Muggle

My wife's C3 (1.4 petrol) is having problems with the heater (or the display?). When she has driven anything from 5 to 50 miles, the temp indication goes up to the top (normally 3 sections lit). She puts the heater on full for a while and the indicator drops suddenly to 3 sections again. Any ideas?

My apologies in advance, because this post is a bit of a marathon. For the last few years my car, a 2006 2.0L C5 Exclusive, when it is cold like now, sometimes warns me that there is a DPF problem or my steering system isn't working, but I've always treated them as random notifications, because of 1. the general reputation of french car electronics 2. because if I turn the ignition off and start again, all is fine and 3. because they never happen when the weather warms up. However, I was coming home 3 nights ago when everything on my car just died (cruising in a 50mph zone, no acceleration). It was a bit hairy in total dark with no lights, apart from on the dash, because the driving lights (set to auto) died at the same instant. When I had pulled in to the side, I tried the lights manually and they worked fine. I gave it a few moments, turned the key and everything was perfect again. I was around 5 miles from home, so I drove off a bit warily and a few miles later it happened again - I was about a mile from home now. This time it wouldn't start at all. I called the breakdown to tow me home, but cancelled it 30 minutes later because I had tried the key again and the engine started as normal - no errors on the dash display. So, this being a technical matter, I took it to a local KwikFit and let the Mastertech play with it for a day. He couldn't locate a particular part that needed replacing, but gave me a whole list of fault codes and said they pointed to a BSI meltdown and that I needed a new BSI at around £900. It was beyond his skill set, so I took the car home. Now, when the engine is started, it still runs fine, but the engine amber light is on, as is the anti-skid light, plus the following dash messages: 'Speed control system faulty', 'ESP/ASR system faulty' 'Depolution system faulty' This is the list of codes the Mastertech gave me: U1208 - engine speed info value received incorrect U2006 - no engine speed info U2005 - no vehicle speed info U1213 - vehicle speed info value receive incorrect U1105 - no com, steering wheel angle sensor/no signal U1205 - steering angle U1208 - data invalid engine ECU value received incorrect U1113 - no com with ABS no signal B`932 - PDC U3905 - aux P0336 - engine speed coherence Can anyone help me or is it time to look for a my next car? KC

My wife has a 03 reg C3, with a 1.4i petrol engine - since this topic relates to a problem it has, may I use this to seek help with my problem? The temp gauge shows normal most of the time (3 bars illuminated), until suddenly it will show maximum (all bars lit up) - this happens in a moment, not gradually. When all the bars are lit up the radiator fan switches on, but in a few seconds the temp gauge shows normal and the fan stops. The car runs normally and even on a long trip does not overheat at all and so I'm assuming that it is an indication fault rather than an overheating one. I have replaced the temperature sensor (I can only see one - on top, to the right side of the engine), but this makes no difference. A friend connected a computer to it and read a fault code, which is P0485, cooling operation in ECU interrupted. Does this mean anything to the members and can anyone suggest my next step in finding the cause of this weird behaviour?? KC

Actually they were fitted earlier than that - my 2006 Exclusive has them. A motor went a couple of years ago while in the dealer's garage being adjusted and fortunately they changed it for me. Apparently, apart from trying to cycle the motor from left to right, they said they were unrepairable.

Knowing how great the french electrics are, I'd be looking for an intermittent short somewhere - have you done any work on or near the steering column? I'm always loathe to start dismantling steering wheels, but that's where the switch is, after all. Be very careful and find the correct procedure before you even think about undoing a single screw, though - you don't want to set off the air bag! Failing that, find the horn itself and the relay system that feeds it and make sure there is no moisture or contaminants anywhere. I'm sure the site experts will know where the cabling goes and where the horn controller is to be found. Good luck KC

That sounds like a good possibility, can the heat shields be seen and fixed from the top or will they have to wait until I can get under it? If there is nothing loose then I'll look for a quote on the bearing. Thanks to everyone who has helped with this, I was totally out of ideas! Cheers KC

Hi again, sorry, only just realised it is a saloon and so the rear window is a non-starter! Let me know about the sill plate and drivers window switch assembly if you will. KC

Hi thereIf you do decide to break it rather than fix it up or sell it as a runner, I could do with the silver sill plate on the driver's side, but I'll take the pair if you don't want to split. Does the rear window in the tailgate open electrically? If so, I might take that. Also, assuming it's working I could do with the driver's window switch assembly as a spare, because mine is on the blink. Where is the car? I'm in the Wirral. Cheers KC

Hello again guys and thanks for your suggestions. As it happens, I've already tie-wrapped the air intake and checked for loose plastic covers and so on, but to cover everything, I have had another look under the bonnet to check the hoses and so on. I can't find any 'soft' pipes or loose bits at all. I was wondering if the top engine mount might be a little tired (the car has done just over 90k) and under high throttle settings might allow the engine to rock back and so make contact with the bulkhead? I vaguely remember having similar problems with the top bracket on a mini back in the day. The current technology means that the top bracket is nothing like the simple rubber bush on the mini - does anyone know of any sort of test I can do to check the top engine bracket? It doesn't seem at all loose, but I understand that the engine can rotate with a lot of more force than I can generate with a quick shove and a pull. I can't seem to make it move myself, but i guess I wouldn't really expect to be able to move it. I can't really see right down to the bottom between the engine and bulkhead (old age and a bad back, etc), but when the weather improves a bit, I think I'll put the car up on stands then remove the bottom cover and give it a really close examination, but I don't expect to see anything since the garage that moved the engine about doing the aircon had it back several times looking for bits that might make contact. Maybe the only way to eliminate the top engine bracket is to get it changed just in case - I haven't found any online mention of this part being a failure point, but you never know..... KC

