Well this is rather weird...

[Desdinova]

Took delivery of my new Berlingo XTR on 30 January - factory build as I wanted certain options.

Very pleased with it until this week when with only 1900 miles on the clock - it developed what seemed to be major electrical system issues, warning lights coming up all over the dashboard, and warnings flashing at me on the diagnostics part of the central screen, telling me to take it to a dealers ASAP.

ESP/ASR system fault
ABS braking system fault-
Parking brake fault
Automatic Braking system fault
Tyre under inflation detection system fault

In the middle of the dash it was telling me that the clutch was overheating when I had only just started the car

In addition cruise control was not working - linked to the automatic braking system so that was logical
Lane departure warning system was not working
Blind spot monitoring/proximity alert was also not working.

Got it to a dealer today - and they have just rung me to tell me they have sorted out the problems. Not an issue with whatever electronic control unit the vehicle has - as I was anticipating. They got rather too techinical on the phone to me but it seems that it was an issue with a single wheel bearing - as they apparently have sensors which send readings to the systems on the car. There were apparently rust flakes on this bearing they said, which was causing the issue. They mentioned a technical bulletin from Citroen to dealers about this problem.

Rust flakes on a car that is only 3 and a half months old and has only done 1900 miles !!!

Getting it back Monday as the dealer won't release until at least 3 hours have elapsed after they have completed the work.

[jj9]

The wheel bearing has a segmented magnetic ring in it that turns with the wheel, the ABS sensor or Wheel Speed Sensor (WSS) to use its correct name reads pulses from the ring, if the pluses are upset the system registers a fault hence your problem.

A few years ago the magnetic ring only fed wheel speed information to the ABS system, but now all of the "Driver Aids" that you had a fault with operate from information from the WSS so they all stop working if there is a fault.

Not sure why the system was reporting that the clutch was overheating but that's the beauty of electronics  


.

[boop]

Every single similar condition I have experienced or read about with other brands have been a battery or other power issue. In my case it was a bad battery.

[Desdinova]

The wheel bearing has a segmented magnetic ring in it that turns with the wheel, the ABS sensor or Wheel Speed Sensor (WSS) to use its correct name reads pulses from the ring, if the pluses are upset the system registers a fault hence your problem.

A few years ago the magnetic ring only fed wheel speed information to the ABS system, but now all of the "Driver Aids" that you had a fault with operate from information from the WSS so they all stop working if there is a fault.

Not sure why the system was reporting that the clutch was overheating but that's the beauty of electronics  


.

OK thanks, guess that's what he was trying to tell me on the phone

[Desdinova]

Every single similar condition I have experienced or read about with other brands have been a battery or other power issue. In my case it was a bad battery.

Thanks for the reply, well we will see on Monday when I get it back

[Desdinova]

OK seems like they were right, everything seems fine now.

Incidentally managed to update the satnav today - 2 hours to download, followed by another 50 minutes sitting in the car with the engine running while it downloaded the update from the memory stick. Is that a typical length of time?

[Tree]

the satnav takes forever and a day to update - you can do the update while driving though which is when i do mine.