RichCliff

Hi, Can anyone tell me the correct replacement interval for the C5 1.8i LX 04 Plate, please. I've seen figures of 120 Months (10 years) 60,000 miles 120,000 miles I've just gone through 64,000 miles. Thanks

The front wheel hubs are warmer, but i never actually knew how warm they were before the problem.... still have the loud humming noise. Longing to get paid now at the end of the month to get the brakes sorted.

The coolant is full to the line, and the oil level is just above the mid point between the two grooves. So all is fine in that department. The gauge on the dash shows temperature to sit perfectly in the middle, no sign of overheating or temp rising. It just rises to that point pretty fast compared to before. I did wonder if it was perhaps the engine working harder. I can't really feel friction there when pulling off or driving but perhaps there is a slight bit of pull when taking my foot off the accelerator, i think it does slow down quicker than usual so perhaps it could be a problem. I hear no chuffing noise but the engine makes a racket anyway due to a knocking noise (yet another thread on here about that somewhere!). I shall see what happens after the brakes are fixed and sorted and report back. Thanks again

Hi again, Since i bought my C5 (04 plate) in 2011, it would take around 2 miles or so until the temp gauge would start moving and then sit nicely in the middle for the remainder of the journey. However recently, in line with all the other issues i've been getting (see the brakes and humming noise thread), the temp gauge shows my engine is getting hot a lot quicker (but still stays in the middle and not over heating). It only takes perhaps 1/2 mile before it is noticeable and starts moving up into the normal running temp position. I've noticed recently an odd smell too coming from the engine, when i lift the bonnet open it's quite pronounced. I've undone the oil filler cap and it's smoking and sometimes the cap is very hot to touch (It wasn't before, or not that noticeable anyway). No smoke coming out the exhaust, no smoke anywhere else except coming out the filler cap (when opened). As it is not overheating (yet - gulp), i'm not sure what the issue is.... but it is slightly worrying wondering why, all of a sudden, the engine gets warmer/hotter a lot quicker. It's going into the garage at the end of the month to have the front brakes done (MoT showed worn, pitted and grooved discs). Hopefully they'll see if the hand brake issue is to do with this and perhaps slightly stuck on. (see other thread). But i'm also wondering now, if the loud humming noise above 30mph i'm hearing is either the Wheel Bearings, or the brake issue (rubbing) or is it something to do with the engine as the temp issue came along in line with this.

Hi, I had the MOT done today, was expecting a big fat FAIL but it passed with more advisories i have ever seen! They stated all four tyres need replacing urgently (I checked yesterday, only the rims are worn slightly but the tread on most of the tyre is quite deep).... Brakes are shot, pitted, grooved and worn on the front. I did state when i picked the car up that my hand brake had issues, initially it went all floppy and very slack to the point where to apply it i had to pull it right up as high as it would go.... then suddenly the next day it was back almost to normal. He looked baffled (ATS) and said it could all be to do with the brakes in the condition they are. I had no idea they don't take the wheels off to check the brakes during an MoT but he said they could be seen to be in worse for wear through the wheels and this could be the underlying problem in the resulting loud humming noise and smell coming from the front. I didn't mention it here but last few days on way home from work, i've been starting to get a horrible smell of rubbing/hot odour coming from the engine bay but could be from the brakes? Front wheels are normally warm to touch in the middle after a 20min journey but everything else feels okay to touch. Quoted me £200 for new set of brakes on the front plus fitting for the end of the month. If that quietens down the humming noise then fine, but if not, i guess the next stage would be to look at bearings. The noise is incredible at 50-70mph now. It started off only being properly audible at high speed. Now, it starts at 30mph or so. There is a slight retraction of noise when going around a sharpish left hand bend but no lessening of noise going around a right hand bend. I thought initially then it could be the nearside front wheel bearing but then i did notice a while ago, when going around corners sometimes my brakes squeak........

I found out my problem, instead of just putting the cap back on and turning the key to lock it, i used to tighten the cap by hand then lock it. This somehow peed off the sensor and ever since just locking it and not hand tightening, its been okay!

