nta16

That's being used to modern cars being so big now, I thought to myself, the BX was the bigger car so must be a CX but looks different in that colour. Can you imagine now only 90 PS and 133 lbs-ft, "you must get it mapped, bigger or second turbo it'll never go with that power". 🤣 People understand the pecking order of figures but not the real values. Back in the day a mate had his boss's CX 16v (no GT(i?) badge) as his repmobile for a while, boy did that fly, and then he was selling well he took me on a test drive of a BX at a show on grass as he thought he might persuade his boss to buy one (as you did then) for his permanent repmobile, 'he jacked' the suspension up to drive it at whatever top speed was possible like this over the rough ground. Brand new and the (IIRC) single spoke steering wheel whistled or wheezed on lock. He didn't get the car, not surprised at the price they were. We had a dodgy Citreon Dealership in town for many years. He had a very nice house and wife though, proper French bloke, he'd be (well) in his 90s now if still alive.

Is it a CX diesel estate (combi/Touring)?

Gawd, I feel even older than usual.

Possibly/probably not but cleaning it also involves checking the connection, cleaning the connection (writing the theme tune, singing the theme tune) the wires, and more importantly your timidity in not even offering up a body part as a guarantee and putting almost and not "it won't be that" - you won't be welcome in the Car Mechanic's Arms or feel their embrace with that lack of attitude. You were more certain about it being the plugs or coil which is good odds but perhaps something might be effecting the plugs to cause a misfire and perhaps there's more than one thing causing the issue. There's muck coming out the back, perhaps there's muck at the front. I'm always amazed at what can be put about a totally unseen car, unless raky has previously put up photos of his engine. I've no problem with being disagreed with or being wrong, I very often am wrong, it's up to raky what's to be ignored, and the very humble mechanic may totally dismiss it and my other thoughts anyway, though in my life experience I've only ever a very few (rare?) humble mechanics, most have been opposite or totally opposite, some would have the sugar out of your tea as you drank it!

PCV valve looks like it might be a PITA to get at with the engine fitted, I hope it doesn't involve removing too much brittle plastic to get at it if required.

Just remembered - check your PCV valve. -

MAP might be better cleaned with electrical contact cleaner as you may already have a can and it won't leave a residue and you can use it to clean other contacts and electrical items as required - always check all connections and clean as required and check wiring too. - https://knowhow.napaonline.com/guide-map-sensor-cleaning/#:~:text=Use an electric parts cleaner,let the MAP sensor dry. MAP looks something like this. - I'm not a fan of Bosch IIRC often it seems it's just a brand label stuck on the part and box, not a fan of Bosch sparkplugs either but clean them if required and check gap rather than change them if they're OK and not too old and too used (I prefer (genuine) NGK). If you're going the servicing route you might also check your air filter too and change it if required, perhaps also the fuel filter if required. Also (instead of WD-40 Multi Use) as penetrating/releasing fluid, lubricant, water displacer look at GT85 works better and lasts longer than WD-40 Multi-Use, has PTFE and smells nice too. - https://gt85.co.uk/gt85-original/ If you want to know the cause of the error code(s) you could do all that has been suggested to you in this thread one thing at a time and clear the error codes and drive the car each time to see if they return but if you just want the car running and don't care about knowing the exact cause do as much as you want and clear the codes, drive the car and see what if any returns. If you get codes back do more of the suggestions until you run out. Good luck.

Nope doesn't open for me, haven't we been through this before, do you have to make it public or sumfink or do sumfink else. Perhaps it'll work for others but I think others had couldn't view either, if you did sumfink before to get a previous one viewable do it again with this, if not sorry I've no idea, others might though.

Sorry to hear that but with more car/life experience you might see it was a good thing to prevent future losses. At least there's salvage value to offset some of the pain. If you learn from the experience (some of us forget and have to relearn) it's not a total loss and perhaps a medium and long term alternative gain.

To save ink, see this post I've just done, it's where I'd start on many problems on these modern cars, battery and delete codes. -

Did you delete the code and if so did it return? First thing I would, just about always, do is check is the car battery's state of charge and health and onto alternator operation just to be sure, if you have a better scan tool, rather than just a code reader, as it's quick, easy and you don't get your hands dirty and can do it inside car or home warm and dry. Also check the batteries connections, cables, earths are all in good condition, clean, secure and protected. If you don't have that sort of scan tool then it's the old multimeter or access to a proper battery tester. You really need to test the battery under load as it might give reasonable figures just sitting there doing little. If the battery is low don't be tempted into a quick high charge (not booster either) a longer, slower, lower charge with get deeper. Although car batteries are one of the most oversold car parts when many could be successfully revived if your parent's car battery is original or old then you will save them and you more hassle by changing it to a good quality new battery. If it's not the battery causing or contributing to the problem more information will be required, an error code on anything can have lots of causes and not necessarily directly related to where the error shows. An error code is where you start your diagnostics from and often not where it ends, just replacing parts that show an error code can often be shooting the messenger, particularly from a simple code reader and dealing with generic codes.

