The Dreaded Additive...

[chunkymunky1988]

Hi all, picked up my first Citroen yesterday, its a 2001 c5 2.2 hdi estate with 76000 miles and full main dealer service history, really happy with it and it has stacks and stacks of paperwork and service history with it. Anyway when i got in it the dash display shows 'diesel additive minimum level' but i checked the service history and a month ago Citroen topped up the elloys fluid and left a sub note reading 'fluid level okay just needs diag/part replaced'. Would this just be a case of having it plugged in and reset? also i noticed on the dash that the oil level is showing ----- which in the handbook states oil level low. The dipstick isn't the right size so ive got one in the post because apparently the original one broke, would the dash showing ---- be a sensor of some sort, is there any way to reset that? cheers dave

[qman3428]

If it says the oil is low then assume it is and add some. A new enigine is best avoided!

If the Citroen Main dealer added Elloys they the should have rest the counter, tke it back to them.

[paul.h]

The dpf additive eolys fluid level may be ok if it has been topped up and will continue to be added to the fuel tank (based on other posts on this forum) so the exhaust dpf will not block up. I think on some early C5s the additive ecu may need to be replaced rather than reset to remove the error message, but I would check this with the Citroen dealer. Depending on the cost you may just want to live with the message. I would check how much fluid was added since in total there is about 3 litres which lasts about 80k miles, so if only 1 litre was used it may need doing again in about 25k miles. 

 

As well as topping up the eolys fluid, the dpf itself should be replaced or cleaned at about this mileage so that should be checked in your records and with the dealer. Check the actual mileage required in your maintenance/warranty book.

 

I would check if the timing belt has been replaced, should be 10 years or so many miles if sooner.

 

If you are not going to use the car for a day or so, the engine oil level is best left until you have the correct dipstick to check it. Unusually the C5 one has a twist in the stick which I had to check was normal when I got our first C5. I would leave the oil level sensor alone for now since there is unlikely to be anything wrong with it but it is at the bottom of the engine block and goes in to the sump - it may be on the front or back of the block (can not remember which). Do not overfill with oil since this gives a possible risk of diesel runaway if the engine then runs on the engine oil (can happen with any diesel). Use the correct oil if you need to add some, should be a low SAPS oil to protect the dpf - Total Quartz INEO ECS 5w-30 C2. Your dealer will sell this oil but it can be bought on-line for a reasonable price.

 

Get a Haynes manual if you intend to do your own  maintenance but it does not cover the 2.2 hdi engine. For this there is help on here but also you can get the Citroen service box manuals on dvd from such as ebay to put on your pc.

 

Have a look at the list of common problems on the C5 technical section.

[chunkymunky1988]

ah lovely, took the car out for 45 minutes today to toys r us to get the kids some bits and when i got back in the car the oil level on the dash worked and came up with showing full with the squares? How would i check the level of the eolys, would it be a case of dipping something in the reservoir and checking the level? i believe i read the reservoir is n/s rear of the car? 

[paul.h]

The official way to see how much eolys is in the car is to drain it out and measure it. But it may say on the invoices how much was put in. Eolys is about £30 a litre and is supplied in litre bottles so at least a litre will have been put in. Otherwise looking at the tank/tapping it may give an indication without having to remove a connection and dipping it. Citroen dealers keep service records on computer so this probably could also be checked at any dealer.

[PICASSOCONVERT]

On 30th April paul.h said "I think on some early C5s the additive ecu may need to be replaced rather than reset to remove the error message, but I would check this with the Citroen dealer".

 

He is absolutely correct (as ever). On my first 2001 Mk1 2.2HDi the Eolys fluid was topped up at 5 years/73,000 miles and the Citroen dealer who did the work warned me that the ECU may have to be replaced - and it did.

 

I now run a 2003 Mk1 2.2HDi and recently at 92,000 miles I added 3 litres of Eolys fluid. I used the diagnostics to reset the counter but I still get the fluid low message and the "service" light flashing for a few seconds after I have driven about 200 yards. This message comes back if I stop and open a door, fo example.

 

I reckon the fluid is still being added and my car runs well. Someone said the message only goes away if the Eolys fluid tank is completely full but I suspect it's an ECU problem with MK1's.

 

As an aside I am also adding Millers Diesel Additive with each refuel to try and make my car run trouble-free as long as possible.

 

Good luck with your car. I bet you've never had such a comfortable car before................

 

David

[chunkymunky1988]

yes i get exact same message popping up every few minutes but as you say the service light only flashes for a few minutes then goes out. I also get the child safety message popping up all the time because i put the rear child locks on. Your right about comfort, just had 2 weeks in somerset, 4 hour drive there and its the best car ive taken on holiday yet :)

[PICASSOCONVERT]

Just to report that I re-ran the counter reset procedure and since then the low fluid message hasn't reappeared.

 

I also spotted the the Lexia data included the number of km driven since the last DPF regeneration and the average for the last five regenerations which is quite handy to know as it seems to confirm the DPF is working.

 

"I now run a 2003 Mk1 2.2HDi and recently at 92,000 miles I added 3 litres of Eolys fluid. I used the diagnostics to reset the counter but I still get the fluid low message and the "service" light flashing for a few seconds after I have driven about 200 yards. This message comes back if I stop and open a door, fo example."

 

[Chippy193]

I had a similar problem when I bought my 2001 2.2 HDI about 4 years ago. A few weeks after I got the car I got the diesel additive low message. I phoned my local main dealer, Pentons of Christchurch, and was told that I might need to replace the filter and was given an estimate of £600. When I booked the car in the mechanic found that the rear footwell appeared to have flooded at some time and the ECU for the additive was a right off. They quoted me around £1200 pounds to fix everything which would have doubled the cost of the car so I started looking on line. I found the additive and a new filter at reasonable prices, about £200 and after a search on breakeryard.com I was able to get a second-hand ECU. A local garage in Poole, Essanjay Citroen, agreed to fit the parts for me for £200. Unfortunately, the weekend before the car was due to be repaired, the cam belt snapped and broke a load of valve rockers. In the end Essanjay repaired the lot for £800 and everything was fine. What amazes me is that the system could tell me the additive level was low given the state of the ECU.