Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

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Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by Doo »

Afternoon all, just joined so if this has already been asked/answered, please point me in the right direction... But to be fair, it seems the C5 is a bigger problem :?

Anyway, as per the subject, I have a 2007 C4 1.6hdi SX which was left for 2wks in May when we went to Croatia. Came back, started the car and all bells & bongs going doolally.

I eventually traced it to a damp fuse box (I presume it is also the BSi). The tree's had infiltrated and there was a mess of tree junk and every fuse was covered in furry corrosion. Took me an hour to remove it, clean the blades, spray switch cleaner into the fuse holders and poke each fuse in/out a dozen times to clean up the slots. Then I blew it dry with an air nozzle.

Reinstalled it and all the problems went away 8-)

Fast forward to mid July, wife went to visit her family for 2.4 weeks and when she returned, same exact thing! I never used her car as I had my own and/or the motorbike to use. Although I have to admit, her car is great to drive and I have always loved Citroen. Not to mention I advised her to get this car and in the almost 7 years of ownership it hasn't put a foot wrong until this year. It gets regular services and never pushed hard....unless I'm driving it :rofl2:

So I was advised by Citroen that the BSi got wet so it must need a new one, we got a used one that was previously working. And yes, all the barcodes & numbers match.

The issue seems to be no comms with the ABS module. Funny how it was perfect until both times it sat for 2wks before going faulty. The rest of the time it is used for a 4 mile round trip each day and every other Saturday. It does a couple of longer trips to the shops twice weekly or so.

It sits at the end of a building and is reasonably protected from the weather except when at her work when it sits under tree's (although it was drummed into her to cease and desist or park it 180 degree's as in reverse in).

So, I stripped the whole wiring under the bonnet, removed ECU's, relay banks and fuse boards. Nothing was left unchecked and everything came back 100% perfect. No lumps, bumps, burns, breaks or chafed.

There is continuity on every circuit I tested and 12v going to/from each pin on the ABS pump plug. It had been greased at some point in its life so the pins were all clean and not green. An ex Citroen mechanic told me this model had been subject to a recall not long after launch to address corroded pins at the module, so I assume the fix was a dollop grease.

The warnings are no ABS, ESP, Cruise, Gearbox Failure, etc. It's the auto clutch model so it doesn't change automatically, but manually only goes up to 3rd gear. It will change down reluctantly while braking from 3rd, but will not change up unless using the paddle or gearstick.

The lights pertain to ABS ESP and SERVICE.

Battery was checked and holds volts around 12.6v at rest and engine running 14.8v average under charge conditions. No fluctuations.

The only other issue apart from no comms is a fault code for emissions which would appear to be one or more glow(s) need changed. The only issue is slightly lumpy idle and smelly exhaust. I would fix it, but we need the ABS issue addressed first.

However, knowing can bus systems are voltage critical, is it at all possible that either the glow plug issue has somehow affected the operation of the ABS circuit (seems unlikely, but....) or could it be something as simple as a faulty brake switch preventing communication with the module?

The brake pedal must be pressed before the starter will engage and this operates perfectly as do the brake lights. I realise they operate using resistance so am open to this suggestion, but without a fault code we are stumbling in the dark. All other fault codes forced or otherwise were able to be erased.

I beg your wisdom people, wife going nuts as she's driving a faulty Smart For Four (it conks out now and again, but at least it runs) and wants her beloved Citroen back ](*,)
Has anyone seen the plot? :?
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by wheeler »

Can you confirm if you mean the BSM (under bonnet fusebox) or the BSI which is also the main fusebox inside the car behind the glovebox.
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by Doo »

wheeler wrote: 09 Sep 2019, 18:00 Can you confirm if you mean the BSM (under bonnet fusebox) or the BSI which is also the main fusebox inside the car behind the glovebox.
Sorry, yes. I've been around the forums today so fat fingers.

Everything functions inside the car. Windows, central locking, heater blower, etc.

So the under bonnet BSM for sure.

Thank you for your interest :)
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by admiral51 »

I had an issue with my 2005 C4 , some wires had been bridged mainly the heater relay bypass and at some stage prior to my owner ship the main BSI fuse.
Not the same year or engine as yours but having re read your post i see you have a replacement BSM, but a second hand one.
I bought a new one as i wanted to have a clean slate to start with once i replaced it, not from Citroen but from a source Marc put me onto.
Have you tried a BSI procedure to see if that clears anything ?
If i was more tech savvy i would link to posts but just an idle thought, looking back at posts both times the car has been sat for 2 weeks so ample time for damp to ingress and cause havoc within the BSM where you cannot see it.
BSI reset first, may just be that it just needs to go back to scratch and work from there?
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by admiral51 »

Okay tech head on and i have found my original post here .
Something i missed from the original post as i had figured out the cause, i actually broke down, the car just stopped with a number of faults shown on the display, air bag, depollution fault, speed control fault,brake light fault to name a few.
In the thread is a link to where i got the replacement BSM, brand new and bloody good service.
Not sure if your part number is the same but there is a link to the BSI reset procedure
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by Doo »

admiral51 wrote: 09 Sep 2019, 20:52 Okay tech head on and i have found my original post here .
Something i missed from the original post as i had figured out the cause, i actually broke down, the car just stopped with a number of faults shown on the display, air bag, depollution fault, speed control fault,brake light fault to name a few.
In the thread is a link to where i got the replacement BSM, brand new and bloody good service.
Not sure if your part number is the same but there is a link to the BSI reset procedure
I read all the posts and have to say, not one single other issue regarding blower motor, wipers or anything.

