HDI Diesel additive

thanks for the info, can you tell us how long the fluid lasts ? i.e. how often do you have to top the fluid up as that's one of the issues which will decide for me wether to buy a C5 or if me and citroen will finally part company after many happy[ish] years. (well, until I can /realistically/ afford a C6 of course)

thanks.

And you have to have the counter in the ecu reset by diagnostic machines :(

It all depends on the year of the vehicle. The earlier models, using the fluid I mentioned above, require topping up about every 50k. The later ones, using the later fluid, every 80k. The earlier ones with the 5 litre tank have a level switch included, so that when it is topped up, the warning resets itself. The later ones work out the content of the smaller tank in the computer, so will have to be reset. Also the ash from the filter will have to be removed at some time. This "can" be done on a DIY basis with a pressure washer. That's what PSA use. You certainly do not have to have a new filter fitted, as some dealers will suggest. You can get a recycled one.

Many thanks for that nugget of info.

is that exclusively a main dealer event or is/will it possible to get it done elsewhere ?

again, thanks for that. I love the ride you get with citroen suspension but the C5 has had a fair few issues which have been expensive for a few people and the pollutant recovery fluid scam has further put me off C5s.

Help me understand: the C5 is generally a nice car. Cars cost money, especially new or relatively new ones. The C5 HDI has very cool technology to reduce emissions - look around, see black fumes pouring out of many other Diesel cars. Citroëns are clean. Keeping that device working has a cost. If you don't like it for its complexity or the attached cost, C5's come with gas engines that don't need the filter.

But making a 20000+ EUR decision based on a potential cost at 80000 km seems kind of weird to me... you'll fuel it a hundred times, change the oil 4 times and the tires once at least.

(i do not drive a C5, but another HDI vehicle with a filter. It's been chosen specifically for having the filter)

So does a 2001 partner HDI van have one of these additive tanks? anyone know Cheers GGJ

Well, if you just give your dealer a blank cheque to cover the costs of changing the filter and fluid, you could end up with a bill of over ¤900, plus the normal service costs. Some dealers will charge top ups for the one litre bottles at 50% more than the cost of the larger container, and will fit a new filter each time when an exchange one can be obtained for less than half the cost. If you look on the PSA website, in their technical section, you get a description of the filter system and how it works. This quite clearly shows the filter being emptied and refitted. The point I make is to be aware of what really is available, so you can challenge your dealer if they try to charge for other things. As far as the reset of the computer is concerned, I don't know if anyone but the main dealers can do this. But those independants who specialise in the PSA vehicles should know.

Just an addition to this. I have just filled, or tried to fill the additive tank, but it was so slow, had to give up when part way through. I know that the tank is now over half full as I can se the fluid, but the warning has not gone away. It is possible that the tank has to be full first, but it might also be that you also have to get this one reset, even though there is a level switch in there.

can you see the wires on the back of the switch ;-)

Yes.

Well, having now filled the tank completely, I must have had an air lock in the pipe first time, the warning still has not cancelled, so clearly it will have to be reset somehow. Whether there is a level switch or not, I don't now know. Several sources claim that there is, including Haynes, but you never know.