Citroën C4: advantages and disadvantages of the car. Reviews Citroen C4 Gearboxes and clutch

In this topic, I would like to talk about the Citroen C4 sedan to help other motorists when choosing a car.
After analyzing a large number of reviews and articles about this car, I want to tell you only the most important.
Citroen has decided to launch an updated sedan model of the famous C4 hatchback for those who were waiting for a version of this car with a larger trunk.
The popularity of the Citroen C4 sedan has recently been gaining momentum, as buyers love this car for its original design and excellent quality.
Russian specialists also took part in the development of the novelty, who tried to adapt this car to the conditions of Russia.
The first owners of the Citroen C4 Sedan in Russia have already appreciated this car in all severity. Although the car was adapted for our roads, there were still minor flaws. In general, the car is ready to go with you on daily trips to work and please its owner. With a gasoline consumption of 9 liters per 100 km in the city, this car becomes ideal for the city.
Maintenance does not cost as much as it seems at first glance. All work is done quickly and efficiently.
When comparing the Citroen C4 with cars of other brands of the same class, a large number of motorists prefer the French.
The car is designed for both the novice and the seasoned motorist. The stabilization system will help you enter and exit the turn correctly, keeping the car on the road. A wide variety of engines has an excellent quality that everyone needs - this is unpretentiousness.
Thanks to the comments of Russian specialists, all the comments on setting up and developing the suspension were taken into account. Now, the suspension is set up so that neither the driver nor the passengers will now feel small pits and cracks. Moreover, they no longer have to jump on speed bumps, as now the car gently passes these artificial barriers at a speed of 40 km/h.
Since the car was practically created anew, the developers tried to make the interior of the car both more comfortable and more beautiful. Salon Citroen C4 Sedan is simply huge. You do not have to crowd and get comfortable, this car itself adjusts to you.
The front panel (popularly a torpedo) has placed on itself only those functions that are necessary for a comfortable trip. Air conditioning (climate control in the best configuration), audio system, navigation system.
The interior materials are not just high quality, they were selected so that they could withstand both Russian frosts and summer heat. The driver's front seat is height adjustable and the steering wheel can be adjusted in 2 positions. Thanks to this, the driver will feel comfortable.
The rear seats allow 2 adult passengers to truly enjoy the ride without being distracted by minor inconveniences.
The trunk, designed for 440 liters of cargo, has a convenient loading area. But if you need to transport bulky cargo, then you just need to expand the rear seats and the trunk volume will increase by 2 times!
In the course of numerous tests, we have developed such a climate control that can satisfy the needs of even the most capricious owner. If the Citroen C4 sedan is hot outside, then you can adjust the required temperature “for yourself”. The entire interior of the car will be cooled in a matter of minutes. The stove was designed for the harsh Russian winters. The front seats are heated and the side mirrors are heated automatically. The interior of the car warms up much faster than in cars of this class.
The most important plus of the car is its unique, modern design, which was developed exclusively by French designers (experts in the field of car design).
In addition to the main advantages, the Citroen C4 sedan has a lot of nice bonuses.
The gas tank hatch without a plug and with an electric drive is really convenient, and it is impossible to open it until you stop, even if you accidentally press the button.
If you want, the wipers will adjust the frequency depending on the speed (option as standard).
The on-board computer shows the fuel consumption at the time of your movement.
Locking doors at speeds over 10 km/h is nothing more than safety. If your child plays in the back seat unsupervised, then pulling the handle will not open the door and he will not fall out.
If the child is unfastened from behind while driving, then the buzzer starts to yell, although if no one was fastened behind initially, then it is silent.
But unfortunately. Even such a beautiful car has its drawbacks.
The first, and perhaps the most serious drawback is the small ground clearance. With a distance of 15 centimeters from the ground, you are unlikely to be able to go to the country. In winter, the car threatens to sit on its belly if you drive through a courtyard uncleaned from snow. It is also possible to damage the engine by driving through a deep hole/puddle. The maximum way to solve this problem is to install crankcase protection, which will cost you 6 thousand rubles.
The next problem is the inconvenient location of the seat heating controls. But this problem is not so important, because it is enough to turn on the heating only once per trip.
Too harsh brakes that take some getting used to - that's what scares off many buyers. Although harsh, but very effective.
The paintwork of the C4 body is not what we would like for such a price. When pebbles bounce off the car in front, small chips and cracks remain, which threatens with rapid corrosion. An excellent protection against such problems can be a special protective film. This product will definitely protect C4 from minor damage. Easy to change.
A significant problem for versions with a gun is the "slowness" of the box. With a sharp start or dynamic rebuilding, the box tupits and shifts gears with delays. Many owners contacted a car service with this problem, but this is how the checkpoint is configured.
The trunk handle is also a problem. It is not protected, and after a trip in cloudy weather, you will have to get your hands dirty to open it.
Although the rear seats are comfortable, the designers spared no effort in developing the armrest in the center. But, if you do not pay attention to this little thing, then you can do without it.
Most car owners were disappointed with the standard radio. "The quality is not better than a cheap voice recorder." This problem is solved either by buying a better radio, or by calibrating the base one.
Thus, it is not difficult to understand that no matter how hard every manufacturer tries, it is impossible to create a perfect car. This is because each person has their own ideals and preferences.
As a result, I would like to highlight the main advantages and disadvantages of the car:
Pros and cons of Citroen C4 Sedan 2013:
Great original design
Soft suspension
Agility, vehicle dynamics
Large trunk with convenient loading area
Convenient front panel
Grand saloon
Easy to manage
A large number of nice bonuses
Cons and disadvantages of Citroen C4 Sedan 2013:
Small ground clearance (15cm)
Harsh brakes
Paintwork
"Slowdown" of the automatic transmission
Related information -

