Citroen – The FatMech https://thefatmech.com Maintenance guides for cars, vans pickups and more Fri, 26 May 2023 22:02:03 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://thefatmech.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/fav-150x150.png Citroen – The FatMech https://thefatmech.com 32 32 A guide to the best engine oil for your Citroen DS3 https://thefatmech.com/ds3-best-engine-oil/ https://thefatmech.com/ds3-best-engine-oil/#respond Thu, 05 Jan 2023 06:26:58 +0000 https://thefatmech.com/?p=1308 Read moreA guide to the best engine oil for your Citroen DS3]]> Quick answer – use a 5W-30 or 5W-40 (depending on your engine) from either Mobil, Total or Valvoline.

It can be tricky to pick the right engine oil for your Citroen DS3. If you get it wrong, you can damage your engine. There are many different brands and grades of oil on the market, and each claim to be the most effective or the best at keeping your engine in optimal running condition.

In this article we are going to show you the recommended oil for each engine variant of the DS3 first generation (2009 – 2018), both petrol and diesel. We’ve used either Citroen/DS recommended oil or the equivalent quality from another brand. 

Which engine do you have?

The type of engine oil you choose depends entirely on the engine you have in your car. This is why it’s a little misleading to say the DS3 takes a certain type of oil because different engines fitted to the DS3 will take different grades of oil. 

This is why it’s very important to know which engine you have. It’s not enough to say that it’s either a petrol or diesel engine – you need to know the variant; the DS3 was manufactured with a range of 1.6L diesel engines and 1.2L/1.4L/1.6L petrol engines, some of which require different grades of oil.

You should look in your owner’s manual to determine which engine variant you have, and if you can’t find it, then you should contact your local Citroen/DS dealer, give them the registration and they will tell you which engine was fitted to your car.

What oil does the DS3 take?

In the next section we’ve gone through every engine fitted to the first generation of DS3, and given you a list of possible choices for oil. All of these oils will meet or exceed Citroen’s recommendation – and if you take your car to the dealer for a service, chances are they will be using one of the oils mentioned here.

Of course, any oil meeting the correct grade will be fine, but we’ve recommended premium oils formulated for your engine to ensure long-life and optimal performance. These oils are available online, or at your local motor factors.  

Best Oil for Citroen DS3 – Petrol (2019 – 2018)

The white peugeot dci is parked on a cobblestone street.

VTi 82 (2012+) 1.2L

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: EITHER Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 Advanced Fully Synthetic Engine Oil OR Total Quartz Ineo ECS 5W-30 Advanced Synthetic Engine Oil

VTi 95 (2009 – 2012) 1.4L

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: EITHER Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 Advanced Fully Synthetic Engine Oil OR Total Quartz Ineo ECS 5W-30 Advanced Synthetic Engine Oil

PureTech 110 (2015+) 1.2L

Grade: 5W-40

Brand: EITHER Mobil Super 3000 X1 5W-40 Premium Fully Synthetic Engine Oil OR Valvoline SynPower 5W-40 Fully Synthetic Engine Oil

PureTech 130 (2016+) 1.2L

Grade: 5W-40

Brand: EITHER Mobil Super 3000 X1 5W-40 Premium Fully Synthetic Engine Oil OR Valvoline SynPower 5W-40 Fully Synthetic Engine Oil

VTi 120 (2009 – 2015) 1.6L

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: EITHER Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 Advanced Fully Synthetic Engine Oil OR Total Quartz Ineo ECS 5W-30 Advanced Synthetic Engine Oil

THP 155/207/210 (2010+) 1.6L

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: EITHER Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 Advanced Fully Synthetic Engine Oil OR Total Quartz Ineo ECS 5W-30 Advanced Synthetic Engine Oil

Best Oil for Citroen DS3 – Diesel (2019 – 2018)

A yellow citroen c3 is driving down the street.

HDi 90 FAP (2009+) 1.6L

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: EITHER Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 Advanced Fully Synthetic Engine Oil OR Total Quartz Ineo ECS 5W-30 Advanced Synthetic Engine Oil

HDi 110 FAP (2009+) 1.6L

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: EITHER Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 Advanced Fully Synthetic Engine Oil OR Total Quartz Ineo ECS 5W-30 Advanced Synthetic Engine Oil

e-HDi 90 Airdream (2010+) 1.6L

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: EITHER Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 Advanced Fully Synthetic Engine Oil OR Total Quartz Ineo ECS 5W-30 Advanced Synthetic Engine Oil

BlueHDi 120 (2014+) 1.6L

Grade: 5W-30

Brand: EITHER Mobil 1 ESP 5W-30 Advanced Fully Synthetic Engine Oil OR Total Quartz Ineo ECS 5W-30 Advanced Synthetic Engine Oil

How much oil does the DS3 take?

The diesels will generally take 3.8L. The petrols take between 3.1L and 4.2L. You should buy a 5L can of whichever oil you choose, and not worry too much about exactly what measurement of oil you have put in your engine – you should be more concerned about where the oil level sits on the dipstick. If it’s too low or too high it can cause damage to your engine.

Does thicker oil protect the DS3’s engine better?

This is a common misconception. The engine will be designed to run on one grade of oil throughout its life, and you shouldn’t mix and match oils depending on the age of the engine or the temperature outside. Thicker oil is not necessarily any better than thinner oil, as thicker oil can cause increased energy consumption, heat generation and poorer fuel consumption. 

That being said, using a very slightly thicker or thinner oil likely won’t cause any lasting damage to your engine. 

What brand engine oil is best?

This is not really a question anyone can answer since there’s no real empirical data out there of how long an engine lasts if it’s run on only one brand of oil versus another. All manufacturers of oil will claim their oil is the best and most effective at caring for your engine, but ultimately you should go with a premium brand that is recommended by the manufacturer.

Citroen and Peugeot (PSA group) have always recommended Total oils (probably because they are also a French company) but in my experience dealers will either use Total or Mobil depending on what’s available. I would say as long as the oil meets the grade and specification and isn’t the cheapest oil available on the market, you will probably be fine.

Will the wrong oil damage my DS3’s engine?

If it’s one grade thicker or thinner, it probably won’t do any lasting damage. If it’s significantly thicker or thinner, then it will cause damage. Only use the correct oil specification – there is no benefit to using thicker or thinner oil than the manufacturer recommends in your engine.

We’ve written a significant amount of content on the Citroen DS3, so if you’re experiencing problems or need advice, check out some of our other articles!

]]> https://thefatmech.com/ds3-best-engine-oil/feed/ 0 Citroen DS3 Timing Belt Change Interval https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-timing-belt-change-interval/ https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-timing-belt-change-interval/#comments Wed, 04 Jan 2023 08:51:36 +0000 https://thefatmech.com/?p=1304 Read moreCitroen DS3 Timing Belt Change Interval]]> The timing belt (or cambelt, they are the same thing) is a critical component of your engine, and it must be renewed at regular intervals. If it isn’t renewed, and it breaks, it can cause terminal damage to the engine. Having the timing belt renewed is labour and cost intensive, and most garages will estimate around six hours to change the cambelt on a Citroen DS3.

Most Citroen DS3s have a timing belt. The only version that has a chain is the DS3 Racing, which has the PSA THP engine also fitted to the Mini. These are vulnerable to timing chain issues and therefore the chain should be inspected regularly. If you aren’t sure which engine you have, your owner’s manual should tell you.

Short answer: Timing belts on petrols should be replaced every six years or 62,500 miles, whichever comes first. Timing belts on diesels should be replaced every ten years or 112,500 miles, whichever comes first.

What does the timing belt do?

The timing belt is named as such because it keeps the engine in time. This means it synchronises the rotation of the crank and cam, so that the valves can open and shut at the correct time in relation to the pistons. If the engine runs out of time (like what would happen if the timing belt were to snap) the pistons hit the valves and your engine is a write-off.

Additionally the timing belt drives the water pump (which doesn’t actually pump water, it pumps coolant) and if this fails it can cause your engine to overheat and seize. This is why you always replace the water pump and the cambelt at the service interval, even if both work properly – simply because of the catastrophic damage it would cause if either were to fail.

The white peugeot dci is parked on a cobblestone street.

Citroen DS3 Cambelt/Timing Belt Change Interval

We’ve looked at every model of the DS3 from 2009 onwards, whether they have a chain or a cambelt, and when the belt or chain should be replaced. We’ve not considered the new DS3 Crossback, although this is also fitted with the same 1.2L PureTech or 1.5L BlueHDi engines as other PSA group cars and therefore the timing belt intervals are the same as previous generations. 

Service intervalFuel typeFitted to model yearsBelt or chainService interval
1.2L VTi 82Petrol2012 onwardsBelt62,500 miles or six years
1.4L VTi 95Petrol2009 – 2012Belt62,500 miles or six years
1.2L PureTech 110Petrol2015 onwardsBelt62,500 miles or six years
1.2L PureTech 130Petrol2016 onwardsBelt62,500 miles or six years
1.6L VTi 120Petrol2009 – 2015Belt62,500 miles or six years
1.6L THPPetrol2011 onwardsChainLifetime
1.6 HDi FAPDiesel2009 onwardsBelt112,500 miles or ten years
1.6 e-HDiDiesel2011 onwardsBelt112,500 miles or ten years
1.5L BlueHDiDiesel2014 onwardsBelt112,500 miles or ten years

The chain on the THP engine is a lifetime part, but there are numerous reports of problems with these engines resulting in the chain needing to be replaced at some point during the car’s life, so it’s entirely possible you will need to change the chain at some point. I’m planning another article on this, so stay tuned.

An important note about the cambelt change interval in petrol DS3s

If you have a petrol DS3 (not a DS3 Racing) that was manufactured before 2015, you may notice that the timing belt interval in your owner’s manual is a lot longer than what we’ve written here. Originally the timing belt interval for VTi and PureTech engines was the same as the diesel engines.

The timing belt on the VTi and PureTech engines runs in the engine oil. Early versions of this belt would have issues where parts of the belt would crumble and break off, end up in the sump, get picked up by the oil pump and would ultimately cause the engine to become starved of oil. However, because the belt was breaking up, they would be far more prone to snapping and causing terminal engine damage. As a result, Peugeot/Citroen revised the timing belt interval down to 62,500 miles and six years.

