written by sunshinelollypops1 on 19/02/2014
Within a couple of weeks of purchasing the starter motor died, the head gasket went and the engine cuts out several times a day.
written by Siennagoldmgf on 30/05/2012
My partner wanted a economical car and had her heart set on a C3, huge mistake. It's a 2002, where do you start? Central locking sometimes works, sometimes doesn't. Ditto the radio. Ditto the speedo. Power steering just stops working when it feels like it. As for performance, it might be economical but it's slow, slow, slowwwwwwwww. Need to go into 2nd for any slight hill, into first on corners where any other car will cruise round in third. Foot almost to the floor to get away in first or reverse. It's been to the garage several times, checked over by the RAC and no one can find a fault. It's horrible to drive, don't even think about overtaking unless you have a mile of clear road, certainly don't use it for a journey of any distance,you'll regret it. My advice? Take the bus or use a bicycle until you find a decent car, it will be much more pleasurable!!!
written by kws77 on 15/06/2011
Citroen C3 1.4 SX Automatic - 02 Plate (2002) --------------------------- This must be one of the worst cars I have ever come across. Even more it is in my posession, but at least i can relay the horrible issues with the car and try to make sure I stop as many people as possible buying one of these. Bought from a dealer in March 2010. In that time it has had the following problems. Head Gasket completely replaced - oil in the collant tank is an alarming site and a warning of this!!!. Fan replaced as motor failed. This caused massive overheating in the engine. The coolant got so hot it blew the connection hose off of it's tank and then smoke billowed from under the bonnet. Temperature guage stuck shut. Electric Heated rear screen does not work - never has. Has been checked - apparently all the elements are OK, the fuse is OK, so dealer has no clue. Worst is yet to come. The gearbox has a fault where at random times the car jolts, you hear a
written by on 06/05/2011
purchased this car after i had my ford focus 2003 wrote off in an accident. This is the strangest CAR i have ever owned. one day runs like a dream, next day its a french nightmare!! AGHH!! so far the romote central locking has worked - then not worked - then worked! ive been lock out of the car, ive been unable to start it. Had engine man light MIL come on several times - RAC cant find problem. This car is a nice to drive car, but its a nightmare. i will never buy another french car again. have had peugeot, renault and citroen - they are all RUBISH!!! ALL HAD PROBLEM AFTER PROBLEM, OK IF YOUR RICH AND WONT TO THROW MONEY AT YOUR LOCAL GARAGE.
Written on: 13/06/2011
I have the same problem but it only happens around my house. I have been told it is most likely an RF signal from a house alarm, baby monitor or something similar. Two houses opposite me have new babies - coincidence? Parked my car round the corner over the weekend and guess what? It is fine. going to see how I get on for the rest of the week.
Written on: 11/07/2011
Re my Guest review and a RF signal. I found out that a set of electronic gates across road had developed a fault. These have been fixed and I no longer have a problem with my C3 central locking.
Written on: 16/06/2011
Absolutely right. The C3 is a nightmare car. Horrendous experience.
written by on 03/05/2010
I am at my wits end! Dec 2009 Citroen C3 stalling AA thought it may be the coil but this didnt cure the problem.Taken to local garage who said it was the coil....but after replacing problem not solved, now i needed to have a new ECU! UNABLE TO AFFORD 700 POUNDS! Had ecu reformatted (£175)...still problem not solved COST (£285) Dispute with garage on going! Taken to Citroen main dealer who changed fuel injector 150 pounds..problem solved. No! last week stalling and juddering so called out AA who replaced the coil! 73 pounds. The next day the engine light came on....taken to Citroen who replaced coil with a Citroen one £180! Next day light came on again so its going back to Citroen again....but whats next and how much is it going to cost! Watch Dog I think
Written on: 03/10/2011
Had similar issues my my 55 plate Citroen C3 SX. Shuddering, loss of power when pulling away and then what felt like a fuel injection so I shot forward. Only had the car 2 days and then engine management light came on. Solution is to have the Lambda sensor replaced. Costs around £200 but solved the issue. Has to be a certified Citroen part though as patented parts do no work. Apparently the garage replaced my sensor with a patented part only 3 months prior to my buying it. Five months on after replacing it with a certified part, sensor still ok and car runs like a dream.
written by on 30/12/2009
I've had every problem imaginable;The electricals are absoultely terrible,with warning lights coming on now and then and garages unable to place a finger on it.In less than 2 yrs,I've changed ignition barrels & door locks,Injector,clutch plates,Break disks and pads,exhaust,Oil Sump,starter motor...Oh my,the List is endless!.Besides this,there are still many other problems/parts that need fixing.Am having alternator and radiator problems at the moment.