➖ Incorrectly working rain sensor
➖ Ergonomics
➖ Light

pros

➕ Comfortable interior
➕ Economy
➕ Design

Advantages and disadvantages of Citroen C4 sedan 2018-2019 in a new body identified based on reviews real owners. More detailed pros and cons of the Citroen C4 Sedan 1.6 gasoline and diesel with mechanics and automatic can be found in the stories below:

Owner reviews

The design of the C4 sedan undoubtedly distinguishes it from the general stream. Comfortable inside. Ergonomically arranged switches and other buttons. Plenty of space in the back seat, big trunk.

Pleases heated windshield. Very comfortable climate — a lot of settings. There is a bluetooth headset for the phone. The windshield wiper works properly in the "auto" mode.

Fuel consumption is 30-50 percent higher than stated. Bad light - for this class of car, xenon should be in the base. The indicators of the remaining mileage before refueling are not relevant in principle, and there is no indication of the remaining fuel in liters.

Inconveniently located switches for heating the front seats. It happens that you accidentally turn on the heating, but there is no indication. Handling on the track — bad. By wet road and snow "porridge" has to "catch" the car. This is perhaps the biggest minus, which covers all the pluses.

Alexander Nikolaenko, drives Citroen C4 1.6 (120 hp) AT 2014

Video review

Citroen C4 sedan is a great car. There are claims, but it’s even more of a nit-picking, because there’s nothing to get to the bottom of, by and large. If you're thinking of taking it, don't even think about it. Makes competitors at once.

Huge salon. Awesome engine, no turbo lag. Very quiet and comfortable front and rear for the C class.

Of the shortcomings — a very large steering wheel. Constantly dirty right leg, because the machine and steer is so easy that the right hand itself lies on the right leg and dirt forms on the leg. And both at a speed of 40 km / h, and at a speed of 130 km / h. In general, despite the armrest, you need a place for the right hand.

The owner drives a Citroen C4 1.6 (150 hp) on a 2014 automatic

The engine power is enough and the car is quite nimble, but it requires a quick gear change, I constantly drive in 4-5 gears in the city (while the consumption is 8.4-8.5 at an average speed of 27 km / h).

Of the minuses - a bad review on the right! Pretty tight shift knob. Rigid suspension. I was very surprised by the lack of an indicator of engine temperature ... How is it? You stand in a traffic jam and wonder what the temperature is there ...