I’ve written very extensively about this issue on this site because I’ve seen quite a few of these engines with this particular issue, so it’s worth mentioning that if your manual says different to what’s written here, you should ignore the manual because it’s out of date. If you’ve exceeded this mileage or time since your belt was changed, you should book it in for a replacement ASAP. 

Should the water pump be replaced with the timing belt on a DS3?

The water pump should always be replaced alongside the timing belt with any car. Water pumps are also prone to failure, and if the pump seizes it is likely going to cause considerable damage to your engine, even if the timing belt is fine. 

I am aware that Citroen do fixed priced servicing for the timing belt, and will actually replace the timing belt without the water pump if this is what you ask them for. I would highly recommend not doing this and getting the water pump replaced at the same time – in the long run it will be cheaper and safer than your engine.

What are the signs that the timing belt is going?

Unfortunately you very rarely get a sign that your timing belt is about to fail – usually it just snaps. On the PureTech engines you can actually see the timing belt if you take the oil cap off, which should give you some indication as to what condition it’s in. 

The diesel engines don’t allow this and you need to be able to take the timing cover off to see the belt – so you will have very little idea of the condition it’s in before it goes.

Even a belt that looks good can fail at any point – and so if you want to make sure you never have to deal with a snapped timing belt, make sure you get it replaced at the proper intervals. 

Is my DS3’s engine ruined if the timing belt breaks?

Yes – both petrol and diesel engines fitted to the DS3 are interference engines and will cause significant damage if the belt snaps. You should also be aware that even if the belt doesn’t snap, some of the teeth can shear off and cause the engine to go out of time – so it’s very important to get the belt changed at the designated intervals.

A yellow car driving down the street in the rain.

Does a car service check the timing belt?

Generally, no, a service won’t mean that the timing belt is checked. On the diesel versions of the DS3 it’s almost as much work to inspect the timing belt as it is to change it, so it’s pointless to ask someone to check the belt as you might as well ask them to change it – they will charge you a similar amount of money. 

On the petrols you could inspect the belt yourself, or ask your service technician to do it for you – all you need to do is take the oil cap off, but generally if your car is in for a service or MOT, they won’t check this and you will need to ask them specifically to do it for you.

We’ve written a lot of articles on common problems with the Citroen DS3 – so if you are experiencing issues, or want to learn more, check out some of our other content!

]]> https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-timing-belt-change-interval/feed/ 3 Citroen DS3 – Engine Fault, Repair Needed https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-engine-fault-repair-needed/ https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-engine-fault-repair-needed/#respond Tue, 03 Jan 2023 07:12:44 +0000 https://thefatmech.com/?p=1289 Read moreCitroen DS3 – Engine Fault, Repair Needed]]> Featured image: EurovisionNim, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

This is a bit of a scary error message, especially if it comes on while driving and it’s accompanied by a reduction in engine performance (known as limp mode.) Unfortunately this is a very common error code on the Citroen DS3 and it could mean any number of different things.

In this article we’re going to touch on some of the most common causes of this error message. It’s worth mentioning however that this only scratches the surface of what could cause an engine fault repair needed error message – this is a catch-all error message that could mean a fault with a huge number of engine systems. 

This article is designed to point you in the right direction when diagnosing this issue, but fundamentally you will need to do a code read on your car to identify what the actual issue is. If it’s any of the issues listed here, I’ve tried to show you what you should do in the event that this is your code, but be aware that this error message could mean anything and therefore you need to do an OBD code read to accurately diagnose it.

Most common causes of the engine fault – repair needed error message

Failing injector

There are a few things that may accompany an engine fault repair needed message if a failing injector is your problem. You will probably notice a juddering when the car is idling, almost as if the car is about to stall, as well as hesitation when trying to apply power when moving (particularly after gear changes). You should also listen for a rattle at idle – while a rattle could be anything, if it’s accompanied by the above symptoms, you could be experiencing an injection fault.

You should do a code read and see what comes back – a cheap OBD reader should come back with an injection fault if that is your issue. Unfortunately there isn’t much I can advise you to do in this instance other than take your car to a garage and have them look at it. I would find a French car specialist in your area that’s very familiar with these cars and ask them to take a look at it. 

A picture of the engine compartment of a car.

If your injector has become blocked or it has failed, be prepared for an expensive bill – injectors, whether they’re new or remanufactured, are expensive, and you may find yourself forking out over £1000 to get the injectors replaced (especially if more than one has failed.)

I will say that while a good engine, the 1.6 HDi fitted to the DS3 is a bit famous for blowing injector seals, so this also could be your problem. Unless you’re very mechanically minded and have investigated injection issues before, I would suggest not even bothering to look yourself and have a garage investigate for you.

Clogged EGR valve

The EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) valve recirculates a portion of the exhaust gas that would normally be expelled through the exhaust system and mixes it with fresh air inside the intake manifold, and then these gases are burned off as they enter the cylinders and combust. This helps to reduce the volume of emissions passing through the exhaust system, extending the life of the catalytic converter. However, the EGR valve can become clogged, preventing it from opening and closing properly, and this can cause an engine fault repair needed warning message to appear.  

Leaving a faulty EGR valve for too long can cause permanent engine issues – you will probably find your DS3 runs very rough as the engine runs either too lean or too rich, depending on the actual fault. You may also notice a misfire, or significant vibration at idle. A code read will tell you whether your EGR valve is faulty, and there are a few things you can do to fix it – you could spray some EGR valve cleaner onto the carbon deposits and use a cleaning brush to remove them. If your EGR valve has failed for another reason, it may be due for replacement, if the carbon build up is too severe. You can do this yourself, or you can take it to a mechanic who will be able to do it for you.

Faulty MAF sensor

Your code read will tell you whether this is the problem. A MAF (mass airflow sensor) measures the amount of air entering the engine to ensure that the correct amount of fuel is injected into the cylinders for an optimal fuel-air mix. Generally a faulty MAF sensor will also be accompanied by significantly reduced engine performance – possibly you will notice jerking at low revs, or the inability to rev beyond a certain point.

The engine compartment of a car.

Firstly, you should disconnect the MAF and run the car to see if the performance improves. If it does, it’s likely that the MAF needs cleaning. Remove it from the car, reconnect it, clear the codes and try again. If performance doesn’t improve, it’s likely that the MAF is faulty and needs to be replaced. The mass airflow sensor will be clipped onto a piece of the air ducting.

It’s also worth mentioning that a MAF fault code may actually be an EGR or turbo fault. It’s unlikely that your basic OBD reader will be able to read these codes, so it may be that you need to look at Citroen’s Lexia/Diagbox software, which is available online if you know where to look for it – you can install this on your laptop and connect your car to it, and it should be able to read these codes which will point your line of investigation in the right direction.

Let’s check Citroen DS3 common faults here!

Electrical problems

As the “engine fault, repair needed” message is a catch-all message for a lot of different faults, it’s entirely possible that the actual fault you are experiencing is an electrical fault. This again could be due to any number of different things but the first thing I would suggest is that you check that the battery is seated correctly and the terminals are secured properly. Bizarrely, problems with the battery have been known to throw up this error code, and so if you’re happy that the battery is connected properly, then you should make sure the battery is good by testing the voltage or by swapping it out, doing a code clear and seeing if this fixes the problem.

Just be aware that a failing or faulty battery can cause “phantom” codes to come up, which if you’re just trying to diagnose from a code reader, can lead you astray. A phantom code is when the car reports a fault that isn’t actually there – and it does this due to low voltage on the battery. You should always ensure the battery is healthy and properly charged, clear the fault codes and see if you can replicate the fault; this way you know the codes are genuine and you can continue your line of investigation.

Another thing to look at is a failing alternator or failing alternator belt. This has also been known to throw up an engine fault repair needed error.  You may also be experiencing an engine ECU fault. This has been known to throw codes relating to a number of different engines, including the turbocharger – so again, you need to follow the above procedure ensuring the battery is good and do a code read.

Failing fuel pump

Fuel pumps seem to be an issue on the THP engine (fitted to the DS3 Racing.) I’ve seen them fail at as little as 30,000 miles. You will probably notice reduced engine performance after you see the engine fault warning light, to the point where the car will start to run very roughly, almost as if it’s about to stall. I have heard of customers saying that this issue is intermittent, where the car will run like a pig, they’ll park it up overnight and it’ll run fine the next day.

The HPFP (high pressure fuel pump) is also a common failure point in other cars fitted with the THP engine, including the Peugeot 208 GTi, Mini and Citroen DS4. Unfortunately this is an expensive job if it transpires that this is the fault you have – unless your car is under warranty. I would expect to pay around £1400 for the fuel pump to be replaced if necessary.

A red citroen c3 parked on the side of a street.

Related: A guide to the best engine oil for your Citroen DS3

The code you are looking for is P0087 to tell you that the fuel pump is faulty and requires replacement. You may also get other codes along with this – but what you should do is read the code yourself with a generic OBD reader and if you can’t identify it, get Citroen to read the code for you – often their software can pull up information that a generic eBay/Amazon OBD reader cannot.

While this is a common issue, I will say that this is exacerbated by some driving habits. In particular, what makes this problem worse is people who like to play fuel light bingo – that is, wait for the fuel light to come on and see how far they can get without filling up. This plays havoc with the fuel pump as all the sediment and other gunk from the bottom of the fuel tank gets drawn up into the fuel system, forcing the pump to work harder and leading to premature failure. If you take nothing else away from this article, make sure that when your fuel gauge dips into the red, go to a petrol station and fill your tank.

Getting this issue properly diagnosed

As I’ve said multiple times, you can guess at what this issue is based on the accompanying symptoms, but you won’t know for sure until you do a code read. A basic OBD code reader should be enough to point you in the right direction, but for more specific codes related to fuel injection or EGR problems, you will need to look at downloading Diagbox/Lexia software in order to identify more specific problems.

