Citroen C5 Mk1 2.2 hdi needing "some" care

[yoseff]

Been a frequent reader of FCF , but didn't even remember i had account here, and that i've posted here in the past - it was 12 years ago!
Anyway , don't own an Activa anymore , but continue with Citros. Have a '03 C5 2.0 HDi (with almost 800k) and recently got a '04 2.2HDi Exclusive (The "illness" continues )
Both are in the estate version , and now , besides "a few things" that need to be done in the "old lady" , have the 2.2 requiring attention.
Will just put here the most important ones , and i still discovering about them, as got the "new one" just a few days ago.
There's the Antipolution Error. Don't have Lexia (Yet) , but with FApLite, the errors i get are P0380 (seems to be related to glow plugs) and P1448 (Seems to be FAP related)

To be honest , i do not know much about the car , so not sure if something was done to FAP , but on the previous maintenances , didn't saw anything related to Eolys... Also did't saw anything related to distribution belt , so that's also one of top priorities, as the odometer shows 236k (Could it be the original timing belt? Don't know , but better not risk)

There is also some (strange) gremlins:
After a few minutes locked, car only can be open with key , and not with remote - but after unlock with key it will work with remote flawlessly for a few minutes...

Auto lights will turn off if i go by an well illuminated area - at night (My 2.0 never did that) and high beam will not lock unless i did manually put lights on - after it will let high beam after i let the stick go.

Today also indicators didnt work for a while (but with the red triangle the 6 indicators worked) , only to resume working after a while.

Battery was dead when i got the car , so i already got a new one (Varta Silver 77A) , that will replace the (temporary use) one that was on the 2.0 and later on i will try reseting the BSI , to see if that calms down the gremlins.

Also the other stalker, the tip button , that changes the data appearing (Consumption and so) is not working. Unsure if it's just the contact or some COM problems

Can i just put other (aftermarket) radio like i have in the 2.0 , or does it poses any problem? I have the monochromatic screen without satnav.

One rear door is not opening from outside (Probably not unlocking - happened to me in the old lady ) , neither from inside (I suspect child lock is on)
How can i open that door now?

Some water appeared in the driver footwell. It rained quite a lot in the last few days and yes - it has sunroof. Need to check the drains.Can you please guide me where the drains pass? My first c5 with sunroof , so i do not know where to look.
Will also have a look on the place where air enters the car near windshield , as it had a lot of debris there , from trees

In order to avoid a (more) long & boring topic , i'll leave it here for now. Later on i can share more of my discoveries on it

Thanks in advance for your help , and also thanks for the shared knowledge in this great forum - been reading it "quite a bit" for the last few years

[Ross_K]

Auto lights will turn off if i go by an well illuminated area - at night (My 2.0 never did that) and high beam will not lock unless i did manually put lights on - after it will let high beam after i let the stick go.

Today also indicators didnt work for a while (but with the red triangle the 6 indicators worked) , only to resume working after a while.

Also the other stalker, the tip button , that changes the data appearing (Consumption and so) is not working. Unsure if it's just the contact or some COM problems

Those three things, taken together, might indicate a COM2000 problem alright

[yoseff]

And, from what i've been reading around, the COM2000 must be coded to the car, right? I imagine it is done with Lexia? Can a used one be recoded to any car, or must be a new one?
Today i plan to fit the new battery and reset the BSI. That should not cause any harm, right?

[Ross_K]

And, from what i've been reading around, the COM2000 must be coded to the car, right? I imagine it is done with Lexia? Can a used one be recoded to any car, or must be a new one?

When I changed the COM2000 on my 2004 Peugeot 307 it was a straight swap...no coding needed. You need to get one with the correct features for your car though, e.g. auto lights, front fog lights etc. Don't buy a used one unless you get a warranty

Today i plan to fit the new battery and reset the BSI. That should not cause any harm, right?