V. Karpov, drives a Citroen C4 1.6 (116 hp) MT 2014

Shumka great, super patency! In winter, I climbed in those places where crossovers did not meddle. Shift into first gear, release the clutch, and she pulls out!

For a year and a half, not a single cricket! I read the reviews of other owners of the Citroen C4 and wonder if I was lucky. At least, I have not heard a single bad word about the car from any owner of the C4 when meeting in my life.

The car is economical, I went in the heat with air conditioning and an average speed of 120 km / h, the computer showed only 6.8 liters per 100 km. In winter, at -35, it started up from one time and it was hot in the cabin.

Alexander Blinov, review of the Citroen C4 Sedan 1.6 (116 hp) on the mechanics of 2013

When I drove the car (about 1,100 km), I naturally compared it with the sold Focus.

Citroen Pros:
— softer suspension;
— The ESP system works more delicate and inconspicuous;
— Comfortable climate (Focus was air-conditioned);
- Consumption is lower, by about 1.5-2 liters.

Cons of Citroen:
— for a long time I could not find the optimal driving position, and after it seemed to me that I had found it, after 300-400 kilometers, my knees began to hurt, which I had never felt in previous cars;
- the spouse also cannot find the optimal location and noticed that the clutch and brake pedals are much higher than the gas pedal;
— I do not feel the trunk, but not critical, as there are parking sensors.

The owner drives a Citroen Ce4 1.6 sedan (116 hp) MT 2016.

Beautiful in appearance, a lot of things heaped up in my configuration. The seats are the bomb! I like music, excellent quality bluetooth, rear view camera, parking sensors in a circle, blind spot monitoring. Large, roomy interior and trunk.

The mirror link does not work, navigation without traffic jams is useless, turning on the heated seats is terribly inconvenient, especially with nails ... The rain sensor is thoughtful, I'm used to being more sensitive. The rear wiper is missing, in all other cars it was ...

Review of the new Citroen C4 sedan 1.6 (150 hp) with a 2017 automatic

The first 2,000 km flew in less than a month, I often rode to the dacha.

Pros:
1. Light and rain sensor, turned on and forgot. Works by itself.
2. Heated priests, quickly. Enough to turn on for 5 minutes at +5 on the street.
3. Climate. To stand to warm up the car in order to keep it warm, I did not see the joke. The first 5 minutes in motion and a comfortable temperature in the car.
4. Cruise and limiter. Played for a week, but when driving around the city are absolutely useless. For trips on the highway far — I liked it.
5. Horsepower. If the car carries me one or two, then more than enough. When landing in 3-4 people, acceleration can no longer be called dynamic, but at 130-140 km / h the engine does not yell and rides quite well.
6. There are no crickets, the plastic is super soft.

It's hard to say about the cons. At first, there were super sensitive brakes, but after 1,500 km it passed. The rain sensor seems to be a little dull, I don’t always like how the wipers work in automatic mode.

Upset the trip to the dealership to turn on the can-bus to make friends with the signaling. Time, and even 2,000 rubles. have taken.

Fuel consumption is still difficult to pinpoint. If on the highway, then in the region of 7-8 liters. On the way to and from work — a solid traffic jam, and consumption in the region of 11 liters (it would be more correct to add that 23 km in 2 hours).

Review of Citroen C4 1.6 (116 hp) mechanics 2017

Citroën is a well-known French automotive company. It was established in 1919 and at the very beginning of its journey was engaged in the production of inexpensive cars for the low and middle strata of society. The design of cars was very simple, the main calculation was on the efficiency of such cars for use by not the richest people.

Everything began to change in the second half of the 20th century with the launch of a very successful car model, the Citroën Avant. Throughout its existence, the company has experienced both flourishing and many crises.

Today, Citroën is one of the leading car manufacturers and has won numerous awards and titles, such as the "European Car of the Year" for the Citroën GS in 1971, for the Citroën CX in 1975 and for the Citroën XM in 1990. Also, many other models were second or third in the competition.