All this being said, this is a little beyond the reach of most home mechanics and if you are experiencing reduced engine performance to the point where you can’t rely on the car, you should get this fault checked out ideally at a Citroen specialist. You could go to the dealer, but expect to pay quite a lot of money even for a diagnosis.

We’ve written a lot of content on the Citroen DS3, so if you’re experiencing issues or need advice or support, check out some of our other articles!

]]> https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-engine-fault-repair-needed/feed/ 0 Citroen DS3 Heater Blower not Working https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-heater-blower-not-working/ https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-heater-blower-not-working/#respond Mon, 02 Jan 2023 08:32:04 +0000 https://thefatmech.com/?p=1285 Read moreCitroen DS3 Heater Blower not Working]]> Featured image: Jakub “Flyz1” Maciejewski, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Quick answer – it’s most likely to be a blown fuse or a burned out heater resistor pack. In rare occasions it could be that the blower motor itself has failed. It could also be a failed relay but this is very rare.

Problems with the heater fan are common in every car. Of course, in the middle of winter, this can be quite an urgent issue and one that can usually be resolved fairly quickly and cheaply. In this article I’ve run through some of the most common causes of failure for your Citroen DS3 heater blower, as well as how to fix these issues and how much you’ll pay.

99% of heater related issues in the DS3 are caused by the heater resistor pack failing or the fuse blowing. It is rare, in my experience, for anything else to be the cause. Fortunately these are two of the cheapest and easiest repairs you can do on your own car. However, if it transpires that your issue is more complicated, this then becomes an issue that most people can’t solve at home on their driveway with common tools, and you’ll likely need to consult with a garage.

I’m not an auto electrician – I am a mechanic, and for complicated electrical faults, I would usually refer customers to a good auto electrician I knew. That being said, little issues like this are easy to do and I would usually tell a customer they could pretty easily do these repairs themselves and avoid a £60 per hour labour charge. In the instance a customer didn’t want to do that, however, I would carry out the repair. I’ve fixed several DS3 heater blower not working issues and below are some of the most common reasons why this happens, and how you can fix it yourself.

Table of Contents

Possible causes

Fuse blown

The first thing to check whether the fuse for the blower has gone. This could happen for any number of reasons but the root cause of a fuse blowing is that the component has drawn a stronger current than it is designed to handle, and the fuse blowing is designed as a failsafe so that the wiring doesn’t overheat or melt.

The relevant fuse for the DS3 is fuse 11. There are two fuseboxes in the DS3 – one in the cabin and one in the engine bay located near the battery. The fuse for the blower motor is in the engine bay fusebox.

You can find a fusebox diagram either in a Haynes manual or online. I will link to one at the end of this section. but the fuses are identified by their amperage as well as their identifying numbers. The amperage is written on the fuse itself and the identifying number is written on the plastic. Fuse 11 is a 40A fuse and it is located in the bottom left of the fusebox.

Sometimes these fuses can fail without any visual signs, so I would first recommend that you replace this fuse irrespective of whether it looks good or not. These fuses can be had very cheaply at places like Halfords and Screwfix, so I would recommend just replacing it and seeing if it solves your problem. If it doesn’t, move on to the next step.

Something that’s very important to mention is that you should never renew a fuse more than once. What I mean by this is that if replacing fuse 11 fixes your problem, and then immediately after turning the heater on, the fuse blows again, do not replace the fuse a second time. This is likely now due to a short to earth due to faulty wiring and you should take your car to an auto electrician to get it fixed.

Citroen DS3 fusebox diagram: https://car-box.info/fuses-citroen-ds3-s-2009-2020.htm

(when I next see a DS3 in for repair I will grab a photo of the fusebox and update it here.)

Heater resistor pack

If ever I’ve looked at a DS3 with heater issues this is the first thing I look at. As I mentioned, I’m no auto electrician, but I will take a look at basic electrics issues such as this. Commonly the complaint is that the heater or the air con is either all or nothing – it works on full but not on anything else. This is almost certainly as a result of the heater resistor pack failing.

The heater resistor, or blower control module, works by varying the amount of electrical current provided to the fan motor. So, if you set your heater on low, the resistor adds resistance to the circuit to prevent the fan spinning too fast. If you turn the heater up to full, there’s nothing to stop the full electrical current going to the blower motor so it spins as fast as it can. As a result, when the resistor pack fails, your heating or air con won’t work on anything other than full speed.

The heater resistor pack is located in the passenger footwell, and replacement involves removing trim and removing the pack itself from around where the glovebox is. There are videos on YouTube on how to do this but fundamentally it’s a pretty easy job and heater resistor packs can be had on eBay or Amazon for not very much money – less than £20. You can, if you want, order the genuine part from Citroen – the part number is 932PC0570 and it will likely cost you around £60.

I would always say go for the genuine part – some of the heater blower control models you can get on eBay are not very good quality and it’s possible you may get a dud – so even if you’ve tried replacing the heater blower module with a new one, it could still be your issue. At least with a genuine part you won’t have this worry.

Faulty blower motor

This is not a majorly common issue in the DS3, but is something you should check if none of the other fixes have worked. Early signs of blower motor failure include slow starting or squeaking during operation. Often, failure of the blower motor is because of a blocked pollen filter. 

Unfortunately some garages don’t change this during a major service and it’s not uncommon for it to become blocked up. The blower motor uses air from outside brought in and filtered by the pollen filter, and if this is blocked, it can restrict the amount of air the fan gets, forcing it to work harder and then ultimately failing.

This is quite an involved job to do and I wouldn’t recommend you try it if you’re not at least a little familiar with the internals of a car’s heater matrix. You will need to remove a some of the interior trim in the passenger footwell to get to the heater blower motor, and some of the ducting will also need to be removed to provide enough access for you to remove and replace the motor.

I would strongly recommend buying a genuine part if you’re going to do this, and not an eBay knock-off – because if you get a dud, it’s a lot of work to do this job again. Reputable parts can be had from your motor factors for around £30 – £50 – just make sure that you buy the right part for your vehicle.

Failed relay

I will touch on this briefly as it could be the cause of your issue, but you’re unlikely to be able to do anything about it yourself, unless you’re a skilled auto electrician. It’s entirely possible that the relay for the heater blower circuit has failed. The relays on the DS3 are actually internal to the engine bay fusebox, and the parts are not user serviceable. If the relay has failed, you would need to fit a new fusebox – so it would be my advice that you check all the other issues first, before going down the route of a failed relay.

Relays don’t fail very often, however – and despite the poor reputation French cars have for electrics, it’s unlikely this is your issue. I would recommend if none of the above have worked, drop your car into an auto electrician and explain that you’ve tried a number of other things that have not solved the problem.

We’ve written a number of articles on the DS3, including a lot of content on common problems and issues you might face. If you’re interested, check out some of our other articles on the DS3 below.

]]> https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-heater-blower-not-working/feed/ 0 Citroen DS3 Clutch Replacement Cost https://thefatmech.com/ds3-clutch-replacement-cost/ https://thefatmech.com/ds3-clutch-replacement-cost/#respond Mon, 02 Jan 2023 05:15:00 +0000 https://thefatmech.com/?p=1279 Read moreCitroen DS3 Clutch Replacement Cost]]> It costs around £500 to replace a clutch in a Citroen DS3. 

The clutch assembly on your Citroen DS3 consists of a clutch plate, release bearing and a pressure plate. These three components connect the gearbox and engine to the wheels and allow you to apply varying amounts of power (also known as slipping the clutch) to move at low speeds and also to disengage the engine and gearbox from the wheels so you can change gear.

From time to time a clutch will fail. A clutch is a consumable part and will require replacement over the life of the car – although how often it needs replacement is dependent on how you drive and the kind of driving you do. For example if you do mainly motorway miles in your Citroen DS3, you are unlikely to need a clutch replacement as soon as someone who does mainly town and city driving.

In this article we’re going to show you exactly how much it will cost you to replace the clutch on your Citroen DS3.

Citroen DS3 Clutch Replacement Cost

To work this out, as we do with every article where we show you how much something costs, we’ve estimated garage labour at around £50 per hour. Some garages will charge more and some will charge less. The Citroen/DS dealer will charge significantly more. 

A competent mechanic should be able to change a clutch in no more than six hours – especially on the DS3, which is not a particularly complicated car to do a clutch replacement on. This is also based on my experience as a mechanic for over ten years – I have changed more clutches in more DS3s than I can count. 

Example car – 2016 DS 1.2 Puretech Elegance SS 

Clutch kit (LuK): £178.99 (Euro Car Parts)

Labour: £300 + VAT (six hours at £50 + VAT per hour)

Gearbox Oil (1.9L): £27.48 (2L Total Transmission Gear 8)

Total cost = £506.47 + VAT

How can you tell if the clutch is going?

A failing clutch can show itself in many different ways, but one of the most common is a higher biting point. As the clutch wears, the pedal travel at which the clutch engages gets higher to the point where you will find that the difference between moving off smoothly and stalling the car is miniscule. Other symptoms are a slipping clutch, meaning that when you put your foot down the revs will rise but the car won’t pick up speed (you might not notice this until second or third gear). Other things to watch out for are grinding or whining noises when engaging the clutch, or crunching when changing gear.

If you’re unsure as to whether your clutch is failing, get an experienced driver to take your car out for a spin and they should be able to tell pretty quickly whether your clutch is on the way out.

What is the lifespan of the clutch on the Citroen DS3?

This is an impossible question to answer because the lifespan of a clutch is almost entirely dependent on the person driving the car. If you’re doing burnouts, dropping or riding the clutch, holding the car at the bite point on a hill, your clutch will fail much sooner than someone who doesn’t do any of these things.

Clutches are consumable parts and they will wear eventually, no matter how careful or mechanically sympathetic you are as a driver. However if you’re getting less than 40,000 miles out of a clutch, I would say you’re driving in a way that’s mechanically unsympathetic to the car and you should look at your driving habits to try to ensure you aren’t prematurely wearing the clutch. It’s not unheard of for these cars to go 80,000 miles plus on their original clutch, but again, it’s almost entirely down to how you drive.

