paul.h

I have found the heavier and more powerful the car the better a towcar it makes when pulling the same caravan. On our previous caravan (about 1100 kg when towing) it was towed with a Saab 900 2.0 petrol, a Saab 9000 2.0 petrol turbo, a Saab 9-3 2.3 petrol turbo, a Citroen Xsara Picasso 2.0 hdi (the worst of them all for towing since I found it was not heavy enough to be always in control and was only used for 1 outing), a Citroen mark 1 C5 2.2 hdi 136 bhp hatchback - this was the best for this caravan being the heaviest and highest engine torque and the self leveling suspension and could pull the caravan all day without you really noticing it. On our latest caravan (about 1350 kg when towing) has been towed by the mark 1 C5 and now by a mark 2 C5 2.2 hdi 173 bhp estate. The mark 1 C5 coped but not as well as with the previous caravan but the mark 2 is a lot better due to the higher weight and power/torque and again you do not notice the caravan much.

Thanks for getting back with this. I have included this in the Common Problems pinned topic air con section since it is an unexpected fix.

Welcome to the forum. I guess you did not know but Citroen will replace coil springs up to about 80k miles when they break so you could have saved the bother and cost. Were the people who diagnosed the wiper problem a Citroen dealer ? If not I would go to a Citroen dealer for it checking, it could be the steering wheel mounted wiper switch needs replacing which is part of the comms 2000 unit so cost could be £100 to 200 for a new one. On replacement it may also need the steering angle sensor to be calibrated. Did you check for any voltage at the wiper motors when they should be switched on ? This is from the C3 section common problems pinned topic 27. Comms 2000 unit reset method to fix wipers/washers not working. This topic by vectratot includes a method to reset the comms 2000 unit after the wipers and washers stopped working http://www.citroen-o...ing/#entry82270 This is from the C5 common problems pinned topic 43. New C5 (X7) front wipers not working properly. Before replacing one of the 2 wiper motors, it may be possible to do a fix to the motor wiring pins - see this topic from c5vtr http://www.citroen-o...x7-wiper-motor/ You have not mentioned the clutch problem but it may help if the clutch master/slave cylinders are bled which should be done anyway when the brake fluid is changed. I have found the best way is to suck the fluid through using a mityvac pump but the method will depend on the type of bleed screw on the slave cylinder - some need a few turns, some need a quarter turn and others need the fluid pipe releasing slightly.

You could check for damaged wiring where it goes between the body and tailgate.

There is nothing in the Haynes manual about diagnostic work when replacing the power steering pump, whether the belt driven one or the electric one and it does not seem too difficult to do. I would get a copy of the Haynes manual to help you understand any work needed on the car. So I would suspect you could fit a used part with no bother. You probably would not need all that lds fluid if you plug the pipes when disconnected since it would not be lost. The pump in your link is for a belt driven one, so definitely no diagnostic work. Maybe the garage were thinking about the suspension pump.

What did the dealer say about the doors ?

Welcome to the forum. The anti pollution message and the engine management light coming on just mean there is a fault detected that may affect the exhaust emissions. It does not just refer to the exhaust FAP (dpf) and as you note, your car does not have a dpf. A fault code will have been stored until it was deleted using a code reader and it would give a good indication of what is wrong. It could be a faulty sensor and possibilities include a blocked fuel filter, an air flow meter fault (if disconnecting it does not alter the running then it could be faulty - try cleaning it with carb cleaner before replacing), a cam shaft sensor fault, possibly a crank shaft sensor fault but this would likely stop the engine, a speed sensor fault, an egr valve fault, a sensor connector fault, a leak in the vacuum hoses to the various sensors, and the list goes on. So without reading the fault codes you could spend a lot of money replacing various parts until you found the right one.

Please let us know what you find out, it will be of use to others who are likely to be needing new rear pads.

Apart from checking the sensor and coolant level and any coolant leaks, you should check if the radiator is not blocked so the air flow is getting through, the engine fan works, there is no coolant in the oil or oil in the coolant which could indicate head gasket failure, if the weather was hot that day, if you had the air con on as well which would all increase the engine load, if the coolant needs air bleeding out, if the thermostat is opening fully. You could use a code reader with live data to see what temperature the sensor is giving to see if it seems normal - probably about 95°C when warmed up, the outside temperature before starting the engine, the thermostat opens at about 90°C, the engine fan starts about 96°C and the high temp warning at around 110°C. When running, if it happens again and you have found no faults, then you could put the cabin heater on full to drop the temperature by increasing the engine heat removal.

