paul.h

Welcome to the forum. The long run mpg may be a bit low but it depends on your driving style/speed/roads. We had a 2004 2.2 hdi hatchback and on motorways keeping 65 to 70 mph would return 50 mpg or more but at 70 mph and into a headwind it could drop to 45 mpg. Our current 2007 2.2 hdi estate has a slightly worse mpg but it is a heavier car and less streamlined at the back but 50 mpg on the same motorway routes is achievable.

Welcome to the forum. A problem like this could be anything that affects the engine running. You need to use a code reader to read the fault code and that will give you a good indication of the problem. In the UK you can buy a code reader for less than the cost of paying a garage to read the codes. If the mechanic read the fault codes ask him for them and post them on here, or do an internet search to see what they mean.

Admiral also make out of the phone calls, 8p per min plus 15p connection charge with a BT landline for existing customers or 5p per minute for new ones (from memory), so a mobile cost will be a lot higher. I have looked for alternative free numbers on the say no to 0870 website but the ones there did not work.

If you do not have one, a meter is useful for measuring battery voltage, and it has many other diy uses. You can get a good enough digital one for around £5 to £10 so no need to spend much. As an example from Machine Mart for £8.39 http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cdm10-economy-digital-multimeter

Unfortunately you have little choice to pay but in December when you look around for other quotes you may find it better to change companies. Some of the ones though on the price comparison sites I have never heard of and a lot of them have fees when ever you contact them for a change (so check this before renewing your insurance). When our 2003 C3 was changed for a 2010 one there was also a job change and an address change but had to pay about £75 for the 3 months left on the policy with Admiral, most due to the car, possibly since it has a higher value than the old one and there will be an admin fee (or rip off fee) hidden in this.

Once you are used to your car you should find it is an excellent car, easy to drive, easy to maintain and it looks good in black.

Just had a look in the Haynes C3 manual and there is a multi function switch on the gearbox at the end of the selector cable. This switch provides the info for the gear position on the dash. Access to it is by removing the air filter and possibly the battery and battery tray. It may be it just needs an adjustment by putting the gear lever to neutral, slackening the switch mounting bolts, use a meter measuring ohms (resistance) across the switch external contacts on its side, then rotate the switch so it gives 0 ohms, mark its position, then rotate it further to again give 0 ohms and mark its position. The switch should then be set between the 2 marks. There may already be marks on the switch if it has been adjusted before. Do not use a bulb to check the position since the switch contact can only take 100 mA.

I think we need an auto expert to help out, it is looking as if there may be a problem with the selector or whatever an auto has that senses when in neutral. Also I would check the battery voltage to see if it is low and causing economy mode to come on in a short time. Is your car a diesel ? Just to clarify, when you say you shorted the battery, I assume you meant you disconnected the battery and touched the car positive and negative cables together and not connected the battery terminals together which would likely give lots of sparks, melt the cable being used and discharge the battery.

In the end I replaced the ignition cassette to avoid any possible problems, although the fault did not return. The new one had similar to spark plug top terminals instead of the old brass corroded ones.

Our experience of Citroens over the last 8 years are they are the most reliable cars we have had (Xsara Picasso, 2 C4s, 2 C5s, 2 C3s) and they do not rust. Prior to this I used to spend many weekends doing car repairs. The 2003 C3 had a couple of early problems covered by the warranty (injector failure and front coil spring failure ) but for the last 6 years has been reliable, costs very little to maintain and is easy to diy maintain. It has recently been replaced by the 2010 C3 (the old one is still in the family) and this is an improvement but seems to retain a lot of the same parts. For the 2010 model the only workshop manual I am aware of is Citroen's one on dvds from such as ebay for about £4 and this is worth getting. Another thing you will find is the C3 brakes are keen and require little pedal effort - this has been queried before on the forum.

Welcome to the forum. The C3 does have a high biting point and others have questioned it on here, once this has been confirmed they have not come back with any problems. In our family are a 2003 and a 2010 1.4 petrol C3 and both are similar, with a high biting point and a light clutch pedal. You can check the clutch does not slip going up a hill so you know it is ok and if from a Citroen dealer you will have 12 months warranty.

