Schrodinger
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| posted on 8/10/25 at 08:04 AM |
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Citroen C5 Aircross
i recently had to hire a car to get back from Norwich to Aviemore when the sleeper train from London to Aviemore was cancelled at the last moment.
I found the C5 very comfortable and reasonably fuel efficient (it was a 1.6 petrol hybrid) and easily maintained motorway speeds. As my Saab 93 will
soon need to be replaced I have been thinking about getting a C5 do any of you have any experience of long term driving one?
thanks
Keith
Aviemore
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Sanzomat
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| posted on 8/10/25 at 08:59 AM |
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Not owned one but I'm aware that some of the C5 range comes with the 1.2l Puretech petrol engine and these have wet belt cam timing which, along
with many others makes/models has been known to cause issues (even if serviced properly with the correct oil grades). The 1.6 engine has a timing
chain so should be fine in that regard. If you have a choice between 1.2 and 1.6 I'd definitely go for the 1.6.
We've had two current model Berlingo type cars in our wider family, one Citroen Berlingo, one Vauxhall Combo Life, basically the same car, and
both have had what I consider to be premature battery failure (2yrs old) which I put down to the stop-start system and a possible issue with the
battery management system firmware or maybe a bad batch of OEM batteries. Not covered by warranty but I changed the battery myself. Like many cars
with stop-start you are supposed to use a two way OBD reader/writer to tell the computer it has a new battery.
If you are tempted by the diesel be aware that the Stelantis (formerly PSA) adblue system seems very prone to failures and expensive to fix out of
warranty.
Off topic but my Combo Life is the diesel and when the Adblue warning light and engine management light came on both main dealer and independent
garages said it needed a whole new tank/filter/pump assembly (nearly £2k fitted out of warranty). I bought a diagnostic tool (Topdon Artidiag 800BT)
and was able to use it to establish the tank/pump/filter/heater assembly was working fine and that the problem was the injector. I changed the
injector (£65 for genuine part) and it has worked fine since although, again, you need to use the tablet to tell the car's computer you have
replaced the injector and to re-initialise it before the light goes out on the dash even though the diagnostic tool shows the system is now working. I
have to say I really rate the Topdon tool. Just reading the OBD codes is a bit broad brush but ignoring the codes and using the tool's ability to
read live data from every sensor on the car (and even graph them in real time as you drive) you can understand how the whole system works and pinpoint
where the actual failure is. You can then replace just the part you need to rather than throw many expensive parts at the car. It also has the
functionality to re-set and re-initialise the various systems after interventions so the warning lights go out.
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nick205
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| posted on 8/10/25 at 10:54 AM |
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Bad experience here with the Peugeot/Citroen 1.2L Puretech Wet Belt engine.
Belts crumble and clog the oil system and don't do the sensors any good either.
Car changed for a normal dry cambelt car.
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ianhurley20
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| posted on 14/10/25 at 08:38 PM |
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But the C5 the op asked about has the 1.6 petrol engine that does not have the wet belt issues so they are not relevant. I don't have a C5 but
had the older model with 2.0l hdi engine and it was brilliant in most areas - again not relevant - I currently have a DS4 with 180bhp diesel enging
and EAT 6 auto box, probably the best car I have ever had but again not a current C5. Perhaps if anyone actually has a C5 with a 1.6 petrol engine
maybe they could give some useful information to the op
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nick205
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| posted on 15/10/25 at 07:33 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by ianhurley20
But the C5 the op asked about has the 1.6 petrol engine that does not have the wet belt issues so they are not relevant. I don't have a C5 but
had the older model with 2.0l hdi engine and it was brilliant in most areas - again not relevant - I currently have a DS4 with 180bhp diesel enging
and EAT 6 auto box, probably the best car I have ever had but again not a current C5. Perhaps if anyone actually has a C5 with a 1.6 petrol engine
maybe they could give some useful information to the op
If it's not a wet belt engine then fair play, it's probably OK.
I had a Peugeot 306 2.0 HDI some years back (OK car) excellent engine.
Engine - reliable, economic and for me (self serviced) pretty low cost to look after.
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