2002 Citroen C5 Exclusive from UK and Ireland - Comments

My Citroen C5 HPI Exclusive is also a 2001 model, bought two years ago with 25,000 on the clock. I've put another 25,00 on it since.

EGR valve has failed once and been replaced; now the EGR valve has failed again, along with fuel pressure sensor, and lambda valve!. Estimated cost; Citroen garage repair - £900.00.

I like the car - good for my work and comfortable. My question is this.

Does anyone know how to bypass these sensors, which obviously don't work very well? After all, the engine is solid, and really, young at 50,000.

I have read that some of you have issues with the HPI engine.

I also own a C5 HPI and have spent quite a lot of money to fix it.

I know that this engine was sold als a ron95 car. To be quite honest it isn't. Ron95 fuel leaves to much carbon to be handled by the engine.

Thereby cloggin up the EGR-valve which then have to be replaced.

The gas valve will become unable to perform its work (e.q. the car when driven by cruise control doesn't accelerates smoothly).

The Fuel pump qets clogged and needs to be replaced.

The airchamber becones very dirty.

Etc.

There for I can advise the following.

Use a Ron98 fuel (e.g. BP Ultimate) preferably with a cleaner. A separate fuel additive will most likely not give immidiate results because of the extensive amount of carbon. etc.

I have had it cleaned and now use BP ultimate with acetone. to keep it clean.

PS: The car is now 20-30% more fuel efficient.

HPI and GDI (mitsubishi) both have this issue.

Great technique but needs quality fuel to work as promised.

Kind Regards

Theopolus

Citroen C5 HPi 2001.

Hi All.

I have just bought a C5 2.0 LX HHi 2002. Can anyone tell me why I am getting the water temperature gauge coming on when it's cold, then when it warms up it goes on and off intermittently, along with the big red STOP light.

The water header tank is full and the car is NOT overheating.

It's just telling me to stop, along with the little red light next to the temperature gauge.

Is there a cure? Can I bypass the water temperature sensor?

If I disconnect the battery, will it clear it ?

But I don't want to ruin my immobiliser codes either.

If you can advise, my email is paul_and_kim@hotmail.com

Many thanks in advance.

Hi all... Very interesting site this is!

I have a 2.2 HDi (Y-reg) and it's been perfect up until a few months back.

I've since had nearly ALL the issues listed on this site.

After having tyres replaced on the front... the garage said they couldn't balance them because they don't have the equipment! Durrr! Anyway... bit of wheel shudder at 70+ No probs... The window thing... starts raining... front passenger window opens half way... Now THAT IS a pain on the motorway!

The issue of the windows going up when it rains.. (That's normal. The rain sensor tells the windows to go up when rain hits them... but I agree with our friends previous comment about having your arm out at the time... especially if you're driving behind someone in the summer and they use their screen washer and you get over-spray!)

The Anti-pollutant message and loss of power issue has been happening for ages... My local Citroen expert..? Topped up the diesel additive... made no difference! WHY DO WE HAVE TO PAY THESE PEOPLE TO GET IT WRONG!!!?? If it was me (A plumber...) Trading standards would be on my arse over it!!

Someone needs to look at this from Citroen UK... Get it sorted!

And the immobiliser fault raised its ugly head over the week-end... and yes... you guessed it folks... Just after the Mrs had loaded the car with over £100 worth of frozen food from Tescos!!! I've a mind to take it to a field and torch the bloody thing... if I wasn't so afraid of being caught!! And even then... it'd probably break down on the way there!!

You've gotta laugh haven't you!

When I find a cure for all this, I'll post it on here... but to be fair... it'll have to wait until I've sorted world hunger and war in the far east!

;-)

Am on my 10th Citroen, now have a 2006 C5 Exclusive 2L HDL estate. beautiful motor. I carry scaffolding and various other tools in it, so the self leveling suspension is a dream.

Sold my 51 2.2L HDi SX with 99,500 on the clock and only spent £250 on it, over and above normal servicing (for an instrument cluster).

I would say build up a good relationship with a small non national dealer and listen to what he says. After warranty, find a good local guy to continue.

Stop complaining and enjoy one of the best value for money cars on the road.

I own C5 2.0 HDI, 2001 year. I also had some of the problems mentioned above like engine immobilizer fault, fan would not start and after some time it would start like nothing happened. I noticed this happens when the car is out on rain as if water does something to electrics. Anyway I am quiet happy with the car, mine has over 330 000 km without any problems except the few I mentioned.

