Citroen C5 SX 2.2 HDi

Car was 10months old when I bought it.

October 2012 still running on original battery and exhaust.

Heater not working Fan blower module replaced

Radio/CD packed up

Lights permanently on

Lights on auto turn off when indicator turns off so have to turn the lights on at the switch (there on all the time anyway)

Rear calipers seized - replaced for £80

window swich a little loose but works

Passed every MOT no problem

suspension needs new spheres but only noticable on cobbles.

All in all a great car main faults electrical Great ride excellent spec for the money...especially second hand as residuals not good.

120,000miles still going strong

I needed a car for around £600 and wanted a diesel but knew I was asking a lot! I saw advertised a late 2002 (52 reg) Citroen C5 2.2HDi SZ Automatic for a paltry £575. A week later the car was mine and I still smile every time I drive the car at just how stunning it looks and drives, for such a cheap car. The C5 is without doubt one of the most refined, smooth, wonderful cars I've ever driven (and that includes a brand new Mercedes a few years ago, and a BMW 5 series). The Pneumatic suspension just eats the road and you are wafted along in Rolls Royce like comfort. It's really a revelation. I had previously hated and turned my nose up at French cars, but this has changed everything and I'm gone from being a German car enthusiast (owned countless VWs, BMWs, Mercs, Skoda/VAG, etc) to being a real fan of all things Citroen!.... The C5 has a huge boot. The driving position is just magical and you could drive 500 miles without any fatigue in this car. (Same can't be said for my under-performing and under-whelming Skoda Octavia VRS). Economy could be better from the 2.2 HDi (136bhp) engine but considering it is an automatic (and a heavy car) the 33mpg average that it returns isn't too bad. Again performance is not sports like but it is so smooth and progressive (You would never guess it's a diesel at 80mph on the motorway), it just feels perfectly sufficient; plenty of torque for overtaking. It's better performing on the motorway and A roads than around town, where transmission lag can sometimes make it a little slow off the mark. But I find I don't want to tear around in this car; it's a better experience just sitting back, with my arm on the armrest, cruising along! .... It really is one of the best cars I've owned. Mine is really well looked after and has no mechanical problems. Some people do have problems with the Diesel Particulate Filter but mine is fine. I have bought a few cars for around £600 before and we're normally talking bangers. But this car could be a £6,000 car when you're driving along in the absolutely unmarked interior, with a faultless drive. I could not recommend a C5 of this generation more - just get one, they are a little known revelation! ...... More comfortable than a BMW 5series, but the C5 is also fantastic in the snow! I would probably recommend a 1.6 or 2.0HDi rather than the 2.2, for better economy (easily get 55mpg from the 1.6HDi unit fitted to 2004+ cars). I will definitely be getting another Citroen C5 in the future but aim to keep this one for a long time yet.

1 have owned citroens x2 2.2auto and manual recurring problem of esp engine mgmnt service display used as taxis main dealers said pollution f ault unclog partil filter or renew cat very expensive with diagnotics etc solution renew magnets on fuel filler cap;;; nice little earner for main agents always always check these first before shelling out hard earned cash why cant garages suggest easier tips like this to save you the customer time money and stress however this is not a solution to all problems

these cars citroen c5,s have a built in electrical fault which citroen will not admit to,i have been fixing cars since i was 14,i am now 65,previously i had owned 5 xm.s plus jags,yank cars,everything automotive,but this french rubbish,is in a class of its own,yes there are a few good reports,owners with low mileage,once they go over 40.000 different story,if all the blogs and complaints and horror stories i have read and gathered arent enough to take these people to court,these cars made edsels look reliable by comparison.they cant be fixed,even by the main dealer,even giving them untold amounts of money cant guarantee a cure,even the main dealers admit this in unguarded moments,i am not going to go into the problems i encountered,its the same as everybody else,except i had some great knowledgable engineers to help me,snap on diagnostics,hours and hours of attempying to solve insolvable problems,i am finally admitting defeat and scrapping a very clean rust free car with new tyres new alt new battery,timing belt done new brakes all round,etc etc because it is suffering from the equivelant of electrical alseimers,you all know the symtoms,wont start,lights come on,exterior interior,engine imobilyser fault,anti pollution,stop light on,CRAWL MODE kicks in when it feels like it,no acceloration,bloody dangerous when it happens, etc etc,yes i have changed the eloi fluid,yes i have put two new deisel filters in yes i have put it into citroen who diagnosed bsi failure diagnosis charge 42 pounds and want 600 pounds to do it no guarantee of a fix by the way,yes i did take the bsi out sent it to bsi reman 54 pounds diagnosis,,nothing wrong with it,so where do you go from there,annswer,scrap yard,cut your losses and go and buy a nissan or a honda,something that starts when you need it,anything but FRENCH.also i know they are a great comfortable ride but its when they go wrong your nightmare will begin,dont just take what could be a biased individual view,go on cit c5 faults,that should convince anyone,,thank you..

