raveydavey

Did you get a response? I ask as I'm awaiting a response to a phone call from before Christmas.

There are known problems with the A/C on C3's and Citroen have modified several A/C components in an attempt to sort this. I've got an 03 HDi Desire, so manual A/C rather than C/C but it has already failed twice. First time it was still under warranty so was sorted at the dealers. Second time was about 6 months after the warranty had expired. Citroen and the dealer I took the car to initially didn't want to know and it took a lot of messing about on my behalf to get that decision partially reversed. I was told that the parts that had failed this time were different to the parts that had failed initially and the car was out of warranty meaning the full cost was down to me. I even had a load of guff from the dealer telling me that "perhaps you've used up all the gas"!?!?!?!?!?! It was only due to my preseverence and contacts within the motor trade that I managed to establish that it was the same components that had failed (fractured pipe) both times, but that a new superceded part was now supplied by Citroen to replace it. The fact the part had been modified and superceded indicated to me that this was a problem that was known about - why change it otherwise? Eventually Citroen agreed to pay for the parts if I agreed to pay for the labour - I'm not entirely happy with that solution but it's better than nothing which is what Citroen offered initially. I'm also less than impressed with the fact that both Citroen and the dealer lied / mislead me about the failed parts. It seems Citroen A/C isn't especially robust - I ran a Nissan before this for 3 years where the A/C worked 100% of the time, no problems and I have a colleague with an 8 year old Honda who has never touched the A/C other than to turn it on or off and has had no problems with it either. Depending who you speak to at Citroen apparently you need an annual / bi-annual A/C service on your car?

That is a downright lie and you would be well within your rights to complain most vigourously to the dealer principle and /or local trading standards. I wouldn't bother with a complaint to Citroen Customer Services though - I'm still waiting for a call back from them in December. They give a very good impression of not giving a hoot.

I was recommended to Dryclough Lane Garage in Halifax by a friend and have found they provide excellent service and are also quite a bit cheaper than the dealers. They were much cheaper for my 50,000 mile service (using all genuine parts) and they do loan cars too! They are a Citroen / Renault specialist - I seem to remember the guy that runs it used to work at the main dealer before it was bought out by one of the big chains. I would definately recommend them. Hope that helps.

I've got the same problem with mine, but since I've no plans to sell the car I'm living with it. You could always get a universal aftermarket gearlever knob from somewhere like Halfords or Motor World if you didn't want to pay genuine Citroen prices - or try a salvage agent for a second hand one. Most salvage agents will sell you one off the shelf.

Having sausage fingers myself :D I just get the garage to do it. I did have a look when the N/S bulb went but could barely get my hand it, let along take the bulb out! N/S bulb was replaced at a main dealer who charged me £18.50+vat for the bulb, but nothing for fitting - which would have been fair enough if the headlight hadn't filled with condensation two days later when it rained...a trip back to them got it sorted (they replaced the headlight) The O/S bulb was fitted by an independent who'd only serviced the car 3 weeks earlier (why do bulbs almost always go after the car has been in the garage???) who fitted a bulb whilst I waited and charged me a very reasonable £10 all in. It would have cost about that for the bulb from Halfords.

Returning to the original point, I would only use Kwik Fit in the direst emergency and only then if I couldn't find anyone else to do the work. They do the fleet work for the firm I work for and have kindly provided a "special price" for all work for those of us who don't have company cars. I needed a new tyre (I wanted the same Michelin Energy tyre that the car was supplied with) for my 2003(03) C3 1.4 HDi Desire and they quoted me a whopping £90 fitted for one tyre! A bit of shopping around saw me get the exact same Michelin Energy tyre for £38 all in - fitting, valve, balance and VAT. Plus I'd be extremely wary of any fitter who seems to thing the correct way to tighten up wheel nuts is to simply get the air gun on them and fire them up as tight as they'll go. Not only are they risking damaging the wheel / nut / hub, but they are making it near impossible for you to get the wheel off at the roadside if you get a flat. Every vehicle will have a specific torque setting that the wheel nuts should be tightened up to, so the last thing you should see the fitter doing (before replacing the wheeltrims if you have them!) is using a torque wrench to ensure the correct setting has been reached.

Has anyone else had this done? I've got mine back and now have a resonating vibration at low revs (30mph in 4th, etc) or under gentle acceleration (like in traffic). A well known dealer did the fix last year and I had the problem when I got the car back so the two seemed linked, but the dealer assured me otherwise and eventually fixed it saying the vibration was a "drop link nut" after about 5 visits. At the last service (at an independant) I was advised that the recall sleeve had only been fitted to the O/S. Having consulted Citroen I've been advised that the original dealer had claimed for doing both springs, so was that the source of the rattle after all and they simply removed the sleeve to stop the vibration? It seems possible as I've now had the work completed at a different dealer and the exact same vibration is back... Anyone else had any problems with this, or can shed any light on it? On a related note I registered my concerns with Citroen customer care and was told someone would ring me back last week - to date there has been no phone call.

