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C6 Tyre Valve failure |
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Owen Snell
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  Member No: #58
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This problem has just surfaced on the BMW GS motorbike site. 08 model year onwards has a TPS option. It seems that the TPS stem is aluminium to save weight (at a guess to avoid balancing problems) and this is not only relatively weak but also has a tendency to corrode in salty environments (i.e. winter roads), making the cap stick on. | ||
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bdeithrick
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Member No: #70
Location: Greystones |
I tried to test my valve sensors the other day, i pumped one tyre up to 45psi and let the other down to 28psi,, the computer still had all tyres as OK. im not impressed as i thought it would start to tell you if they went under 32psi or something like that. | ||
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Owen Snell
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Member No: #58
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I must say, it's not something I would pay for as an option, and given the sensitivity it doesn't seem to replace a regular manual pressure test. Useful to indicate a quick pressure loss though - which may be masked by the C6's excellent suspension! | ||
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verycleverman
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  Member No: #65
Location: Northumberland |
Rather than type it all out again, I've copied and pasted a post I put on the C5-L recently. it was in response to a member who wanted to remove all the sensors and replace them with ordinary valves. A few observations on this subject. My apologies if I'm covering old ground. 1/ The biggest threat to the longevity of these sensors is the use of aftermarket caps, particularly brass or plated brass. These caps cause the sensor stems to corrode, (dissimilar metals). The only approved caps are plastic or the original fit aluminium ones. 2/ Rough handling, particularly when checking pressure or inflating can damage the thread or place undue strain on the sensor stems. 3/ Have faith in your sensors. If you trust them to alert you to an under pressure tyre, you will never have to check the pressure manually, therefore eliminating 2/. 4/ Replacement sensors are not that expensive - provided you steer clear of the Citroen network. Their sensors come in at about a half the price of the dealer supplied item. You will still have to get them activated with a lexia, though. 5/ Remember, also, that these sensors are becoming a legal requirement. It also may invalidate your insurance if you replace them with valves. It would be deemed a modification from the standard configuration. I would also refer you to a contribution from Owen Snell, on an earlier thread, with regard to the use of copper lubricant on the hub. I seem to recall that the batteries have a life expectancy of ten years. Finally, I speak from experience having replaced a total of four on my last C5 due to failure of the stems and having had all four replaced on my first C5, under warranty, because they simply didn't work! Pete. |
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verycleverman
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Member No: #65
Location: Northumberland |
The four I replaced on my last C5 sheared because I had fitted some plated brass caps from eBay. The information from Schrader regarding corrosion was not mentioned in the C5 handbook. Neither does it feature in the handbook for the C6. Pete. |
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gmerry
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  Member No: #21
Location: Scotland |
Why don't they have plastic valve caps as standard, thus reducing the corrosion risk? Regards |
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Dave Mc
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  Member No: #64
Location: Weston-super-Mare |
bdeithrick wrote ... I tried to test my valve sensors the other day, i pumped one tyre up to 45psi and let the other down to 28psi,, the computer still had all tyres as OK. im not impressed as i thought it would start to tell you if they went under 32psi or something like that. Did you drive your C6 to let it check your pressures? I'm sure that the system is the same as Renaults, while driving the pressures are checked constantly. While the car is parked and running the system updates every 6 minutes. |
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michaelb
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 Member No: #14
Location: London |
bdeithrick wrote ... I tried to test my valve sensors the other day, i pumped one tyre up to 45psi and let the other down to 28psi,, the computer still had all tyres as OK. im not impressed as i thought it would start to tell you if they went under 32psi or something like that. I know someone who had similar sensors on his Renault Laguna - probably the same original part - he found them so sensitive to minute changes in pressure that leaving the car parked in the sun would mean the sunny side tyres were a sufficiently different pressure to the ones in the shade that the computer was constantly bleeping at him. He took it straight around to a Renault dealership and had them deactivate them. They've probably turned down the sensitivity because of similar complaints. |
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NewToMe
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  Member No: #127
Location: London |
After two weeks of C6 ownership this happened to me last week. I had the great pleasure of having an explosive valve failure right into my left knee at the air line of my local filling station. Then came the the joy of fitting the spare with just the Citroen jack while a huge queue formed. I rang Citroen Brentford the next day, they said to replace the valve was just short of £300, two hours labour plus parts- this is a great example of the "C6 Premium", with proper equipment this should only take half an hour. I found a kind person on ebay who sells just the value necks for £20 and fitted it today to the existing sensor. All is well so far, the tyre is holding air and the computer is happy. I had hoped to do it without taking the tyre off, but with the bead broken there is just not enough space to work in due to the low profile of the tyres. My local Iversons removed and refitted the tyre for £10. I am amazed how poorly made the things are, all of the aluminium bits are junk, really soft with no corrosion coating at all. While researching this I noticed that Ford use an almost exact copy of the same VDO senosor inside the wheel, it is a different part number and probably not compatible with the Citroen electronics, but the valve part is identical. The Ford part seems to sell for around £10, not the £40 to £80 you see for the Citroen one. So if you have a valve failure it's the one to get. |
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gmerry
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Member No: #21
Location: Scotland |
NewToMe, any chance of posting the ebay links plus a photo of the failed valve part. Regards G |
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NewToMe
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Member No: #127
Location: London |
I've tried a few times to load pictures of the process but the forum software just redirects me to a blank page. Here is a link to the repalcement valve stem on ebay: - Click Here - That is what I purchased, but I suggest you go for a Ford one: - Click Here - From the pictures you can see the bit you need is identical. Once the tyre is off. to do the replacement you will need a deep 12mm socket and a T6 torx bit. I greased the stem and the interal washer too. The main thing is to be gentle, the alu can't take much force coming off or going on, they say 5 or 6 NM in the Citroen documentation, so a Torque wrench that can measure small forces would be useful if you don't trust yourself. |
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C6Dave
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  Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland |
@NewToMe, the images will simply be to large so are rejected by the system, try and reduce the file size The sensors aren't a 'Citroen' made part but are supplied by Siemens and used on lots of other cars and whilst the manufacturers 'part numbers' may vary, there a standard unit Your first link points to the 'repair kit' mentioned in this post: - Click Here - |
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NewToMe
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Member No: #127
Location: London |
Thanks, I will try to reduce the sizes, they vary from 100 to 400 K. The repair kit on your link is just the valve centre and the nut + washer, it does not include the valve stem which is the bit that seems to fail, at least it was on my car. In the diagram the sensor and the stem are shown as one unit - part "A" which Citroen charge I think £65+ VAT for. Other sites sell that kit too, e.g. - Click Here - but it's not much use. There seems to be an OEM supply from VDO/Siemens or Schrader or whoever which sells them as two parts, the guy on ebay must have access to this channel. But he is charging £20 for something which costs a few pence to make... Sadly I found the link to the Ford one after I had paid my £20. I will squash the pictures and post them. |
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NewToMe
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Member No: #127
Location: London |
A five year old valve...    The replacement parts  The sensor with the new neck installed, just a simple push fit and rotate  The inside of the rim that will accept the assembled sensor.  The fully assembled replacement with the new neck and the torx tightned to hand tight. The oval washer and seal go on the inside of the rim.  The new valve exterior  The new valve interior  |
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C6Dave
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Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland |
Thanks for posting that, it makes far more sense now when you see the pictures. | ||
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