What happens if a clutch goes while driving?

You will lose your ability to change gear. If you’re in neutral when the clutch goes, or you have the pedal pushed down, you will have no drive. If you are in gear you won’t be able to change gear (although you will be fine to stay in the gear that you’re in) and when you push the clutch down and it doesn’t disengage, you will have to stall the engine by bringing the revs too low to stop the car. 

Most of the time a clutch will give you plenty of warning if it’s about to fail, so you shouldn’t leave it to chance in terms of how long your failing clutch will last. 

Check out some more of our articles on the Citroen DS3 – I’ve written many articles using my comprehensive knowledge of these cars, so if you’re experiencing other problems I’m sure I have something that will be able to help you.

]]> https://thefatmech.com/ds3-clutch-replacement-cost/feed/ 0 Citroen DS3 1.2 PureTech Engine Problems https://thefatmech.com/ds3-puretech-problems/ https://thefatmech.com/ds3-puretech-problems/#comments Wed, 28 Dec 2022 11:28:18 +0000 https://thefatmech.com/?p=1249 Read moreCitroen DS3 1.2 PureTech Engine Problems]]> Like many PSA group cars, the Citroen DS3 was fitted with a variety of petrol and diesel engines. While the diesels tend to be more reliable than the petrols, the Puretech and VTi petrol engines fitted to the Citroen DS3 are fairly reliable units providing they are looked after properly from a servicing perspective, and preventative maintenance is performed on-time. 

In this article we’re going to specifically look at the Puretech 1.2L engine fitted to the Citroen DS3 and the problems you may experience with it. It’s worth noting that this engine is the same engine fitted to the Peugeot 208, and after 2019, the Vauxhall Corsa. 

The point of this article isn’t to scare you off buying a Citroen DS3 – I personally think they’re great cars. However, the below issues are all something you need to watch out for, particularly if you’re looking at buying a DS3 with the 1.2L Puretech petrol engine, but also if you already own one and you’re looking to ensure it lasts as long as possible and you avoid major engine issues.

There are four main issues I’d suggest you watch out for on this engine.

Timing belt disintegrating and causing oil starvation

This is something I’ve written about extensively on this site and it’s because it is such a widespread problem, specifically with the 1.2L PureTech engine. Bear in mind that this engine has been fitted to a significant number of PSA vehicles as we mentioned, so as a mechanic it wasn’t uncommon for me to see several of these engines in a week. 

This is an issue that affects multiple generations of the 1.2L PureTech engine fitted to the Citroen DS3, but was particularly bad on the first generation roughly from around 2009 – 2016 before the facelift version of the DS3 was released. The PureTech engine used to be called the VTi engine and as far as I can tell there aren’t any major differences between the two – just that the VTi is an older engine.

The engine compartment of a car.
This is a 1.2L Puretech engine (fitted to a Peugeot 208, but is the same engine fitted to the Citroen DS3)

What happens on the 1.2L PureTech is that the timing belt runs in the engine oil. You can actually see it if you take the oil filler cap off. Putting the timing belt in oil is something that other manufacturers have experimented with in the past – I personally can’t see any particular benefit to doing it. The problem this causes on this particular engine is that the engine oil causes some kind of chemical reaction with the rubber and causes bits of the rubber to break off. You’ll see this on older belts where the belt itself almost looks like the surface of the moon with how much material has broken off.

What happens to the little bits of rubber that break off is that they contaminate the engine oil, and make their way down to the sump. They then get picked up by the oil pump and pumped into the innards of the engine. This causes massive problems over time, as the bits of rubber clog up the innards of the engine and prevent oil flowing through it – which eventually leads to oil starvation and the engine seizes up.

As we discussed this was a significant problem on older models of the 1.2L PureTech engine, to the point where Citroen revised the timing belt interval down to 6 years and 60,000 miles, from the original interval of 10 years and 112,500 miles. It was improved slightly with the facelift model from 2016 and you see far less of these going wrong. Additionally Citroen re-formulated the chemical compound used to make the rubber in the timing belt after identifying this as an issue, and therefore even if you have a first generation DS3, if you get a replacement timing belt this issue is largely resolved.

If you are looking at buying a DS3 you must make sure that the belt was changed at the specified, revised interval. If it hasn’t been, you can actually inspect the timing belt yourself by removing the oil filler cap and looking inside the engine – which should give you a pretty good idea of how worn the belt is. If there are any signs of wear, walk away.

It’s worth noting that in my experience Citroen and Peugeot have been fairly generous with this issue and as long as there has been a history of servicing at the main dealer with the correct oil, they will generally at least part fund any repairs resulting in a snapped timing belt caused by this issue. Don’t buy a new car banking on them helping you out if it all goes wrong, however – make sure you inspect the belt yourself and check that it has been changed at the correct interval.

Heavy oil consumption

I see a lot of PSA group cars, particularly DS3s, with this engine in for repair for this issue. Most owners report varying degrees of oil consumption but the common complaint is that engine is an oil burner – sometimes to a significant degree. I’ve had people complain that the PureTech engine on their DS3 burns a little bit of oil between regular services – around 750ml (which I would not consider an issue) right to the point where people are reporting the dipstick dry after around 5000 miles. 

I believe this is actually related to another problem with the PureTech engines that we’ll get onto later on in the article, and that’s related to carbon build up. What appears to be the reason these engines burn oil, especially as the mileage climbs past the 75,000 mile mark, is that the oil control ring on the pistons gets stuck with carbon which allows excess oil through. 

Unfortunately there isn’t much you can do about this – the only cure for this issue seems to be overly diligent servicing of the engine right from the start of your ownership – to the point where you might be doing a service every 7500 miles which consists of a full oil and filter change. It’s widely accepted that these engines will start burning oil as they get to a higher mileage and your only solution is either to fit a new engine or just keep checking the dipstick every two weeks or so to ensure you have enough oil.

A yellow car driving down the street in the rain.

There are products on the market (specifically one by a German company that I can’t remember the name of) that claim to be able to perform an engine flush that will clear out all the carbon deposits and stop this oil burning issue but I don’t have any experience with how well this might work and therefore I wouldn’t recommend it. 

I would say that to avoid this issue, you need to not buy a PureTech engine – they all burn oil. However, what you should do if you are in the market for a DS3 with a 1.2L PureTech engine is ensure you get one with low enough mileage, preferably dealer-serviced and change the oil diligently every 5000 – 7500 miles. If you do this, carbon deposits should be minimised and therefore your engine shouldn’t burn quite so much oil as if you stick to the specified service intervals.

This isn’t something you can really avoid, and I would urge you to give specific consideration to this issue if you are considering buying a DS3 with this engine. If you run your engine short of oil, it’s highly likely you will need your engine rebuilt.

Carbon buildup

Carbon buildup is inevitable in direct injection engines such as the 1.2 PureTech. It seems to be exacerbated a little bit in these engines and I’ve heard of carbon issues as early on as 30,000 miles.

Without getting overly technical, this seems to often be to do with a faulty PCV valve, which allows blow-by gases to recirculate into the manifold. If this valve were to become blocked or faulty, it can allow oil to be forced past the compression rings. If this happens the oil becomes hot and burns off, leading to carbon deposits. 

This is also, I believe, the main cause of excessive oil consumption in these engines – so these two issues are intrinsically related and if your PureTech engine is burning oil, it’s also experiencing carbon buildup inside the engine.

I would say again that there’s not really a lot you can do about this other than diligent servicing, which should mitigate the oil consumption issue as well as the carbon build-up problem. However, as mentioned this is one of the common problems that plagues the 1.2L PureTech engine fitted to the Citroen DS3 and is one you will need to be aware of before you buy one. 

Sensitivity to poor servicing

We’ve kind of already touched upon this in the previous points but it is worth mentioning on its own seeing as it’s such an issue with Citroen DS3s fitted with this engine. Whether it’s due to the timing belt breaking up, carbon deposits in the engine or excessive oil consumption, you should be aware that these issues can be not only mitigated somewhat by more frequent servicing (including more frequent oil and filter changes as well as preventative maintenance, e.g. changing the timing belt) but they can be exacerbated by poor servicing.

I would usually describe poor servicing as anything that takes you beyond the manufacturer’s recommended servicing schedule. In this case Citroen recommend a service every 12,500 miles – but I would say even that is too long for these engines particularly their vulnerability with carbon build up as well as excessive oil consumption. 

To have a chance of avoiding these issues, get your car serviced every 5,000 to 7,500 miles. You don’t need to take your car into a garage for this – anyone can do an oil, filter and spark plug change on your driveway. With this you stand the best chance of avoiding or mitigating some of the more common issues that plague the 1.2L PureTech engine in the DS3. 

Or, you could just buy a diesel – the 1.4L and 1.6L HDi engines are bomb-proof as long as you look after them and are far better engines than any of the PureTech/VTi engines.

We’ve written extensively about the DS3 – so if you’re looking for more buyer’s guides, maintenance tips and more, check out some of our other articles.

]]> https://thefatmech.com/ds3-puretech-problems/feed/ 1 Common Faults with the Citroen DS3 https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-common-faults/ https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-common-faults/#comments Tue, 27 Dec 2022 04:49:14 +0000 https://thefatmech.com/?p=1238 Read moreCommon Faults with the Citroen DS3]]> The Citroen DS3 (now known as just the DS3) is a very popular little supermini sold from 2009 to the present day. These cars use any one of a range of reliable and proven PSA Group (Peugeot/Citroen) engine and drivetrain combinations, and when maintained properly they are very reliable little cars. 

However, if you’re looking to buy one, it can be a bit of a minefield on the internet trying to find out what to look out for. In this guide, we’re going to go through some of the most common issues and faults found on the Citroen DS3. I am a mechanic who has seen at least a hundred of these cars in for repair, and without issue most of the time it would be one of the problems listed below. I’ve also run French cars for many years and am very familiar with the servicing and repair of any of the PSA drivetrains used in the DS3.