Hi everyone, I have now had my 2006 C5 2.0HDi Exclusive estate for nearly 3 years and (I know I'm tempting fate here, but..) although the first year was paying out money left right and centre putting right the lack of maintenance by the previous owner, for the last 18 months all has been mostly sweetness and light. Apart from one problem that will not go away. The last work I had done was the A/C failing and since I had a warranty from WD, which covered most of the cost I had it repaired. The condenser had failed and 2 pipes which connect to it had corroded and needed changing. These pipes went all around the back of the engine and seem to be tailored to each nook and cranny on the way. It cost a small fortune (£1300!!), but I only paid 15% of that, so got it done. Unfortunately, ever since that repair there has been a heavy, growling sound from the engine when I accelerate quickly in the first 2 gears, especially when I've got my caravan hitched to it. The sound is the sort of noise you used to get when you fitted a sports air intake filter to the carburettor on a petrol engine trying to a get the last couple of bhp out of it, but heavier with a sort of deep 'knock' as if something is banging against the bulkhead due to weak engine mounts. It doesn't come in gradually, but all of a sudden when the throttle is opened to just a particular point. As the throttle opens bit by bit it comes in all at once. Although it is most obvious in the lower gears, I can make it happen with full throttle in other gears as well. It isn't related to engine revs, just seems to be at a particular throttle setting. As you back off the throttle to cruise or accelerate gently the noise disappears just as suddenly as it started and the engine is as quiet as normal. I've been back to the garage who did the job, several times and they've checked for loose bits, worn mounts, anything near the a/c piping and the bulkhead - in general everything that they and I can think of checking, but finally I just gave up and lived with it. I am not looking forward to my next caravan outing (to France, not just down the road) all because of this noise. I had a friend drive it past me and it didn't sound at all loud, just another diesel in a hurry, but it's still there when you're in the cab. I know it's weird, but - anyone got any ideas? KC

Hi all, someone seems to have stolen one of the covers or blanking plates of the headlamp washers on my blue C5 Exclusive Estate (2006). Why, I have no idea. The one fitted to the exclusive seems to be different from the standard one, which doesn't have headlamp washers - the fixing on the back is different. However, I need to replace it, but the if I buy on from the dealers (at £30) it will need respraying before fitting, as they only supply them in undercoat grey. Does anyone out there know of a blue exclusive being broken down for spares? Also, the washer who's cover is missing doesn't seem to work, can anyone tell me how to get at the guts of it to see what's wrong?

Whenever I have had difficulty with texts and so on with a phone, I have phoned up the help number for the network and they then send me a text with the full network settings. You open it and save and all the problems go away. The different networks vary in their helpfulness, but I think they all do this as a minimum for their customers.

Hello to you all - new boy to the forum and apologies to moderators if I've not put this post in the correct place because I'm new to forums in general. After a bump in Italy a year ago in my Rover 75 I was forced to buy a replacement car and settled on a 2006 2.0 Hdi Exclusive estate. Nice car I thought from the start and after I fitted a plug-in booster the performance was great, with and without my caravan. However, it has cost me a small fortune over the last year. I've replaced the clutch, DMF, brake disks, aircon pipes (SERIOUSLY expensive, this one!), drivers lights switch unit, and the front sidelight bulbs. I gave up even looking at the error messages from the display - at any temperature below 10 degrees I was variously informed that the tyre pressures were not being monitored, my dpf had failed, the power steering needed repairs and so on - none of them true, as the messages disappeared on the next start. Despite all this, I just love the comfort and character of the car and can forgive the weird error messages from the computer(s?) and so I'm determined to sort it out completely and I still have 2 problems which have stumped me and which mean I've got to throw myself on your collective mercy: 1. It is a very poor cold starter - previous Hdi engines started at a touch, but this needs winding up for a long time before it starts up for the first time - after the first start it kicks in straight away. I've changed the glow plugs and the glow plug relay with no difference and don't know where to go next with it. Does anyone have any ideas? 2. Secondly the rear suspension bushes and front ball joints/drop links need replacing and when the car came out of the garage the HID headlights started with a new set of warnings (lights failing to self level and would not turn to illuminate round bends). The garage new nothing about suspension sensors on front and rear anti-roll bars and, it seems, had screwed them up in some way and this affected the headlights. After talking to 'experts' at other garages, I've found out about a reset process and by disconnecting the battery while directional headlights is selected and it is supposed to put them right but it only worked for a week or so and then stopped. So, ​Am I doing the reset properly or is there a more specific process?Do the height sensors need some sort of calibration process and if so, what is it? I live in the Wirral, but am willing to travel a long way to get these problems fixed. Thanks in advance to anyone who has any helpful suggestions (apart from getting rid!) KC