To check the lambda sensors you will need a code reader with live data. The sensor on the exhaust catalyst inlet (maybe listed something like lambda 1 or O2 bank 1) should be showing about 1.0 and switching continually up and down a bit if it is ok. The sensor after the catalyst (lambda 2 or 02 bank 2) should stay steady but if it switches similar to the inlet one it means the catalyst needs replacing. The sensors can not be cleaned but check the wiring and connectors in case these are at fault and not the sensor. Of the 2 sensors, the inlet one could affect performance since it continually adjusts the fuelling but the outlet one just checks if the catalyst is working. So if you need to replace a sensor it is likely to be the inlet one - beware that cheap copy sensors may not work as well as dealer parts.

If Halfords replaced the speedo or ecu, the car will have adopted the mileage of the higher of the one already on the car or that of the replacement part if it was a used item. So possibly Halfords have messed something up or used a part from a different car which was on 133k miles. It is normal for a garage to note the mileage of a car when doing any work and will include this on the receipts - so you may already have this info unless Halfords noted the mileage after they messed up.

Welcome to the forum. The new model C4 (2011 on) is known for paint bubbling on the bonnet, particularly at the front next to the V section cut out and Citroen replace the bonnet saying there is a manufacturing defect with the metal protection system. Our 2011 bonnet was replaced this year even though it was out of warranty - so they do still replace parts outside of warranties. Same goes for suspension coil springs which often break. It is likely there is a manufacturing defect on the alloys which has not been resolved and having gone through 5 sets it shows they have not been able to sort the problem so I would suspect you still have a claim. An internet search appears to show alloy wheel corrosion on the ds4 and ds3 is common, so it looks as if your car is not unique and Citroen replace the wheels so they will know about the problems due to the high costs they are suffering.

Thankyou for getting back to us and letting us know how you have fixed your car.

Welcome to the forum. If you have kept the carpets out it may help you spot a leak when it is raining or with somebody spraying the car with a hose. I would check the bulkhead drains at the back of the front wings are not blocked with leaves and other debris, check the air con drain is not blocked or its drain hose has not come off, check the door and sill drains are not blocked, check if the windscreen has been replaced and not sealed properly, make sure the windows are closed (the rear ones if manual can gradually come down a bit), if you have a sunroof check its drains are not blocked and its seal is not leaking. If the internal door seals are damaged or not stuck this could allow water to run into the car - the Xsara Picasso is known for this. Something like talcum powder applied inside the car may help show up where the water gets in.

Since it is not getting any better, I would go back to the dealer service department and get them to look at the car. If your dealer is not much help then you could use another Citroen main dealer. Where are you located in case somebody can recommend a dealer ? A link to your similar post so any replies are together http://www.citroen-owners-club.co.uk/citroen/topic/22656-new-c1-airscape-flair-82/

Welcome to the forum. The Citroen accessories site lists a roof cycle carrier http://www.accessories.citroen.co.uk/?modelId=701&categoryId=888&subCategoryId=923

Welcome to the forum, your car looks good.

On here people have said if there is fluid in the eolys tank it will continue to be dosed in to the fuel tank, even if you are getting low level messages. The eolys is used up at about 3 litres in 80000 miles to give you an idea of how much to dose if the eolys runs out - this is approximately 18 ml per fuel tank fill of 50 litres if you average about 45 mpg (10 miles per litre). It would need adding before you put the fuel in to make sure it mixes in. Since this is the normal concentration in the diesel tank it should not cause any harm.

This topic has some info on replacing the rear brake pads with the electronic handbrake. http://www.citroen-owners-club.co.uk/citroen/topic/22636-c5-tourer-rear-pad-change-with-electric-handbrake/

The 2 filters go side by side, 1 is larger than the other, probably done this way to give the required area and a single large filter would need deforming to get into place.

Welcome to the forum. What year and engine is the Picasso ?

Welcome to the forum. The paint coming off the door handles is common, Citroen only sell the complete door card so it has been suggested the handles could be painted again - or left since it will probably come off again. A look in a 2010 sales brochure lists the usb socket as only being on the exclusive model. For the 1.6 hdi, make sure the oil and filter are changed frequently and the correct oil is used to help the turbo last since they have a reputation for early failure. On the C5 technical section there is a pinned topic of common problems to have a look at and one is the steering rack oil seals failing. So if from a dealer with a warranty have a look to see if any of these apply.

A quick look in a Dec 2013 sales brochure shows that ESP - ESC as it seems to be called (electronic stability control), on the exclusive is only standard on the 110 e-hdi engine Airdream 6 speed manual and is an option on the other engines. So possibly on your car the option was not chosen by the original buyer.

This is a new one. Does the air flow increase or does the fan just sound to increase as you turn your head - just thinking as you turn an ear in the direction of the blower it may sound louder. If the air flow does increase then maybe there is a wiring problem.

The 2009 on C3 pollen filters are next to each other under the scuttle. There are 2 separate filters of a different size that fit side by side to effectively give a large enough filter. If it was a single filter it probably would be too large to get into place without bending it.