Welcome to the forum. When the car is in economy mode certain things will not work until the engine is run again such as the radio, blower and other comfort things - as you have found so this is normal, this is to stop the battery going flat. The time it takes to go into economy mode after stopping the engine is about 15 to 30 minutes but reduces depending on the battery state of charge. Check the battery voltage some time after the engine last ran, if charged it will be 12.5 to 12.7 volts. Any less and it needs charging and if it will not hold a charge then it may need replacing or there may be a drain on the battery. I have not used a car with the egs gearbox (or any other automatic) so the following is from the car handbook for a 2007 model (from service.citroen website, documentation de bord): - to start, put in neutral, apply brake pedal, do not touch the accelerator, for a diesel turn the key to the drive position and wait for the preheater light to go off if it lights, turn the key to the starter position until the engine starts. From your note you appear to be doing this although you are waiting 15 seconds before using the starter and maybe not applying the brake pedal in the right sequence. With the car going into economy mode so quickly suggests the battery is the problem so check its voltage. If you get the car running check the voltage whilst running, it should be about 14.5 volts. Once you have done this let us know the results and the engine size/type, whether a mobile phone is connected to the car and if the radio is an aftermarket one (the last 2 are known to possibly give electrical problems). Key cases are available from such as ebay for a few pounds and you simply put the insides of your own key into the new case, including the immobiliser chip. When you disconnect the battery to charge it do not just disconnect it and then connect it since problems can occur. The following is from the Common Problems post: 20. Odd electrical problems caused by wrong battery disconnection procedure. If you need to disconnect the battery and not do a BSI reset procedure, I have found the following has not given me any problems on a 2004 and 2007 C5 and a 2003 C3: - remove the ignition key from the car - open the bonnet - wait a few minutes for the BSI to shut down - disconnect the battery negative terminal When reconnecting - ignition key out of the car - reconnect the battery - wait a few minutes - insert the key in the ignition and wait a minute - turn the key to the first position and wait a minute - turn the key so the dash lights come on and wait a minute - start the engine - take the windows down and up to reset the anti pinch - reset the clock (and radio on the C3).

Welcome to the forum.

When the injectors failed it hardly ran, the misfire was very bad as you would expect if 2 cylinders were not working, so it is unlikely you have an injector failed. Suggesting to seal the washers was a preventative measure. To find the fault, if there is nothing obvious, (such as checking the ignition cassette terminals, its electrical connector and possibly its flimsy earth wire at its gearbox end fastening, and any air leaks) it would probably need connecting up to a Lexia for a diagnostic check, otherwise it is all guessing on what is at fault. If your code reader does live data you could check the lambda oxygen sensors and catalyst - inlet sensor should be switching and the outlet one should be steady if the catalyst is ok - if not though a different code would come up. If you have live data then you may also have freeze data giving a snapshot of values when the code came up. Probably not relevant but you could check if the air filter is clean and whilst it is off I usually clean the throttle plate.

I have the RTA ones as well as the Haynes and the Citroen dvds so find it useful to compare. The RTA ones have good photos and line drawings and the RTA wiring diagrams are the Citroen ones and are better quality paper than Haynes but the Haynes procedures seem more detailed, are based on them taking a car apart and rebuilding it . The Citroen procedures also do not undo the brake pipes for the front brakes. Maybe the confusion from the RTA procedure on the front brakes comes from the disc procedure refering you to the caliper removal procedure. Also no need to disconnect the battery as in the RTA procedures - just do one brake at a time with the suspension at max height before jacking up that corner, use an axle stand, use chocks on a rear wheel so the car will not move (handbrake and gears both on the front and you will need the handbrake off and in neutral) and take the key out of the ignition, except once the wheel is removed, for access, it is useful to turn the steering so the front of the disc points out and then remove the key again (steering lock). If you have not replaced discs before, once the old has been removed, clean the hub face with a file to make sure the face is flat and check that the hub contact part at the back of the disc is also flat, fit the disc to the hub with the 2 screws and the 4 wheel bolts (spacers from washers/nuts needed) and check the disc runout - if you do not have a dial guage, rotate the disc while holding a pointer fastened to something (such as another axle stand base) and touching the outer part of the disc - if an excessive gap appears then it may reduce if the disc is rotated 180 degrees. If all is ok continue putting everything back. The Citroen procedures have a picture of a Luro and it is a complicated version of the Gunsons pressure bleeder.

Seems like a reasonable plan and with a bit of luck it will go away or not get worse - could even be the petrol you are using. Still have a look to see if the bonnet/washer hole is sealed since this route of water on to the injectors is a common cause of injector failure and a bit of silicone sealant wont take long to apply.

From the list of codes on this site on the Petrol Diesel and LPG Injection section gives, P0300 Random/Multiple Cylinder Misfire Detected. Common C3 faults are injector failure caused by water dripping on the injectors and possibly ignition cassette failure. I had 2 injectors fail after heavy rain, the light came on (I did not have a code reader then to check it) and these were replaced under the warranty. To prevent it happening again I sealed the washer jet/bonnet holes and replaced the washer jet piping with rubber to give more secure joints. You can check the electrical connectors to the injectors and there are 2 small holes on them which can let in water to the coils and they can rust/fail - I put some sealant on them to prevent this. Last time I replaced the spark plugs I noticed the ignition cassette was corroded on the terminals under the rubber boots where it connects via springs to the spark plugs - I eventually replaced the cassette and noticed the new one had like spark plug top terminals at the springs instead of what looked like the end of brass bars. Prior to this fault code P1327 came up once which an internet search suggested could be the ignition cassette. The following from an internet search gives some things to check: ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A code P0300 may mean that one or more of the following has happened: Faulty spark plugs or wiresFaulty coil (pack)Faulty oxygen sensor(s)Faulty fuel injector(s)Burned exhaust valveFaulty catalytic converter(s)Stuck/blocked EGR valve / passagesFaulty camshaft position sensorDefective computerPossible Solutions If there are no symptoms, the simplest thing to do is to reset the code and see if it comes back. If there are symptoms such as the engine is stumbling or hesitating, check all wiring and connectors that lead to the cylinders (i.e. spark plugs). Depending on how long the ignition components have been in the car, it may be a good idea to replace them as part of your regular maintenance schedule. I would suggest spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap, and rotor (if applicable). Otherwise, check the coils (a.k.a. coil packs). In some cases, the catalytic converter has gone bad. If you smell rotten eggs in the exhaust, your cat converter needs to be replaced. I've also heard in other cases the problems were faulty fuel injectors. Random misfires that jump around from one cylinder to another (read: P030x codes) also will set a P0300 code. The underlying cause is often a lean fuel condition, which may be due to a vacuum leak in the intake manifold or unmetered air getting past the airflow sensor, or an EGR valve that is stuck open.

