Window Regulator And Steering Rack Leak

[Shane Peet]

Another window regulator has gone, getting sick of it now. Is there now recall on these things? Costing £300 each time they break :/

Edited July 22, 2015 by Shane Peet

[Johndouglas]

So far on my C5-X7 I've had no trouble with window regulators but when I got the car I took the precaution of getting a repair kit to keep by me. I paid around £16 on ebay. Also they do the replacement regulator:-

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CITROEN-C5-WINDOW-REGULATOR-LIFT-FRONT-LEFT-PASSENGER-SIDE-WRL2022L-/301203874044?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&fits=Plat_Gen%3AMK+III&hash=item46212660fc

[paul.h]

This is from the C5 Technical section Common Problems pinned topic, looks as if I will need to edit it:

 

37. New C5 (X7) window regulator cables break.

I have read that the cables can rust and break. Replacement cables are readily available through such as ebay and possibly Citroen giving a low cost repair. So far this fault has not appeared on this forum.

[robskiing]

I replaced the front near side with a kit not a very easy job next time one breaks I'm gonna get the one that's already made up a lot less hassle

[Johndouglas]

I replaced the front near side with a kit

If you have the time and the will, a blow by blow write up of the job would make a useful resource for the forum. We are getting more and more C5-X7 owners joining us and I'm sure the window regulator failure isn't going away any time soon.

[c5vtr]

..hands up i'd like to read that to, my drivers NS went last week so i'm hanging fire until i can work out whats the best solution.....

[coastline taxis]

Its all down to lack of grease. Take your door panel off and literally cover the wire cable in grease every bit of it and work the window up and down so the grase goes into the corner rollers/guides and that should be the end of any future problems

[c5vtr]

......and how do you remove the door panel, if its fairly straight forward i'd at least like to have a look see if the glass has jumped off the guides or am i really dealing with a cable break...i know the regulator is still working as i can hearing the motor and the accompanying crunching as its moving up and down against the interior of the door...

[Shane Peet]

It actually happened twice on each front window. The first two when it was under warranty and the second two last year. This is a 2008 car, was £300 each time to have them fixed.

[delart]

Had my 2008 tourer a month n/s/f gone, going in to garage for warranty quote tomorrow 3 c5's in a row each seems to be worse than last one early days but not impressed so far :-(

[paul.h]

If it is still under warranty check the steering rack for oil leaks, this is listed in the Common Problems topic.

[delart]

Thanks would (should) rack have shown up on mot it was mot'd the day before I collected it?

[paul.h]

It might depend on who is doing the MOT and possibly whether they have anything to do with the seller. If it was leaking then the leak could have been cleaned up before an MOT.

[delart]

Well it is leaking, the mot was done through the garage that was selling it have contacted them about not being fit for purpose, waiting for there response surprise next it will have to be trading standards and or court joy oh joy ;-(

[paul.h]

Has the garage offered a repair on the rack ? On here a reconditioned one seems to be the lowest cost for a fix at around £300-400 including labour.

[delart]

They have said if I take it back they will get it fixed there end which is a 3 hours each way trip plus waiting so not really an option. Is the fault a on going fault or once it is fixed that is the end of it?

[paul.h]

I would expect once the steering rack has been replaced the problem should be gone for many years. If it is the column input shaft seal that is leaking, the shaft seems to rust which could wear the seal away, so as a precaution the shaft could be greased.

 

Whether you take it back to the garage may depend on what they are going to do to fix it and whether your time (or theirs if they collect the car) is more valuable than the cost of you paying for a repair. You could also ask the garage if they would pay for the repair to be done locally.

[delart]

Hi finally got a local garage who do warranty work window regulator ordered ;-) steering needs both high and low pressure pipes replacing not covered by 5star AA warranty  :(

[delart]

Changed both low pressure and high pressure pipes made no difference still leaking :(

[paul.h]

Sounds as if the steering rack may need replacing, do you know exactly where the leak is from ? This is the bit from the Common Problems topic.

 

25. New C5 (mark 3/X7) steering rack oil leaks - at least 8 cases so far.

We have 2 members jefflad and Howiec with steering rack leaks that are proving difficult to fix. Where the supply and return pipes join the rack, the seals are leaking fluid. It seems Citroen want to replace the pipes to fix this and that just replacing the O-ring seals does not work. Citroen also do not sell the seals separately. An additional 2 members, Parkesie and johnfing, have found a leak from the steering column shaft input seal on top of the steering rack, which initially was thought to be the pipe seals. This seal also is not available so replacement racks have been fitted. The column shaft has badly rusted so may be the cause of the leak - applying grease could possibly prevent this. See http://www.citroen-o...uid/#entry75684 . See also this topic for info on replacing the rack

http://www.citroen-o...ent/#entry81594

 

There are 2 more cases here and one being caused by corrosion of the rack where the alloy oil pipes connect http://www.citroen-o...-leaking-fluid/

 

Have a look at this topic from C5greener for another leak point in the piping near the rack http://www.citroen-o...-steering-leak/

 

This topic from taximan61 for his 2011 C5 (X7) had the leaking rack and pipes repaired in Wakefield. This is the youngest C5 with a leaking rack so it is not just the early ones that leak. http://www.citroen-o...-steering-leak/