Yes, sure, you never know...a new battery might make a big difference

[yoseff]

Did fit the new battery , a nice Varta Silver (The biggest that enter there without mods, 77A) and car seems better - small turn of the key and engine is working effortlessly.
Didn't reset the BSI yet, as had no time today (during time i had it was raining , so no open window). Let's see if i can do it tomorrow.
It continues with the weird behavior: If i lock it with remote , after a few minutes it will not unlock with the remote - only with the key in the door. Hope the BSI reset kills that gremlin

Saw also today that the swirl actuator doesn't move at all , even after 2500 rpm. Could that be the reason for the Antipollution error?

Still have no idea on how i will open the rear door. Is there any way to bypass the child lock so i can open it from the inside. Doesnt look like i can dismantle the door panel with the door closed...

Was also trying to realize if the light that doesn't turn on is the xenon bulb that died or (hope not) the ballast. Does that should put some error code? Thought also about fitting leds instead of xenon. Anyone has experience with them on the Mk1? I've fitted a pair in the X7 and the result was amazing with (almost) no errors. Once in a while , it blinks the green headlight indicator , but most of the time is no problem (and i did a lot of km on it)

Today also realized that both the returns from the front suspension were throwing LDS out , and in order to put it to level i had to put 2 (!) liters of hydraulic fluid. Hope the previous owner didn't run it dry , but i hear no strange noises from the pump, and it goes up/ down really well.

And then citros are bad...

Did the typical return piping repair , but in the near future i intend to put original tubing. Also the suspention gaiters are totally destroyed... Should not run the car like that , but it's quite a bit of work to do now , and i have already quite a list on "to do"


It's the beginning of another Journey. I'm having Activa flashbacks

[yoseff]

Well... Another day, another issue found , but the good news is that an issue was sorted out: The rear door that had child lock and didn't open from the inside, opened and child lock was imediatly put off and will never be put on again
I share with you the solution, so it may help someone in the future. While one is locking /unlocking the doors (I did with the key) , other hits the door with the hand in the region of the lock. Those impacts often help to unlock the stuck mechanism. It worked for me also. It was a good tip from an experienced mechanic.

Now the not good news - the oil level was "a bit" too high , and i removed a liter in order to let it on the maximum. Probably the extra diesel that is injected to regenerate the dpf that find his way to the engine and destroys the oil. After just a few days , i'm seeing the joys of the f*****g dpf... Already full of it, so it must go.

With a Galetto, already got the original file from the C5 , and ran it thru ECUsafe.
To be honest , i'm a bit too scared to send that file to the C5 , so i'm thinking to use the services of hdi-tuning , and on the process add a few horses to the 2.2.
Would it be a big problem to use the c5 with the file for a few days , still with the dpf until i'm able to take care of it?
EGR should also go (i know that not everyone agrees on that matter , but it's another source of trouble).

Does it matter that the file is read while there's trouble codes? Better to reset them and only then read the ECU? I think it could be a better approach...

Also a lot of rattles inside the c5 (doors and plastics) , but hopefully i'll take care of that as i take out the doors trims to substitute 2 inside door openers that are broken.

Also the oil need to be changed immediately , as with over one liter of diesel added , that's not oil anymore. Already have the Oil and filter to do it , and got also fuel and air filter.
Is it an hard access to remove the oil drainer from bellow in the 2.2 hdi? Looked for some videos, but could only find for the 2.0.

[Ross_K]

Was also trying to realize if the light that doesn't turn on is the xenon bulb that died or (hope not) the ballast. Does that should put some error code? Thought also about fitting leds instead of xenon.

Swap either the bulb or the ballast to the other side (whichever is easier) and see if the problem moves too. I don't know if you can swap LED for HID, as HID bulbs use much higher voltages as far as I remember

[aspire_helen]

Yoseff
Re rear door lock. It will fail again (soon), and a door failing to open is an MOT fail. Private message me with your email and I will send you a pdf of how to fix it. The forum wont allow me to post a pdf.
Re End stalk button. The end button can be easily levered out using a pair of fine instrument screwdrivers or scalpel blades ie with sharp points that will grip the sides of the plastic button. Underneath you will see a fine, copper contact ring. It is likely broken - it is common. If you cant repair the ring you will need a new stalk. There are aftermarket stalks available.
H

[Paul-R]

You can post any file inside a ZIP file if it's not supported directly. The only limitation then is the size of the ZIP file.

