C5 X7 2.0 hdi auto electronic parking brake problem

[GiveMeABreak]

Our Polish friends have undertaken repairs it seems from this link - the pictures show some of the replaved parts:

https://allegro.pl/oferta/linka-hamulec ... 7441098760

From the looks of it, good old reliable plastic gearing again - completely shredded Unless he's shaven the plastic with the knife in the picture:

[Paul-R]

If he has a source for replacement plastic gearing then that's quite impressive. OTOH if i's just a cable needed then, if I were in such a position, I'd be doing the rounds of cable manufacturers.

[Y Cymro]

Whilst the car was on the ramp at a Lloyds we managed to remove the cover from the EPB unit. It’s sealed with an adhesive as well as screwed so use of a heat gun was required

Removing the cover allowed the broken cable to be seen and the remaining cables removed so the unit could be taken off the car.

When removed, it could be seen that a retainer supporting the drive screw had broken, potentially allowing misalignment which caused (or helped) the cable to break.

Here’s the drive screw showing the snapped nearside cable. It isn’t a simple matter of unscrewing the hexagon.

Whilst I’m prepared to try our Polish friend I don’t know whether he can repair the housing (I’ve sent photos asking this). The timing is unfortunate as it’s a Bank Holiday so nothing’s going to happen until Tuesday, the MOT expired today and I need the car for holidays on a September 2nd, so I may be forced to buy a Citroen part. C’est la vie as we say in Wales.

On the bright side, I hope the photos and the contact with the Pole will be useful to someone: [email protected]

[GiveMeABreak]

Crikey, what a mess Steve!

If you're going for an OEM part - give them a call at the earliest (parts usually open before 12 on Saturday), as sometimes they have to order parts in from France directly - so could be a wait there. Or try one of the others I linked to that was slightly cheaper.

[Paul-R]

Here’s the drive screw showing the snapped nearside cable. It isn’t a simple matter of unscrewing the hexagon.

That hexagon looks like a crimp holding the inner cable onto a moving part. It's a bit difficult to make out much more as the Photobucket watermark obscures so much!

[Y Cymro]

That hexagon looks like a crimp holding the inner cable onto a moving part. It's a bit difficult to make out much more as the Photobucket watermark obscures so much!

Thanks to Myglaren I’ve posted better photos. Should be a little more legible now without the Photobucket ransom watermark

[Y Cymro]

The new genuine EPB unit has arrived from Citroen but it has only 2 handbrake cables - which run to the wheels. There isn't included the forward cable which acts as an emergency release. There is a blanking plug in the unit where this cable would be expected.

Can anyone please confirm whether Citroen has done away with the emergency release, or that my existing release should be fitted to the new unit after first removing the blanking plug.
thanks

[GiveMeABreak]

Hi Steve - no Citroen have not (and cannot do away with it) - it's integral to the system and is required.

The cable should reconnect to the unit - I will put up some info shortly... - temporarily locked whilst formatting

[GiveMeABreak]

Procedure for removing and refitting the Electronic Parking Brake in the Citroen C5 X7

Note: Diagbox or a suitable diagnostic tool is recommended to place the handbrake in the removal position (for removing procedure) and again after refitting for the Calibration Procedure.

Removing

• Slacken the parking brake.
• Raise and support the vehicle, with the rear wheels hanging free. (Warning: Refer to correct Lifting Procedure where wheels will be hanging freely:
  LDS Tank / Lifting Warning
• Place the electric parking brake in the removal position, using a diagnostic tool.
• Disconnect the Battery (danger of automatic re-application during removal procedure)

Remove the glove box (1). Unclip The gear lever gaiter (2). Remove: The centre console fascia trim (3) The oddments tray trim (4)	Pull the handle (5). Immobilise the electrically controlled parking brake manual unlock cable (6) (at "a"), using universal pliers . Uncouple the handle (5) from the electric parking brake manual release cable (6), by means of a screwdriver.
Remove the under body protections (7), (8).	Extract the electrically controlled parking brake manual unlock cable (6) from its housing (at "b"). Unclip the electrically controlled parking brake manual unlock cable (6) from the fuel tank (at "c").
On each side: Uncouple the handbrake cable from its housing (7) ( as "d") Unclip the parking brake cable guides (7) (at "e", "f") Remove bolts (8) Release the parking brake cable (7) from the guides	Remove the protector (9). Disconnect the connector (at "g").
	Unscrew the nuts (10). Remove: The electric secondary brake unit (11).

Refitting

Refit: The electric secondary brake unit (11).
Tighten the nuts (10) to 0,8 ± 0,2 daN.m.
Connect the connector (at "g").
Refit the protector (9).

