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

[vborovic]

I've offered my regular Service to take the security wheels off, at their own cost (they're the ones who damaged both the adapter and the bolts in the first place) ... in regards of our good business so far ... if they refuse, I'll do the bolts either myself (with trying the reverse screw socket i.e.), or have someone else do the work on the bolts

[Chris_H4922]

I've offered my regular Service to take the security wheels off, at their own cost (they're the ones who damaged both the adapter and the bolts in the first place) ... in regards of our good business so far ... if they refuse, I'll do the bolts either myself (with trying the reverse screw socket i.e.), or have someone else do the work on the bolts

By the sounds of it you have a very good garage working with you to apply all of your wishes to you C5 (I wish I had the time/cash to do a few modifications of my own). The reverse screw sockets don't always work but I do recommend getting your hands on a maliable socket. this worked straight away on my C5. Socket belonged to the garage like I said but I did the work.

[vborovic]

The garage/delership is good, they cover a wide range of cars (Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, Jeep, Hummer, Kia, Citroen) .. the Citroen & Kia are stand-alone dealerships, with most of the service being done in-house (each of them individually), however, some activities are done in the "main" part of the service (tyre replacement i.e.), where the quality highly depends on the individual who does the work ... and it's a gamble ... the Citroen guys are the ones that have up till now been 100% on everything each time regarding car work ... the "other" guys had made some mishaps here and there on my car in the past, the security bolt thing being the latest ... the director was e-mailed ... we'll see what his response will be ...

[Xantippa]

While I wait to see who'll take on the security bolts removal, I have time to contemplate some other issues ... the before mentioned license plate's lights not working, that one is really pissing me off ... here's how it works:

- if I turn the lights on the car with the remote, all the front & rear lights light up, including the license plate ones
AUTO LIGHT
- if I start the car, and there is a need for the dipped beam to be on (if it is dark), the license plate's lights won't turn on (at that point, if I turn the lights stalk to 0, and then return it to auto, the license plate's lights will light up)
- if I start the car, and DRLs are on (day), and when the automatic does its work of turning on the dipped beam (i.e. entering the tunnel), the license plate's lights will light up
MANUAL LIGHT (stalk set to dipped beam)
- if I start the car, the license plate's lights will turn on, every time

Conclusion, something happened with the Auto function, that it won't trigger the license plate's lights (although it does give the error with DiagBox that there is a short circuit on the mass if they're off when they should be on). Checked the boot connectors just in case, nothing wrong with them. Can't remember there is any setting in the BSI that would change the behavior of the license plate's lights.

I should test it too. Lately we've had very cold weather here in Finland, and very often in the morning I've noticed that licence plate lights don't lit up. My car goes to economy mode very easily, but battery is good (no problem starting in minus 32), so it might be also related to that.

[vborovic]

I didn't notice that the economy mode is coming up more often that what's usual ... although the battery could be replaced (by the years it's been in the car), it still works as it should, and the car never had issues during cold starts

[Chris_H4922]

The garage/delership is good, they cover a wide range of cars (Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia, Jeep, Hummer, Kia, Citroen) .. the Citroen & Kia are stand-alone dealerships, with most of the service being done in-house (each of them individually), however, some activities are done in the "main" part of the service (tyre replacement i.e.), where the quality highly depends on the individual who does the work ... and it's a gamble ... the Citroen guys are the ones that have up till now been 100% on everything each time regarding car work ... the "other" guys had made some mishaps here and there on my car in the past, the security bolt thing being the latest ... the director was e-mailed ... we'll see what his response will be ...

Well here is to hoping you get a speedy response and get the nut off as soon as possible.

[vborovic]

Well here is to hoping you get a speedy response and get the nut off as soon as possible.

If it was only one nut ... it's four of them ... ...

[GiveMeABreak]

They can be a bugger to get off, especially if they have used the air gun on them and/ or not torqued them up by hand.
Re the cold- many good quality batteries will go on working up to the last as they are designed to, so it may not be obvious that it is on the way out until one day you try to start it and then you know! Always worth checking the age and give it an overnight trickle charge for a sealed battery. Don't go by the colour of the window on the battery as that's only an indication of electrolytic acid in one cell and they aren't very accurate by all accounts. No warnings on the C3 battery when it went, worked perfectly the day before, then next morning one turn and it was dead!

[vborovic]

They can be a bugger to get off, especially if they have used the air gun on them and/ or not torqued them up by hand.

That's my suspicion, that the air gun was used (and several other mechanics I've asked agree on that, considering the scratch marks and damage done to the bolts). Re the battery - I'm hoping it will die when it is a work day, and I can buy a battery within the next half an hour ... in the worst case scenario, it will be Sunday noon, and nothing will be open ...

[vborovic]

Can do.....

Any ETA for the connector photos?

[GiveMeABreak]

Yep, that's usually the case I changed the C5 Battery when I got her, as I didn't know what condition the existing one was in and with all the additional electrics and drain on the battery I wanted to make sure it was new , so took the plunge and forked out for an AGM battery. As they have to fit these to the STOP/START models, they have to be reliable, so won't have to worry about that for a while.

Another thing - while we're on the subject of tryes and fitting - has anyone else reading this with a Hydractive X7 (not sure about previous C5s) been aware of the requirement to remove the LDS fluid cap if the vehicle is being lifted off the ground? I quote from the Check: - Topping up - Hydraulic Suspension Circuit document:-

CAUTION: If raising the vehicle on a lift, wheels hanging, remove the cap of the LDS fluid reservoire. Refit the cap of the LDS fluid reservoire, once you have lowered the vehicle.

Was a bit concerned about this as I only picked it up reading through some of the technical service docs where it mentioned this. I know that in the UK there are a lot of tyre fitters that use the hydraulic hoist to lift the car up so they can fit the tyres standing up (ATS / Kwik Fit for sure in the UK) - but I've never really thought about it until now. I must admit, I'd feel a bit of a t*t if I told them to wait while I unscrewed the suspension cap before they fitted the tyres! But on the other hand - could not doing this be a contributory factor towards the 'leaking struts' issue

[Stickyfinger]

OH F !....I forgot.....the car is however still in bits at the back (not used it for a week, crappy muddy roads need a KIA )....so will do tomorrow.

Regarding the lift, I was told this by the guy who owned it before me, I wonder why...over extension maybe damaging seals ? ?

[GiveMeABreak]

You'd think (or maybe not) they'd at least put something like that in the handbook wouldn't you! Well now you've heard the same I know I'm not being paranoid so looks like I will remove the cap from now at said risk of looking a t*t!

[vborovic]

I was aware of the LDS cap procedure (it's in the beginning of every service document regarding suspension maintenance or repair) ... however, since my car is springy and not bubbly, I don't worry about that ...

@ sticky - No hurry, just wanted to remind you, that's all

[vborovic]

Well here is to hoping you get a speedy response and get the nut off as soon as possible.

Here's an update, received the call today from the Citroen Service, the usual service representative with whom I'm usually talking to is passing on the apologies from the director and asked when I want to drive the car in for the wheel's procedure ... ... it will be on Wednesday, and after that I'll see what to do with the bolts (I'll probably get the ones bobins offered me as a backup solution), the first step will be getting regular ones just to be able to safely drive around ... meaning I'll have the new wheels fitted later that day and drive around a bit to see how they hold the road and compare the ride quality to the previous smaller alloys