Citroën C4 - this model saw the light in 2004 under the conditional requirements of the C segment, as a replacement for the outdated Citroën Xsara. C4 was presented at the Geneva Motor Show. Even then, the model managed to impress many with its sporty and even somewhat aggressive appearance. In appearance, the car was ready to take off at any second and this struck many people.

The car was produced in two versions - as a five-door and three-door, although based on the reviews of many people, the first was very little different from the second.

Vehicle appearance

Over this car, the designers clearly did a good job. From the outside, the car looks very aggressive and defiant, especially at the rear, where the C-pillar flows smoothly under a small spoiler that emerges from the roof. At the same time, the features of seriousness and universality stand out in the appearance of the model.

When viewed from the hood, the chrome grille immediately catches the eye, a distinctive feature of modern Citroen models. It is made in the form of two stripes, in the center forming an upward angle - the brand of the car. It looks impressive and minimalistic. A massive bumper and an original slope stand out at the back. rear pillar in relation to the roof of the car.

Vehicle reviews

Citroen C4 is a fairly well-known and common model, and for this reason it is not difficult to find out its advantages and disadvantages based on customer reviews. Below are some reviews from drivers of this car:

“An excellent car for leisurely city driving, quite versatile and reliable: for 75,000 there were no problems at all. Large capacity. Advantages: good sound insulation, capacity, better wipers that clean all the glass, reliability. Disadvantages: poor dynamics, at speeds above average, controllability is reduced somewhere to zero, headlights are poor.
“I have owned this car for 8 years now, I have driven 170,000 km. What I want to say about the car: a simple car, beautiful and unusual appearance Comfortable enough, the trunk is good. At night, the headlights practically do not shine, the clutch is replaced every few tens of thousands of kilometers. Too much front bumper. Pluses: smooth ride, good road holding, comfortable interior, beautiful appearance, no problems with spare parts. Disadvantages: rolled on corners, very dull when driving at high speed (although this car is not needed for this), small mirrors.
I have been driving this unit for the third year, for 40,000 km I realized one thing: there are no ideal cars, there is one that suits you. That's what happened to me Citroen C4. At first, I almost succumbed to stereotypes about the French, but I bought it anyway, and for good reason. The machine pleases both in urban and long-distance trips. Eats little on the highway - only 6 liters. Good soundproofing - it was that I slept in it in the city. Suspension is soft, eats up any stone even at high speed. Handling is excellent, especially with such clearance. The car is suitable for both the city and nature. Pluses: excellent road holding, economical, reliable, stable, comfortable. Disadvantages: ancient gearbox, non-thermal windshield, engine very whimsical to oil.

Conclusion

Citroen C4 is simple but stable and reliable car suitable for very long driving. Minimum parts needed to be replaced. Good handling in the city, on the highway - holds the road well. You fall in love with the look: the silhouette looks unusual and aggressive.

Electronic devices are very smart and allow you to control the situation well. The car is suitable for both family trips out of town and workers on weekdays. The car reaches high speeds for a long time, although the interior is filled with a pleasant roar. old box gears, lack of 6 speed depressing, but reliable.

Ergonomics.
Unusual, beautiful appearance, falling in love at first sight, here the designers have tried very hard.
Reliability - the car is unpretentious in maintenance, although sometimes it really needs to be inspected.
Stable driving both in the city and behind it / in nature.
Profitability - on the highway the car eats only 5-6 liters.
Soft suspension that absorbs a lot of bumps, but not very suitable for our roads.
Silence in the cabin.

On Russian roads, the rear suspension breaks through.
Too large removal of the front bumper, we will also include too small mirrors there.
Old gearbox without 6 speed.
There are flaws in the engine - it is very demanding on oil.
Poor dynamics, but great for city driving.
Delays when you press the gas.
Lack of demand for secondary market- here they play their stereotypes about French cars.

For four years now, I have owned a Citroen C 4 sedan. Enough information has accumulated, which I want to talk about.

In 2013, a salon "" was opened in Tomsk. The location of the salon turned out to be successful - not far from my work. Of course, such an event was not to be missed. And here I am in the salon. Yes, not alone, but with his wife. I liked everything in the cabin - a spacious room, painted in the colors of Citroen (red and white).