raky, errors codes usually only tell you where to start looking, your diagnostics, not that they give the solution so do not change the sensor just because it gives an error code, you could just be shooting the messenger. If you really do need to change a sensor then buy a good quality one. VW, Bosch and other labels on them and the boxes do not always mean they are the best but they should still be good, check with others about brands (or non-brands) as often it can be a gamble and the new sensors can be unreliable sooner or later and cause problems or need replacing again. Same with spark plugs and coils, buy good quality makes from reliable sources, fake/counterfeit parts are often sold at lower prices but will be a lot more expensive because they will probably a totally waste of time and money and can cause more problems on the car. And do not neglect basic servicing (of the whole car), things like air filters and other stuff are often overlooked. Good luck.

Change your car battery, if the alarm issue goes it can be put down to coincidence. Your alarm could possibly have other issues but you need to change your car battery anyway, I've know people go on months, and even a couple of years with old over-priced and over-valued cars called classics, with issues that where sorted by changing the car battery.

Regardless of your current alarm issues your car battery is very low. Car batteries are one of the most oversold parts, often if recharged properly they can be fine but as I put before I think in some cases including yours you're best to buy a new good quality battery to save further hassle in the future. I don't like alarms or immobilisers, I have neither on my car, other than the feeble ignition key steering lock but I know insurance requirements vary with policies so just mentioned about the disabling it in case Tog1996 hadn't thought or known about it, what people do with the information is up to them

@Tog1966 if your car insurance is predicated on an alarm fitted to the vehicle you would need to tell them about its removal, if it's not or you don't care, no worries. A low car battery can affect an alarm system, if it does properly fully charging the battery will help sort it unless there are other issues with the car alarm separately. If charging or changing the car battery helps the alarm great, if it doesn't the car battery still needs recharging anyway - unless you decide to replace the battery with a new one which might be a good idea given your use. New battery or old it might be an idea to use an appropriate battery charger or maintenance charger as new batteries can still go flat from lack of charging and limited vehicle use. A battery that is in a low state of charge even if it starts the car and the lights seem bright enough can still be too low for the likes of the computers and their programs and they car throw up weird happenings, they might throw up warning(s) or might not and just mess you around. https://www.startrescue.co.uk/breakdown-cover/motoring-advice/safety-and-security/why-does-my-car-alarm-keep-going-off#:~:text=Your alarm system needs a,the alarm could go off.&text=Find out about how to replace your car battery.

I would recommend fully charging your car battery on a long, low slow recharge - taking it out for a mile or two run wouldn't even replace the charge from starting the car for the run, then if you turn any other electric on you are further lessen the chance of the alternator getting anything back into the battery. Your alarm battery could also be down but the low car battery also won't help and cause the alternator to have to work harder. Recharge or replace your car battery and you might find your alarm improves and less likelihood of more electrical and computer program problems. A battery is just a store, bit like a bank account you are making more withdraws than deposits and then ends in misery.

Avoiding the American monster corporation and going to the supplier's own site and it tells you sweet FA about the filter, elsewhere I have seen it is purported to be made in Italy but no more information than that

Also do not think just because something is new that it cannot be faulty, the quality of bulbs at least has dropped over the decades, I do not know if that is so for fuses but I have experienced a faulty fuse in the past. I had a new brakelight bulb that was faulty and caused me some confusion, thought it might be the holder at fault, until I did as mrgf has already suggested and swapped it over to the side that was working OK and put that bulb in the side that appeared to be faulty. What was happening was the filament of the bulb heated up when the brake pedal was pressed and if the pedal was pressed long enough the filament heated up enough for it to detach itself and the bulb stop working, but when it cooled enough it retouched ready to start the cycle again. Only noticed when the brake pedal wasn't just dabbed for testing. Years later I also had another brand new (brakelight) bulb that did not work straight out of the packaging.

Just general thoughts from me, - do you know anyone with a full proper diagnostics scan tool, or get a multimeter out and do the old fashioned chasing down of broken wire(s) or connection(s) or poor quality connection(s) from a to e. You know the new lock works but is it enough to have the tailgate open, have you also check mechanical side, rubber seal, tailgate, hinges, lock, lock catch, alignment. That's me out of general thoughts.

