C5 X7 ambient lighting (and some other bits and pieces)

Unread post by **vborovic** » 31 Oct 2013, 21:11

I know I've seen it on the C5's brochures, but haven't been able to locate it at this time. What I'm wondering is, whether some of you at the forum have this option in your car? How does it work? Is it linked with the ceiling (above head) orange led lights (both in illumination and when they're on & off), or does it have an additional button to turn it on/off that is placed in the opposite spaces of the CHECK/ALARM/PARKING SPACE group below the steering wheel?

I am thinking of fitting the genuine stuff through my Citroen Service, they've located the parts required, have the prices (not cheap, really) but would like someone's input on this, who has hands-on experience with this detail.

So, anyone?

qprdude · Unread post by **qprdude** » 31 Oct 2013, 22:02

It works when the headlamps are on. On a right hand drive car, there is a switch on the dashboard(facia) just behind the lights stalk. It is in a bank of three(not all might be fitted) and has a circular /half white half black motif on it. There is a very gentle orange light along the length of the dash. It's easier to see if you have the black panel operating (all dash lights except speedometer blacked for night driving) (Button on steering wheel top left)

Unread post by **vborovic** » 31 Oct 2013, 22:16

Ok, that's a start. Is the lighting related/linked to the dash & roof lighting, that can be dimmed by the two buttons in the bottom of the dash (following the steering wheel)? Or does it just have an active/inactive state and that's that? If you have this on yout car, how about driver & co-driver floor lamps (above the feet)? That should be linked with the door low lights (bottom side of each front door), correct?

mooseshaver · Unread post by **mooseshaver** » 31 Oct 2013, 22:42

Is this supposed to be on all exclusives? I have the orange lights in the roof that shine on the gear change area. Don't think I have a line across dash

qprdude · Unread post by **qprdude** » 31 Oct 2013, 23:03

I think it is mooseshaver. If you look behind the column light stalk, there should be a bank of three buttons. On mine, two are blanks but the one nearest the steering column operates the mood lighting. It glows along, underneath the dash from the passenger door to the wheel, then a short bit to the drivers door. You won't see it in daylight, and only if you look carefully at night with the headlamps on. I had to switch to "Black Panel" night driving mode before I really noticed it. It's a soft orange glow.

Unread post by **vborovic** » 01 Nov 2013, 07:42

I'm not sure whether this is an "exclusive only" option, or if it is possible to order on any car (while buying it new from the dealer) ... What I'm missing in my car from the available possibilities currently is the already mentioned mood strip on the co-driver's side, the floor lights (W5W bulbs) above the feet of the driver & co-driver & the inner door handles led's that light the handles position (VW, Skoda and similar larger (and newer) cars should have this as a standard, Skoda Superb i.e.). And when I talked with my Citroen Dealer, they've found it possible to add the mood lighting to my car ... so I'm thinking of giving it a go ... not that I'm expecting overwhelming benefits from it, but, small things make people happy anyway ...

mooseshaver · Unread post by **mooseshaver** » 01 Nov 2013, 08:45

I don't have mood lighting it appears.

mooseshaver · Unread post by **mooseshaver** » 01 Nov 2013, 09:07

Hey Vborovic while you are considering the mood lighting, what about the park heater?

qprdude · Unread post by **qprdude** » 01 Nov 2013, 10:17

To be honest, I wouldn't pay money for mood lighting, it's pretty pointless unless you do most of your driving at night. It's a bit like the door storage pockets lighting up when you put your hand in them. I suppose it's OK when you are stopped and searching for something, but you wouldn't be looking down at the pocket while driving surely. I do find the side and rear window blinds handy.
The best thing about my car interior is the full soft leather, heated electric, memory massage seats. Absolutely brilliant on a long journey. (and the electric parking brake/hill start assist is pretty neat too.

Unread post by **vborovic** » 01 Nov 2013, 10:34

@ qprdude - you were pretty darn close, I do most of my driving at night (especially now when we shifted 1 hour, so basically at 4:30 GMT +1 you're in the dark) ... and since I've grown accustomed to the roof ambient light, I think the co-driver's light strip would fit in nicely ... about the storage pockets, I agree with you, wouldn't need that ...