I have a C5 Exclusive SE Automatic 2001 since new. Lovely car in so many ways, but the anti pollution warning is the bane of my life. First time it happened it coincided with a severe loss of power etc I lived in Germany at the time. They put it down to the ignition coil. This happened repeatedly.

To cut a long story short, in the last 4 months the warning has come on and stayed on without any adverse symptoms. The warning has come and gone twice in that time and is currently on. I was told just prior to leaving Germany that the diagnostic computer indicated the catalytic converters were on their way out. I don't know what to believe anymore, but I guess I'll run the thing into the ground. It's the lack of trust for long journeys with a family in the back that bugs me.

Hi all. I have had C3's and C4's with no problems at all.

Just bought a 2002 C5 2.0 HPI, got an hour down the road and guess what? The Anti-pollution and service light came on, and the car ground to a halt! Would tick over OK, but would die under any kind of load. Lifted back to main Citroen dealer, who tells me, they THINK it's the high pressure pump. Am I going to suffer the next few years of continual problems? I cannot afford thousands of pounds for parts and labour. Shall I show the dealer all these forums and beg for my money back?!!

Oh god! I hate bloody cars, should have kept hold of my Discovery TD5 and paid the four hundred pound road tax!

I have an 04 C5 2.2HDi Exclusive. Before I got the car, it had the famous pollution fault. This was cured by replacing one of the EGR pipes, which had split...

On a side note, anyone tried to get wiper blades for this car? Citroen want an unbelievable £60 for the front wipers! In typical French style there are 3 variants of wiper blades... great going Citroen! (ever heard of mass production before?!?)

I'm dreading getting an electrical problem...

Had an MOT the other day and was told both my front shock absorbers had serious leaks, spoke to Citroen and they say that the shocks on the C5 2002 model do this and the shocks could be fine, anyone heard of this before?

I have a 2002 C5 Hpi Exclusive. I have had the anti-pollution fault intermittently, but this has not affected the general performance of the car.

At the moment, the car has been sitting at a spot for almost 2 months. It packed up whilst the wife was visiting relatives and had to be towed home as it was the middle of the night and garages were not open. The rescue service said it was an alternator problem and recommended a new one. I had a mobile mechanic fit one at a considerable cost. The mechanic said the battery may be dead, and I purchased a new one. Another mobile mechanic now thinks my C5 is not starting because there are problems with the igintion coil packs.

I have since purchased 2 recommended packs from Euro Car parts and none of them fit. Does anyone know the part number required or where I can get it from.

2002 HPI exclusive SE

I have now had this car for 6 months, having read this forum just after I bought the car I panicked with so many negative comments.

I am glad to say I get 40 mpg (it's a 2.0hpi petrol) but that is driving very cautiously. otherwise its about 37mpg but I am usually doing 50 mile trips.

My built in SatNav unit (VDO Dayton) seems a bit weird as it shows the car in another country from where I actually am... Citroen dealer said I need a new system disc... but have looked continually for one but cannot find one... mine is ver 5.0 cd logicial... can anyone tell me where I can get an update?

Hi.

I've got a C5 Exclusive, but can't open the passenger back door. The mechanism is working inside, I can hear it, but the mechanic can't do anything until the door opens. Can I get the inside off without it being open? Please help if you can.

I had a similar problem that affected two doors. Something to do with the linkages inside and I was advised to go to a dealer or garage as it's a tricky job for an amateur.

Interesting to read all the comments regarding the C5 HPi, especially the comment urging us ‘Stop complaining and enjoy one of the best value for money cars on the road’.

I have a C5 Hpi 2.0ltr Exclusive with 92,000 miles on the clock. The car was great for the first 10 months, then problems started.

A continual slight misfire at idling was followed by the dreaded Engine Pollution Fault. The car could be driven, but needed to be treated gently as far as accelerating was concerned or the engine would die. This of course is rather worrying when accelerating at traffic lights to have your car die in the middle of the junction. No other choice but to see the Citroen man – to date I have changed the coil pack, EGR Valve, Spark Plugs, Throttle and now the car has died and needs a new high pressure fuel pump.

While I sat waiting to be collected and towed to the garage I surveyed just the small things which don’t work; removed tyre pressure sensors because of false readings, the speedo doesn’t work and I have had to judge speed by using the rev counter, the window winds up then winds halfway back down again, the front suspension groans and creaks, the Sat Nav screen has inference lines across it during night driving, opening the boot when wet results in large amounts of water being dumped in the boot, etc, etc.

I have tried and tried to be positive about the car, but have now lost patience – it is by far the most unreliable car I have ever had in over 35 years of motoring. Worryingly I owned a Ford Anglia, and I have better memories of that.