Appearance

Citroen brand cars are distinguished by their attractiveness. Still, beautiful cars, what can I say! One is worth it! Like in an airplane cockpit. Very beautiful car! But dear, like a real plane! Therefore, we looked at something simpler and cheaper. Even on the street, they noticed a beautiful brown car with a golden sheen, standing near the salon for a test drive. In the salon got acquainted with this brand in more detail. This car turned out to be. I had not seen them before. We have a Citroen on the road in Tomsk - still a rarity. Although now it has become more than four years ago. I looked at the car, sat behind the wheel - everything is very worthy for this level of car! I signed up for a test drive, though for a Citroen C 4 hatchback. (the sedan has already been sold). I liked the test of the car in motion, but I expected better. Nevertheless, we decided to buy a sedan and it was brown with gilding (my wife really liked the color).

Equipment

Everything else is as usual - we decided on the equipment, the engine, made an advance payment and we are waiting. The package was chosen 1.6 Vti Exclusive Plus AT, which means the engine has a volume of 1.6, an automatic 4-speed gearbox, a decent set of options (navigator, bluetooth, heated windshield, exchange rate stability and ABC, rear parking sensors, cruise control, etc.).

In June 2013 we become the owners of our Citroen. Before this model, we had, so there was something to compare with.

The first thing I immediately felt was the dynamics when starting off. By pressing the gas pedal, you immediately feel all 123 horsepower, and then the car starts to think, especially when switching from second to third gear. It turns out that such "thoughtfulness" is inherent in many electronically controlled cars. throttle valve. Some owners install an additional device - a “chip” that eliminates this effect, but this affects fuel consumption. Having studied the behavior of the box, I can advise the following - when the car is “thoughtful” in 2nd gear, you need to “play” (release and press again) the gas pedal and the car immediately wakes up. And you need to do it quite calmly. The technique does not accept sudden movements.

Citroen C4 hatchback owner reviews on our website

Fuel consumption

Speaking of fuel consumption. "Eats" this car more gasoline than In winter, in traffic jams, the reading reaches 14-15 l / 100 km, in the summer, in the city, 10 l / 100 km. On the road, in winter and in summer, the consumption is approximately the same - about 7 l / 100 km. At the Corolla in the summer, 5.7 l / 100 km is consumed on the road, and about 9 l / 100 km in urban traffic.

Citroen C4 owner review: disadvantages

Now about the troubles that happened in four years. One of the serious breakdowns occurred two years after the purchase - in winter, the air cooling fan jammed with snow and ice, and all its electronics failed. The fact is that for all “normal” cars the fan is installed in front of the radiator, while for the Citroen C 4 sedan - behind the radiator. The front location of the fan is protected by a radiator grill and crankcase protection from below, but more blows from behind the radiator.

It's good that the malfunction occurred in the city. And on the highway it would be worse. The result of this malfunction is the engine overheating. I had to stop, cool down and slowly "crawl" to the service. The car had to be left for a week, because the necessary parts were not available.

Upon arrival at the service, it turned out that the control board burned out, el. motor, control relay. This happened because (so the service engineer said) that there is a very small gap between the fan blades and the place where it is installed. Any debris or snow with ice (as happened to me) wedges the fan with all the ensuing consequences.

Parts arrived a week later. Then the circus begins. A call from the service “Come, pick up. Everything is ready!". Arrive at 18:00 as agreed. The service engineer meets, apologizes, asks to wait five minutes. The machine is behind a glass partition in the workshop. The hood is open. Near the car are three mechanics and look under the hood. The service engineer gets behind the wheel, starts the car, looks at the instrument readings on the dashboard. I understand that something is wrong. The hood is closed, the car drives out into the yard, makes a circle and drives back. Council again. They try to regulate something, but nothing comes out. I sit, studying local literature (advertising magazines). An hour has passed. No one comes out to me, says nothing. They are all behind a glass wall in the workshop. I won't get there. After two hours of waiting, in a not very rosy state, I went home by minibus. On the bus, a call from the service - “Excuse me please! We can't find the problem." To my question, when the car will be approximately ready, they cannot say. The next day at lunch they called. Everything is fine! You can pick up. It turns out that there was another malfunction - the water pump drive was faulty. I had to change it too. Good thing they replaced it under warranty. At the same time, the DTOZH was also changed - it fails for all Citroens after about forty thousand km. They say that the factory marriage.

