Accessing Tow Bar Fixing Points On C5 Tourer

[d-2610]

Hello all, I am a new member of the Club which I did not know existed until today. Can anyone help me please? I need to remove the Citroen towbar from my 2008 C5 Tourer to add it to the C5 tourer replacement. I can access all fixings except that they have to be got at from outside the car where the rear parking sensor housing is fixed (The black strip at the bottom of the rear of the body.) Does anyone know how to remove the black strip with the sensors without breaking hidden clips. I have found the four self tappers at the ends by the wheel arches but the housing strip seems to hang there as if my magic. Any suggestions would be most helpful. Thank you. Stephen in Canterbury

[Johndouglas]

Hello & welcome to the forum. And welcome to another caravanner as well. On the 2008 to present day C5 estates the complete rear bumper needs to be removed. Unlike the Mk1s and the facelift models where the towbar could be fitted by just removing the lower bumper panel.

[d-2610]

Many thanks for the information. I had hoped for better news. The car does not have a bumper as such, the rear end is one complete panel from the bottom of the tailgate right down to the sensors and from wheel arch to wheel arch. This explains why the dealer tried  to charge me around £800 to drop it off my 2008 tourer and put it back on the later one I am getting from him. :(

[paul.h]

Looking at the procedures there are many bolts to undo to remove the bumper - but not £800 (10 hours) worth of work unless this includes supplying all the electrics and a diagnostic since bumper removal and refitting is listed as 48 minutes. Obviously you will need to check the towbar and bolts for condition before re-using and maybe consider using new bolts. If you do not have the towbar instructions, sometimes these are on the suppliers' web sites so you can get the correct torque values for the bolts.

 

John will probably confirm the following to remove the tourer bumper:

 

Put a soft sheet or cardboard on the floor for the bumper to be lowered on to so the paintwork is not damaged.

The rear wing lights need removing. Inside the boot remove the flaps, disconnect the wiring and undo a wing nut to release the light.

Possibly the rear wheels need removing according to the procedures but I suspect this is not needed.

The wheel arch liner bolts to the bumper need removing and the liner disengaging from the bumper.

Undo bolts from inside the boot at the top ends of the bumper.

Undo the bolts holding the bumper to the tailgate opening sides.

Undo the bolts under the sides of the bumper and the nut under the middle.

Undo bolts from the bumper wheel arches.

Disconnect an electrical connector at the right side of the bumper if there is one.

Unclip the bumper at the top sides and then pull it backwards to remove it.

 

Removing the bumper bottom strip is possible once the bumper is off, 2 C clips at the ends need cutting off and then about 20 clips need undoing along the strip. On refitting the ends need to be riveted/plastic welded where the C clips were.

[Johndouglas]

the rear end is one complete panel from the bottom of the tailgate right down to the sensors and from wheel arch to wheel arch.

Right - the full panel comes off in one piece. Pauls instructions is the way to do it.

[d-2610]

Thank you Paul and John, most helpful. It looks like it will take me an hour or six to do so will post results later when I have time to get into the job. Many thnaks.

[d-2610]

Hello Paul and John, I finally got around to changing my C5 tourer and your instructions about how to remove the rear bumper and tow bar were perfect. Job done. Thank you. Although I have not actually had the courage to dismantle the new one yet. I have just posted a question about getting the speed limit signs back on the new MyWay navigation screen that just vanished. Perhaps one of you chaps will know. Stephen