I am not suggesting that every DS3 owner will experience these problems – far from it. Most DS3 owners experience trouble-free motoring (providing they service their cars on time and perform preventative maintenance when it’s due.) I’m not trying to scare you out of buying a DS3 – I think they’re cracking little cars. What I am trying to do is just make you aware of what you might experience when you own one, and for specific things this gives you a bit more ammunition when you’re going to view a car to ask the dealer or seller whether certain repairs have been done or not.

It’s worth mentioning that with cars, it often doesn’t matter what you buy – you will experience minor issues and problems like these. Without further ado let’s get into common faults with the Citroen DS3.

Gearbox not engaging reverse properly

This is a really common problem on the 5 and 6 speed manual gearboxes, which were fitted to numerous other Citroen, Peugeot and DS models – from everything to the DS3’s sister car, the Peugeot 208, right up to the Citroen Berlingo and Peugeot Partner mid-size vans. On your DS3 you’ll have one of two five speed gearbox variants, or the six speed variant. 

On each of the gearboxes there is no synchromesh on reverse gear. Sometimes you will engage reverse and the reversing lights will come on but reverse gear will not engage. Sometimes you’ll experience a really horrible grinding noise, and other times you just won’t get anything and the car won’t move.

A close up of the gear shift in a car.

Unfortunately this is normal, and it’s because the DS3 uses quite an old gearbox design. Not having a synchro on reverse is not unusual in manual cars but for some reason this issue seems to be more pronounced in the DS3. You might find that a gearbox oil change helps you out a little bit (make sure you use 75W-80 or 75W-90 oil from a recommended brand such as Total or Mobil) but fundamentally this is something you might have to live with.

You’ll find that just changing back to neutral, lifting the clutch all the way and pushing it back down and trying reverse again usually gets the gear. If you’re finding you need to do this multiple times, however, something is probably wrong and you should get it checked out at a garage.

Problems with the centre screen

I personally don’t rate the screens in these cars. They look nice, and especially in some of the more basic models they do help to give the car a more premium look, but they’re prone to freezing, rebooting themselves while in operation and sometimes just packing up altogether. I’m not an auto electrician so if someone came into my garage with a screen problem I probably wouldn’t look at it – I’d recommend a good auto electrician that I trusted, but there are a few things you can look at to try to mitigate this problem.

You should first check with Citroen to see if there are any software updates available for your system – often this can fix some freezing and suddenly switching off issues. What also tends to happen on these cars is if the battery is toast or if it’s low on charge for whatever reason, the battery can cut off non-essential items like it does in economy mode, and this could be why your radio keeps cutting out (although usually you’ll get a notice on the screen saying it’s going into economy mode.) If nothing else, give your battery a good charge and see if the issue comes back.

There’s a lot of people online who say that tuning into certain stations via DAB causes problems with these screens, and switching to the FM equivalent solves the problem. I don’t know how accurate this is, but it’s something you might want to try if you’ve exhausted all other options. 

What I wouldn’t recommend is asking a Citroen or DS dealer to look at this issue – unless you’re convinced it’s something I haven’t described here, it’s likely due to the fact that the screens put into the DS3 (and in other Citroen, Peugeot and DS cars for that matter) just aren’t particularly good and will play up sometimes. Don’t pay a £80 diagnostic fee to Citroen/DS for them to tell you what I’ve just told you here.

Related: Citroen DS3 – Engine Fault, Repair Needed

“Engine Fault – Repair Needed” warning light

So this is a common one (as it is on any car) and could be a number of different things. If you’re getting this, first thing I’d check would be the coil packs and spark plugs just to rule out the possibility of a misfire (only applicable to petrol versions.) If this doesn’t work, there are a number of things you can do based on the type of car that you have.

If you have the 1.6 THP engine (fitted to the DS3 Racing) this error could be thrown up as a result of a number of things, usually related to the timing chain. This is the only DS3 engine that I’m aware of that uses the chain, and is the same engine as fitted to the Peugeot 208 GTi, the Peugeot RCZ as well as some Ford and Mini vehicles.

One of the first things I’d check is the hydraulic chain tensioner. If you notice that the engine is very rattly until it warms up, this is your likely culprit. As the chain weakens over time, it results in it being loose until the engine warms up and you get good oil pressure. In this instance you should have the chain tensioner and possibly the chain replaced ASAP. You could also be experiencing loss of engine timing, which is a common issue in the THP engines. You’ll need to get a garage to time the engine back up for you and just check why the camshaft/crankshaft sprockets have slipped and caused the engine to go out of time. You may also be experiencing clogged intake valves – and you should be having these cleaned roughly every 30,000 miles anyway (they won’t show up on an OBD read, but you can get a mechanic to inspect them if you suspect this is your issue.)

The engine compartment of a car.

If you don’t have a THP engine you may be experiencing something as simple as a faulty oil pressure switch or sensor which is throwing up this engine fault error. This ought to show up on an OBD read, but it may not. On the Puretech engines this is a bit of a pain to replace as it’s right at the back of the engine, so you might end up paying two hours’ labour to have it replaced. The part is very cheap though at about £10.

Related: A guide to the best engine oil for your Citroen DS3

One of the more common causes of this “engine fault, repair needed” warning light are timing belt issues on the Puretech/VTi versions of the DS3. On these engines the timing belt runs in oil, and over time the oil starts to break down the timing belt. Bits of it crumble off and land in the sump, and the oil pump picks them up and they get into the oil passages in the engine and start to starve the engine of oil. If you’re getting an engine fault warning light and you haven’t had the timing belt replaced in the last 60,000 miles you will need to get someone to check the condition of the belt to ensure that this isn’t the cause of your issue.

Looking at the belt you’ll notice a pockmarked surface which is as a result of bits breaking off, instead of the smooth surface you’d see on a new belt. If you do see this, don’t start the engine and replace the belt immediately. You’ll also need to get a garage to do an inspection of your engine just to see how much damage the little flakes of the timing belt have caused.

Other things to check if you’ve had no luck with any of the above are low engine oil (just check the dipstick), a faulty oil pump or a blocked oil filter.

One of the other things that can throw up this warning light on the HDi diesel engined versions of the DS3 is an AdBlue fault, which we discuss in the next section.

Adblue issues (diesel only)

There’s a very common AdBlue problem that plagues the DS3 as well as other Citroen and Peugeot diesels. What you’ll notice is a large red “SERVICE” light on the dashboard. This doesn’t mean, as you may expect, that the car needs a service – it means there’s a mechanical fault. You’ll also get a “UREA” warning light flashing, and you will notice on your screen that it says “Emissions Fault – Starting prevented in X miles”. Obviously as you continue to drive the car, the figure will get lower until it reaches 0 and you will be unable to start the car.

Sometimes, all this means is that your Adblue has run out and you need to top it up. You should be EXTREMELY careful when filling up your AdBlue. Many petrol stations, especially those at motorway services, have AdBlue pumps, and these are not designed for passenger cars, but for HGVs. HGVs take significantly more AdBlue than your DS3 will and there is the possibility that you can over-fill the tank, which can cause damage to the AdBlue pump and the tank. Only fill your AdBlue tank with containers, and if you’re not sure, ask Citroen to do it for you (the charge should be less than £100.)

The white peugeot dci is parked on a cobblestone street.

However, if you’re sure that your AdBlue tank is sufficiently full, this could be the dreaded UREA pump fault. What you must do in this case is do an OBD code read on your car and look for the following codes:

U0118 87 Multiplexed Additive Pump

P1435 – Multiplexed Additive Pump

These two codes in particular indicate that your UREA pump is failing. This is a well known issue with PSA AdBlue systems and the recommended action here is to replace the entire UREA pump assembly. With this system you can’t buy the pump and tank separately, so the whole thing needs to be replaced, and the part is priced at circa £1000 from Citroen. 

While the tank is very, very expensive, the labour to fit it is not – it’s only around a one or two hour job. There have been cases (although don’t quote me on this) of Citroen willing to fit a customer-purchased tank, so you may want to look on eBay to see if you can get a tank for less than the cost of a genuine one and have Citroen fit it for you. You should ask your local dealer whether they’d be willing to do this first and get it in writing. Additionally the tank will need to be coded to the car, which the dealer will need to do (a local garage won’t have the equipment to be able to do this.)

It’s worth saying that if you see the above two codes, get a dealer to give you a diagnosis – I don’t want to be the one responsible for convincing you to purchase a £1000 AdBlue tank if your fault is something else. However, I have had a number of these cases and when we saw those two codes, we’d tell the customer to take the car to a dealer and be prepared for a significant bill. 

Check also if your vehicle is under warranty, even if you bought it from another dealer that’s not an official franchised Citroen agent, as their warranty may cover this (and if they do agree to fix it, they’ll be sending it to Citroen for them to repair the fault and paying for it themselves.) 

Puretech engine – excessive oil consumption (petrol only)

You may notice that specifically on the 1L and 1.2L Puretech petrol engines, you burn a heck of a lot of oil. Some people have commented that the car will use up to 1L of oil every 2,500 miles which is usually the sign of damaged piston rings or a head gasket issue. However, this is actually normal for the Puretech engines specifically and if you go to Citroen with this issue, they will tell you that it is normal. 

These are good engines but if they’re not serviced correctly with exactly the right kind of oil, they start to experience problems at around 75,000 – 100,000 miles, and that can include excessive oil consumption. You may also notice that for a three cylinder petrol they sound like a tractor when you start them up. The only advice I can give you here is for you to make sure you service your car diligently at the correct intervals, and take the car to a garage that you trust to perform servicing. You should also keep a bottle of oil handy and check the dipstick at least once a week.

Clutch biting point

Some customers have brought me their DS3 to complain of a high clutch biting point. These are usually customers who have never driven a French car before and aren’t aware that on most French cars, particularly Peugeot, Citroen and DS but also Renault (as well as some Japanese manufacturers) the clutch biting point is usually very high. I’m not sure exactly why this is, but you’ll notice the difference if you’re used to driving, for example, a Ford Fiesta, and you jump into a DS3. 

A small silver car parked on the side of the road.

This isn’t a fault and there’s no fix for it – you’ll just need to put up with it. If you really can’t get on with the clutch and you’re stalling the car all the time, it’s worth just getting your clutch checked out as when the clutch begins to wear, it can cause the bite point to become even higher.

