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Before you buy a used Citroën C5 Aircross (I).

2018–2025 · Petrol / Diesel / Plug-in hybrid · 4 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

Citroën C5 Aircross (I), real photo of this generation
Alexander-93 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 4 of its engines.

1.2 PureTech

Petrol

  • Oil-bath timing belt degradationTiming / lubrication
    Period mentioned
    2012 – approx. 2022
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.
  • Citroën C5 Aircross (I) 1.2 PureTech: known faults of the engine according to L'argusEngine
    Period mentioned
    2018–2025
    Mileage mentioned
    What the sheet says: According to the brand's technical notes reported by L'argus (each date shows up to when the affected cars were built): 1) Will not start (up to 01/03/2019): Spark plug replacement. 2) Engine warning light on (up to 25/05/2019): Oxygen sensor replacement. 3) Excessive oil consumption (up to 21/02/2023): Oil vapour separator replacement (warranty extended to 10 years or 175,000 km). 4) Loss of power, oil pressure light and loss of brake assistance from premature timing belt wear (up to 20/06/2022): New timing belt and, if needed, oil and vacuum pumps or the whole engine (warranty extended to 10 years or 175,000 km). 5) Oil pressure light on: Oil pump replacement. 6) Engine jerking and engine warning light on: Cylinder head cleaning or, depending on diagnosis, new spark plugs, oil separator, heat exchanger or even engine. 7) Hard starting: Injectors, rail or high-pressure pump replaced depending on diagnosis.

1.5 BlueHDi

Diesel

  • AdBlue system failure (start countdown)Exhaust and emissions (AdBlue)
    Period mentioned
    Approx. 2014 onwards
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.
  • 1.5 BlueHDi camshaft chainTiming system
    Period mentioned
    2017–2023
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.
  • Citroën C5 Aircross (I) 1.5 BlueHDi: known faults of the engine according to L'argusEngine
    Period mentioned
    2018–2025
    Mileage mentioned
    What the sheet says: According to the brand's technical notes reported by L'argus (each date shows up to when the affected cars were built): 1) Loss of power (up to 01/09/2019): Air metering valve (throttle body) to be replaced. 2) Coolant leak (up to 30/11/2019): Water outlet housing seal to be replaced. 3) Timing belt noise (up to 31/05/2020): Water pump and timing belt to be replaced. 4) AdBlue light on (up to 22/06/2020): Engine control unit reprogramming. 5) Engine warning light on (up to 15/09/2020): Intake air sensor to be replaced. 6) Service light on (up to 31/12/2021): Oil change and reprogramming. 7) AdBlue tank light on (up to 31/12/2022): Tank replacement. Fully covered up to 5 years or 150,000 km, partly from 5 to 8 years or up to 210,000 km. 8) Will not start, knocking, slipped or broken camshaft chain (up to early February 2023): Tensioner, camshaft chain, timing kit, camshafts and valves (fully covered up to 7 years or 180,000 km).

2.0 BlueHDi

Diesel

  • Citroën C5 Aircross (I) 2.0 BlueHDi: known faults of the engine according to L'argusEngine
    Period mentioned
    2018–2025
    Mileage mentioned
    What the sheet says: According to the brand's technical notes reported by L'argus (each date shows up to when the affected cars were built): 1) Engine speed drops (up to 01/08/2019): Reversible alternator (starter-generator) to be replaced. 2) Engine overheating and no heating (up to 03/03/2020): Water pump and timing belt to be replaced. 3) Engine slow to start (up to 30/06/2020): Camshaft position sensor to be replaced. 4) Engine warning light on and/or early service warning (up to 08/09/2020): Engine control unit update or reprogramming. 5) AdBlue tank light on (up to 31/12/2022): Tank replacement. Fully covered up to 5 years or 150,000 km, partly from 5 to 8 years or up to 210,000 km.

These also apply, described above: AdBlue system failure (start countdown)

Hybrid

Plug-in hybrid

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Citroën C5 Aircross (I)
EngineDocumented faults
1.2 PureTechPetrolFewest documented71 with conditions
1.5 BlueHDiDiesel81 with conditions
2.0 BlueHDiDieselFewest documented71 with conditions
HybridPlug-in hybridFewest documented71 with conditions

According to the data we have, the engines with the fewest documented faults are: 1.2 PureTech (Petrol), 2.0 BlueHDi (Diesel), Hybrid (Plug-in hybrid).

By fuel type, the ones with the fewest documented faults are: Petrol, Plug-in hybrid.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

We have no official recalls on record for this model. Our list is not complete: ask anyway, with the chassis number.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Citroën dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 13 checked

Timing / lubrication

  • Look out for: Oil pressure warning, hard brake pedal or reduced assistance, oil consumption, blue smoke, squeal at the front of the engine, turbo whistles or loses power.

    Ask them to check: Measure the belt through the oil filler opening with the manufacturer's tool. Confirm whether the vacuum pump campaign was done.

Engine

  • Look out for: Will not start (up to 01/03/2019); Engine warning light on (up to 25/05/2019); Excessive oil consumption (up to 21/02/2023); Loss of power, oil pressure light and loss of brake assistance from premature timing belt wear (up to 20/06/2022); Oil pressure light on; Engine jerking and engine warning light on; Hard starting

    Ask them to check: Compare your symptom and your car's build date with this list. If they match, tell the workshop and ask them to check that part first before replacing others. The brand or a warranty extension covers some repairs: ask the dealer with the car's details.

