c4coupe1

Thanks guys! I think I'll register for a day, and just save a load of stuff on my PC!

Thanks for that...most useful! I have had an EGR valve replaced due to it being sludged up. The symptoms were frequent hesitation when asking the car to accelerate quickly from a standstill. I have looked at taking the intercooler out for a wash (previously did this on my old C5..it was easy to get at) but on the C4 there are two rigid metal pipes preventing removal. The pipes are attached to the radiator, and I think they belong to the aircon system? This brings me to my next question.....How do you remove the intercooler without undoing the metal pipes?

Is it normal to have oil getting into the intercooler? (1.6HDi engine) I have a fair bit of oil in the ducts leading to/from the intercooler. Surely if the intercooler is contaminated with warm oil, it defeats the object of it? Similarly, won't the oil mist leaving the intercooler cause a sludge in the pipes where the air intake is joined by the EGR..thus leading to a sticking EGR valve and the resultant loss of immediate acceleration? Any help appreciated!

Average MPG on my 1.6HDi 92hp is 57-60. In the past I have managed 701 miles on a full tank, that was with steady driving, deliberately trying to get the most mpg. Only when driven hard will the mpg fall into the low 50's/high 40's. The excellent economy makes up for the slight lack of power the 92hp version has.

Does anyone know where I could source some Technical Manuals for the C4, either in hardcopy or electronic? Similarly, are there any technical manuals in existence for the 1.6HDi engine? Haynes seem to be quite a way behind all the current models, and I can't seem to find anything related to the C4 anywhere or the HDi engine. I would like to be able to do basic things myself such as remove trim to fix rattles, locate various components, perform oil changes etc etc. The old Haynes manuals were invaluable when I had my BX!!

The survey cost £200, but I have it in writing from Citroen that they will reimburse the cost. An independent survey is well worth it if you have a number of faults, which you know are there, but the dealer refuses to acknowledge. Usually the dealer hopes you will give up and go away by the time it gets to getting independent engineers involved etc.

Yes, the problems have caused me great anguish. Trading Standards, SMMT and an Independent Engineer have all been involved. Only a letter to Citroen UK's MD prompted any action from the selling dealer, who have constantly refused to admit there are problems...or just tell me I have steering problems because my C4 is a diesel!!!!!??? I will take great pleasure in wiping the smug smile off the Dealer Principal's face when I take the Engineer's report in this week! Citroen are a horrific company to deal with right from the top at Citroen UK, all the way down to the people at the dealerships who are totally disinterested in sorting out warranty repairs, unless the fault is absolutely obvious. Also the workmanship is very poor. After the last visit mine came back with a cracked front speaker grille, a gouge out of the interior door panel and oily finger prints all over the fabric ceiling lining. Visits to different dealers often yield varying answers to the same problems. As much as I love Citroens...this C4 is my last purchase from the company! I don't see why people should have to put up with creaks, rattles and imperfections with brand new cars! As for the radio not tuning......why can't Citroen get that right? It's such a basic item..not rocket science...no wonder the mechanics get annoyed having to fix items like that...Citroen should fit their cars with accessories that are fit for purpose. If they got the basic right, people wouldnt keep going back to complain, and the company image would benefit greatly!

OK, to provide an update... I had an Independent Engineer carry out an inspection of my car last Thursday, with some interesting results. 1. The pulling to the left and sloppy steering is caused by continual upset of the tracking which in-turn is caused by improper balancing of the wheels, due to the weight of the locking nut being different to the other three. The wheels need balancing properly whilst on the car, and the tracking reset. 2. Continual warping of NSF brake disc is caused by a lazy caliper. The engineer also confirmed that the disc is warped (latest set of discs only covered 1000 miles so far). Citroen keep telling me there is nothing wrong with it. 3. Knocking noises at gear change and when turning the engine off are being caused by bottom engine mount, which needs replacing. Again Citroen seem unable to hear the noises..yet the engineer picked up on it without being prompted. I carried out a detailed inspection of the rear interior trim myself yesterday, and found that the mystery 'cracking' noise I could hear when going over bumps was a tiny lip on the trim which houses the rear speaker, which has worn away the bonding glue around the window and was tapping the glass. I put a little bit of felt padding on the lip, and problem solved...why on earth Citroen mechnics couldn't find it....... I will be providing my selling dealer with the Engineers Report and I have it in writing from Citroen that they will put everything right under the warranty and cover the cost of the report...they obviously thought I wouldnt pay for a report myself....hoping I would give up and go away!..NO CHANCE!!!