Caution: Respect the routing of the manual unlock cable (6) and of the parking brake cables (7).

On each side:

• Position: The handbrake cable (7)
• Clip the guide of the parking brake cable (7) (at "e", "f")
• Couple the parking brake cable (7) (at "d")
• Refit bolt (8) ; Tighten to 0,8 ± 0,2 daN.m

Clip the electrically controlled parking brake manual unlock cable (6) to the fuel tank (at "c").
Engage the electrically controlled parking brake manual unlock cable (6) in its housing (at "b").
Immobilise the electrically controlled parking brake manual unlock cable (6) (at "a") ; Using universal pliers .
Couple that handle the (5) to the electrically controlled parking brake manual unlock cable (6).

Refit: The underbody protectors (8) and (7).
Return the vehicle to its wheels.
Refit:

• The oddments tray trim (4)
  The centre console fascia trim (3)

[*]Clip in place : The gear lever gaiter (2).
Refit: The glove box (1).
Reconnect the battery.

Caution: Before carrying out the handbrake calibration procedure, ensure that the ferrules of the hand brake cables (7) are correctly positioned in the caliper levers (at "d").

Carry out the electric parking brake calibration procedure, using a diagnostic tool.
Activate the electric handbrake control.
Check the immobilisation of the wheels.

Perform the operations to be carried out following reconnection of the battery.

[Y Cymro]

Thanks Marc
The problem is that the new EPB unit has only the two handbrake cables that run to the callipers, but doesn’t include the “electrically controlled
parking brake manual unlock cable” which runs from the EPB to the glove box (where the emergency manual pull release is connected to it). As the original part had 3 cables then I assumed the replacement should have the same 3 cables - because there doesn’t appear to be a way to connect my original release cable to the EPB unit (I don’t mean connecting the yellow coloured manual pull release in the glovebox to the release cable that runs back to the EPB unit)

I’m wondering whether the Indie has ordered or received the wrong part? I can check the part number with him later. He reckons that Citroen has changed the design and done away with the unlock cable, but that can’t be true as there’d be no alternative way to release the handbrake - with a flat battery for example.

[RichardW]

It does look like they have deleted the manual release cable. Here is the latest item on e-bay, showing only the brake cables: EPB Mech

In the parts list it says with the latest unit that you should also take this item: 73

6983 43

01
(MUL) CLOSER
DIAM 10,5 HAUT 15

Which is presumably a plug to put in the hole where the cable no longer is - it's not shown on the parts dia for the handbrake - but I found it on the body blanking dia, item 3:

In the handbook for later cars, there is no mention of the manual release. So it would appear that it is so reliable that it never needs a manual release And if the battery goes flat, then you're stuffed - unless you chop the cables off and front up another grand to PSA

[Paul-R]

I think there must be two ways of releasing the EPB on early X7s. This, now deleted, cable going to the glovebox (which I presume is electronic) and the manual release that you can access at the rear of the centre console, between the two front seats. This is the one that has to be available to use in an emergency.

[GiveMeABreak]

In the parts list it says with the latest unit that you should also take this item: 73
6983 43
Which is presumably a plug to put in the hole where the cable no longer is - it's not shown on the parts dia for the handbrake - but I found it on the body blanking dia, item 3:

The picture for that seller you linked to is not for the earlier models - (470205, 470208, 470210) and agreed 470214 is the replacement part for these earlier models - but the even later part is 1612865480 which is the one you linked to with no cable.

470205 shown with release cable:

As for the plug - it is also shown on the current handbrake diagram which I've highlighted:

As for the manuals - it was still showing the manual release in the 2014 2015 model and was only dropped from the last manual in the last production run of late 2015-2016. So it has been a feature right up to 2015-2016.

But I would agree you are completely stuffed in the event you cannot release for whatever reason - so make sure you get your relay breakdown included in your roadside cover.

@ Steve:
There must be a way to hook up the manual release cable to the unit if you have the cable already now that you have removed the old box?

[GiveMeABreak]

I think there must be two ways of releasing the EPB on early X7s. This, now deleted, cable going to the glovebox (which I presume is electronic) and the manual release that you can access at the rear of the centre console, between the two front seats. This is the one that has to be available to use in an emergency.

There was no release mechanism in the glovebox - ever. Only the electronic release and application handle and the manual release in the centre console.

[myglaren]

Unreasonable and expensive complications to something that was perfectly adequate to begin with, then further unnecessary complications added.
I admit that it may be fun when it works but a world of expensive pain when anything goes wrong.