The low cost of a part often has nothing to do with how much work or what a PITA the work is to do. Some will do these jobs whilst eating breakfast and find all jolly spiffing, you might want the learning experience. But then there's also the risk of damage and finding associated work from starting the job, it might not be the case for this job, but it might, more joy for some and perhaps yourself. Whilst the diagnosis is a high probable it's never certain given it's just from your typed description and can't for certain say why it is happening, the cause, and if there have been other effects meaning more work and parts required to complete the job. Given your following post, which may or may not be related as you seem to have other issues with the car, the work could be mounting. Photos and videos often help as obviously more can be seen (especially if you video in landscape where appropriate and not just portrait) plus audio of noises and operation, can help. If you don't desperately need the car to use you could take things apart for a good look or if there's access you could use a cheap borescope on your phone to have a look-see inside without taking things apart. Or once things are apart you can decide whether to press on or put things back together again and hope for the best. You also need to prioritise the jobs that need doing, unfortunately the cheapest, easiest or one you most want to do isn't alway the job you need to do first. I have no idea about your car but if you are short of money you cannot be sentimental you must know when to draw the line with an old car and not throw good money after bad, I would have the T-shirt for this behaviour but I couldn't and can't afford it. Good luck, whatever you decide or do.

If you are lucky it might be like this for a long time and you might extended its life by using the clutch less by only having the pedal down or foot on the pedal when first pulling away and to change gears, not while at traffic lights, "covering the clutch", etc.. Sometimes (depends on the cause) as the car warms it can be less and more noticeable on shorter journeys where the car never fully warms. You could also reduce the number of times you use the clutch by steady driving, less jumping on brake and accelerator pedals, and by looking at conditions in front, and further in front, that you will be driving into. Without labouring the engine you can often drive at lower revs than many expect meaning less gear changes but of course this will restrict the acceleration hence the need to look ahead and further ahead. Most of the tips for "hypermiling" and "ecodriving" will apply and perhaps save you fuel, having the tyres at an eco pressure setting means they roll better and can save on gearchanges. Just one example from RAC. - https://www.rac.co.uk/drive/advice/how-to/fuel-saving-tips/

No I was thinking of not replacing ( things like spark plugs) or adding new parts and components until the current set have had a year round real world testing. It is your ECU remap/chip/download/flash that has the framework from which things work from, I have no idea how much a programming a 22 year old has but none of them really "learn" (computers are brick-thick and only do as they've been told) that is AI. They function well enough until they have a brain-fart and then they can have strange ideas. Even the most modern cars generally have old pretty basic chips in them, compare the whole lot of all the modern car's computer's against one of these (so called) "smart" devices and you soon see the car electronics are vintage items. Probably a good thing the car computers are so vintage as can you imagine if they were as reliable as the modern computers we rely on, patches on patches, shaky foundations and balls-ups at every other update. Can you imagine the fully autonomous Microsoft car finishing an update just as you are driving on a mountain road or overtaking in the outside lane of a motorway, bring another meaning to computer crash. 🙃

Do check they're not partially blocked first as that could cause them to spray low. This covers adjustment I think, not sure as I've never needed to adjust them. - ETA: I've removed the video that was below this text as I was wrong . It's as Gazbc and PaulCanning have put in their posts below and PaulCanning's photo.

Sorry I did not mean to suggest you should change the plugs again. Unless something has a very notable poor effect I would not change anything at all until you have completed a year round use to see how things are overall, fully. I think I remember you noticed improvements from changing to the iridium plugs and they can last performing well for a long time. Do not put too much faith in numbers and ranges. For the plugs there's no definition to what they actually mean, the number progression may not be linear and applies within that manufacturer only, another manufacturer may grade the 6 as a 7 or 5 in their system, or 13 or 78 or whatever. A heat range one up or down from standard may give some improvements perhaps in some areas but not all, or may be better or worse than just staying with standard plug. And your programming needs to suit and will be making changes elsewhere perhaps negating some differences in the plugs anyway. If the plugs help the car to start more easily, tickover more smoothly, accelerate and not misfire anywhere in the rev range you are probably at least on the right track with them. There is a limit to how much a spark plug can contribute to the overall engine running.

The numbering system is quite loose and varies with manufacturer, more of a guide, is an iridium 5 exactly the same characteristics and heat as a copper 5 by the same manufacturer, I've no idea. The plug is just one link in a long chain and then you have to consider the computer programming controlling various parts in the chain. The heat range of a plug is often a matter of trial and error with old cars that have been modified. I think forums are not the easiest arenas to communicate in as communication is in passing and written so without hearing and seeing all the cues that help us understand better mood and meaning, add to someone like me that does not have the best reading and writing skills and for yourself having to deal with a second language mistakes and misunderstandings are bound to be more regular. Then for some the subject matter can be very emotive. To me, although I have spent a great deal of time, money and hassle on them they're relatively unimportant, lumps or very annoying metal most of the time.