RichCliff

Wife ran the battery flat last night after leaving the lights on. No idea how as it beeps like mad inside when the lights are left on so clearly not paying attention! Anyway, since jump starting it earlier, when I went for a drive to charge up the battery I had no Speedometer, Tachometer, Fuel Gauge or Temp Gauge working. I stopped the engine after 20 miles of running and re-started. The temp and fuel gauge worked again but the speedo and tachometer still don't work. Does anyone know if there is a reset for these? I've seen on the Chrysler that you depress the right hand knob on the dash/cluster face for a while and it does this. I did press it but not sure if i held it in long enough before coming back to look what was the procedure online. (Car is parked 1 mile away).

After putting the car in for a cambelt/waterpump change yesterday (Halfords Autocentre, Marsh Barton Exeter) the mechanic (which just happened to be a citroen technician) identified a problem when underneath straight away. Right side control arm bushes were shot which is what you described above. Although it can/could cause braking judder he was adamant that the judder was indeed the front brakes. They reckon ATS hadn't cleaned the hubs off.... ATS say they did. I've had the brakes replaced twice under warranty and ATS now say the job was done properly, both times. Halfords reckon if i bite the bullet and go for a complete change of brakes with them, they'll sort it (of course, i'll be paying them 400 quid for all four). Had ATS on the phone, one of the ones in charge and he was very 'in' with the way they conduct their brake changes, and that everything was done to order. Does anyone know, before i go searching what a control arm/bush replacement plus labour would be (rough estimate)?

I've just had my engine knocking (for over a year) repaired and it turned out to be the auxiliary belt pulley/tensioner which was the problem. It was out of alighment/bent and thus knocking. It was loud and worrying when cold starting. When the car was driven for a while and hot the knocking noise was much less apparent but could just hear it. Having initially thought it might be the cambelt pulley , when i had this changed yesterday the mechanic identified the aux belt issue and i had the belt/pulley/tensioner replaced and the knocking has completely disappeared.

After more than a year of engine knocking it has finally been fixed and i can now describe what it was. Last year when i had a proper listen to where the knocking was coming from, it was indeed coming from near the described area above in the pic. I just had my cambelt/water pump and pulley/tensioner replaced. Whilst apart in the garage they phoned me up and said there is a big problem with the auxiliary belt pulley/tensioner. It was bent/out of alignment and this was making the knocking noise. So, having forked out £302 for the initial work to be done and quoted there and then for a new aux belt, new pulleys/tensioners and labour for £176 i decided it was a good idea to have everything done at the same time. When i got back in the car to drive home, the knocking was gone and it was sounding so smooth and completely back to normal, sound wise. Sadly, whilst still in the garage though, when they fitted the water pump it cracked so they had to order another (metal this time) and fit again. In all it was in 12hrs with 8hrs of labour for it all. (Apparently it was a nightmare). But there you go, if you do have an engine knocking noise especially from a cold start (and it seems to disappear a little when hot but can still just hear it) then check the Aux belt/drive/tensioner/pulley. I initially thought (see another thread) that it was the cambelt pulley/tensioner which was the problem. But seeing as my cambelt needed changing anyway, i'm glad this issue was found at the same time.

Just a quick observation today. I had no judder/vibration for around 15-20mins when braking at various speeds and felt nice and smooth, even my passenger noticed it. I went over a bump due to uneven road surface and right after the judder came back under braking for the rest of the few hours of journey. This surely has to be suspension or atleast under that area where the rumbling noise is coming from. It also doesn't do it half as much when braking going up hill. It does it a hell of a lot when going down hill though under force. Either that or it is the ABS.... but seems slightly slower in frequency than that when i've had to brake quickly and it kicks in.

Halfords just quoted me cambelt kit, waterpump and labour at £302.71. He even questioned it himself and with a few hmms and the like said, yeah, we can do the waterpump aswell for the same all in. Rather happy considering the local garage priced me at 394 and another 750! Think i will look at the suspension after i've had the cambelt sorted. Halfords offer a free suspension check so might use that whilst there to see if they find any play or faults with the bushes. There is a definite creaking sound and slight feel through the pedals when i go over slight-rough road surfaces and when pulling away from turning a corner in the suspension. Like a creak then get a rumbling for a moment then goes away when up to speed. Only noticeable over certain surfaces if not up to standard and the odd small pot hole. I did wonder if this was the cause of shaking/juddering with it literally rattling under braking. Will investigate after cam belt and water pump is sorted.