Wife pretty much has this car on warm/hot all the time with the blower set to one or two depending how cold or damp it is.

The used BSM was a known working one with a warranty so not too bothered. But it too was clean and came with all the plugs attached and wires cut (which I personally think is cruel and evil if someone needs a loom...).

It just seems strange that the donor part was working and now appears to not be 8-[

I would have gone to the local dealer, but as a mechanic of many years I find it hard to accept paying up to £120 per hour for something I am more than capable of doing myself :taz:

I tested fuse No7 (ABS) and the pin out which carried continuity. I then traced the yellow wire to the relay pack, which also showed continuity. The relays all work (tested in another car) and the feed went all the way to the ABS pump which is why I find it hard to blame the BSM....
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by Fake Concern »

It may or may not be related, but the C4 scuttle panel/windscreen seal made from plastic and clipped to the bottom of the screen becomes detached and lets water run onto the fuse box. I used to check mine and push it back on every six Months or so if it looked like it was slipping down.

Have a look on C4Owners (see below) or ask on the Bookface group Citroen C4 UK

http://c4owners.org/plugins/faq/faq.php?0.cat.5.188
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by admiral51 »

I also had the blower stop, i had A/C on at the time and panel went dead, would turn over and start for a brief time then stall, when they go ferral they really do go wild.
I really think without a BSI reset you will be chasing shadows.
I only paid for the part and delivery, took less than 30 mins to swap the part and with the reset procedure touch wood, apart from the odd cruise/limit issue for a few days she has been good as gold since.
The C4 i mean, SWMBO is not included in this conversation :rofl2:
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by admiral51 »

Okay just noticed something in your last post, right at the very start.
How often when you put your foot on the brake pedal do the wipers start ?

And do they go very fast ? but they work as normal when foot off the brake pedal ?
Last edited by admiral51 on 09 Sep 2019, 21:41, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by Doo »

Fake Concern wrote: 09 Sep 2019, 21:31 It may or may not be related, but the C4 scuttle panel/windscreen seal made from plastic and clipped to the bottom of the screen becomes detached and lets water run onto the fuse box. I used to check mine and push it back on every six Months or so if it looked like it was slipping down.

Have a look on C4Owners (see below) or ask on the Bookface group Citroen C4 UK

http://c4owners.org/plugins/faq/faq.php?0.cat.5.188
That was one thing I kept an eye on. It did have a slight gap, but no water got into the fuse box that way.

Tree's on the other hand somehow managed to allow their tree stuff to infiltrate...

This was as bad as it got. No actual water flowing as such, but the damp parts collected and built up a bit of damp enough to affect the fuses, which I dealt with.

Image

As you can see the fuses were a little grotty.

Image

The loom itself is in good order and the grease at the ABS pump kept water out there too.

Image

I would pay for a new BSM, but like I said, I'm not 100% convinced, but with nothing communicating I'm banging my head against a brick wall... ](*,)

I may need to try the reset, but where is the link?
Last edited by myglaren on 09 Sep 2019, 21:46, edited 1 time in total.
Reason: Image tags fixed.
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by admiral51 »

Doo the link for the BSI reset is BSI Reset Link
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by myglaren »

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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by Doo »

admiral51 wrote: 09 Sep 2019, 21:46 Doo the link for the BSI reset is BSI Reset Link
OK, another not really an issue, but our car doesn't seem to lose the fob sync as it locks/unlocks no matter how I reconnect :?

And around the same time the ABS issue appeared, the glow plug problem (emissions) issue also arose and I suddenly recall the headlamp function on the fob (sentinel or follow me home, not sure the French term) ceased to function. I used to tease my son with it when he was younger, telling him "the headlamps are on, go tell the car to switch them off!" So bless his cotton socks, he would go say "Head lamps off!" and magically they'd go off :-D Evil dad :rofl2:

So perhaps that "is" a fault with the BSM and it's spread like moss :?
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by admiral51 »

Fake Concern wrote: 09 Sep 2019, 21:31 It may or may not be related, but the C4 scuttle panel/windscreen seal made from plastic and clipped to the bottom of the screen becomes detached and lets water run onto the fuse box. I used to check mine and push it back on every six Months or so if it looked like it was slipping down.

Have a look on C4Owners (see below) or ask on the Bookface group Citroen C4 UK

http://c4owners.org/plugins/faq/faq.php?0.cat.5.188
I had the same issue with the scuttle panel, i used windscreen sealant in large amounts with various props to reseal/repair the seal,touch wood it has not leaked again that was done 12 months ago when i was looking at selling it, took it in part ex from my boy you can guess who lost out with SWMBO in charge :twisted:
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Re: Conundrum 2007 C4 1.6HDi SX....

Post by Doo »

OK, looking at LEXIA now in case that is the issue with lack of comms.

I was looking at this on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Car-Fault-Co ... 7eda7cf893

But the clown wont post to Scottish Highlands (we get this a LOT :evil: )

Before I start looking, is this A the correct thing and B I imagine I need to connect to my laptop (I have a Windows 7 I use to configure the EAS on my Range Rover so it tends to not go online.

Will I need to download software or will this module CD suffice?

And where can I get this where the seller isn't being racist to fat Scottish blokes :-D
Has anyone seen the plot? :?
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