paul.h

You will need a code reader to see the fault code which may tell you what is wrong and then to delete the warning light. It will be cheaper to buy one than go to a garage (if you do your own repairs) or if in the RAC/AA call them out.

have you looked under the bonnet for any loose/holed hoses giving out fumes ?

Check if the windscreen is clean at the top middle where the sensors are located. If you get them working you may want to switch them off - I find the auto wipers a bit hit and miss in frequency and would prefer a normal intermittant wipe and the lights coming on when not required.

I have looked at other web sites and forums (caravan talk is a good one) and other car options and concluded our existing car should be ok. There are different versions of kerb weights - earlier ones do not include 75kg for the driver (as in the unladen weight in the mark 1 C5 handbook and brochures) but this extra weight is now included which is confusing when comparing cars. The Ford website brochures note their weights include the 75kg but I have not seen this elsewhere. The best place to find your car kerb weight is the V5C registration document which gives mass in service which includes the 75kg - hence my car has a kerb weight of 1560kg (unladen 1485kg as in the handbook and brochures) which should be used for the towing ratio calcs. I was thinking a mark 2 C5 would be a good option being heavier but realised the brochure weights (and those in on-line/caravan dealer calcs) now include the extra 75kg - perhaps somebody could confirm this by looking at their V5C. A 2007 brochure gives unladen weights as 2.0hdi hatchback 1498kg and estate 1532kg, 2.2 hdi 173hp hatchback 1576kg and estate 1610kg. Edited 9/6/2011 - these weights do not appear to include the 75 kg for the driver.

I would think it impossible to damage the servo. If it was damaged, the brake pedal would require a lot of effort as when the engine is not running. When you stop the engine, then push the pedal down and you will hear air entering the servo under the dash area until all the vacuum has gone which is normal. When driving other noises will drown the sound.

Haynes gives handbrake cable replacement as simply disconnecting at both ends and pulling out of the guides with replacement in reverse order (no more detail is given). Removal of part of the centre console may be needed. Then adjust so the lever is full on at 5 clicks.

Is it the sound of air being sucked in to the servo as you press the brake pedal, if so this is normal for all cars. If not, get somebody to press the pedal as you listen under the bonnet to see where it is coming from, possibly also try with the brake fluid reservoir cap slightly unscrewed in case the air hole has been blocked stopping air entering.

What weights are people towing and any problems ? We are going to replace our caravan (MIRO 1000kg, MTPLM 1300kg) with a heavier one (MIRO 1334kg, MTPLM 1499kg) but we do not tow the caravan at much above the MIRO. Our C5 is a 2.2 hdi VTR mark 1 hatchback, kerb weight 1485 kg, towing limit 1500kg. It tows our existing caravan with no problems but I am not sure about the new one and whilst legal at the MIRO weight, it is above the 85% ratio that is often quoted (90% using the kerb weight or 86% if 75kg is added for the driver as the Caravan Club do for their tests). I am a bit reluctant to replace the car with a heavier one but welcome opinions.

Do not know about the new C5 yet but the old ones are amongst the most reliable cars around. We have 3 Citroens C3/4/5 and have had a Picasso and they are the most reliable and cost effective cars we have had over the last 30 years.

You will have to go back to the dealer and have it sorted under the warranty.

C3 Haynes covers rear discs and pads but I do not know if these are the same as the C2 - Pistons appear to both be wound in clockwise with the bleed nipple open to expel brake fluid rather than push it back in to the system. Appears to be nothing special about rear disc/pad replacement. Caliper guide pin bolts are 38 Nm and caliper bracket bolts 50 Nm , disc retaining screws 10 Nm. Whilst the ETAI books are good, they do not always cover all models of a car, probably only the common ones in France, same as Haynes these days when they do a new manual. But sections common to all models are probably still worth having.

Have a look on here for posts on the fuel filler cap. They have a magnet or something in them which is sensed by a switch in the body. This may or not be relevant.