If you have to depressurise the suspension I think it will only be the front that will need doing and will be along the lines of - disconnect the battery so the pump will not run, have the car body on axle stands otherwise when the pressure is reduced the car will sink to only a few inches above the ground, slacken the lds fluid tank lid to let out any pressure, about the middle of the front suspension is like a bleed screw which when slackened lets out the lds (into a container) and the pressure reduces - the pressure is from the weight of the car on the wheels/struts. When the job is finished, top up the lds tank with new fluid and put the cap on, connect the battery, run the engine and raise/lower the car on the pump a few times and it should be ok but the level may need to be checked/topped up again.

The Citroen dealer Bentleys on Manchester Road are good and for older cars may charge a lower labour rate. I have been using them for the last 8 years (buying cars, servicing if still under warranty but I also do a lot myself, parts, MOT) and no complaints.

Welcome to the forum. Only ones that seem to be mentioned on here are the Lexia copies, lower priced EOBD, EOBD that also do live data and there is also a Sealey PSA one that adds ABS and airbags to the EOBD and live data.

It will pay to get a copy of Haynes, whilst it does not cover the 2.2 hdi engine, the rest of it is relevant. To replace the front discs you do not need to undo the brake pipe, just move the caliper to one side, so no need to bleed the brakes afterwards. If the new discs are premium ones painted silver instead of grease for corrosion protecton, the paint should not need removing before fitting but you may still want to wipe them with a brake cleaner. It may be preferable to replace the front and back pads/discs on separate dates with some driving in between since they take time to bed in and the brakes will not be that effective to start with, so better to have 2 poorer brakes at a time rather than 4 - just my experience. As for bleeding the brakes or just the 2 yearly brake/clutch fluid change, I use a Mityvac brake bleeder (model 6820 which can also give pressure as well as vacuum and has been used to set up a turbo) which sucks the fluid out of the bleed screws and is a one person job. It is particularly effective on the clutch slave cylinder since here pedal pumping is not that good. Bleeding by vacuum is better since any bubbles get larger but under pressure they get smaller so harder to remove. I have previously used a Gunsons one that used pressure from a tyre but prefer the Mityvac being much quicker and less bother. The standard Mityvac fluid receiver is a bit small, about 100 ml and needs frequent emptying, a larger one is available from the US but with shipping is expensive so I made a 300 ml one from a screw capped plastic container by fitting 2 bleed screws to the top. They also tend to fall over but putting it in a cup with a heavy old bearing in the bottom stops that. I have also tried a vacuum one that uses a compressed air supply but found it needed a higher air flow than my compressor could provide. The Lexia would only be needed if air got into the abs unit so it can be actuated.

Sometimes if the battery voltage is low you can get odd electrical problems so it may be worth checking this. To access the fuel gauge I think there should be a cover under the rear seat so you could have a look to see if the electrical connections are ok. On the exhaust, a couple of years ago I replaced one on our C3 with a Eurocarparts Klarius one. From the start to now it has always resonated at about tickover and 2500 rpm and spoils the car. There was a similar report from another member. So, it may be worth trying to get some guarantee on performance when buying an aftermarket one.

In my case only the turbo had to be replaced (plus the catalyst which the garage said would be full of oil) since it had not broken up and put bits of metal through the engine. The engine was only run for a few minutes after the cloud to get on the hard shoulder and by the garage to check the failure. It is a pity it is not easy to remove the turbo outlet pipe to see if the impeller is in one piece so you know if the engine will be ok.

Welcome to the forum. The fuses will be listed in the handbook. On the service .citroen website the oldest one is for a 2008 model and it gives engine fuse box, fuse F5, 15 amp for the fuel pump but it could be different on earlier models.

The Citroen manuals are similar and give 4.6 hours for the job - so a DIY job may save about £300-400 in labour. If you are taking the parts from your second C5, I guess you will be doing the job almost twice. When I had a turbo fail on a petrol Saab the car was surrounded in a cloud of smoke on the M6 junction 40 hard shoulder, what are your symptoms ? 2005 repair cost was about £1200 for labour, turbo, catalyst, lambda sensor, coolant and the turbo was on the front of the engine so easy to get at.