Just bought it, C5 '05, few questions

[OlegR]

It's a '05 1.8 Estate, manual with ~150k km from Italy.
Since 2017 drove only 200km with the last owner, so I spent ~2k euros to refresh it after I bought it.

Now I'm test-driving it for another 1k km to see what else will pop up.

New to c5, not to Citroens.

Few questions:
1. Manual gearbox (BE4/5J), when in gear the lever is pretty firm, but it requires some effort to put it in gears. If I'm trying to change gears a la Forsage style, in 3rd I hear some synchronisators khhhhhrrrr (not always). Probably I heard in 5th once as well (changing from 4th fast to 5th). The gearbox oil is new, when changed haven't seen anything suspicious.
Thinking of:
- Cables, is it a way to lube them?
- Maybe the clutch is worn (but it bites ok)? the Gearbox pads (or what's the correct name, the rubber link between the body and gearbox) are ok, and were replaced.
- The gearbox needs a rebuild? but at only 150k km ?


2. Do the headlamps and rear window washers use the same fluid reservoir as the windshield?
3. Mirrors auto-folding, when locking the car, can be deactivated without Lexia? couldn't find anything in the manual.
4. The brakes, from my fillings, are not vacuum activated correct? Have the same filling on my '86 BMW which uses a hydro-sphere for brakes, their works are more linear and don't bite as quickly as the C3 vacuum assisted.
5. On bad roads, some noise from the steering column, hope it's an easy fix.
6. The dashboard screen, has 2 lines off, horizontally. Can this be fixed by cleaning the contacts or should be replaced?
7. Because the car was sitting in hot Italy, the cloth on the doors near the handles came off slightly, is it a way to glue it back?

8. From my 8 years of experience with Citroen, water and electrical contacts can cause a lot of problems. Are there any components, places, or contacts that require more attention? like cleaning periodically, using some protective/anti-corrosive spray etc.

[xantia_v6]

Are you sure that the gearbox was filled with the correct specification oil?

[OlegR]

Are you sure that the gearbox was filled with the correct specification oil?

Elf 75w80 NFJ was used.

[citroenguy]

Brakes are normal Vacuum-servo assisted

The dash LCD display can be repaired by some companies, eg AC Tronics. https://www.actronics.nl/display/citroe ... 008-6-pins

Yes headlamps use the same reservoir as windscreen/rear window but separate pump. Front windscreen and rear window use the same pump, just reversible.

A little noise from the steering column is normal, the only solution is a better used column.

If you normally shift gears is it OK? C5 mk I/II doesnt have the best gearchange. Xantia/BX is better.

Have not experienced any connector corrosion on C5 myself, only on towbar connector that is out in the open.

Special thing for C5 is that i really recommend you to change the hydraulic oil LDS (for suspension and power steering). It gets dirty and thick with time and has no service interval.
Only use orange LDS classified oil!

Braking system is normal DOT4

[Hell Razor5543]

You may want to strip and clean the suspension pump motor if you are replacing the LDS fluid. The motor uses carbon brushes, and will generate carbon dust. This, combined with any LDS that has, over time, dribbled into the motor, will produce a conductive paste that can cause the 40A maxi fuse to start blowing. It is possible to strip and clean this motor reasonably easily and give it another 10 years or more life (I had to do this last year).

[OlegR]

You may want to strip and clean the suspension pump motor if you are replacing the LDS fluid. The motor uses carbon brushes, and will generate carbon dust. This, combined with any LDS that has, over time, dribbled into the motor, will produce a conductive paste that can cause the 40A maxi fuse to start blowing. It is possible to strip and clean this motor reasonably easily and give it another 10 years or more life (I had to do this last year).

From what I understood the LDS flash and refill requires some specific equipment? or it's just like changing the brake fluids?

[OlegR]

Brakes are normal Vacuum-servo assisted
If you normally shift gears is it OK? C5 mk I/II doesnt have the best gearchange. Xantia/BX is better.