Recalls

There are around 30 recall actions related to the DS3 in the UK. Some of the more significant include the following:

R2021/238 – The operation of the vacuum pump may be affected due to material detaching from the timing belt

R/2019/339 – Front airbag ignitiers may not deploy correctly

R/2017/300 – Suspension and steering fixings may not be tightened to the correct torque

R/2012/123 – Wheel bolts may become loose

R/2011/127 – Airbag may not deploy correctly

R/2010/076 – Front axle may detach

It’s worth mentioning before you start thinking that all DS3s are deathtraps is that each of these recalls will have affected a very small number of Citroen DS3s – and for example, if you’ve ever had any significant work done on a car where the wheel bolts may become loose, it’s likely this is a non-issue as the wheels on your car have likely been off and re-torqued correctly anyway.

However, for any car you’re looking to purchase, you should do a recall check online to check whether your car was subject to a recall, and if it was, whether it was ever done. You can do this when doing an MOT check. Check with the dealer if the car you’re planning to purchase has been subject to a recall and ask to see documentation that it was completed.

Check out some of our other content about the Citroen DS3!

]]> https://thefatmech.com/citroen-ds3-common-faults/feed/ 2 Citroen DS3 vs Peugeot 208 – Used Car Buying Guide  https://thefatmech.com/ds3-vs-peugeot-208/ https://thefatmech.com/ds3-vs-peugeot-208/#respond Fri, 23 Dec 2022 05:35:55 +0000 https://thefatmech.com/?p=1224 Read moreCitroen DS3 vs Peugeot 208 – Used Car Buying Guide ]]> The battle of the Frenchies – the Peugeot 208 and the Citroen DS3 (later just the DS3.) If you’re in the market for a used car chances are you’ve come across one or both of these models and are looking for some comparison information before you choose to buy.

In this article we’re going to take a comprehensive look at both the Peugeot 208 and the DS3 and how they stack up against each other, so you’re armed with the information you need before you buy. And I know my stuff, too – I owned a Peugeot 208 for several years, and as a mechanic, have worked on more DS3s than you can count.

Underneath the Peugeot 208 and the DS3 are very similar cars – even sharing aspects of interior trim and the running gear, including the engines and gearboxes. However there are a few specific and important things that separate them which we’ll go into in depth in this article.

Let’s dive in first with a look at the specifications and statistics for both cars. 

Citroen DS3 and Peugeot 208 – Specifications

Bear in mind that a lot of these figures change based on the specific engine, gearbox or trim level the car was fitted with, so sometimes we’ve had to give ranges rather than exact figures. 

Also note here that we are discussing the DS3 up until the 19 plate series of cars, and not the post 69 plate. The reason for this is that the platform the DS3 was based on changed, and had much more in common with the Peugeot 2008 after this. To keep things fair we’re also talking about the first generation Peugeot 208 (also up to 2019) and not the post 2019 second generation Peugeot 208.

Peugeot 208Citroen DS3 (later DS3)
Power67 – 162bhp82 – 165bhp
0 – 60mph7.1 seconds – 15.7 seconds7 seconds – 14 seconds
Doors3 or 53
Seats55
EURO NCAP safety rating5 star (2012)5 star (2009)
Used price range (Jan 2023)£2,000 – £12,000£2,000 – £13,000
Gearboxes4 or 6 speed automatic, 5 or 6 speed manual4 or 6 speed automatic, 5 or 6 speed manual
Driven axleFrontFront
Boot space311 litres285 litres
Fuel economy40mpg – 68mpg45 – 80mpg
Road tax£0 – £220£0 – £220
Fuel capacity50 litres48 litres
Weight975 – 1295kg974 – 1175kg
Euro Emissions Standard5 and 65 and 6

We’re also referring to the non-GTi and THP versions of both the DS3 and Peugeot 208.

Let’s get into what separates these two popular French superminis.

Styling

In my view, these are two of the best looking used cars you can buy – far better than even the Ford Fiesta of similar vintage, although I’m a big French car fan so that might have something to do with it.

The Peugeot 208 is a huge step up from its predecessor, the 207 – which was designed and built during a period where Peugeot had almost lost their way in terms of design. Thankfully, the 208 is a very handsome little car, and while I feel it looks better from certain angles rather than others, it’s a very respectable piece of design and one that would look right at home on anyone’s driveway.

A Peugeot 208 is parked on a street in front of an old building.
Peugeot 208

I do, however, think the Citroen DS3 beats the 208 in this category, as it’s just that little more distinctive, interesting and funky-looking. It looks more purposeful than the 208, and pitching them side by side does give you a real perspective at how much more modern and fresh the DS3 compares to the 208.

A red citroen c3 parked on the side of a street.
Citroen DS3

As much as I’m a Peugeot 208 fan, the DS3 wins the styling award.

Winner – DS3

Engine and drivetrain

This is where we will struggle to set apart the DS3 and the 208 as underneath they are essentially the same car. Both models were manufactured with Peugeot/Citroen’s range of Puretech/VTi petrol engines and HDi diesel engines.

We’ve written extensively about both types of engine on The FatMech, but it’s worth giving you a whistle stop tour of what is available and what you should look out for.

Petrol 1L/1.2L/1.4/1.6 PureTech/VTi engines

The 1.0L and 1.2L are great for town driving and short distances. They’re reasonably economical and will handle the odd motorway run. They aren’t particularly refined engines, and you will absolutely not want to buy one if you are doing 20,000 miles per year on the motorway. 

The engine compartment of a car.
Puretech Engine (fitted to Peugeot 208)

Make sure you service these engines when required. If you don’t you are opening yourself up to lots of potential problems including issues with the timing belt. These engines also tend to burn oil when they get to around 60,000 – 70,000 miles, so you must watch out for this (I’ve had these cars where the owner doesn’t check the oil, and the car has burned oil and caused damage to the engine.)

The 1.4 and 1.6 suffer from similar issues that plague the smaller engines but are far more refined and more fun to drive – with these engines you feel like you have enough power to get out of your own way without the engine screaming at you. Either would be my choice in a petrol engined 208 or DS3.

Diesel 1.4L/1.6L HDi/BlueHDi engines

These are cracking engines and genuinely some of the best diesel engines that have ever been put in a French car. You will find these engines in Peugeot/Citroen vans, Ford, Volvo and Mini cars, just to name a few. You again need to keep them serviced at the recommended intervals but far less goes wrong with them than the petrol engines. Again, get the cambelt changed as per the service requirements as this has a tendency to fail at around 100,000 – 110,000 miles. 

A picture of the engine compartment of a car.
1.6L HDi engine fitted to a Peugeot 208

If it were my choice I would pick a BlueHDi over an HDi as the BlueHDi is Euro 6 compliant and will allow you to drive into clean air zones without charge. The only real difference between the two is the addition of an AdBlue tank which you will need to have topped up as and when it runs low as if you don’t this will prevent the car from starting. 

Additionally don’t buy a diesel if you’re doing less than 10k per year or if you’re mainly doing stop-start or town driving, as you will clog up the DPF. For the sales rep or consultant doing 20k a year on motorways, however, these engines are perfect.

Gearboxes

This is where the drivetrain can fall a bit short on either car. They share the same family of gearboxes – either a 5 or 6 speed manual, a 4 speed automatic, a 5 speed automated manual transmission or a 6 speed EAT manual transmission.

Very quickly – don’t pick either the 4 speed or 5 speed auto. The 4 speed is very unrefined and the 5 speed is basically a manual gearbox with the clutch operated by a computer. This can be very jerky and unpleasant to drive so I would steer clear altogether and go for the proper, torque converter EAT6 automatic gearbox. This wasn’t fitted until after 2015, so you may need to spend a bit more money to get a later car if you need auto.

As far as manuals go, the 5 speed manual is reliable but it is unrefined and noisy. You’ll often notice clunks, especially when shifting into third gear or downshifting into first gear. It isn’t precise and feels a lot like churning butter – nowhere near as snappy as the gear change on a Ford Fiesta, for example.

The 6 speed manual is by far the better option. While it’s a little less vague than the 5-speed, it’s still not particularly precise, but is a far better gearbox in that it’s much more refined and a lot less noisy. This would absolutely be my choice across the whole range.

Winner – draw

Interior

Both cars are very stylish on the inside. There’s definitely an element of that French flair for style present on both cars, but I’d have to say that the more distinctive interior belongs to the Peugeot 208. The DS3 is a little bit too normal in this respect – although it is very smart.

What you’ll notice when you spend time in either car is that they share a lot of the internal components – window controls, indicator and cruise control stalk, etc. However, while the style of the 208’s interior does take the crown, the build quality has to go to the Citroen, as it feels just that little bit more premium and upmarket inside.

Creature comforts like an armrest and cup holders are worth mentioning here – neither car comes with an armrest as standard, although you can purchase one from the dealer or aftermarket models on eBay and Amazon. The Peugeot 208 comes with two cup holders that are between the two front seats, and with an option to purchase additional cupholders that fit in the little space underneath the heater controls. These are a bit pointless though, as they only really fit a small can of Coke and anything larger than this won’t fit. They’re also not really wide enough for two cups. 

The interior of a car with leather seats and steering wheel.
Citroen DS3 interior shot (Jakub “Flyz1” Maciejewski, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

The DS3 however doesn’t have any cup holders as standard but you can buy an accessory part from Citroen to retrofit one cup holder – which in all honesty really isn’t great.

One thing we really need to mention here is Peugeot’s i-Cockpit. I will preface this by saying that I never, ever noticed any of the problems people complain about in relation to the i-Cockpit, and I’m pretty tall (6’1”) but there are a lot of people complaining that due to the design (you are supposed to view the dials over the steering wheel, and not through the wheel as you do on almost every other car) that the dials aren’t visible or they are obstructed by the wheel.

The interior of a car with orange seats and a steering wheel.
Peugeot 208 interior dashboard shot

You need to try the 208 before you can make a call on this – make sure you adjust the steering wheel to a point where you can see the dials and drive comfortably at the same time. 