Cambelt, Pulleys, Water Pump, Coolant etc been quoted for £394 from an independent garage and £381 from a Citroen Garage but without the pulleys. which isn't bad considering someone just now quoted me 750!! I'm starting to really worry about the other problems cost wise now. The judder feels like its more lower frequency than the ABS kicking in....thats pretty quick juddering where as this is slower.... well, not much slower but its much more pronounced and vibrates the steering wheel so much and the passenger can feel it big time also. I'm beginning to wonder if its a stuck caliper(s).... remember last year i had the handbrake issue which oddly enough went away by itself. I then had the overheating brakes issue.....which was the initial cause of the new discs/pads being fitted. I had new brake discs, new pads and a complete flush out of the brake fluid on every wheel thereafter....and since then two more new discs and pads on the front just a few months after the first lot. I am leaning towards the caliper issue now which could be hearing up the discs to the point they warp when hot. As when i start off a journey, the first few braking manoeuvres are barely noticeable judder wise, it isn't until i start braking from above 35-40mph that it becomes an issue., Euro Car Parts quotes calipers as £137 each for the front. Obviously not including fitting by the garage. Had an advisory for the rear brake discs in June so that's another £200 for those as well. It's a complete money pit, can't afford another car outright at the moment and i doubt i'd get much for part exchanging this either. Apart from all these problems, it's wonderful to drive on the long distances.....and has never faulted starting or anything (yet).

Thanks for the replies so far. Several times this week, i've had to brake hard and the first initial braking, no judder. Second braking it juddered and did so thereafter. Yesterday i did the usual braking to come to a halt at junctions and no judder, the brakes 'felt' smooth, no lumpy bumpies. Thereafter, juddering when braking at other junctions. It's odd.... also it will judder more so at times and then less on other times. I really think it's not the brakes. So might have the CV joints (thanks for the suggestion above) and bushes tested for movement end of the month. I'm going to be skinted out though, have cam belt, water pump, pulleys, coolant etc replaced at the same time. I suggested pulleys because there is a serious knocking sometimes from within the cambelt cover. This car is a bloody nightmare.

Not sure if the Mechanic did those things, It was ATS. Last time i challenged them about the brakes i had a call from the head office getting rather upset and adamant his guys do the job properly. I took it back to them as the brakes were under warranty. Regarding the suspension, it rumbles/mutters when pulling off from a stop also, and when turning full lock something just isn't right in my eyes, not too sure. Not mechanically car savvy myself and have no drive to check as live on main road. I'll get my timing belt, pulleys, etc done first then try and find and sort out this problem. Sounds like it could be a host of things.

Hi folks, I became aware of a judder (seemingly from the front) and as the front discs needed replacing, i did just that. The judder went away for a few weeks but came back so i thought perhaps even the new discs were warped slightly (i don't drive or brake hard) so i took it back and the mechanic drove the vehicle and confirmed it sounds/feels like a disc warp. So they replaced both discs at the front under warranty. Again, perhaps 4-5 weeks after the discs have been replaced for a second time, the shudder/judder is back with a vengeance. It happens mostly when slowing down from high speed, feels like you're going over a rather nasty yellow line feature before a roundabout on a dual carriageway but worse. I have noticed that sometimes it doesn't do it (perhaps when ive set off, the first few braking isn't as bad or don't feel it at all) which leads me to think it's not the discs. Over rough roads and small holes, i can hear possible noise coming from the front suspension, clunk here and there and a rumble. Over smooth road surfaces, no sound. I've been told several things from warped discs again to warped hubs and also possible bushes need replacing. Question, if i was braking from 40-70mph would suspension bush failure lead to very abrupt/severe shaking/juddering similar to a warped disc? On those ground, does anyone have any idea on cost of replacement bushes or even replacement hubs? I have a Citroen C5 Mk1 04 Plate.