This car is becoming a nightmare..... Have a C5 Mk1 2004 (04) 1.8i LX and i'm getting problem after problem. Two weeks ago my hand brake became very loose/slack and i could move it half way up with my finger before it applied. Then last week it became very stiff, only one inch of movement before it applies now (almost back to normal in terms of movement). Since then, i heard a low droning noise from the front driver side wheel when cruising but within the last two or three days, it's got a lot worse. Above 600mph it is almost sounding like i am at 5000rpm but the engine counter is showing under 3000rpm. That is the type of noise it sounds like when driving above 50 or so. Its now started to make the noise at 30-40mph so it's getting worse. More over, i've had a lot of stuff to pay for the last few weeks and simply cannot afford to take it to the garage just yet. (Tax just came out, MoT in 6 days time, mortgage, wifes shop rent and so forth, you get the idea). I totally rely on my car for work, no public transport to where i work and so i'm bricking it and anxious on if its either the hand brake causing this or if it's a wheel bearing or something else. One thing of note, the noise doesn't really go away when i turn around corners at speed, of which i thought if it was a bearing it might do this. It does lower the tone somewhat on some corners but not much. However, felt the outside of the wheel (middile) earlier after a 16 mile journey (from work) and it was warm..... which may possibly indicate a bearing issue or again the hand brake possibly half stuck? Any help on diagnosis is appreciated......

Great help once again, very much appreciated.

Many thanks for the reply I shall take it to the doctors and see what they see regarding the accelerator and also the knocking. I still cannot pin the knocking down.... very frustrating. Also, now, it's as if the car is giving up completely, everything is going wrong at once. The digital readout has now packed up, showing all different things after the ignition has been turned on for a few minutes. It starts fine, readout shows fine then it starts to fade over about a minute and then suddenly shows a load of crap (different numbers etc or half numbers). I had issues with the speedometer when i bought it, instead of buying a new whole dash, i just took it out and put the needle to 0 mph... (it had fallen down vertical and was showing 20-30mph slower than i was actually going). It's now done it again, so i shall take it out and sort that if i can. If not, a replacement is in order. This car is starting to cost me a fortune, more so than what i paid for it. But i can't afford to get another motor for the moment. Couple more questions.... 1. There is a clicking noise behind the central dash unit (i think). It started to come on sporadically but now its very common to have a clicking start (and stop) then start again, then stop. Sometimes it goes with when i put my foot down or take it off....sometimes it just comes when im cruising along. Then it might stop for an hour. Very strange. 2. I have a single line information panel. Does the 2001-2004 Mk1 (04 plate) have the necessary electrics/connectors behind to upgrade to a dual line information panel? The dual line shows MPG, etc where as the single line shows basically just a clock and temp. It would be nice how many MPG i am doing and if it is does have the correct wires/connectors behind and sensor, then i might upgrade to a dual line.

Hi, I have a 2004 (04) 1.8i LX and the clock says 59,854 miles. I've had it since 2011 (6th owner!). About 6 months ago, i started to hear a faint knock from the engine when idling (previous to this, it was so quiet sometimes i forgot the engine was on). Now, it's become very apparent, quite a loud knocking noise when either at Idle or 1st / 2nd gear. When up to speed you can't generally hear it... (if it's there, then the revs are drowning it out). Before i take it in for a full service (Halfords offer free checks too if things need replacing or fixing).... i'd like some other owners opinions on what it might be? I've had the bonnet open and tried to listen exactly where the knocking is coming from but can't pin it down. It's the same noise/loudness when listening to the engine itself or near to where the cambelt is and alternator etc. I'm hoping it's not from under the main engine cover. Secondly, I have very loud grinding brakes, especially on the front. It's not a high pitched squeek or noise, it's a low grind. Yet, each MOT says my brakes are fine. The noise is more apparent for the first 30mins or so.... Thirdly, Within the last 6 weeks or so... when cold starting, i start the engine, put it into gear and move off.... but the rev counter needle stays high (as does the engine revs) and it's then obviously difficult to change into 2nd. Until i wait a few seconds for the engine revs to come back to normal and then change gear. It happens also in 2nd changing to 3rd. I counter this by idling and revving the engine when parked for about 2-3 minutes. It then works fine and away i go. The accelerator pedal moves fine, it doesn't get stuck forward. So is this a problem where the cable is attached to the carb? Sorry for the amount of problems/questions, i'd rather get an opinion first before being done over by a garage (possibly).