What other cons did you notice?

Another of the malfunctions that happened within four years of operation. A couple of times on the highway, after refueling with gasoline, a yellow “gear” lit up on the instrument panel and the inscription “Engine needs repair” was displayed. It had no effect on the car. Upon arrival at the service, the malfunction was “reset”, defined as a failure of the gearbox electronics. But I think that this alert appeared after refueling with low-quality fuel, because the car was refueled at the same gas station in both cases. And both times, after 200 meters after refueling, a malfunction alarm was triggered.

Well, the last thing that happened to the car. Winter 2016-2017 in Tomsk turned out to be very snowy. The roads were badly cleaned. Cars made their way through snowdrifts, especially between houses. The Citroen C4 has a plastic boot under the bumper. Snow clogged under it, petrified from frost and squeezed out the anther on the right side in the direction of the car. The anther mount is the same plastic, so it could not stand it. External manifestation - a piece of plastic dangled under the bumper on the right. I tried to fix it on a self-tapping screw - it didn’t last long. I had to order an anther in the spring (5,600 rubles), repair the bumper (it cracked from contact with snowdrifts) and install a new anther - 8,500 rubles.

Fat Pros

Now about the pleasant, than our car is good. The most important thing that you get pleasure from when moving is driving performance. The car rushes like a "tank". It has a fairly high ground clearance - ground clearance (176 mm), a very good, balanced suspension, so obstacles are passed on the road practically without slowing down effortlessly. On the track, very good handling, maybe because of the stability control system. The car goes like clockwork. I had a case, I was driving from Novosibirsk to Tomsk, and I heard a metallic knock on the right. I stopped, examined the wheels, saw that the right front wheel was flat and “chewed”. And I didn't feel anything at all. No pulling the car to the side, no decrease in dynamics, nothing at all! Now that's sustainability!

The cabin is pretty quiet. You can safely talk, moving at a speed of more than 100 km / h.

The dynamics on the track is good, overtaking is done normally, I drowned the gas pedal - in a second the car “shoots”.

Another factor that influenced the purchase of this particular car is its equipment and price. I wanted to buy a car with a course stability system, cruise control, bluetooth, a heated windshield and a navigator at an average price category, and it was a sedan. I did not find such a complete set and at such a price in other brands of class C sedans at that time.

All of the above devices and "bells and whistles" are very useful and necessary. modern car. One heated windshield is worth something! It would seem nothing special, but how nice it is in winter, with an icy windshield, not to scuff it with a brush, but by pressing the button to wait, sitting in a warm car.

In addition, a good spacing between technical services- you need to change the oil every 10,000 km, and the next maintenance at an interval of 20,000 km.

All this, and an acceptable price (at that time 781,000 rubles) determined the choice with the purchase of this car.

Summing up

Total cons, in my understanding:

Fuel consumption with such an engine could be less.
Expensive parts.
Factory defect - DTOZH fails after about forty thousand km. Now they are installing other sensors.
There are few Citroen service centers in our country.

What I like:

The appearance of the car.
Driving qualities.
Decent equipment and price.
Good interior trim.
Good interior soundproofing.
Large windshield.
Comfortable seats. Enough space for passengers in the rear seats.
Spacious glove box and trunk.
Complete spare wheel.
Volume fuel tank 60 l.
There is a USB connector.

Bottom line - a good car! Taking into account all the “childhood” diseases that he had been ill with, and the undoubted pluses, which are more, I recommend this car to motorists, and I myself am not going to change it yet.

