2001 Citroen C5 HDI 2.0

Summary:

Very Stylish and comfortable, but suspension too sophisticated

Faults:

The suspension is faulty. The front of the car goes up and down continuously after it has been switched off and locked. I had it back to the garage 3 times already and the fault persists. When I tell them the fault they don't seem to understand the problem and certainly don't know how to fix it.

The information display is faulty since I got it. The temperature and M.P.G data shown are crazy numbers and I'm slow to let them pull out the display in case they upset any other assemblies behind the dash.

General Comments:

The car is very comfortable and handles very well on the open road.

The boot is gigantic and is great for traveling on holiday or carrying bulky loads.

The suspension is a bit too sophisticated and will inevitably cause more problems when the car gets older.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 28th January, 2003

2001 Citroen C5 SX 2.0 HDI

Summary:

Excellent value, spacious and good performer

Faults:

External temperature computer currently not functioning.

General Comments:

This is the first diesel I have owned and am extremely impressed with its performance, ride and lack of noise. The car is extremely comfortable and spacious for its class. I do have some minor niggles to report: the visibility of extremities is difficult to judge; sometimes the wipers seem noisy and recently we had a problem with the immobiliser in a multi-storey car park. The car wouldn't start despite removing and replacing key several times. RAC called - and as soon as RAC man removed and inserted the key the car started! Well it was Christmas. He said there might be problems due to a nearby police transmitter interfering with the immobiliser system. Fuel economy is great for what is a pretty large car and the extras and accessories which come as standard are remarkable. I have the full scale satellite navigation which is excellent as long as no-one's put in a new one-way system since the CD which supplies the maps was made.

I bought the car pre-owned by Citroen which knocked around £5,000 off list. Overall I am impressed.

As mentioned above the 2.0 HDI diesel unit is excellent. I wouldn't know I wasn't driving a petrol fuelled car except perhaps where high rev torque is involved where I think the diesel is superior! And fuel consumption of over 40mpg for a car this size is impressive - and I'm not a slow driver. If I was I think I'd probably get over 45.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 12th January, 2003

31st May 2009, 11:48

I agree completely with this positive review. The fuel economy I'm getting my own 2.0HDi is 45 and over, and like yourself I am not a slow driver. So far I have experienced no niggles, but am prepared to deal with them as the car is amazing all round.

2001 Citroen C5 LX 90 2.0 HDi

Summary:

Maybe in 3 years it will be worth buying

Faults:

Within the first 2 weeks it was returned due to rear end thumps, weights fitted which made small improvement, however still bangs at speeds below 25mph on bad surfaces. The C5 of my boss was back at the dealers for 3 months with this problem.

Why does the suspension go up and down when the car is switched off and locked. dealer says they all do this.

Engine management light came on, engine cut back to "get you home mode" (300 miles from home, fault was quickly identified by dealer as fuel pump, it took over a week to get a new fuel pump. Citroen have a lot of experience of this fault, my colleague's C5 was towed home 6 times before the fault was cured.

The Turbo pipe came off, dealer fitted a jubilee clip and said this will probably happen again.

All Radio & CD stalk controls failed, new multiplex unit fitted.

Recalled for handbrake modification, apparently being difficult to release, now its almost impossible to apply.

General Comments:

The C5 is a very comfortable car, a lovely quiet cruiser, excellent performance in spite of only 90bhp, shame about the clever bits.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 20th December, 2002

11th Oct 2006, 05:44

I had a company supplied C5 90 HDi LX from Dec 2001-Dec 2004.

I loved the car, a friend working for the same company also had one described it as "It's like driving your favourite armchair!"

During the 3 years I clock around 110,000. As mentioned above it used to have it's moments.

The radio/cd control stalk would cease to function.

The car would drop into Eco mode, even if nothing was left powered on. In this mode the battery would drain over a couple of days if left unused.

The hazard indication of the alarm being activated/deactivated would cease to work.

These faults would happen once maybe twice a year, the cure was simple... up the bonnet, unclip the positive of the battery, simple on a Citroen, wait 10-15 seconds and clip it back on.

It was necessary to reset the clock, but everything burst into life again.

The only major fault I had, was when the resistor pack on the heater fan failed, this resulted on the positions slowly dying out until the fan died completely. This is not limited to Citroen, on both Ford and Renault I have had similar faults. Would I have another... you bet! I used to get around 49mpg, the boot was massive and the car was equally so, two child seats (with children) and 1 adult in the back plenty of space plus everyones luggage in the boot. My wife and I used to joke about having to send postcards to each other to talk in the car because of the voluminous cabin space.

I got given a Laguna after that... what a comedown.

11th Jan 2009, 03:21

I have owned a Citroen C5 since 2002 and I don't want to get rid.

I does have faults. The clever bits stop working sometimes, but the easiest way round this is to pull the white fuse in the glove box. Wait 10 seconds and put it back again. Just like booting a computer! Everything comes back on again. Just reset the date and time and you're off.

The only problem I have at the moment is the fan does not work in positions 1 and 2. The heater resistor is supposed to be behind the glove box. Does anyone know how I get to it?