The brakes get better, guess just need some time after rebuilding everything.

Gear shifting, think I'll change later the clutch (having not a consistent bite) and probably gear cables as well, as I couldn't sport a consistent behaviour, every time it's different, guess it's just needs are replace.

[OlegR]

Who knows, what this 4th button can be used for?

I see it in Lexia:

[citroenguy]

To get more LDS out you'll need to depressurise the system with Lexia or the bleed nipples.
Then you just drain it via the power steering return hose, front left of engine bay.
After filling you may need to blow compressed air into the LDS reservoir to make pump start pumping.

4th button on the key fob is probably for C8 model sliding doors.
Never seen a C5 with more than 3 buttons

[myglaren]

My C5s had the same, four buttons on the PCB but three on the fob.
I believe that the fourth was for models where the tailgate or hatch could be unlocked only.

[OlegR]

Was playing around with lexia, and there are no options to re-program the buttons.

On my Pluriel, I used an after-market alarm, which let you re-program the buttons, like this for example (it's a gif, will open if you click on it):

[GiveMeABreak]

No these have specific functions for specific models as has been said previously.

I'd be very careful what you do in the BSI or could render the vehicle inoperative. Maybe a read of this will help you:

Lexia / PP2000 / Diagbox Warning

[OlegR]

No these have specific functions for specific models as has been said previously.

I'd be very careful what you do in the BSI or could render the vehicle inoperative. Maybe a read of this will help you:

Lexia / PP2000 / Diagbox Warning

And even if it will be possible to re-program them, I guess the rear window will not pop up as it doesn't have enough strong struts to eject properly, like in my Pluriel (which are factory struts).

[GiveMeABreak]

You can't programme things that are not there to start with. The BSIs are specific to the vehicles and the features of the vehicles.

So for example, let's take a 2001 C5 MK I in SX trim. When locked, you could press the middle button on the fob once to open all the windows a fraction. A second brief press would open them all a little bit more. A third press would close them all back up. Very useful on a hot day to help keep the car interior cooler.

However much I liked that feature, it was NOT available on the C5 MK II facelifted model. The option was not there and could not be programmed. The middle button's function on this MK II C5 turned the headlamps on for 'Guide me home' lighting.

In my MK III C5 X7, the widows could only be closed with the remote after locking the vehicle and holding the lock button for a few seconds. It would not lower the windows like the MK I and the middle button again turned the headlamps on. The BSIs are different and have different software loaded on so this feature can't be programmed if it is not there to start with.

[OlegR]

Agree, the only way is an aftermarket remote controller, which can be programmed more flexibly, as I did on my Pluriel.

Earlier I was asking about the clanking noise from the steering. Maybe somebody will need a solution, so I'll describe it here.

It's not about the noise from the rack, underneath the car. It's about the clanking noise from the interior, somewhere above the pedals. It sounds louder when driving on a gravel road or something similar, with small imperfections.

Anyway, the steering rack also can be rebuilt if you know how to do it. But it's a different noise.

What I was asking is about the noise that comes from this part:

It can be heard louder when the wheel is adjusted to be as close as possible to the driver and can change the loudness when you push the steering wheel further.
As you can see there are 2 metal tubes with different diameters.
They are made to make the installation easier, they do not affect the steering wheel adjustment or the safety.

Initially what can be done to be sure this is the issue, just insert something there, between the tubes, drive, and see if the noise is gone.

What can be done, to get rid of that clanking noise on bad roads ( solutions I found online)
1. can adjust the position, in my case it helped, I pushed the wheel from the extremely close to the driver position.
2. make some longitudinal cuts, and tighten with some straps
3. I sow that someone welded them (check closer my first image above)
4. on the thinner tube put a rubber tube/pipe so that both tubes have the same diameter. Put a long metal tube with the inner diameter=outer diameter of the thicker tube, so it covers a few cm of both tubes and tightens them with a few straps.