Test drive video Citroen C4 (to the owner's review)

Model History

2004. Debut of the Citroen C4 (the model replaced the Xara). Body: 3- or 5-door hatchback. Engines: gasoline R4 - 1.4 l, 65 kW / 88 hp; 1.6 l, 80 kW / 109 hp; 1.6 l, 82 kW/112 hp (bi-fuel: ethanol/gasoline); 2.0 l, 103 kW/140 hp or 132 kW/180 hp (the last one is for the WTS version); diesel R4 - 1.6 l, 66 kW / 90 hp or 80 kW/109 hp (different settings); 2.0 l, 103 kW/140 hp Front-wheel drive, M5, M6 (diesel only) or A4.
Crash test EuroNCAP: 16 points for a frontal impact, 18 for a side impact. Bottom line: five stars.
2006. Picasso version.
2007. In January, the extended Picasso is introduced, and in the summer, the sedan. Gas engine P4, 1.8 l, 92 kW / 125 hp
2008. Facelift: minor changes in optics, bumpers, interior. New engines: petrol P4, 1.6 l, 88 kW / 120 hp; turbocharged petrol P4, 1.6 l, 103 kW / 140 hp or 110 kW/150 hp (accordingly AKP or MCP); diesel P4, 2.0 l, 110 kW / 150 hp
2010. Start of model production in Kaluga. The new generation C4 is presented in Paris.

Why buy it?

When asked by the owner of the C4 why he chose a car of this particular brand, many answer: "Citroen is a state of mind." And it doesn't matter that immediately after buying a new car, it loses in price much more than its classmate competitors - 13-17%, depending on the configuration.

For a bold design and original solutions, such as a fixed steering wheel hub, the car is forgiven a lot. Including - unimportant sound insulation and harsh suspension. As well as annoying breakdowns that occur, however, more often during the warranty period.

We lose comfort gradually ...

The regular Blaupunkt audio center sometimes stops reading discs, and contact is lost in the climate control knobs: when you turn the wheel, the temperature changes from one extreme to another. On cars manufactured in 2004–2006, the gears of the heater dampers often wore out and the rear door locks froze. The latter began to be protected from moisture with additional plastic shields, and later completely changed the design.

The failure of the electric seat heating in 2008 became widespread. The insidiousness is that the elements of the back and pillow are connected in series and when one of them breaks (usually in the back), the entire seat stops heating. The repair is not easy, because the heater is integrated into the filler, to which the upholstery is glued. That is, this is a single detail, and not cheap: a fabric back costs 30 thousand rubles, and a leather back is twice as expensive! You will not envy if the warranty on the car has already ended.

Until 2007, windshields sometimes spontaneously cracked. Let's give credit to the dealers: they did not even try to fight off, looking for chips from stones invisible to the eye.

There were cases of unsuccessful fixation of side moldings: after gluing new glass, they often bristled. And the lower one, on the frill, completely slipped off the glass, exposing a huge gap. In principle, it’s not scary, but if it annoys you, put the molding on the sealant.

Guilty and decisions

The owners themselves are usually to blame for power window failures - they kept the windows ajar in the rain, which caused the door console to flood. The windshield washer motor, made integral with the valve, has recently become noticeably more reliable. But headlight washers, alas, fail no less than before. In order to get rid of the defect, on machines Kaluga assembly... simply abolished this option. And at the same time they intend to exclude seat heating: no parts - no problems.

Overheated in the sun, plastic front fenders sometimes warp and begin to cling to the edge of the door when it is opened. And, surprisingly, it mostly happens on the starboard side. Don't worry: as soon as the wing cools down, the gap with the door will return to normal. But still, it is better to loosen the fasteners and move the wing slightly forward. Or don't park your car in the sun.

TU5: Dashing Trouble Beginning

One of the most common engines is the 109 hp 1.6 liter TU5 gasoline engine. (See Model History). At first, the unit was not famous for the reliability of the throttle assembly: due to the warping of the plastic damper, it worked unsteadily on Idling and transition modes. The node supplier, Bosch, was at first at a loss: nowhere, except for Citroen, did they notice anything similar. However, the assembly was finalized by making dampers from more heat-resistant plastic, and around the end of 2006, the malfunction disappeared.