depolution system fault randomly lights on warning system , when this occurs car drives like a slug , has no power and blows out burnt oil through exhaust ??? this has been a continual fault since purchase , local dealer has on numerous occassions failed to pinpoint and rectify this issue , and now turbo has blown leaving a hefty £££ hole in my pocket !!! would never buy french again , reknowned for electrical faults , oh and dont buy from blackpools one and only k . smith motors , you would be better off on a set of roller blades lol..........

i have a 2001 2.2 sx hdi estate,i am realy in love with the car but have 1 very annoying problem which is driving me nutsand would love help with. when i drive in rain the screen mists up very badly, if i press the demist button it clears almost instantly, but when you do this the air con kicks in, this is fine on a warm day but not when it is cold. if you turn the heater on and blast hot air full volume it will not clear the screen, it will only clear with the air con on, have changed the pollen filter to no avail. PLEASE can anyone help, John

The most annoying fault with my C5 is water dripping into the boot when the tailgate is lifted. Has anyone come up with a solution and the reason why this happens? The 2.2 HDi engine is superb and terrific on long motorway journeys giving relaxed cruising. Other niggles cd player plays some cd's then not others.

The C5 SX 2.2 HDi was bought new in 2001. It has had 4 major problems in 7 years/50k miles.

- New, it was back and forth for 6 months to resolve wheel wobble/steering problems

- At 25k miles/2 1/2 yeras it needed a new sub-frame and rear tyres due to the sub frame being exensively out of spec (under warranty) cost would have been £7-800.

- 30k miles/3 1/2 years high pressure fuel pump failed - £1000 repair -"quite common" on the HDI 2.2 engine was Citroen Dealer's comment. Citroen refused to consider any ex-gratia payment despite being only 6 months out of warranty.

- 45k miles - Electrics failed - but AA was able to fix free of charge.

- 50k miles/7 1/2 years - Leaking fuel injector. Citroen Slough tried to fix - couldn't get the fuel injector out after 3 days - charged for labour & said they could only fix it with a £5k new engine. A local Diesel specialist firm replaced all 4 fuel injectors for £700.

There is a good reason why Citroen's are cheap to buy and are even cheaper as second hand cars !!

I'd owned a Xantia and thought I was buying a similar, more up to date, though less attractive car. My 2003 C5 2.2HDi was bought for £4000 & has been a disaster. Though comfortable to drive, with a good turn of speed, it's cost £3000 in emergency repairs during this time, averaging £70 a week.

The diesel additive warning message has appeared consistently and Citroen's dealer couldn't shift it despite expensive Elloys fluid and cat filters costing £400. The demister fan stuck on max (£100 for rheostat). And just like on the Xantia, the same parts failed, i.e sphres, rams etc. For good measure, the brake calipers which are made of aluminium, corroded away at £100 each. Last month, the wiring behind the radiator corroded so badly it almost caught fire. There was no question it had to go so I'm part exchanging it for a japanese car next week & am just praying nothing else happens before that. I can't understand how manaufacturers can produce cars like mine and survive.

I have recently purchased my first citreon C5 Estate. Love it so much that it is the only car that i have ever hoovered every week.Only one problem so far!Fuel ran very low and since then i have lost power occasionally, as if a big bit of dirt is stuck some where and then it clears and off i go.Have replaced the fuel filter but still a problem.Any ideas?thanks