Just been reading through this thread. Driving home tonight, my passenger side dipped beam went, it's bright on the drivers side but similar to side light brightness on the passenger side. I have a Mk1 04 plate. Does anyone know how difficult it is to change the head lamp (dipped) on this model?

Well, Since my brake fluid boiled and made the brakes glow.... They've warped. As it was brake fluid which needed replacing (badly by the sounds of it going by the independent garage) it's my fault i guess. When i brake the steering wheel wobbles like mad, in fact the whole car does. As for the tyres, i got them replaced and tracking and you're bang on, the car just doesn't feel right. I had the tracking done because the front wheels were worn badly on the inside of the tyre. Had it done at National Tyres. Now when i am driving, the car just feel correct, and i also get a noise coming from the front wheels when i turn left or right, which i didn't have before. I'm absolutely fed up with this car, can't afford, at the moment to replace it but then i'm slowly tallying up the costs every single month. If it's not the brakes, it's the tracking, if it's not that, it's engine knocking, if not that, the wheel bearing or the hand brake or the gearbox.

Well, i'm back (again)...... Back with the engine knocking thing after all the issues i've had with the brakes and wheel bearing over the last few months. Engine hasn't been knocking too much lately until this week where it has come back with a vengeance. I had the bonnet up and narrowed it down i think to under the cylinder head cover.... perhaps. If i put my hand on the left hand side near where to the oil filler cap is located, down on the side of the cover the knocking is very much pronounced and I can feel it a lot here. If i place my hand on the top where the filler cap is, it's a little less pronounced. It's an odd one. As sometimes it's not there, sometimes it is very bad, sometimes it is there but not very noticeable. It's less noticeable when the car has been running for a bit and hot. In the pic below, the red arrow points down to the left side of the engine on the actual side. It's very much here i can feel it. Not so much but still noticeable on the green area.

Went to the same chaps who did the Wheel Bearing, and they fitted me in this afternoon. Told them to do exactly what you said.... even watched them finishing up the last bleed/flush through the rear nipple. So they flushed through all four nipples. They tested the brake fluid and it boiled at a stupid temperature way below the normal and this was the likely cause of the brakes failing yesterday. They also noticed that ATS could not have used any copper grease when replacing the pads/discs at all and found even after 4 weeks of being changed, the driver side front was binding slightly. Checked the hand brake pistons and cables and also calipers and these all looked to be operating correctly, which was odd and surprised me considering the problem I had before. Which i explained in detail to them today. Total cost today, which included the complete brake check (calipers, pistons, discs, pads) and fliushing the fluid and renewing it was £40.80p. Hopefully, it's all sorted, they checked the discs and pads and there doesn't seem to be any lasting damage by the extreme amount of heat they went through yesterday afternoon. Now i need 4 new tyres urgently and the rear discs need doing. Tracking seems to be way out so tyres are balding on the inside on the front driver side <argh> In the last 3 months i've spent nearly £700 so far and estimated another £430 for 4 new tyres and rear discs to be done. Then, expecting the cam belt to be the next issue. One month perhaps this year, i might be able to spend my wages on me and my family other than the bloody mortgage and car!

Thanks for all the help in this thread, it's been very informative but I also found a video on youtube which was bang on the noise I had..... down to a tee after driving for several weeks with the issue From 1min30 onwards when it goes at speed Aside from the video, the feeling by hand of the suspension strut (each side whilst spinning the wheel) once the car is jacked up or on a lift found the problem within seconds. The vibration/grinding sensation was amplified up through this strut to the point where you could feel it quite a lot whilst holding on to it. That and the fact the wheel bearing could be heard grinding. I guess, at the start of the problem this noise may not be apparent until you have driven the car for a few more hundred miles (like i did) and it gradually got worse but perhaps the suspension strut test might be fruitful from the outset.

I have no idea when the brake fluid was last changed, it hasn't since i've had the car for 4 years but I shall get this done ASAP. They only topped it up during the service recently. I've done the hill numerous times before the brakes were replaced and have had no problems. I also felt the rear wheels, they were 'warm' but the front wheels were actually so hot i couldn't place my finger on them for more than 2-3 seconds. I hope now that this much heat has no melted the new bearing grease as surely that would be a factor also. As i felt the hub nut and it was very hot.

