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C6 Tyre Valve failure
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Author Post
Leo   
Wed Jun 16 2010, 08:59am
Joined: Apr 20 2010
Member No: #94
Location: Belfast
 I really do not think these valves are a practical proposition for long term ownership. After the hassle of three failures on a car that is now only 2 years old I have had them removed, the system disabled and ordinary valves fitted. No problems since.

Leo
michaelb   
Wed Jun 16 2010, 12:51pm
Joined: Nov 17 2009
Member No: #14
Location: London
 Thanks for your post - this is useful information.
gmerry   
Tue Jun 22 2010, 11:30am
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Leo, I think you have taken the sensible approach. Certainly, some manufacturers are now pushing an indirect pressure measurement system. This uses existing ABS sensors and possibly some chassis mounted accelerometers to "infer" that a tyre pressure is sub-obtimum. I guess a flat tyre has a smaller effective running radius for example. In reality, that is all drivers really need: something to telll them that a tyre is very flat and some action needs to be taken. So I would predict that the direct wheel mounted system will die out in a few years.

Regards
G
tonyrome   
Tue Jun 22 2010, 01:15pm
Joined: Nov 22 2009
Member No: #15
Leo wrote ...
I really do not think these valves are a practical proposition for long term ownership. After the hassle of three failures on a car that is now only 2 years old...

You're probably correct but it's not a universal problem and could be down to the environment the car is stored in. My car is over 4 years old and not only are the valves original, they are still in good condition, with no visible corrosion! I took them off recently, when swapping back from my winter wheels, to check them and re-grease and they were absolutely fine.
gmerry   
Sat Jun 26 2010, 02:21pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 This morning had the front tyres replaced (Falkens in place of the Michelin OEM) and as part of the tyre change, I planned to replace the valves as well. Not replacement of the transmitter, but just the alloy stem that screws into the wall of the rim.

All went well with the tyre change. Fitter was happy to do this and we planned to grease the new stem with "red rubber" grease to prevent corrosion. However, hit a snag in that there is a tiny torx screw that fastens the transmitter to the valve stem. The head must be T7, possibly T6 or T8. Its so small impossible to measure without some magnification.

Anyway, as tyre fitters do not carry such tiny tools, I suggest a visit to your jeweller or mobile phone repair man before replacing your valves.

CONFIRMATION OF TOOL SIZE : TORX T6

Picture of the screw head
C6Dave   
Sat Jun 26 2010, 03:31pm

Joined: Oct 01 2009
Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland
 I'm sure I have one that small as I bought a set of 'security' torx tools (ones used with electrical appliances with 'pins' in the centre of the hole to stop you interfering with them

They go down as far as CR-VT-8 which is tiny

Nearly sure they came from Maplin.
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gmerry   
Tue Jun 29 2010, 04:40pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Hi, I've edited my picture caption and confirmed that the screw size to secure the transmitter to the valve core is a Torx T6. Point to point dimensions for this size is a mere 1.7mm. Suggest you keep one in the car (along with a spare valve) if travelling abroad.

Regards
Ped   
Tue Jun 29 2010, 04:46pm
Joined: Apr 06 2010
Member No: #82
Location: Maidenhead
 I've also had my sensor valves replaced with normal valves. Much easier and I prefer to check my pressures myself anyway.

Cheers
datmbn   
Thu Jul 29 2010, 07:27am
Joined: Jul 29 2010
Member No: #193
Location: MOTALA
 There is an simpel way to fix this with the wheels still on the car

Just get hold of an ordinary valve and cut away all of the rubber you will be left with an thread on top of an pipe with D=6 mm
then just take an drill and drill with 6mm into the valve on the wheel

Then make sure that the pipe of the new valve fits into the hole you just drilled

Then just glue the valve to the part at the wheel with some epoxy
C6Dave   
Thu Jul 29 2010, 08:03am

Joined: Oct 01 2009
Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland
 ?? what happens on the motorway at 70+ mph or the autobahn at higher speeds if the epoxy fails and the valve blows out

To me your suggestion sounds extremely dangerous and is not to be recommended at all
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datmbn   
Thu Jul 29 2010, 11:03am
Joined: Jul 29 2010
Member No: #193
Location: MOTALA
 The force on the valve will be about 10 N (1 kg) at an tyre perssure of 3 bar (6 mm/2 = 0.3 cm 0.3*0.3*3.14*3=0.85) and the valve is mounted in a sligtly angled way so the centrifugal force will try to hold it in place.

The pipepart of the valve is about 35 mm length so if you drill it in all the way. It will hold with extremly high safety margin.
gmerry   
Sat Jul 31 2010, 05:38pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Hi, I thinks there are two basic routes on this one:-

1/ replace with standard rubber valve and disable system

2/ maintain as per mechanic's manual which says that the valve stems must be replaced at every tyre change. The corrosion inside of the alloy barrel, which could probably be considerably reduced by assembly with appropriate grease/lubricant, is the limiting factor.

Regards
G
yorxbrox   
Sun Mar 06 2011, 09:10pm
I have a C5, rather than C6, but suffered the same problem - I got a "puncture" warning then the valve stem simply sheared when I attempted to remove the (plastic) cap to check the pressure. The car is 2 1/2 years old, 26,000 miles, so I phoned my dealer.

Their initial reaction was that Citroen would be unlikely to take the claim, however they asked I send them a photo of the problem. I did this in an email stating very firmly that this was an unacceptable fault and one which I would have thought should be subject of a recall.

Citroen responded the same day agreeing to replace the broken valve and all the others under warranty. This was done last Monday and it is noticeable that the new valves have a different stem.
C6Dave   
Mon Mar 07 2011, 07:46am

Joined: Oct 01 2009
Member No: #1
Location: Northumberland
 This is not the first forum you have placed exactly the same thread on.

The same standard Siemens valves are used from the same parts bin as BMW, Mercedes and all the other manufacturers so why should only Citroen make this subject to a recall?

Since using Ferrasol and plastic dust caps mine come off with no issues and 3 are original and over 4 years old now.

It's called 'preventative maintenance' which 30 years ago everyone did as a matter of course but the practice seems to have died out.

Anyone owning and running a car has a responsibility to look after it.
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drummond   
Tue Mar 08 2011, 07:42am
Joined: Sep 20 2010
Member No: #238
Location: Aldeburgh
 Copper grease?
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