Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor

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Wed 22 Oct 2014 23:19
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - GT

I was interested to find this: http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/27269/please-warn-your-readers-about-the-siemens-tyre-pressure-monitoring-valves-as-fitted-to-my-citroen-c5-

I've just had a catastrophic failure of a corroded front sensor whilst travelling at high speed in the outside lane of a 3-way A road. The tyre instantly deflated. Fortunately I did not lose control. This article, plus several posts to Citroen owners forums, shows that I've been travelling in a timebomb. The sensor in the other front wheel was also corroded and its retaining nut already showing signs of splitting. So I bought two new sensors/nuts and when the tyre shop came to remove the sensor in the other front wheel, it immediately came apart along the crack into two pieces. The rear sensors look OK and I've discovered why - the main dealer from where I bought the car had replaced these as they were corroded, this was at the service he did when I bought the car. No mention of the front sensors.

I'm incensed that Citroen have known about this but the first I knew of it was when I had a failure at high speed, the potential consequences of which don't bear thinking about. Why haven't they issued a recall or at least a directive to their dealer network to check the sensors? My local dealer has done the last two MOTs and service and has not mentioned it.

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Thu 23 Oct 2014 07:45
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - madf

They are French. Customer care is secondary to cost control...

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Thu 23 Oct 2014 10:45
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - Brit_in_Germany

TPMS failure is not limited to French cars though. Jaguars also had this problem, as did GM, Chrysler, Mazda etc. and it would appear that generally the manufacturers were reluctant to accept that there was a problem, blaming abuse by the owners.

It would appear that the corrosion issue is a most likely a design problem, with bi-metallic corrosion of the aluminium valve stem being caused by a galvanic cell between the brass inner core and the aluminium exterior, although Jaguar tended to blame the use of metal valve caps.

For a detailed discussion see:

http://www.tpmsmadeeasy.com/pdf/dop-11-100-clean.pdf

Regular inspection of your tyres might help to prevent a blow out situation.

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Thu 23 Oct 2014 14:55
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - GT

Regular inspection of your tyres might help to prevent a blow out situation.

I check pressures regularly, monthly or possibly slightly less often - I find the tyres always maintain correct pressure. Also watchful for any bulges splits etc.. I fit premium tyres (Michelin Pilot Sports in this case) to minimise the risk of such problems. I would never in a thousand years have thought I need to check valve stems for signs of corrosion, I've owned cars for 40+ years and never had this problem. How would I have known that? And why would the onus for such inspection be on me? Why not the Citroen main dealer who has given the car two MOT's and a service in the last two years? I'm not going to feel guilty for almost bringing about my own demise.

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Thu 23 Oct 2014 15:08
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - Brit_in_Germany

GT, it was merely a suggestion for others, not a criticism of yourself. The dealer might see the car once a year or less but it is potentially your life on the line. In view of the problems these valves have, checking whether they may be about to self destruct by giving them a once over seems to me to be a good idea.

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Thu 23 Oct 2014 15:27
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - madf

And why would the onus for such inspection be on me

I f you buy a car that has parts that wear with time, or lose air like tyres.. you would naturally check them.. Or at least I hope so.

If Citroen build cars and supply then with critical parts that corrode, a sensible driver would check them..

Like I check oil, water, lights and tyres regularly I like to drive safely as it's my life and my passenegers's lives at risk..

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Thu 23 Oct 2014 18:53
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - Manatee

If Citroen build cars and supply then with critical parts that corrode, a sensible driver would check them..

If a failure like this kills somebody, I'd love to be in court when Citroen runs that defence.

Checking oil, water, tyre pressures monthly and getting the car serviced to schedule would put you comfortably in a group of less than 5% of car owners. Checking your tyre valves for corrosion would make you one in a million I should think. Even if they looked corroded, unless you knew about the apparenly epidemic fault you would dismiss it as cosmetic anyway.

If Citroen know about it, there should at least be a service campaign, probably a full recall. If they don't, how is the averge car user supposed to know?

OK I've taken the bait.

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Thu 23 Oct 2014 19:01
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - gordonbennet

Probably like other makers, who do their best to keep failures secret, especially after seeing the slating of Toyota for doing the other thing and admitting problems and issueing recalls, they maybe hope quietly to fix these things (and charge for them?) during routine servicing, so the buyer (and the motoring media) isn't aware it's a recognised failure.

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Fri 24 Oct 2014 12:10
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - dieselnut

I would report this to VOSA.

If they get enough reports they will investigate & probably eventually force the manufacturer to issue a recall.

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Sat 25 Oct 2014 10:19
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - GT

I agree 100% with Manatee. I am definitely in the sub-5%. I have a photo* of the other front sensor (the one which hadn't yet failed) showing half the collar nut having split away from the stem which happened as soon as the tyre shop tried to remove it, and also showing that the damaging corrosion was hidden underneath this nut so I'd have needed x-ray vision to see it. (* how can I include this in a post? I have it as a .pdf (500k) )

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Fri 16 Jan 2015 06:44
Citroen C5 - Catastrophic failure of TPMS sensor - Liliflower

Do you have lexia diagnostic system? It is possible to disable tpms for Critroen

eobdiifr.canalblog.com/archives/2015/01/07/3127148...l

All french, you may need google translater

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