This section goes to the 208 – while the DS3’s build quality is better and feels a bit more refined inside, the 208’s styling is better and the lack of cupholders in the DS3 for anyone who spends any significant amount of time on the road is a bit of a dealbreaker.

Winner – 208

Practicality

This is another section where the 208 wins out, simply because of two things – boot space and doors.

The difference in boot space isn’t massive (only 26 litres) but it does mean that the 208 is a more practical option. The real difference however is that the DS3 only comes with 3 doors – a 5 door version was never made. The 208 comes with both 3 and 5 doors (and in my opinion, with the exception of the GTi, the 5 door looks better than the 3 door).

Both cars have quite a high boot lip, and if you’re fitting anything larger than a few suitcases, you’re going to have to at least remove the parcel shelf, if not lay down the split folding rear seats. In neither car do the seats fold flat, and you might find that anything reasonably tall brushes the roof lining due to the fact that the rear seats sit at such an angle when laid flat.

The trunk of an orange car with a black interior.
Peugeot 208 boot with the seats folded up

While both cars are small, the Peugeot 208 does far better in the rear and can (at a squeeze) fit three large adults sitting in the back. The DS3 is much more of a struggle, and for anyone taller than six feet, it’s not a pleasant or comfortable experience – and you may find that you need to sacrifice the middle seat due to space constraints.

 A spare wheel is also standard across the range of 208s – you don’t get one in the DS3. 

However, both cars come with ISOFIX in the rear and in the front, and both have reasonable sized tailgate openings. Additionally due to the similar range of engines and gearboxes, braked and unbraked towing weights are respectable for this class of car.

All in all a disappointing performance for the DS3 – and this one goes to the 208.

Winner – 208

Reliability

All in all this is very similar across the two cars simply because they share so much of their drivetrain. Pick diesels and not petrols if you want better reliability – you should easily get 150,000 miles out of an HDi engine without too much trouble providing you use it properly. 

If you have a petrol be prepared to change the timing belt at 60,000 miles and six years, and be prepared to carry around a bottle of oil with you and check the dipstick every thousand miles. 

Gearboxes are fairly reliable units unless you’re driving like a boy racer – clutches should last you just as long as they’d last in any other car and big repair bills for these cars aren’t common.

On the 208 in particular, watch for common issues such as front strut top mounts going bad, and on the DS3 watch for snapped springs and electric windows failing.

Winner – draw

Conclusion

So the results are in – let’s see who’s won.

StylingDS3
Engine and DrivetrainDraw
Interior208
Practicality208
ReliabilityDraw

Overall winner – Peugeot 208

With two draws, that makes it 2-1 to the 208! Fundamentally these are very similar cars, but you’ll need to decide whether the dealbreakers I’ve listed in this article are actually dealbreakers for you. Generally however, these are good little cars and you should have many miles of trouble free motoring out of either of them.

We’ve written extensively about the Peugeot 208, and so if you’re interested in learning more about the car you are potentially going to purchase, check out some of our more detailed articles below. 

Looking for a used car in the city of Jackson Township, NJ? We invite you to visit schumacherused.com!

]]> https://thefatmech.com/ds3-vs-peugeot-208/feed/ 0 Citroen C1 Life Expectancy – How long will it last? https://thefatmech.com/citroen-c1-life-expectancy/ https://thefatmech.com/citroen-c1-life-expectancy/#comments Sun, 18 Dec 2022 20:35:51 +0000 https://thefatmech.com/?p=1158 Read moreCitroen C1 Life Expectancy – How long will it last?]]> Our data suggests the average lifespan of a Citroen C1 is 8 years and 22 days. Diesels tend to last longer than petrols. This is based on an analysis of over 140,000 Citroen C1s registered in the UK between 2006 and 2022.

The Citroen C1, like its identical brothers the Peugeot 107 and Toyota Aygo has sold in huge numbers since it was released in 2005, thanks to incredibly reliable running gear, handsome interior and exterior styling and frugal fuel efficiency, making it an ideal first car for the thousands of new drivers on the road every year.

Citroen ceased production of the C1 in January 2022, so if you’re looking to purchase a C1 now, you may be concerned about things like parts availability, or long-term reliability. In this article we’re going to go through the kind of life expectancy you will get out of your Citroen C1, as well as things to watch out for and preventative maintenance you can take to ensure your C1 lasts as long as possible.

What to consider – not just age

Of course, how long a car lasts isn’t just determined by its age – mileage is very important too. For example if you’re looking for a 2017 Citroen C1 and you find one that’s done 150,000 miles for sale, it’s highly unlikely to last as long as a 2017 model that has only done 24,000 miles, and that’s simply due to wear and tear on the components.

However, even if yours is a low mileage example, there are a few things to think about when considering the longevity of a Citroen C1.

Timing belt (where applicable)

Most petrol C1s come with a timing chain, which, with regular servicing, should last the life of the car – they don’t tend to stretch or cause other problems that would require them to be replaced. However, of course, if you don’t service your car regularly you may find you need to budget for a timing chain replacement at some point while you own the car.

The diesel models use the very reliable PSA HDi engine (which was also fitted to many Ford, MINI and Volvo cars). These do have a timing belt which needs to be replaced at 100,000 miles or ten years. Don’t delay getting the timing belt changed – budget for it and get it done on time or even early if possible. It’s likely only something you’ll need to do once while you own the car, and if it snaps, your car is likely going to be uneconomical to repair as it’ll need a new engine.

Regular servicing

This goes without saying for any car but you need to make sure you have your Citroen C1 serviced at the recommended intervals – which should be one year or every 10,000 miles. This will go a long way to preventing larger mechanical problems as your car gets older and will also ensure your car lasts as long as possible. 

A small red car parked in front of a building.
(this is a Peugeot 107 but is exactly the same car as a Citroen C1)

You need to be particularly mindful of this when buying a used Citroen C1, especially if it’s done at least 30,000 miles, as you need to be absolutely sure the owner has had it serviced properly at the recommended intervals. Even if you service it regularly, a lack of maintenance in its first life can come back to bite you later on down the line and may mean the car doesn’t last as long as it otherwise would have.

Common issues with the Citroen C1 you need to watch out for

A couple of things you need to be mindful of with the Citroen C1 – the front footwells tend to leak water, and if not addressed this can cause mould and mildew as well as corrosion issues. There is a dealer modification to fix this, so you will want to check this has been done (this is basically just another seal above the door).

Additionally they require clutch adjustment on a regular basis –  this should be part of routine maintenance for this car and the Citroen dealer will know what to do and when it needs doing. If you don’t do this, the car’s biting point becomes exceptionally high – up to the point of the last few centimetres of pedal travel. You may also be replacing the clutch early – thinking that your Citroen C1 needs a new clutch when actually it just needs a pedal adjustment.

Of course, this doesn’t apply if you have an automatic C1. These however come with their own set of problems, and we’ve written an article about common Citroen C1/Peugeot 107 automatic gearbox problems that you may want to take a look at.

Checking that the car has been serviced properly, and that these common (but minor) issues have been looked at will go a long way to ensuring your Citroen C1 lasts as long as possible.

Life expectancy data

We’ve pulled this data from howmanyleft.co.uk, which is a brilliant site that uses UK Department for Transport data detailing how many cars are licensed and how many are SORN’ed (declared off the road) at any given time. 

This data doesn’t immediately tell you how long a car lasts – only how many are still on the road or declared off the road. As such, we’ve had to do some modeling and calculation in terms of how long we might expect a vehicle to last. We’ve had to look primarily at the first generation of the Citroen C1 in order to work this out, as they’ve been on the road the longest and therefore there is more data on them.

To explain our methodology – we went through each individual variation of the C1 we could get accurate data on that has ever been registered in the UK. We took the total number of registrations for that particular variant. We then took the figure in Q2 2022, which was the latest data available at the time of writing, and we calculated the percentage of cars that were on the road at this time compared to the higher figure.

For example – let’s take the Citroen C1 AIRPLAY.

Total registered in the UK: 614

Total still on the road in Q2 2022: 410

Therefore – 410/614 = 66.8% of the cars registered in Q4 2007 are still on the road in Q2 2022

Therefore any given Citroen C1 AIRPLAY on the road in 2007 had a 66.8% chance of still being on the road in 2022. We then did a simple calculation of 66.8% x 15 years giving us a total of 10.02 years, or 10 years and 7 days as the average lifespan of this particular variant. 

We’re aware that there’s a flaw in our methodology in that we don’t consider mileage, only age. Unfortunately this isn’t really something we can do anything about as aggregated average mileage data doesn’t really exist on this scale. Therefore we can only do this exercise based on age.

We then repeated this data modeling exercise across as any variants of the Citroen C1 where adequate data exists, which gave us the following results:

No. of Citroen C1s in the dataset141467
No. of Citroen C1 variants analysed36
% of Citroen C1s on the road in 202286.8%
Average lifespan of a Citroen C1 8 years 22 days (8.06 years)

Citroen C1 life expectancy – some insights

Of the 141467 Citroen C1s we analysed, 122740 are still on the road (86.8%). 

The vast majority (98%) of Citroen C1s still on the road are petrol powered. Only 2% are diesel powered.

The diesel powered C1s have a longer average lifespan than petrol ones – 7 years and 11 months for petrol vs 9 years and 8 months for diesel. It’s worth noting however that the registration dates for most diesels date from around 2006 – 2010 so this may be skewing the data somewhat.

One of the first Citroen C1 variants launched in 2005, the Rhythm, gives us an interesting story – of the diesels, there are 58% still on the road in 2022 vs 76% of the petrols. This lends some credence to the theory that the C1 petrol is more reliable than the C1 diesel – or it could be argued that the diesels likely did more mileage and reached the end of their useful life sooner than the petrols.

All in all there’s a lot of conclusions that can be drawn from this data. If you want to have a copy for yourself, leave a comment below and I will email you the data I have gathered to come to these conclusions.

Check out some more of our articles on the Citroen C1/Peugeot 107/Toyota Aygo!

