2002 2.2 Auto C5 - Lots Of Odd Problems?

[myglaren]

There is a list here of members who will run a Lexia diagnostic.
Best for you to contact those nearest to you and agree on a time ans terms.

[IHateMySelf]

I found prices on ebay for the arm bearings and it totals around £40, how much would the labour be?

I just PM'd dieselnutjob hopefully he will reply by tomorrow morning so I can have the car diagnosed before the evening, otherwise I will have to rent a car.

Also, I just saw a message on screen "low diesel addictive?" what ever that means.

[Stickyfinger]

Also, I just saw a message on screen "low diesel addictive?" what ever that means.

That is the DPF addative, it will need refilling and then resetting via Lexia

[IHateMySelf]

Thanks, is it a problem if I don't top it up? I don't want to waste any money on the car until I have it thoroughly checked and tested.

Thanks for the replies btw.

[Stickyfinger]

Without additive you will get a blocked DPF, so yes it needs doing but how urgently ? as a guess/bet, get the rear bearings sorted first as they will kill the car if left to long.

A Warning............. failed rear bearings effect the grip especially in the wet...Take it easy

[Monkeyfeet]

None of this sounds terminal really. "Buying a project" covers it quite nicely . But you've probably not bought a total disaster 'cos most of those issues have happened to us owners out here and we still run the cars....
Did the bearings on the drive myself last year and changed a caliper this year. (ebay I think. Just undid the old, twisted on the new without upsetting the fluid if I remeber).
DPF fluid. Well personally I'd just Galleto & ecusafe it then bash it out so it can't cause any future bother. But this is another topic in itself (discussed at lenght in other threads) and you be best off researching it before taking any decisions there. And starting another thread if you've more questions.
Lastly I call ours "The Cruiser". Sums it up?

[IHateMySelf]

Hi, buying projects can be a good and a bad thing. A good thing because you immediately know everything there is to know about your car, seen as everything needs fixing! lol. The bad thing is it could cause you to file for bankruptcy.

On a serious note, Dieselnutjob got back to me, sadly he wont be available due to personal circumstances.

Can anyone recommend me a garage nearest to East London? If not, any members here willing to take a glimpse at it over a cup of tea?

[lexi]

Always keep in mind the option of letting car go now, before you start. You may drop a hundred quid but save a grand. If you were spannering yourself, I may not say that. However labour charges at a garage will kill you on that car.
There are always better and worse cars out there. I paid what you paid for a C5. I have put a load of service parts on it. Cam belt, aux belt, all tensioners , pulleys, Intercooler. etc. What is it worth now? The same!
That is the car you take your time and look for.
If it need not be a Citroen, can I recommend a Honda Jazz auto on about a 3 plate . Easy in and out of and a nice example will be a lot less trouble.

[IHateMySelf]

Thanks for the reply. I hear what your saying and its my thoughts exactly.

However I have a badly hurt knee thus I need an automatic and my back is killing me from my prior work, which is the reason I wanted a boat for a car. I live in a poorly maintained area which is the reason I picked the C5.

I just came back not long ago and realized that when you put the steering into full lock that very faint hissing sound goes away. Is this the sign of a failing P/S pump?

Also after resetting the trip computer I only averaged 17mpg around town which is terrible.

[lexi]

Ah well, the Jazz is no good as it doesn't have any real suspension. Any auto with big engine is poor in the city but 17 mpg is about Vel Satis 3.5 petrol territory I don't see any way out for you with this car, less you get a handy member near you to spanner it as a Homer. If you have time and patience, then one priority job at a time might work. We are coming into the season though,( for ant mechanics ) when most of the jobs should be done.
I have one more to do (rear ram) and then I hope to batten down the hatches for winter..........some hope with a Citroen

[IHateMySelf]

I tried to get the suspension fluid cap off, but it seems as if someone has super glued it down, I fought it for a good 10 minutes before giving up. So I thought I'd check the engine oil instead, and it seems to be solid black even though it was supposedly recently serviced? My god how clumsy could I be? What was I thinking not even checking that before buying it!

Anyway, so far, aside from the clonk and the light pull to the left, I don't think it would be a costly resolve. If the caliper and arm bushing total 2 hours of labour I think I can find a mechanic to sort it out without extorting me.

[Hell Razor5543]

Well, the oil being black is not that bad a thing. Diesel engines seem to prefer their oil black, so they dye it black the moment it goes in the engine! Seriously though, I have changed the oil on HDi engines (using the Asda fully synthetic oil, which does meet the spec) and it goes in a light golden colour, and within a few hundred miles it is black as sin. In this instance I would smear a little on your fingers (from the dipstick) and feel the consistency of the oil.

[lexi]

The reservoir cap is under a small amount of pressure.

[IHateMySelf]

Just a little status update:

I just came back from a 400 mile round trip (yup, I dared it, and I did!) When I set out there where no lights on the dash or anything so all was good.

Once we got to motorway speeds it gave a shudder in the steering so I'm assuming a balancing issue, and after a brief blast at 90mph the dashboard lit up like a Christmas tree. Check engine light, service light, ASR/ESP light, and STOP light. Then the car went into to limp mode, limiting the rev's to 2,500 rpms. It soldiered on like this for another 150 miles.

Once we got there I left it to sit for a bit before getting back into it, the check coolant light popped up along with the STOP sign so I bought some coolant from Halfords and topped up which solved that problem. The limp mode had also disappeared and picked up speed without issue.

Afterwards a multitude of problems presented itself, the rear windows stopped working, the front windows wouldn't stay up and would roll back down, my seatbelt pulley got stuck half way so it was always loose, Antipollution fault and ASR Deactivated message kept popping up on screen... and the list goes on.

It was almost comical, I was in the middle of nowhere, far from life and yet somehow the car and it was telling me it could champion on back, so I did just that! Along the way I had to pull over a few times to turn the ignition off and back on to get rid of the limp mode issue. I came to the conclusion that as long as I stuck to around 63 mph the issue wouldn't crop up. One thing I did observe is it would go into limp mode when the shuddering began over 70mph and the ASR/ESP deactivated message popped up on screen.

Regardless of all of this however, I think I've decided to keep it! How odd is that? I've developed an odd bond with it over the journey that I can't explain, it was almost like it was rebellious, I felt that it can champion on for years with all its odd quirks and goofy method of operation.

How strange

[myglaren]

Some of those symptoms look like the dreaded low voltage problem.