked for me on 2 changes on these engines. Note that there is a heater bit that needs to be changed over on the filter which is a bit difficult - you really need three hands - one to hold the filter, one to lift the tab, and another to push it off. I use the vice as hand no 1!!

[citroenc5mad]

I would say 100% fuel filter, had the same problem on mine I serviced it, oil filters all round except the fuel filter, mije cut out once reved and went into limp mode, took to a garage changed filter never looked back since.

[Clydesdale]

Well, went out and replaced the fuel filter and all seems to be working a charm again Many thanks for all the help everyone, truly appreciated.

Interesting though in that my original fuel filter (which when removed definitely didnt look like it had been replaced as the garage said they had) didnt have the water sensor installed. Just had the wiring connector placed into the holder at the bottom of the filter. I didnt touch the nut on the top of the filter which I believe bleeds to the water hose ? Still, the car is back to the way it was on the day I got it so a rather happy camper this end !!

Thanks for the advice RichardW about the priming - stop and wait - prime again. Didn't realise how much I had to pump until it started to feed fuel through the primer pump. Could seriously feel the difference as it got harder to pump. Even though I had pumped till it ran without bubbles, I followed your directions and left it a while then came back and primed again. Was indeed a good bit of air coming through on the second "prime". Car started on the first turn ... I owe you a beer !

[SwissSPEC]

Report the garage to trading standards & demand a refund of all the supposed work that they've done, are you sure they did any of the other jobs you got billed for?