The C3 is a comfortable car(so you enjoy your wait for the AA) and it's econiomical on fuel,but thats about it.
The C3 is such a wrong car-but hey,thats my opinion!
written by on 23/12/2009
I have had the fuel injectors replaced at the cost of 500.00 after owning the car for 8 months, now 5 months later the engine lost power and the engine warning light has come on , just waiting to find out what the problem is this time. The car is generally slugglish on a day to day basis and i wouldnt reconmend the car to anyone, worst car i have ever had.
Written on: 09/12/2010
we have same prob,sluggish engine.we have been told by 2 garages engine no good,unbelievable only done 52,000 miles.had from new,nothing but trouble from the start.had new gearbox under warrenty and diesel leak[no explanation]was still under warrenty.
written by on 30/11/2009
This is the worse car i have ever owned or driven, it is a living horror it has completely destroyed my ISA, which 2 years ago had just short of 3k in it. Where do i begin, maybe with the seats on day one, which i found were not secured to the floor as i stopped suddenly at a juction as i took the car home, followed not so long after, by the steering column slipping into my lap as i drove along a motorway, expertly propped up by a citroen main dealer by a piece of foam, which keeps it neatly in place. Then the injectors went, twice!! Followed incredibly, by a complete frontal collapse of the front road springs, followed a few years later by the rear ones doing exactly the same, maybe i should mention the countless number of headlight bulbs i have had to fit as soon as we have wet weather or maybe the rattling ball joints that cause me to fear that the entire car is about to fall apart around me, i have recently fitted a new exhaust, but still wish that i could reclaim my favourite cd's stuck in the less than impressive cd system. I have had problems with my windscreen wipers and now my engine coil pack has given up the ghost, the car cuts out at all speeds in all manner of places grinding to a measely 23 mph at times, the most impressive example was whilst overtaking on the a64, my gasket is leaking as fast as my wallett is attempting to keep up with the repairs on this car and i now just can not wait to get shot of it, in fact i am engaged in discussions with a former collegue who still works on tanks at the RAC gunnery ctr in dorset to arrange for its use as a target. I would not recommend purchasing a citroen c3 to anyone, how the entire line has never been recalled and the owners compensated is a testament to the poor customer service the brand provides.
written by on 11/08/2009
I bought a Citroes C3 sxi (2003 model) in June 2007, with full service history, 23K on the clock and knowing the previous owner (family member) knew it was reliable with no problems. How wrong that turned out to be:
Fuel Injector - failed within 2 weeks. The garage where it was originally bought decided not to tell me that it was a known fault, a washer had caused the injector to malfunction, only after lenghtly research on the net/ denial by both the garage and citroen and standing in their garage for 10 mins causing a fuss did they pull me aside and admit that I was indeed correct and that they had known the washer was faulty and they would replace injector without charge - saving me £178.
30K miles - burst fuel pump and petrol tank. Original garage again would not take responsibility, were going to charge me £1.5 k for replacement. Second hand pump and tank bought and fitted by local garage for £170.
Air conditioning - burnt out at 45K miles on setting one!
48K miles - Fault in ABS unit. New unit £750. Automatic MOT failure so had to be replaced.
Break pads and discs - worst wear and tear I have ever known. Shortly onto my 4th set in just over 2 years.
Radio - frequently doesnt switch off with the engine.
1st gear - bleeping sounds every time I set off from first gear, garage cant find any fault. A nightmare when driving in town with zillions of sets of traffic lights!
Along with suspension problems and the usual bearings, ball joints, etc this car is a nightmare.
Citroen? Never again/
written by raymondm on 06/05/2008
Since we bought the Citroen C3 in 2004 it has given us noting but problems. Now 63 000km later the feul injectors have gone and the deal wants to charge us R20 000.00 to repair. If you want to buy a C3, think again. What a waste of money.......