Thanks for the replies. I just fuel in it yesterday, the needle was on 0 and the light was as indicated in the first post but I put in £20 this time and the needle shot up to just under half a tank! I have no idea how much fuel i have in it at the moment as obviously £20 wouldn't fill half the tank up. I shall go down the route you suggest. Thanks

Hi, I am having intermittent problems with the petrol gauge. This has been going on for a number of years now but it's got worse so would like to know if anyone has the same problems. Example:- • I have 1/4 tank showing, i go to fill up and put in £20 and the gauge when i got back in the car went up 3/4 tank full. My tank takes 66 litres, around £90 worth so that obviously wasn't correct. • Another time, i am on the fuel light so put in £10. The gauge needle moves to just under 1/2 tank which is impossible as that would take £45 to do so. • I was on the warning light, put in £10 and the needle didn't even move. So i put in another £10 down the road and the needle didn't move. I now have (i think) £20 + reserve in the tank but the needle still shows 0 and the light is still "on" saying i have no fuel. • Kept putting in £10 whenever i went to the next city for shopping (only 20 miles away). Needle fluctuated every time or didn't move at all and I had no idea how much fuel i had in this car. Now again, it's showing warning light on, needle to near zero and since it came on, i've put in £30 worth of petrol and it hasn't budged, light still on, needle still zero. I'm expecting to put in another £10 soon and it will zoom up to 3/4 tank or something. I've seen reports of disconnecting the battery for 10 minutes. Does anyone have the same issues as it's getting rather annoying.

Many thanks for your replies, most helpful. I'll just have to do what other people do then and turn them on myself, which of course i do not have a problem with. Bit odd though that the LX has windows that shut when it rains but not wipers that turn on when it rains. Thanks for the additional info, seefive.

Hi, I have a Citroen C5 2004 (earlier model) 1.8i LX. I know it is the most cheaper of the specifications of Citroen C5 but i have a manual that came with the car and most of what is inside the manual is for the more up market models. So, i'm not sure if I have automatic wipers or not. My wiper stalk has "Auto" written on it when in the default/off position. However if it starts raining, my wipers do not actuate. Although, sometimes (!) my side windows will automatically shut when it does start raining. So, i have a few questions... 1. Does my model have automatic wipers (it says so on the stalk but i'm wondering if that's a standard for all models)? 2. Where is the sensor for the rain? If my side windows know it is raining then i must have a rain sensor somewhere and i would have thought it would have been connected to the wipers aswell as the windows? 3. My windows only actuate under rainfall every so often, not all of the time so i think perhaps the sensor may be damaged or dirty, but i don't know where it is located. I'm finding the manual pretty useless in regards to my model .So much of it is for higher models that i don't see the point in having it. Another example is my manual mentions to press the wiper stalk end button to see MPG/Miles per Gallon however after weeks (when i first got it second hand) of trying this, all i got was a speed warning which made a horrible noise if i went over the speed i accidentally set it at when looking for MPG! I now know that my model only has a single read out and it needs a dual read out to show MPG so i have to upgrade to see this. So again, the manual is telling me one thing, i'm trying to find it in my car and not getting it. I'm wondering now that even though i have "auto" on the wiper stalk, i don't actually have auto wipers even though the windows have a mind of their own. Any help appreciated for a C5 dummy.

Thanks for your help, i will take a look at buying one of those dvd's and of course the joints.

Thanks for the welcome, Paul. I shall look that up, i must buy a manual first though! Appreciate it.

Many thanks for that, i had first noticed it when we were sitting in the car with doors shut (it was raining) and the noise/clicking behind the speedo/dash started and the needle moved. It moved approx the distance of 10mph then back to 0. I shall bare in mind about the doors/suspension in future. I would recommend anyone with the speedo issue (of it showing inaccurate readings to try moving it manually before replacing/swapping over the motor or buying a new speedo/complete dash. It's worked for me so far.... fingers crossed.

Hi, I have a Citroen C5 1.8LX 2004 (04) and since buying (second hand), the gearbox lever (Manual) seems rather sloppy and loose. There is a lot more movement when changing gears and it makes a knocking sound/clunk when changing into reverse or coming out of 2nd to go into 3rd. There seems to be some "give" when changing gear and feels a lot better obviously when you keep your hand on it when changing. When taking the hand off, it moves slightly back. I was told by someone who also has a C5 that it was common however i am unsure and would like to know if owners have had the same problem. If so, is it an easy fix (cheap) such as a bush or any way of tightening by taking off the lever cover or is it a gearbox problem and a garage fix?

I had an issue with the speedo on my Citroen C5 1.8LX (2004) whereby it suddenly started to show 40mph faster than i was going, then it went up to 60mph and then finally stopped at 70mph (or off the scale). Having read about other people having the same kind of issue and forking out quite a bit for a new Speedo or changing the motor over, I took the panel out and merely just swiped the needle back to zero with my finger. That was over 8 months ago and it's worked ever since. I tested the speed with a GPS and also with a friend who was driving certain set speeds in front and all seems okay. One thing i have noticed though when parked up with the engine off. Every 10-15mins there is an electronic sound/clicking and the speedo needle moves with the sound then settles again. Does anyone know what this is? Can it be the cause of so many issues with the speedo?