Hi Paul, I was not told about bedding in, and knew nothing about this until i literally just found it on the net before reading your reply. I have been driving for a few weeks but only to work and back (16 miles a day involving 8 miles of dual carriageway and 2 miles of country roads with lots of braking each way). Today, as the wheel bearing on the drivers front has just been replaced, we went for a family day out. I noticed the brakes smelling throughout the few weeks of minimal driving (as above) and today, slowing down from 60 to a roundabout, noticed the smell then too coming inside and we could all smell it. I had not noticed any issues braking until getting down to the bottom of the hill. No matter how much i pressed on the brake pedal, it was slowing but not enough to actually stop. I got to around 10mph and it just carried on going until finally coming to a flatter gradient and it stopped. I've just had another garage do my front driver side wheel bearing. Could this have affected the brakes as the caliper needs to be taken off i think?

I had both front discs and pads replaced around 4 weeks ago but haven't driven the car much due to another problem (Wheel bearings needing replacing also). I noticed a week after the replacement of the front brakes that they smelled a little (noticed it inside the car driving) but i thought this was pretty normal (no idea)..... Today, up on Exmoor with the windy and up/down road we noticed the front brakes smelling quite a lot and i pulled over and knelt down to have a look. The wheel rims were very hot and there was an awful smell coming from them. Being in the middle of nowhere i had no choice to carry on.... Got to Porlock Hill, an extremely steep gradient and down near the bottom the smell was unbelievable but then suddenly i found my car wasn't stopping even with my foot down on the brake pedal as far as it could go. Some parked cars were coming up with oncoming traffic and i couldn't stop..... I had to swerve around these and took me 200m to actually manage to stop at the bottom of the hill. The brakes felt soft and felt like i had not enough pressure under my foot to stop the bloody car. Got out and the wheels were extremely hot and smelling bad of burning. I had these replaced by ATS (See wheel bearing thread "Loud humming noise" for details). They did say my back brakes need replacing within the next 6 months or so also. Question is..... Do newly replaced brake pads/discs smell and get very hot (due to self setting calipers?) What the hell just happened because it frightened me to death having my wife and daughter in the car going down one of the steepest hills in England). The car is becoming out of control - cost wise - now. I simply cannot afford to have all these things happening at once.

It turned out to the drivers side front wheel bearing. Even though when the initial test drive, both myself and the mechanic thought it to be coming from the left side front wheel. I was always adamant that it was the wheel bearing even though ATS initially said, after TWO inspections (MOT and Service and extra time trying to find the noise location) that it was NOT the wheels but the bloody gearbox. The chap at the car care centre put it up on the ramp/lift and another got in and started the wheels turning. Immediately even though i was outside i could hear it. They called me over to hold onto the suspension above the wheel and it was pretty damn obvious along with the noise it was making. ATS said they had three of them, one under, one beside and one inside and they could not hear any noises coming from the wheels and it was only audible from inside. Found it a bit steep though, £166 for one wheel bearing plus labour however they had to cut off the bolt holding the ball joint on which then, it went up to £188. Noise has gone.

Citroen Specialist just quoted me £66 just for checking the car to see what the problem is.... is that good or pricey?

Okay, i'm back from the ATS Euromaster Garage.... They fitted new brake discs and pads and the noise was obviously still there as expected.......so they took it for a test drive up the dual carriageway, the head mechanic heard the noise and so did another with him. They took it back and put it on the lift and one sat inside the car whilst the other stood underneath. The noise inside was like that in the video, very loud and discerning.... the chap underneath could barely hear anything but the usual engine noise. They lowered it down and did more checks and found the noise to be possibly coming from the central part of the engine bay and not the wheels. They checked the bearings, tyres and came to the conclusion that the bearings were fine and the tyres were not worn enough to make that kind of noise. They had their head in the engine listening and found it possibly coming from the gearbox (!?) but as they don't deal with that (they just do tyres, brakes and services etc) i need another opinion from an independent garage. They also did the same test i did by driving along and pressing down the clutch to see if the noise goes away but it stays put..... so its not the clutch. The gearbox to them seems to be working correctly and no issues but did sound like the noise was coming from there. I'm a bit baffled, surely if it was the gearbox, the noise would stay the same turning left or right but if i turn a sharp of abrupt left the noise goes away briefly.