If you are ok with a bit of French (able to use a dictionary, translation websites if pictures not obvious), there is a workshop manual available from ETAI - either from their website or amazon (UK or French site). These manuals are good, lots of photos, drawings, etc and are as good as or even better than Haynes.

We had a very similar thing on a Picasso and it turned out to be a maxi fuse that had failed - no cause found and after replacement never happened again. The maxi fuses are hidden away so it was not obvious and the RAC man did not find it either, only the dealer after towing there.

Check if the 2 air bleed screws are not leaking - think I have seen this posted as a leak point on one of the forums. Before deciding on a head gasket failure also check the water pump and heater matrix and radiator for leaks. There should be some pressure in the system as the coolant heats up and expands, the expansion tank cap holds 1.4 barg, equivalent to coolant at 126°C.

There are 2 temp sensors, one on top of the head which does the gauge and starts the fan/high temp alarm and one at the side which just does a high temp alarm/starts the engine fan. Did you get all the air out ? I had a Saab once which jumped up and down on the gauge and that was a faulty new thermostat that I had installed. Our 1.4sx petrol normally runs on 3 lights but in very cold weather may not get up to the third. Is the engine fan cutting in early before 3 lights are on ? Suggest using a code reader with live data to see the actual temperature from the sensor. When I did this, 2 lights about 70°C, 3 lights on from about 80 to above 96°C at which the fan cut in so would not go higher - so when the thermostat opens (starts 89, full open 101°C) there should be 3 lights on (feel the radiator top hose which will get hot when it opens).

From what I have read here, you check the level with the suspension on the lowest setting and it should be just at the bottom of the filling nozzle filter basket. Any higher and the tank may split. Should be LDS fluid only.

The injector had to be replaced, I think a coil burns out. There are 2 holes at the side of them where water gets in. Afterwards I put some silicone sealant in them (advice from on this forum) and also under the washer jets. The washer piping under the bonnet can also leak at the joints so I replaced this with rubber piping and moved the location of the joint to the remaining plastic pipe away from above the injectors.

22000 miles is more than enough for the brakes to need a good clean which is outside of normal servicing but I would have thought not enough for anything to be worn out and you did not mention the abs/esp lights coming on as if there could be an electrical fault. At least if there is a fault, apart from wear and tear, then the warranty should cover it. Additional thought - how does the electric handbrake work, could the problem have something to do with this ? Apart from the brakes, what do you think of the new C5, is it the saloon or tourer, diesel or petrol, have you tried towing with it (just thinking about my next car) ?

Fuel injector failure is common, particularly after rain which can get through the bonnet holes for the wiper washer jets and drip onto the injectors. Happened to our car and then engine light came on and very poor running. There are posts on this. Ignition coil failure is another one.

Usual sources include eurocarparts, GSF and your local dealer.

A compression test will show if there is a valve or head gasket problem if fuel injection and ignition are found to be ok. Is the engine management light on ? Can you smell petrol out of the exhaust showing the exhaust valve is opening but also could be damaging the exhaust catalyst ? Any unusual noises from the top of the engine ?

In the glove box, bottom left corner, just pull off the small cover.

If you have the service maintenance book (which is separate to the handbook) it will give you the timing belt replacement. The one that came with our 2004 mark 1 C5 gives petrol engines at 75000 to 80000 miles and HDi diesel engines at 100000 miles, both for normal use. Severe use reduces these to 60000 miles and 80000 miles. There are reports here though of belt failures at lower mileages on the 2.2 HDi engines. There are also reports of the water pump vanes wearing away and overheating so if/when you do the job it would be good if you could give a post on what you find.

This must be either the air stops blowing through the heater matrix or the hot coolant stops going through the heater matrix. For the latter see if the hoses in to the bulkhead to the heater cool down and also check if it improves if the engine is revved whilst stationary - if so there may be an air lock or possibly a problem with the water pump. For the first possibility a ducting flap must be switching to the cold position. I have not seen a C8 so can not suggest much more.