Just a mystery ( C4 Pic. 1,6 e-Hdi 2011 )

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rmunns
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Just a mystery ( C4 Pic. 1,6 e-Hdi 2011 )

Post by rmunns »

This car never ceases to give. 8 months of abject misery with a serious (£1500-worth) fault displayed on the screen, but driving OK. Just the occasional very very slight misfire . I have got to the stage of consulting a lawyer against the garage that sold me the car, but that has all stopped now due to the virus. Anyway, while the car has been parked up (using other car) the battery flattened. Fitted new battery (what a job!) and found incredibly that battery I took out was the original, dated Oct 2010! That was on Monday. On turning on ignition, the 'Moteur probleme' message came up, exactly as before, with 'SERVICE' illuminated. But today, first time since Monday, no message, no 'peep'. And there is more. The ECO now works, it didn't when I got the car and it hasn't since, until today. So what is all this - a dream? Or should I not be inclined to say 'whoopee' too soon?
Hell Razor5543
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Re: Just a mystery ( C4 Pic. 1,6 e-Hdi 2011 )

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

The C series Citroens are very sensitive where it comes to their electronics. A weak battery can cause all sorts of weird problems. Having a new battery fitted probably has resolved the issues. What could be a good idea is to do a full BSi reset, just to make sure there are no glitches (if there are actual problems they will remain).
James
ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR

C5 2.2HDi VTX+
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rmunns
Posts: 611
Joined: 09 Jul 2009, 22:09
Location: Southern Dordogne, France
My Cars: 2019 C5 Aircross 2litre diesel, auto.
2018 C4 Pic2 Spacetourer auto. Seems nice so far.
2019 C4 Cactus manual. Didn't like it, lots of niggling points. sold.
2011 C4 Picasso excl. - shaping up to be a disaster, bought June 2019. P/X'd
2009 Citroen C5 X7 exclusive, auto, LHD, 207500km (129000miles) now sold
Citroen Xsara Picasso excl. 2004 2.0 Hdi, RHD, 64000miles. (sold)
Citroen C3 Picasso excl. 2016. sold.
Two Xantias, one petrol, one diesel. sold.

In the past: Renault 16 (in about 1977, for a year). With front pass. seat out transported full bathroom suite from Cambridge to Derby!)
Renault 4TL (in 2011, for a year)
x 9

Re: Just a mystery ( C4 Pic. 1,6 e-Hdi 2011 )

Post by rmunns »

Thanks, I have the details how to do a BSI reset, so I'll do it. But my main concern is that the 'engine fault' seems to have disappeared.
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Re: Just a mystery ( C4 Pic. 1,6 e-Hdi 2011 )

Post by GiveMeABreak »

Hi roger. 10 years for a battery on one of those is stretching it a bit far - especially as you have Stop Start. The Stop Start only functions when a host of parameters and conditions are met - one of which is the battery in sufficient condition / charge. Although it has an energy storage capacitor for the Stop Start, all the conditions have to be met for it to function.

So this may well help with the electrical glitches, just the mechanical faults to deal with now...
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Marc
rmunns
Posts: 611
Joined: 09 Jul 2009, 22:09
Location: Southern Dordogne, France
My Cars: 2019 C5 Aircross 2litre diesel, auto.
2018 C4 Pic2 Spacetourer auto. Seems nice so far.
2019 C4 Cactus manual. Didn't like it, lots of niggling points. sold.
2011 C4 Picasso excl. - shaping up to be a disaster, bought June 2019. P/X'd
2009 Citroen C5 X7 exclusive, auto, LHD, 207500km (129000miles) now sold
Citroen Xsara Picasso excl. 2004 2.0 Hdi, RHD, 64000miles. (sold)
Citroen C3 Picasso excl. 2016. sold.
Two Xantias, one petrol, one diesel. sold.

In the past: Renault 16 (in about 1977, for a year). With front pass. seat out transported full bathroom suite from Cambridge to Derby!)
Renault 4TL (in 2011, for a year)
x 9

Re: Just a mystery ( C4 Pic. 1,6 e-Hdi 2011 )

Post by rmunns »

Marc............... thanks again for your help and encouragement. But the huge mystery is that the SERVICE light and the 'moteur default' (engine problem)) message have GONE. I agree about the battery - well over 9 years is a lot. The ECO has never worked since I bought it - in fact I didn't even know what it meant ('if all else fails read the instructions').

I need to now get a diagnostic done to see if the mechanical 'faults' are still there.
Hell Razor5543
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Re: Just a mystery ( C4 Pic. 1,6 e-Hdi 2011 )

Post by Hell Razor5543 »

Consider the possibility that (because the battery was weak) some systems were not 'waking up' properly, and so were not ready to respond to the 'Are you awake?' query from the main ECU. This could then cause that ECU to 'believe' that the 'sleeping' ECUs were at fault, and threw up an error state. Because there is now a new battery all of the ECUs are 'waking up' properly, and so (when they receive the 'Are you awake?" query) respond correctly. The main ECU can now 'see' that all of the electronics are responding properly, so does not need to bring your attention to any faults (as they no longer exist).

However, doing a diagnostics check should, at least, bring peace of mind.
James
ex BX 1.9
ex Xantia 2.0HDi SX
ex Xantia 2.0HDi LX
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR
Ex C5 2.0HDi VTR

C5 2.2HDi VTX+
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Re: Just a mystery ( C4 Pic. 1,6 e-Hdi 2011 )

Post by moizeau »

I'd be inclined to agree with James here. If the warnings have gone out on there own, the relevant parameters have been met and the car has decided there is no fault anymore.
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