New user, probabaly a dumb problem.....

[Drebbo]

Hiya. Wonder if anyone can help me. MOT is due at the end of the month and have a myriad of probs with the old C5 (compounded by no money!)

The biggest issue I have is this light.......

What the heck is it meant to be telling me. I can't find it anywhere online and my manual is missing. It seems to come on when I brake or decelerate (but not always when I am braking). It feels like a fluid reservoir thing, so I added some brake fluid and the Hyractive orange gloop too, but the beeping light persists.

Please someone help me - I'd be eternally grateful!!

(Oh, and hello everyone, I'm new)

Mark

[Deanxm]

Hi Mark

Firstly welcome to the forum!

That will be the engine oil pressure warning light! you need to get the engine oil topped up asap as serious damage can result very quickly from having no oil.

D

[Drebbo]

Thanks Dean. Oil!

Stupid, Stupid, Stupid. I'm not a car person as you probably guessed. I'll do that then and it now makes perfect sense. I was expecting a little oil can for that to be honest!

Brill.

My next problem is that the window wipers are stopping in the wrong position. If this as simple as taking them off, running the wipers through a cycle and then putting them back in the right position?

Mark

[Drebbo]

Ah, actually, I've just noticed that the forum has put my image in a little scrolly window, that is only showing the unlit oil can icon. What I meant was this one that is lit.....

Did you see this one, or did you see the oil can. Sorry to be a hassle.

Mark

[Sulla]

I am fairly sure that is the brake pad warning light. It is on my Xantia anyway. Either the brake pad is worn or the sensor link incorporated into the pad is broken.

[Gibbo2286]

That's the brake warning lamp, this is what the handbook says:

Warning lamp for handbrake. brake fluid level and braking distribution fault. When the engine is running this warning lamp indicates that the handbrake is applied or not fully released, that the brake fluid level is insufficient or that the braking system is malfunctioning.
If the warning lamp remains on when the handbrake is fully realeased stop immediately and contact your Citroen dealer.

The first thing I'd check is the handbrake switch, then the front brake pads and that the pads wires are not shorted to earth around the suspension links. If the brake pedal is low it could be the master cylinder rubbers worn causing half the system to fail but you should know that as the brake balance will be out.

[myglaren]

Clickable thumbnail, then click again for full size ('uge) will display in the correct orientation Photobucket playing silly buggers here.

According to the handbook it is the front brake pad wear warning lamp.
If it lights when operating the brakes then the pads are due for replacement.
If it lights all the time then the pads are gone completely and you will know this by the grinding and screeching that accompanies braking, or the wires are chafed and shorting against metalwork behind the wheel.

[Drebbo]

Thank you all for this. No screeching, and not on all the time, but does flick on sometimes when the car is slowing down before I put the brakes on.

How difficult is it to replace the brake pads on a C5 then? Do I need any special tools, and where would be the best place to get some from if I were to have a go myself. Money really *IS* that tight, and I'm betting that this light on will be a MOT fail straight away. I'm quite handy, and can tile, plumb and do all sorts of electrical bits and bobs, just not very experienced with cars. Advice really valued I have access to the Haynes manual the day after tomorrow.

So glad I found this forum. I tried asking in another (unnamed) place and got ripped to pieces for not being a car genius.

[Deanxm]

sorry didnt think to scroll down, doh.
Well that is a bit less obvious anyway! if it came on whilst braking only i would say the pads are worn or the brake fluid is hovering on the minimum level but since it happens when you dont brake i would check the handbrake as already suggested, if the little switch is dodgy that puts the handbrake light on then that can give a flickering warning light.

D

[myglaren]

I have to admit to not having changed my front pads on the C5 myself - all my other cars and my kids cars but not this one.

It is generally quite simple with the exception of having to wind back the pistons on the C5 fronts due to the handbrake operating on them. A dedicated wind back tool makes this simple but they aren't cheap. Around £16 IIRC. There are ways around this.

Also it is recommended that you crack the bleed nipples and attach a bleed hose directed into a container before starting and allow the fluid to drain into the container rather than be forced back into the ABS system as the pistons are pressed back into the bores. The dirty fluid in the bores can impair the ABS.
Best to get rid of the filthy stuff in the pistons anyway, probably worn out with being heated and cooled constantly.
Brakes benefit from bleeding afterwards too.

Before jacking the car up to remove the wheel, put the suspension to it's highest level.
You should actually be able to do this, put an axle stand under the car and then lower the suspension and that wheel will miraculously rise from the ground all on it's own.

Someone who has actually done this will chip in with real advice shortly.

[Monkeyfeet]

Go for doing them yourself! I've done a few and have managed without any special tools, it just takes a lttle bit longer. Just first scan or search the forum and then post more questions. None of the knowledgeable bods on here bite, and isn't part of the point of a forum to help? I think so anyway! I've never read anyone getting ripped to pieces on this one
Back to the brakes though - From memory you'll need to adjust the piston inwards to provide space for the new (thicker) pads. This is the sort of thing I looked up last time I did the job, as myglaren says it helps not damage intricate ABS systems.

[myglaren]

Exactly Monkeyfeet, we exist to exchange knowledge and experience for the benefit of all.
I should also have mentioned that the pistons are 'handed', one needs to be screwed in clockwise, the other anticlockwise. Unfortunately I can never remember which is which

[JamesQB]

When doing the mother-in-law's rear brake pads, she popped to the local garage she uses, the propietor of which she knows well, and borrowed a piston rewind tool kit for 30 mins which I quickly put to work. Know a friendly garage?

Not to hijack this thread, but when doing the job on her Picasso, I wanted to bleed the brake lines and fancied using my pressure bleeding kit. A program on my comp with lots of car info said never to use pressure kits on a system with ABS. Haynes manual said it could be used (or other way about). And various views found on the net. Anyone know what's correct?

[Citroenmad]

Hi, welcome to the FCF

... so I added some brake fluid and the Hyractive orange gloop too, but the beeping light persists.

Mark

Only LDS should go in there ...

The brakes pads are not difficult to change on C5s, very easy really. Possibly the most fiddly bit is winding the pistons back, though its not bad if you can get hold of a windback tool. I use a G-clamp and a screwdriver.

[myglaren]

I missed the bit about adding brake fluid and LDS.
I hope you didn't put them both in the same reservoir

Actually, on reflection, I think you should also have something come up on the infoscreen.
Take a look next time the indicator lights up on the instrument panel.