Christine 113

The model is C5 HDI SX 2179cc manual estate that has done 74300 miles, when I first got it there was a problem with the turbo lots of white smoke oil in intercooler etc so I had a new turbo and intercooler fitted (hence the reason for continuing with it as so far it has cost me a fortune) it has done around 500 miles since. My local dealer is in Coldstream in the English /Scottish borders. I will attempt to navigate the site with a bit more efficiency but I have been attempting to get the car to run as it was my idea to get it and the wife so far is not too pleased with me. As for the manuals I would love a Hanes but as you state it is not here yet and my French is non existent. My battery and alternator all seem fine the discharge and charging seems to check out and even with the new battery it makes no difference but I will search the forum as I did not know there was a sequence for disconnecting the battery. The power problem I will look at once I get it up and running I can see the potential and on occasion it has shown some. The particulate filter has been cleaned and the additive topped up by dealer but until I can get it to run for any time period I cannot work on this or take it back. As for the wipers this seems to happen as a prelude to not starting when next stopped but without fuse change or anything it is OK next time the car starts, this I will also look into when I can get it to run. I appreciate all of your help and comments and apologise if I have approached this incorrectly but I was getting hassle from her indoors and was getting desperate. So once again thanks to you and every one for the advice. Next move I think is to trailer it to dealer and get the hand held on it and re set the immobiliser if it is at fault. I will post any conclusions or any advice I receive that I think may help any other members. Shaun

Hi This is Shaun and my wife now wants me to summarise the experience we have had with the C5 in the hope some of the members could help. This is Long I am afraid and if anyone manages to read to the end or make any sense out of this I need all the help I can get with this car. I must admit I am tempted to get a private reg for this car as a tribute but 666 is so expensive. I have tried the search and have attempted to reset the immobaliser but it sounds a lot like the key sync I have tried and did not work. I realise I should use the forum with threads but have not managed to get the hang of this yet and am getting bugged by the Mrs just to put up the problems so here goes. I am a bit of a Luddite but not totally useless when it comes to modern technology as I have been an instrument technician for more years than I care to mention so technical things do not frighten me. As yet I have not been able to find any manual for the C5 apart from the hand book and everyone even the dealer seems to have different ideas. The car compared to my old Xantia 2.1 TD needs revs to start to pick up the pace and seems to have such high gearing it will only pick up enoughf to overtake when it reaches 70 . The problems started with not starting or even attempting to fire when spinning over, RAC found blown fuse and it started first time (unable to determine what the fuse was for just engine 15amp) the car worked for a day then same again but fuse OK . Next day it started but had the diesel additive low and filter blocked alarm so I took it to the dealer, on the way down the wipers packed up but I decided not to mention this as it was going to cost enough. Went to pick it up the next day it would not start so dealer took it back inside boosted the battery and it started so was told it needs to see 1400 revs or it will not even try to start. Told the alarms will clear as soon as I get the fuel near empty and re fill it (wipers worked ok). Next morning no start so attempted to jump from the Jeep with no joy so stole the batter from the jeep and it fired straight up. Went away for a month and expected problems when I returned but it fired up straight away so went and purchased a £60 battery but did not fit it. Used it for a 60 mile journey with no problems, stopped and started ok on the way down and when I went to set off back but died at slow speed over speed bump 20 feet from start point. Used fully charged battery with no joy, disconnected battery for 5 min and messed with key fob until it finally started and ran 60 miles home. Low on diesel I went to garage but car cut out on roundabout and would not start. As the fuel light had come on I assumed it must be fuel so went and got some poured it in and it started first turn without so much as a splutter and within less than 1 second so don’t believe it was out of diesel. Next day I try again and half way through a 60 mile trip the wipers pack in but car still goes OK. Next stop back to normal so remove battery for 5 min re sync the key (picked up tip from forum) and starts first time and wipers are working so on we go. One further stop without problem (fluid level never did clear when filled with diesel) then left for 20 min but will not start even with new battery, disconnection, re sync, verbal abuse or physical assault. RAC called and informed these things are nothing but trouble and it will be the diesel pump so with a couple of thumps with a hammer on the fuel tank he called a low loader an once again I return without my car. The last time I saw immobiliser fault on a few occasions but the RAC were insistent it was the pump but I think it is some kind of immobiliser problem. Any thoughts gratefully received. SHAUN

Hi This is Shaun, Chris’s husband First I feel I have to defend my Stag as it was a much older car than this one is and it got me about for a lot longer with a lot more reliability so far. I could always get it to go and although it did not tell me what was wrong it did not baffle so many people (dealers included) with it modern technology and I could always get it going on the side of the road. Well that said I do like the concept of the C5 and understand the need for people to include microprocessors in anything they will fit I suffer from that at work (instrument technician) but this only adds to bills as ohhh it needs to be a dealer so he can re set the alarm even if you have rectified the fault. I have searched the forum and found some of the faults but non that seem to match mine so will attempt to find any info I can without posting the faults. Shaun

Hi Just joined the forum as my husband is now the owner of a 2001 SX diesel C5 he was always a VW man (since Triumph heralds became rare) and is now struggling with cars that can only be fixed with computers not spanners. A few years ago he came home with a Citroen Zantia 2.1 diesel estate full leather etc to see if they were any better than years ago. Well we have to admit it was the best car we have ever owned (even better than the Stag) so with two large dogs when it was time to move on he went for the C5, admittedly it is not new but not every one can afford new motors. This was the biggest mistake we ever made it has stood outside, by the side of the road, on RAC flat beads or in the dealers more than it has ran. The faults and subsequent fixes are to long to go into as I have prattled on long enough the car itself is beautiful and has a lot of potential, has low mileage (now I know why and we are not adding to it) and if I can get him to post symptoms and your members can help us sort it out we will be over the moon. So sorry for the gripe and I will get the latest facts together and ask the relevant questions in the technical section later. Chris