[yoseff]

Yoseff
Re rear door lock. It will fail again (soon), and a door failing to open is an MOT fail. Private message me with your email and I will send you a pdf of how to fix it. The forum wont allow me to post a pdf.
Re End stalk button. The end button can be easily levered out using a pair of fine instrument screwdrivers or scalpel blades ie with sharp points that will grip the sides of the plastic button. Underneath you will see a fine, copper contact ring. It is likely broken - it is common. If you cant repair the ring you will need a new stalk. There are aftermarket stalks available.
H

Need to swap the bulb from one side to other to see if it is the problem, but first need to find out how it is removed
Does it need to remove any bolt? I am well aware on how to do it on regular ones, with h7 / h1 and on the X7 xenon... But this one has been a real challenge (and i have more other things to do , so i end postponing the task)
There is a specific kit that is led but direct change, keeping the ballasts. Did change it already in other car.

Currently i have the com2000 disassembled and yes, the ring is broken. I swapped the part from the "auto" lights side to the board computer side. Now i think i have a bigger problem regarding to lights , as the ribbon connections seem th have lost the contact patch. Will see if i can get one from the scrapyard to get parts. Let's see if i can put all that back together

Mine doesn't have front fog lights option (seems that xenon doesn't bring fogs - strange). Can i fit one stalker with front fog lights, or will that provoke an issue?

In a bit of a hurry now, but later on will update how it's going

[yoseff]

Was also trying to realize if the light that doesn't turn on is the xenon bulb that died or (hope not) the ballast. Does that should put some error code? Thought also about fitting leds instead of xenon.

Swap either the bulb or the ballast to the other side (whichever is easier) and see if the problem moves too. I don't know if you can swap LED for HID, as HID bulbs use much higher voltages as far as I remember

Now i see that on the hurry i quoted the other message bellow

Pleas see the answer to Led lamps above

[yoseff]

As i have the com2000 open , would be good to clean the ESP steering sensor? Is it quite easy? Or that's a new worms can that i dont want to mess with?
From what it seems to me , it just have one position to fit back in (Steering wheel seems to have a place that enters a notch on the sensor)
Will be super happy if i manage to get all back to work once again

[aspire_helen]

Yoseff
Re Water in drivers footwell. The sun roof gutter drains via rubber tubes running from the corners of the gutter, down the roof pillars (behind the trim) and into the wheel arches under the wheel arch liners. I think there is a pipe from all 4 corners. Try pouring water into the gutter and see, but I very much doubt they are your problem.
You could also check all the mastic seals on the body-work in the area. I had a leak into the rear right passenger area which turned out to be cracked mastic in the roof panel probably caused by stress around the rear hatch hinge (hint-always close the hatch under control). Your easiest problem would be leaf debris in the windscreen gutter. On a Cavalier I had, the gutter drain became blocked, filled up and over-flowed into the front passenger well.
Re fog lights. Very few Mk1s were fitted with fog-lights. They were a rare optional extra even on the flagship Exclusive SE. Conversely, the Mk2s appear to have them as standard. The Mk2 fog lights dont fit the Mk1, despite lots of Ebay listings say that they do. You may prefer to fit some aftermarket LED DRLs....I think they will be of more benefit.

[aspire_helen]

Yosf
Another thought re wet driver footwell. The aircon condenser housing drains via a rubber pipe attached at its lowest point on its right hand side, regardless of left or right hand drive. Of course it will normally only be wet on hotter days.
In addition, a leaking heater matrix could be a problem, but leaking engine coolant should be easy to distinguish from rain water.
H

[aspire_helen]

oops, I meant evaporator, not condenser, of course
H