]]> https://thefatmech.com/citroen-c1-life-expectancy/feed/ 1 How much is a clutch for a Citroen C1? https://thefatmech.com/citroen-c1-clutch-replacement/ https://thefatmech.com/citroen-c1-clutch-replacement/#respond Sat, 24 Sep 2022 20:06:53 +0000 https://thefatmech.com/?p=542 Read moreHow much is a clutch for a Citroen C1?]]> Short answer – between £415 and £535 depending on the year of your car and the brand of clutch kit fitted.

The Citroen C1 is a hugely popular city car that was manufactured in numerous iterations between June 2005 – January 2022. The Citroen C1 shares most of it’s running gear with the Peugeot 108 and the Toyota Aygo, meaning these cars are exceptionally common and therefore most garages should be very familiar performing clutch replacements on them. 

Occasionally, you are going to need a new clutch. There are numerous signs that point to the fact that your clutch needs replacing, but as soon as you’re aware that your clutch is worn, you should book the car into the garage to get it done. If a clutch fails, you will lose your drive, meaning you could be put in a dangerous situation, especially if it happens on a fast-moving road.

We’re going to go through exactly how much you might expect to pay at a local garage for a clutch replacement. Of course – if you take your car into a Citroen dealer, you can expect to pay more, as labour costs are far greater than at independent garages. We’ve also listed a few important tips and tricks so that you can better identify when your Citroen C1 clutch might need to be replaced.

How much is a new clutch for a Citroen C1?

In order to work this out, we’ve done a bit of research into the cost of parts if you went and bought them from Euro Car Parts, as well as the average labour cost to fit the new clutch. A clutch replacement is a very labour intensive job – the whole gearbox has to come out, which means the driveshafts have to be removed and the gearbox drained of oil. 

Parts Needed:

Clutch kit (clutch plate, release bearing and pressure plate)

Gearbox oil (75W-80 or 75W-90 for the Citroen C1)

Labour required – roughly 5-6 hours

The cheapest clutch kit I could find was this a Transmech kit at £85. Your garage may also prefer to fit the LUK Clutch at £145 – generally given that a clutch replacement is such an expensive job you’re advised to fit the best clutch you can afford to the vehicle.

Gearbox oil isn’t expensive but you will need some – you’ll likely pay around £15 per litre, so budget £30 for new gearbox oil.

5-6 hours labour at £50 per hour + VAT is £250 – £300 of labour.

Therefore, to figure out how much a clutch is for a Citroen C1, let’s do the maths for each version of the clutch kit:

Transmech

Clutch kit£85
Gearbox Oil£30
Labour £360 (£300 + VAT)
Total Cost£475

LUK

Clutch kit£145
Gearbox Oil£30
Labour £360 (£300 + VAT)
Total Cost£535

Total cost = between £415 and £535

However, the above costs are entirely dependent on whether anything else has gone wrong with the car – which any good garage should point out to you when the job is being done and ask for your approval before going ahead with any work. Additionally be aware that you could be knocking off £50 of labour if the garage can do the job more quickly.

A small silver car parked on the side of a street.
Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Any decent garage probably sees at least one of these cars every week if not more often, given that they’re also around in Peugeot and Toyota iterations. I’d be very surprised if a garage can’t get through a Citroen C1 clutch replacement in six hours – so you shouldn’t be paying any more.

What does a clutch actually do?

A clutch is an integral part of your vehicle’s drivetrain. When the clutch is engaged (when the pedal is up) the engine is connected directly to the wheels through the gearbox. This allows engine power to be applied to the wheels, and the car moves. When you disengage the clutch (push the pedal down) you disconnect the engine and gearbox from the wheels. This means you have no power going to the wheels – and you’ll see this if you push the clutch in and rev the engine, the car doesn’t go anywhere.

When you bring the clutch up, the clutch plate, pressure plate and flywheel are brought together by springs on the clutch plate. While you’re slipping the clutch, the engine and transmission speeds are being matched. You’ll feel when they have matched, because you can lift your clutch pedal all the way up. This process is called “slipping the clutch” – not to be confused with your “clutch slipping” which is a sign of wear which we’ll discuss in a moment.

When you push your foot down on the clutch pedal, the pressure plate is pulled away from the clutch plate, meaning that when you change gear (and the transmission rotates at a different speed) you can do this without jerking forward or causing damage to the clutch mechanism or engine.

What does a worn clutch feel like?

A worn clutch can manifest itself in many ways – but some of the most common are as follows:

Spongy, sticky or noisy pedal

A clutch pedal should feel quite hard when you push it down – not as hard as the brake, but a lot harder than the accelerator pedal. If your clutch pedal is very easy to push down, and you don’t feel that there’s much of a spring in the pedal, this can be the sign of a worn clutch. Additionally if you push the pedal down and it doesn’t immediately return when you take your foot off, this is also a sign of a worn clutch. If there’s noticeable vibration, squeaking or grumbling when you use the clutch, this is the sign that you need to get it checked out in your local garage.

Poor acceleration

One other issue you an experience with a worn clutch is that if the clutch is engaged, and you push the pedal and the engine revs but the car doesn’t pick up speed, this is an indication that your clutch is close to failure. This is described as your clutch “slipping” and it means that power from the engine isn’t being effectively applied to the wheels.

High biting point

This is something that can catch people out on a French car like the Citroen C1 as generally French cars have a high biting point – you see this across the range of Peugeot, Renault, Citroen and DS gearboxes. However, an extremely high biting point (to the point where just the slightest movement means the difference between moving off correctly and stalling) suggests a failing clutch. If you feel like clutch control has become more difficult on your car, or your biting point has got higher, you should get your car checked out.

How much does it cost to replace a Ford Fiesta gearbox?

There are other signs, but these are the main ones. Experiencing any of these means your clutch is likely to fail soon and you should immediately get it checked by a garage you trust.

How long can you drive with a worn clutch?

This depends on how close your clutch is to failing. If you’ve just noticed it slipping, it’s probably OK for a few days or even maybe a few weeks if you do mainly motorway driving, which doesn’t really cause much wear on the clutch as you don’t change gear as often. However if you can notice any kind of distinct smell when changing gear, or the pedal sticks to the floor and you have to pull it up manually with your foot, I wouldn’t advise you drive anywhere other than your local garage to get the clutch changed. If you are going to drive with a worn clutch, make sure you’ve got breakdown insurance.

How many miles should a clutch last?

The answer to this is “it depends” – and it depends mainly on the type of driving you do and the way you drive your car. If you mainly do motorway miles (which means you don’t use the clutch, as the car is left in gear for many hours at a time) and you’re careful, don’t slip the clutch unnecessarily, don’t hold the clutch in when stopped at lights and don’t hold the clutch at the bite when stopped on a hill, there’s no reason you can’t expect 100,000 miles or more out of a clutch.

However, if you have a lot of bad habits and you do all these things, you could wear out a clutch in less than 30,000 miles. If you drive like you’re on the Fast and Furious it might be even less than that. If you drive sensibly and with mechanical sympathy in mind, you’ll find your clutch lasts a lot longer – so here are some tips to prolong the life of your clutch.

  • Don’t hold the clutch in when stopped at traffic lights. Shift to neutral and use the handbrake.
  • Don’t use the clutch to hold you still on a hill. This is fine if you’re at a give way and you’re waiting for a few seconds but if you’re stopped for an extended period of time, such as in traffic, shift to neutral and use the handbrake.
  • Don’t move off without gas – this is something that a lot of learners are taught and it’s not good. A clutch needs gas when you move off – not much, as that can also cause wear, but at least 1500 – 2000 rpm.
  • Don’t use too high a gear – as you’ll spend more time slipping the clutch to engage it and this can cause wear.

Ultimately a clutch doesn’t really wear unless it becomes hot. There’s a certain amount of heat generated when the clutch is used properly and this is unavoidable, but don’t make a habit of doing anything that gets the clutch unnecessarily hot.

Is it worth replacing a clutch?

Again the answer to this is that it depends. If you have an older C1, you might think that it’s not worth doing as the cost of a new clutch is going to be a significant proportion of the cost of the car itself. However, even if you look at the lower end of the market it’s highly unlikely you’re going to be able to get a new C1 with a brand new clutch for the money it would cost you just to do your own clutch, plus the value of your car. 

A red car parked on the side of the road.
Vauxford, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Any old used car is likely to need a new clutch in the near future unless it’s been done recently – and the old saying goes that the cheapest car you can get is the one you already have, so if you plan to keep the car for at least the next twelve months, it’s worth doing.

Why do I need a clutch “kit” and not just a clutch?

A clutch kit consists of the release bearing, which goes on the input shaft of the gearbox, and then the pressure plate and clutch plate itself. You should never do a clutch job without replacing all three, as it isn’t only the clutch plate that wears. If any one of these parts fails, you will lose your drive and your car will have to be towed – so you must replace all the parts at the same time.

Can a clutch fail suddenly?

It can, but this is usually not as a result of the clutch itself failing – it’s usually as a result of either the clutch cable itself failing or snapping. If your clutch has failed without any of the above signs of gradual failure, you should get this checked first as it may just be a cause of replacing the clutch cable. The Citroen C1 has a clutch cable – many other cars have hydraulic clutches where fluid can leak out and contaminate the clutch, which can also cause failure.

Can you change a clutch yourself?

You can, but you’ll need to be very competent mechanically and either have a lift or not mind getting under a car supported by axle stands. You’ll also need a transmission jack and you’ll need a significant array of tools including many different sockets, a torque wrench and a clutch alignment tool. I wouldn’t advise you to attempt this unless you’ve got significant experience doing other jobs on your car.

Bmw x1 x2 x3 x4 x5 x6 x7 x8 x9 .

Should you bed in a new clutch?

Bedding in a new clutch isn’t required to the level a new set of brake discs or pads is – however you should avoid spirited driving for the first 500 miles or so to ensure that the clutch beds in properly. However, it isn’t something you really need to think about in the same way you might with a set of brakes, and as long as you’re driving normally, you shouldn’t really worry about it.

Check out some more of our transmission/gearbox related articles!

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