I wish I had read these articles before I bought in 2004!
written by on 29/04/2008
Three years ago, I bought a C3. But now the car has electrical problems again and again. It's terrible!!!
written by sarah 12 on 08/04/2008
Like many of the other reviews I have had problems with the engine light. Which started with me needing a new coil pack and then a new injector. Still having problems, and dread that light coming on again, which it does occassionally. My car is only 5 years old with small mileage, but I have been told I am best to get shut.
written by steph10 on 25/03/2008
We bought a 52 Citroen C3 last tuesday (18/03/08) from leaving the garage 5-10 m ins later an engine warning light came on, which worried us, the car was jittery and stuttering a bit nut hjust thought it was cause it needed a good run. the garage came to pick it up the next day to take it back to check it over, brought it back later that day and have booked it in to the Citroen garage for tomorrow to have the settings altered or something, but after reading all these reviews im thinking it might be better to return it to the garage as we've had it a weekend this is the second time its going to have something altered/fixed! like on other reviews on a hill the car stalls on you and cuts out but I thought that was just me as iv not long since passed, but then on other people trying it it happens to them too. Overall with only having the car a week and is going back to a garage for the second time. Depending on what is said I think it may be going back.
written by on 28/01/2008
After a few months I started to have problem after problem. It started with the car losing power on a hill at a traffic light, then a misfire problem, a new coil pack, and then no-one seeming able to explain why the auto diagnostic warning light kept coming on yet I had to pay each time I had it checked to try and fix it. After spending over £700 in a matter of 10 days I'm fed up of throwing good money after bad and so this morning I went to trade it in for a Toyota. I just feel sorry for the poor person who ends up with it. If only I'd read these reviews first! I wouldn't recommend this to any but the most hardened masochists.
written by jennywxy on 27/01/2008
I wouldn't recommend this car to anyone but a hardened masochist! Afer a few months, the car lost power on a hill at a traffic light, I also smelled burning rubber and the auto diagnostic warning light came on. I called the AA who fitted a new coil pack for £110 and said the fault was fixed. 2 days later the light came on again, I took it to the garage who gave it a thorough check and found various faults which cost me a further £340. They said the fault was fixed and that it had been caused by the engine misfiring. 2 days later the light came on again. Back it went for another check and they said that there was no problem and they reset the fault code and gave me the car back, after charging for the diagnostic check again. Then the car started really battling to get up the gentlest hill and started hiccuping and missing. 2 days later that wretched light came on again. This time they said it might be the catalytic converter which would cost well over £400. Quite honestly I can't afford to keep throwing money at it so I decided enough is enough and this morning I decided to go and trade it in. However I do feel sorry for the poor person who ends up with it. I just wish I'd read the owners reviews before!
written by janemak on 20/04/2007
When power steering failed I took it to the dealer who re-programmed the software which manages the power steering. They kept it for one week as the front springs collapsed whilst it was with them and they told me there were no spares in the country. Dealer charged me for what they called a diagnostic. Five weeks later, power steering failed again and so did the central locking. The dealer wanted to charge me again. I questioned this, they said they only guaranteed the diagnostics for 1 month. I argued the case, they agreed that they would not charge me for the power steering diagnostic but would charge me for the diagnostic on the central locking.
I would not entertain having another Citroen, which saddens me as I have driven them for 20 years. Have lost my faith in the build, quality and customer services.
written by doanchi on 24/08/2006
I have had a Citroen C3 1.4 SX for 2 years. I got it from a car supermarket when it was around 6 months old and 2000 miles on the clock - which is the reason I bought it due to commuting to Leeds for Sheffield daily. From day one its been a dog, electrical problems - near death experiences on the M1 when the engine cuts out, etc. It failed on its MOT the other day due to a crack in the off side coil - which cost Citroen about £400. It's now out of warranty and I thought I'd got everything sorted out - when the dreaded engine problem light burst into action. I am going to get it remedied and then get rid of the car.
written by caroruth on 11/05/2006
I have lost all confidence in the Citroen C3 it seems to have been to the garage more in past 9 months than in rest of my life.
written by andysumm on 23/04/2006
I bought Citroen C3 SX automatic 2 years ago. In this time I've took it back to the dealership on numerous occaisions. Paint work bubbling, car door faulty, battery warning light came on whilst driving, fuel injection went last year, took 3 days to fix. Now when driving I lose speed, doesn't matter how far down peddle is, the all of a sudden it kicks in, this shouldn't happen at all for a automatic car. Not happy with Citroen they try to fob you off, fussy woman. I paid for a new car I expect it to work without fault for a lot more years then two, if older car you expect faults but not a new car.
written by w491ufr on 23/02/2006
Injector failure is a common fault with the Citroen C3. Then there is the throttle problem, looses power whilst drving in traffic.
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Noseleg's Response to Siennagoldmgf's Review
Written on: 21/09/2012
Hi try cleaning the EGR valve I did mine and the car goes like a bat out of hell now .....well it certainly improved it.