Your post doesn't fill me with joy !! :lol: When i explained the issue to the head of the garage after my service was conducted he came with "And this was the same during the MoT and it passed?" erm yes, it passed but i was expecting it not to pass. So that is when he called in the mechanic and asked if the wheel bearing was okay, to which he replied, there was no play whatsoever in it.... Surely the best idea for checking wheel bearings is to take the wheel off and check the bloody thing, not check to see a wheel wobbles slightly. Now in that catch 22 situation where, i've run out of money (Have a mortgage and wifes business rent to pay for) and need this to be sorted ASAP as without the car, i can't get to work and then i can't earn any money to pay for further repairs. I'm in a head on hands moment where i am constantly stressing over it wondering when my wheel will fall off and in my other ear ATS saying it's fine..... :blink: As an aside, does anyone know how much roughly two front wheel bearings would cost (labour wise) ? I've seen some bearings on Euro Carparts for £55 each (reduced to that from a higher price) but what would labour cost on top of those? About the same as fitting discs and pads? Which i was quoted for £200 for all in.

Oh, as per normal service, they took it for a spin...... when i asked if they heard the noise i got "I didn't really take any notice to be honest, we didn't take it for a 100 mile test drive, just around town".

Having new front discs and pads fitted in the morning but i still feel this won't correct the problem. Had a Service last Saturday and they checked for wheel bearing play on the wheels and found no issue. When i told/explained the issue again they looked puzzled because "We checked for play in the wheel bearings as part of the service but found them to be okay"..... However they also found all the tyres need replacing (replaced the two front 2 years ago)..... But..... here is a more in depth explanation.... The sound is pretty much similar to this : It only becomes that sound once over 40mph, more so when i reach 50mph and is loud it actually drowns out the noise of the engine at 3000rpm. It disappears dramatically when i turn a fair-sharp left turn/corner but is there constantly when going straight and turning right. Under 40mph its more a grinding noise, i can feel it through the pedals sometimes but i feel nothing when braking at all.... There is no steering wheel juddering or shaking. ATS still say it could be the brakes, and as i'm getting them sorted tomorrow we shall soon see but i really am expecting that noise to still be there after i get the car back. I had an MoT done where they checked for Wheel Bearing play and i had a Service done where they did it again, twice in three weeks. They were adamant the wheel bearings were fine with a puzzled look on their face. I'm pretty sure worn tyres would not make that noise and especially when turning left for it to go, to me that is a bearing issue. Having just forked out for the MoT, Air Con, Service and now Brakes which has come to nearly £400 i am skint. They tell me now the rear brake discs and pads are worn and need replacing soon and all four tyres need replacing let alone if there is a wheel bearing problem (£200?) and so forth. In all, for the other work to be done (Rear brakes, Wheel Bearings and Tyres) it's look to be another £600 on top of the £400 i already spent. I've never had to buy new tyres every 2 years before on previous cars, i'm not a heavy or fast erratic driver either and my usual daily route is up a dual carriageway for 6 miles with 2 miles of country road and back..... how on earth has 2 year old tyres worn so quickly? On top of that, possible hand brake replacement, all this has come at once, it was fine a few months ago! Oh well, see what happens tomorrow regarding the loud humming noise, i pretty much doubt it will be eradicated. Trouble is, where i live in the centre of a town, i have to park the car 1km away from the house, have no way of parking outside, no drive, and so checking the car or jacking it up is quite difficult on the side of a busy road just to even analyse the problem myself. Quite frankly wish i never bought the thing now. No wonder it had 6 owners before me at just 47500 miles. How stupid was I.

Thanks....chaps. It's never been done, i bought the car at 47,500 miles in 2011 and currently only do about 120 miles a week (for work).