In the same 2006, a batch of machines with defective block heads passed. The valve guide bushings were loose, causing oil to seep through the gap with the head body. Sometimes it took more than a liter per thousand kilometers! Of course, the valves were overgrown with a thick layer of soot and either jammed in the guides or burned out. Be that as it may, the matter turned into a serious repair (exclusively under warranty). Considering that the defect was obvious, massive and transient, we undertake to assure you that all the motors were repaired, and it is unlikely to encounter such a disaster today.

The timing drive on the TU5 is belt driven, so strictly follow the timing of the replacement. At first, they ordered to change after 80 thousand km, and later the period was increased to 120 thousand. But experts recommend adhering to the old recommendations, since there were belt breaks with a run of just over 100 thousand km.

EP6: bad legacy

In 2008, the TU5 engine was gradually replaced by a more modern EP6 unit (1.6 l, 120 hp) jointly developed by the PCA and BMW concerns. Here the camshaft is driven by a chain. Hope it doesn't get demolished? No matter how: the first signs of excessive elongation make themselves felt already at 50-60 thousand km. But this is not the most unpleasant: the sprocket on the crankshaft is fixed only by friction (there is no key or pin), and sometimes the central bolt does not hold. There are cases when he untwisted himself, of course, with sad consequences.

The situation is even worse with the turbocharged EP6DT engine: if the sprocket turns even a little here, the electronics will turn off the turbine. And this is also unsafe - imagine what would happen when overtaking!

The operation of the control motor of the valve lift mechanism, as mechanics joke, contradicts the laws of physics: instead of current, oil flows through the wires. It seeps through the regulator rod and, having passed through the entire motor, finishes it off. Fortunately, this is a warranty case - the dealer will fork out for 7150 rubles (work plus a spare part).

EW10A waiting for lapping

The two-liter EW10A is familiar from the C5 model. If a cold engine does not hold idling and "fails" in transitional modes, the way to your service. There, say the spell "initialization", and the specialists will immediately understand: the elements of the peripheral equipment of the engine have ceased to understand each other.

The process of lapping the characters is simple: on a cold engine, connect the scanner, put it into the sensor learning mode and, starting the engine, warm it up to operating temperature (before turning on the fan). After that, the electronics begin to work smoothly, as a single organism.

Cars with an ET3 engine are extremely rare on the market. It's a pity, because it is one of the most reliable gasoline units. Statistics on diesel engines that are not officially supplied to us are scarce. It is only known that in Europe they work without serious breakdowns, but our closest neighbors, in Belarus and Ukraine, sometimes fail with expensive fuel equipment.

AKP - it doesn't get worse

About automatic box(the infamous AL4) they usually speak very emotionally - for many years the French have not been able to achieve its reliability! Either an error will be displayed due to the pressure difference (the valve does not hold), then the entire hydraulic unit will fail, or even the band brake will completely break and the unit will jam. It used to be that a brand new car could not leave the car transporter on its own! So the owners go to the service, as if to work (by the way, read one of the stories in the “Forum” section). You don’t know what is better - to take a car with a machine gun and constantly pray for it, or to prefer a mechanic.

But even she is not a miracle of technology - noisy, with an indistinct cable drive. In addition, on some cars, the input shaft taps, complaining of increased axial play. It happens that a tooth flies out on the gear of the main pair and breaks through the crankcase. These problems are known from Xara, from which the unit was borrowed, but, alas, it was not possible to bring it to mind.

...and other little things

The engine temperature sensor fails regularly. Some owners have already changed it three times, which is why they came to the conclusion that evolution did not affect this detail.

The generator is also a weakling - after three or four years it gives up under the influence of anti-icing chemistry. In winter, the starter often fails: the solenoid relay clicks, and the electric motor does not spin. This is due to the abundance of grease inside the relay. Freezing, it reliably isolates the power contacts, and in order to bring the unit back to life, sometimes it is enough just to remove the excess.

It turns out that evolution is not always good. On the example of this model, I dare to say: the French did not have enough revolutionary spirit (or means?) To radically change the design and immediately eradicate childhood diseases of problematic units and assemblies.

Nice car, but innovative design alone won't get you far.

We thank the Citroen Center Moscow company on Viktorenko Street for their assistance in preparing the material.