My heated rear window demister has packed up. After checking the fuse / relay and finding these OK, an inspection of the window reveals that the connector has simply come away from the glass. This looks suspiciously like a dry solder (ie not up to the job), but the car is now over 3 years old and out of warranty. I've tried supergluing the connector back on without success and given the cost of a new window (£200 fitted + vat - the only "proper" fix) asked a sparky to have a look at it, but to no avail - he'd tried to solder one back on before and the glass broke... Having asked around it seems that this is another common problem which Citroen know about. Has anyone else had this problem?

It would seem this is a common problem with the senso-drive. If you look at the AutoTrader website it seems that it is not unknown for the gearbox to simply give up the ghost! Is your clutch not under warranty? I appreciate that it could be classed as a "wearable" item but at this age / mileage I'd be looking to Citroen to cover the cost in full. I would ring Citroen rather than e-mailing them - my experience suggests that it can be a couple of weeks before they respond, which is no good in your situation.

Well, today was the day I cast aside the dealer network and went to an independent. The difference was unbelieveable! I dropped the car off at 7.15am - not the 8.30 the dealers insist on when there are often 10 or so people all trying to drop cars off at the same time. The owner insisted that I be given a lift back to work as it was raining. The 20 minute walk therefore became a dry, warm couple of minutes drive. I got a call mid-morning advising me what was being done to the car and what didn't need doing(!), but also pointing out a few problems: 1) several engine undertray bolts were missing. 2) the pollen filter was badly clogged and didn't look like it had been replaced according to schedule 3) when the suspension recall had been carried out the modification has only been fitted to the offside - the nearside nadn't been done. 4) it was recommended that the front wipers be replaced (fair enough, they were past their best and I'd intended to do them soon) In my opinion items 1-3 can be laid firmly at the door of the dealer who is the only person to have worked on the car before today. The additional bits (aside from the recall) were agreed and I confirmed I'd pick the car up at 4pm as agreed. When I picked the car up it was parked outside the door and this bit felt quite odd. All the work had been done, there were no parts "on back order" requiring a return visit, the invoice was at the agreed cost (to the penny) and the owner of the garage took the time to explain exactly what had been done, when the next service was due, etc before handing the keys over. That little combination is something no Citroen dealer has ever managed to do right first time in the almost 4 years / 50,000 miles I've owned the car. The work had been done by a qualified mechanic who took the time to ensure that the job was done correctly and had used genuine Citroen parts, yet managed to undercut the dealer by a considerable margin despite offering many of the facilites a dealer trumpets about (loan cars, lift to work, etc) but often fails to deliver. Without a shadow of a doubt I will be going back there for the next service.

You are probably right. The probalem now is that with extended service intervals and (generally) much more reliable cars visits to the garage are becoming less frequent - and it's only once you start having problems that you are tempted to shop around. As I've said almost all the dealerships (not just Citroen) around here are tied up by two or three big chains who run them all along the same lines.

The dealer is part of a large chain. It causes me considerable problems as most franchises around this part of the world have been snapped up by the same two chains, but of which appears solely target driven and don't appear to give two hoots for customer service.

Fair enough - but the frantic back tracking that followed indicated to me that they'd been trying it on. Why else the sudden and total change of heart once they realised they only replaced those exact same components recently?

There is a lot of it about. I had the suspension recall done on my HDi Desire. Dealer rang up while it was in saying I needed two tyres (fair enough, they were down to about 2 and a bit mm) and the front disks and pads needed changing. Agreed to have one new tyre fitted and put the spare on the other (keeping the best of those replaced as the spare) and to have the brakes done. Went to pick it up and they hadn't done the brakes as they didn't have the parts in stock...main dealer...no parts??? Anyway it went back in a week later and got sorted. A couple of months later it went in for the 37500 service and it's first MOT. Got a call just after lunch - apparently the MOT mechanic had passed the car but diagnosed a fault with the brakes(!) and I needed new front disks and pads and these were "safety critical" and I needed to have them replaced immediately. Apparently if I didn't have them done I may skid off the road without warning! But obviously not so safety critical it would fail the MOT? "Really" said I "you only replaced the disks and pads two months ago, so I presume that will be under your warranty then?" Cue lots of spluttering and frantic typing on the keyboard to bring up the vehicle details, followed by "Oh I don't know it's just what it says on the jobcard", followed by "I'll get the workshop controller to call you back" Several phone calls and no real explanation later I was told I didn't in fact need the brakes doing, everything was "OK" and it had been "a mistake"...

Main Dealer 50k service: £189 + the antifreeze wants changing (£39.99) and the brake fluid (it was "missed" last time apparently) £29.99 on my 2003/03 HDi Desire. Local Citroen specialist has quoted me £182 for all that doing using genuine Citroen parts, fitted by experienced ex-Citroen mechanics. They knew exactly what was needed as soon as I told them to mileage and gave me a run down. I was offered a lift back to work or a free loan car for the day and the owner of the garage is the former service manager of the Citroen dealer (when it was an independent before the big chain took it over) - and they were recommended by a friend which is always a good sign. So the specialist has all the experience and is using genuine parts and is considerably cheaper that the dealer. I was given better service when booking in, by someone who knew what they were doing. The main dealer has messed me about, hidden the truth regarding work and employ staff who think inane waffle is a subsitute for product knowledge on top of charging top dollar. The car is booked in next Thursday and I'll let you know how I get on.

