Citroën C5
PSA V6 petrol with timing belt. Refined running and good power, but high consumption. Timing belt replacement complex and expensive due to V arrangement.
The French king of cruisers
211 hp V6 in the C5 II with Hydractive hydropneumatics — as silent as a Phantom when gliding along; a legendary combination of V6 power and Citroën comfort. Unique in its class.
Engine Weaknesses 6
The ES9 3.0 V6 has a timing belt whose replacement is very labour-intensive due to the V6 architecture. The belt also drives the camshafts of both cylinder banks. Neglected intervals lead to total engine damage on failure.
Symptoms: On failure: immediate engine shutdown, metallic hammering from the engine, bent valves, no compression
The slim pencil coils on the V6 are prone to wear, especially the factory-fitted original types. A coil failure causes misfires in individual cylinders and rough running.
Symptoms: Engine stumbling, misfire warning light, rough running at certain revs, power loss
Sealing rings and gaskets on the V6 camshaft cover become brittle and start leaking. Oil can drip onto hot engine components and in the worst case cause an engine fire.
Symptoms: Oil spots in the engine bay, burning smell, visible oil traces on the cam cover
The complex exhaust system with two pre-catalysts and two lambda sensors each is failure-prone. Pre-cats can fail early; genuine replacement parts are very expensive, and aftermarket parts often trigger fault codes.
Symptoms: Engine warning light, exhaust fault message, increased fuel consumption, power loss
The Sagem ignition coils on the ES9 3.0 V6 are a known weak point. Individual coils fail. The rear three coils under the intake manifold are considerably harder to replace. Denso coils are recommended as replacements.
Symptoms: Vibrations and rough running, engine check light, power loss, stumbling under load, fault codes P030x for affected cylinders
The water pump on the ES9 V6 can leak or wear out. Being difficult to access in the V6 engine bay, labour costs for replacement are considerable. A failure leads to V6 overheating.
Symptoms: Coolant level drops regularly, leakage at the engine block, temperature gauge rises on motorway driving, overheating warning STOP
Vehicle Weaknesses 5
The optional Hydractive 3+ suspension (standard on Exclusive trim) in the C5 II starts leaking at spheres and cylinders from around 80,000 km. A 'Suspension defective' message appears and the car limits top speed to 90 km/h.
The electric power steering in the C5 II is connected to the BSI control unit. BSI faults or ECU problems cause the power assistance to fail. A frequently reported issue is sudden loss of assist while the engine is running.
The automatic gearbox in the C5 II (2008–2017) shows typical problems pulling away from standstill. Only after firm throttle input does the gearbox engage properly. A gearbox flush or software update often helps, but solenoids are due at higher mileages.
The 2016 MOT report documents above-average frequency of tie rod wear and increased driveshaft wear on the C5 II. Tyre inner edge wear and clunking in corners are typical symptoms.
According to MOT reports, the C5 II frequently shows oil leaks at engine and gearbox seals as well as occasional BSI control unit problems. Faulty EGR valves cause short-circuit risks at the starter cable connection (recall 2013–2017).