... the other things you've mentioned I don't have, I'm more than happy with non-leather seats, they're warmer and feel nicer (personal opinion) than the leather ones ... having a massage option in a car wouldn't be a bad idea, but I'm still a bit younger, so I can do without it ...

... I don't have the e-brake but still have hill assist, I think it is standard with automatic gearboxes (not sure about manuals, don't think it's possible)

@ moose - I'll leave the park heater for after I'm done with the car first ...

qprdude · Unread post by **qprdude** » 01 Nov 2013, 12:19

Hill start assist works fine on manuals. Massage seat is excellent on long journeys as it stops you having to shift around to get comfortable, even if you are a comparitive youngster. The X7 nleather is much softer than the earlier stuff and kind of "matt" finish so it's more stable. Great with the heating elements on for the freezing Scottish winters. My Saab had part leather weith no heating and I missed it like hell after the Rover 75 heated leather, although that was a bit shiny and slippery so less supportive than the C5. I'm not quite convinced that the Ebrake doesn't put a bit of extra wear on the clutch though, unless you use the manual function. Sometimes mine takes a few revs to disengage.
All these things are a matter of personal taste but there is one thing we all have in common. The C5 X7 is just one helluva set of wheels.

Unread post by **vborovic** » 01 Nov 2013, 19:20

@ qprdude - Fully agree on the C5 comment as a car in general ... that's exactly I'd like mine to be a bit better, if at all possible, but don't want 5€ chinese copy stuff added, if the genuine parts are available (still). AS for the E-brake, I prefer the classic manual stick, brute force on the wheels, no brake-by-wire, wouldn't feel comfortable when you know the car has control over the handbrake ... just read the other post where an owner couldn't move the car due to the e-brake not releasing, the problem was in the low battery voltage ... but anyway, manual brake is still manual brake, unless the wire snaps ...

BrianM · Unread post by **BrianM** » 01 Nov 2013, 19:37

Ah you have the best of both worlds with the x7 electric handbrake ! An electric motor to pull the cables for you

Brian
09 C5 Exclusive

Unread post by **vborovic** » 01 Nov 2013, 19:42

Would you believe me I would feel safer with a micro dwarf in the handrest compartment pulling the cable compared to the electro motor version? ...

...

P.S. Hope no micro dwarfs take any offense

Unread post by **vborovic** » 06 Nov 2013, 17:46

Didn't want to start a new topic, so I'll use this one since it is related ...

Just thought I would share my inner/outer lighting experience on the C5 X7 Tourer ... when I purchased the car, of course all the bulbs were standard, "yellowish" ... I then went to replace whatever I could, because I like whiter/bluer lighting colors better then yellow ... I got Philips' Xenon ultimate effect BlueVision ultra series bulbs ... everything, W5W's (3400K) for the complete interior ceiling, number plate, pavement lighting, glovebox and the sidelamps ... changed the H1's & H7's in the headlamp units ... and it was great (got everything reasonably cheap from eBay, UK mind you ...

) ... not to advertise Philips, Osram lights of similar class will surely do equally well ... but the car overall just seems, how to say, more serious, or classy ... and, just out of curiosity, ordered a pair of the newest Osram ledriving Cool White, LED W5W's (6000K) ... to replace the Philips' ones for the number plate ... let me just say, if the previous yellow -> blue (Philips bulbs are blue in color, but actually give off white as a result) upgrade was 2x whiter ... going from blue- > led white was 4x the difference ... I don't think I'll go LED on the interior, it would be too white, bleached ... but for the number plate (if you want it to be seen) the Osram LED's are too good to pass on ... just wanted to get this opinion off my chest ...

P.S. Both Philips & Osram aren't my sponsors, so I don't have any reason to advertise them ... my 1st choice for the headlamps would be the PIAA's, but, they cost 3x more (per bulb) ...

French Car Forum

C5 X7 ambient lighting (and some other bits and pieces)

C5 X7 ambient lighting (and some other bits and pieces)

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting

Re: Citroen C5 X7 ambient lighting