I can only speak from my own experiences, but I'll not be using the main dealer in Leeds or Halifax again. Both part of massive chains and boy can you tell. I have in the past used a small family run dealer (Barkers at South Milford) who were absolutely spot on, but they were just a pain in the behind to get to being out in the sticks. It's certainly not a matter of cost either - I don't mind paying appropriately for top notch service, but I'll not be charged through the teeth and treated like an idiot. As the car is now out of warranty I guess the time has come to search out a decent independent specialist - if anyone can recommend one I'd be glad to hear it.

My 2003 C3 has manual air-con and has always suffered from misting up in wet weather if the a/c isn't switched on, even with the blower on high. The dealer reckons "they're all like that". Apparently the ventilation isn't brilliantly set up on them. Have a look at my thread on air con for a worst case scenario (although I think you're still covered by warranty)

Right-oh! Air con fixed. Citroen initially refused a goodwill claim, stating it was a different part that had failed. Much running around by me using contacts the general public wouldn't have access to discovered that whilst the part number was slightly different, the part was the same one that had failed previously - it had just been superceded. That to me indicates that they are aware of an issue and have altered the part accordingly. So were they misleading me, lying to me or was it a genuine oversight? I guess we'll never know, but if I was an ordinary member of the public I'd never have found out. Anyways MUCH discussion with Citroen followed with them finally agreeing to pay for the part but I'd have to pay for the labour. Still, it halved the bill so thats a result (of sorts). Not impressed with Citroen customer service and it has cast serious doubts over me buying another one. If they think this level of service is acceptable then they're having a laugh - it's not acceptable as a C3 owner, but if they're hoping to take on the likes of Audi and BMW with the C6 they don't have a hope in hell. As predicted the heater rear window now requires replacement as the connector has broken off. £190 from Autoglass fitted. So thats even less impressive on a car just out of warranty. Seems it's another common fault too. Finally, the dealer broke the plastic engine cover when doing the air-con. They denied it point blank, but oddly they had glued it back together without informing me (I only noticed when topping up the screenwash and it wasn't broken last time I was looking in the engine bay). So thats the last time I use them. Can anyone recommend a decent independant specialist in West Yorkshire? Preferably Leeds or Halifax?

Righty-oh, the fault has been diagnosed as a cracked air con pipe (again). Total cost of repairs, including "air con recharge and service" is a whopping £284.06 :( I've spoken to Citroen UK who advised me to have the dealer submit a goodwill claim. Apparently this will take a day or so to be considered. Parts are on order and the car is booked back in to be fixed on Friday, so I'm hoping Citroen come up trumps before then. The plan is / was to replace the C3 next year when it hits 4 years old (I had my eye on either a C3 HDI 16v Exclusive or C4 HDi VTR+). How the air con fault is resolved will play a large part in the decision on the replacement though. And as if I hadn't had enough good news this week, the heated rear window has packed up now... :lol:

Thanks for your advice. In answer to one point, the a/c is used everyday so that shouldn't be an issue. You're also right to mention that part of the check should be the re-gassing machine should pull a vacuum on the system as part of the process - obviously if there is a leak there won't be a vacuum. I presume at this point the re-gas will be abandoned while they find the leak, but as always I'd better point it out when I drop the car off.... ;) The dealer has been pretty good with other faults, so we will have to see how we go but I will be approaching Citroen for a "goodwill" gesture given the age of the car and the relatively recent warranty work.

The sensodrive gearbox is the bit to really consider - some people love it, some don't. The best bet would be to try before you buy. Check the usual things - service record, etc. Personally I reckon that the C3 is fantastic value for money and a great drive, but be aware that in some respects the quality can eb a bit patchy and if you will rely on the air-con be ready to splash the cash on keeping it working (see my post on the technical questions). Certainly here in the UK the dealer quality is patchy too.

Hi - I wonder if anyone can advise me? I've got a 2003(03) C3 HDi Desire and I'm having problems with the air-con. Basically it has stopped working! It had a repair to the air-con under warranty about 18 months ago (due to a cracked pipe, so I was told). Obviously now the car is out of warranty and the air-con has packed up again. The switch lights up but the compressor doesn't click in and the air isn't cooled. The dealer immediately said Citroen state that the air-con should be regassed every 18-24 months and that is what I need, but I find that hard to believe. It's a sealed system and the gas shouldn't just "vanish" after a set period of time, surely? I had a Nissan before the C3 and the a/c never needed touching and a mate has just sold his 8-year old 406 with the a/c working (and never having being touched in the 8 years he's owned it). The a/c system is the same (in principle) as a fridge - and you don't have your fridge regassed every 2 years, do you? It looks to me like a design fault - the ventilation (especially to the front screen) is poor at best and without the a/c I'm having to run round with the window open to stop the car fogging up. Any help would be appreciated as the car is booked in on Tuesday for £60's worth of gas before the dealer will consider anything else! I can see a large bill looming here...