  • Look out for: Loss of power (up to 01/09/2019); Coolant leak (up to 30/11/2019); Timing belt noise (up to 31/05/2020); AdBlue light on (up to 22/06/2020); Engine warning light on (up to 15/09/2020); Service light on (up to 31/12/2021); AdBlue tank light on (up to 31/12/2022); Will not start, knocking, slipped or broken camshaft chain (up to early February 2023)

    Ask them to check: Compare your symptom and your car's build date with this list. If they match, tell the workshop and ask them to check that part first before replacing others. The brand or a warranty extension covers some repairs: ask the dealer with the car's details.

  • Look out for: Engine speed drops (up to 01/08/2019); Engine overheating and no heating (up to 03/03/2020); Engine slow to start (up to 30/06/2020); Engine warning light on and/or early service warning (up to 08/09/2020); AdBlue tank light on (up to 31/12/2022)

    Ask them to check: Compare your symptom and your car's build date with this list. If they match, tell the workshop and ask them to check that part first before replacing others. The brand or a warranty extension covers some repairs: ask the dealer with the car's details.

  • Look out for: Coolant leak (up to 08/12/2022); Charging cable may get stuck in the socket (up to 31/12/2022); Battery cannot be charged (up to 22/03/2023); Engine warning light on (up to 31/05/2023); Oil leak at the turbo (from 01/09/2022 to 31/05/2023); Will not start; Battery cannot be charged and a warning message appears

    Ask them to check: Compare your symptom and your car's build date with this list. If they match, tell the workshop and ask them to check that part first before replacing others. The brand or a warranty extension covers some repairs: ask the dealer with the car's details.

Gearbox

  • Look out for: [manual gearbox] Crunch when engaging 4th (from 01/04/2019 to 01/06/2020); [manual gearbox] Hard to engage 5th and 6th on the 1.2 PureTech (up to 03/11/2019); [EAT8 automatic] "Automatic gearbox fault" message; [EAT8 automatic] Jerks when shifting from 1st to 2nd (up to 01/02/2022)

    Ask them to check: Compare your symptom and your car's build date with this list. If they match, tell the workshop and ask them to check that part first before replacing others. The brand or a warranty extension covers some repairs: ask the dealer with the car's details.

Suspension and steering

  • Look out for: [steering] Excessive steering play (up to 29/10/2019); [steering] Steering wheel vibration above 90 km/h (up to 31/08/2020); [noises] Front axle knocking (up to 14/06/2021); [brakes] "Parking brake fault" message: the electric parking brake does not apply in manual mode (up to 10/01/2022)

    Ask them to check: Compare your symptom and your car's build date with this list. If they match, tell the workshop and ask them to check that part first before replacing others. The brand or a warranty extension covers some repairs: ask the dealer with the car's details.

Electrical and electronic systems

  • Look out for: [navigation] GPS navigation faults (from 01/01/2019 to 02/04/2023); [airbags] Airbag light on (up to 31/10/2019); [steering lock] Keyless start faults (up to 22/09/2020); [screen] Instrument cluster cuts out with a black screen; [climate control] Cabin blower stops working (up to 16/01/2021); [climate control] Cabin blower noise (up to 15/09/2021); [climate control] Air conditioning no longer cools (from 09/11/2020 to 01/02/2024)

    Ask them to check: Compare your symptom and your car's build date with this list. If they match, tell the workshop and ask them to check that part first before replacing others. The brand or a warranty extension covers some repairs: ask the dealer with the car's details.

Bodywork

  • Look out for: [lighting] Water inside the rear lights (up to 01/03/2020); [lighting] Cracked indicator repeaters on the mirrors (up to 09/03/2020); [lighting] Front indicator does not work (up to 30/03/2020); [windows] Door mirror faults (up to 31/08/2023); [doors and openings] Front and/or rear doors will not open (up to 01/08/2022); [doors and openings] Fuel flap locking fault (up to 10/02/2023); [doors and openings] Knock when opening and/or closing the front doors (up to 29/04/2024)

    Ask them to check: Compare your symptom and your car's build date with this list. If they match, tell the workshop and ask them to check that part first before replacing others. The brand or a warranty extension covers some repairs: ask the dealer with the car's details.

Exhaust and emissions (AdBlue)

  • Look out for: Emission system fault message and a “starting impossible in X km” countdown, AdBlue/UREA warning and engine light.

    Ask them to check: Diagnose with Diagbox or equivalent: AdBlue pressure, flow test and tank temperature.

Timing system

  • Look out for: Rattle from the top of the engine, loss of power; in severe cases the chain breaks and the engine fails.

    Ask them to check: Ask the dealer whether the car is in the campaign (free inspection and replacement if needed) and whether the 8 mm chain is fitted.

High-voltage battery

  • Look out for: Usually none. In severe cases, smoke, overheating or a battery fire.

    Ask them to check: Confirm by VIN that the battery recalls have been done and look for rust on the battery box.

Automatic gearbox

  • Look out for: Hesitation or a jolt between 1st and 2nd, torque converter shudder in traffic, harsh or delayed shifts and a gearbox fault warning, especially on 2017–2019 3008s.

    Ask them to check: Check oil level and condition, update the gearbox software at the dealer and, after an oil change, record it with DiagBox and reset the adaptations.

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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