Thanks for the replies guys. The steering problem is definately not a characteristic of the car. It was perfect when new, and is always temporarily perfect if the tracking is reset, before it loosens up again. I can't understand why I need to have the tracking reset every 300 miles!!!!! Acceleration or braking makes the steering wheel vibrate and wander quite strongly. Generally the steering is loose and gets knocked of line far too easily, too much turn of the steering wheel is required to achieve the desired turn of the road wheels. The sqeaking when pressing the brake pedal seems to be coming from some kind of rubber "bellow" thing filled with sponge, the squeaking is quite loud, and if the brakes are pressed hard a lot of gushing air can be heard. One dealer has told me that the knocking noises when turning the engine off are to do with the flywheel housing...one persons tells me the flywheel protects the cambelt, another person (both Citroen mechanics) tells me the flywheel protects the clutch?!?!?! Another dealer said he couldnt hear the knocking at all! Doesn't seem to be a cure for it anyway, which is a very poor show. The RDS function on the radio will NOT stay "OFF" which is the whole problem! It resets itself to "ON" everytime I change station. I think the radio is poor quality anyway in terms of reception, the radio in my old BX had better reception than this one...and it didnt try to think for itself! :-) Maintenance Indicator has been de-bugged by the dealer, but the problem came back again after 50 miles..no further resolution has been offered. Also I have side trim around the windscreen detatching on both sides. The bottom seal on the windscreen has dropped below the glass and now lets water soak the bulkhead lining. The seal on the rear window is lifting out and the front wheel arch liners have bent below the bodywork..caused by not being of suitable strength to sustain water hitting the dealer fitted mudflaps. Passeneger door handle frequently sticks despite being lubricated many times, and finally there is a cracking noise from the NSR seatbelt reel area when travelling over bumps...very annoying. Replaced parts so far: 3 x sets of front discs and pads (keeps warping the NS disc) EGR Valve (To cure acceleration hesitancy) Dozer Valve (as above) Entire exhaust system ( Attempt to cure the knocking noises) Rear shock absorbers (Replaced when I complained about FRONT suspension noises) NS Track rod end (Temporary cure for the steering problem) Front suspension mounts and bearings (To cure front suspension creaking) Intercooler to air inlet trunking (To cure an oil leak) I used to love Citroen's, but after owning this C4 I think may loyalties may have to reluctantly change! Citroen make good looking cars but seem to fail to get the basics right, and their customer care doesn't exist either at dealership level (they all tell lies, and don't want to repair cars under warranty) or at Citroen UK, who don't seem to communicate with their dealer network.

Can anyone offer any advice on the problems listed below? I have a C4 Coupe VTR 1.6HDi. 1. Sloppy, wobbly steering that gets jolted around with every bump and always needs pressure on the steering wheel to the right to remain in a straight line, else the car pulls to the left. No resistance to any road imperfections and the amount of turn in the steering wheel is greater than that transmitted to the road wheels. Dealer has reset the tracking 3 times, and this cures the problem for about 300 miles, and the steering once again feels tight, crisp and precise, and does not get knocked around by bumps in the road..however, all the problems keep returning again. Possible worn bushes? 2. Squeaking from around NSF suspension unit area when travelling over some bumps, accelerating from standstill and going over bridges...connected to steering problem? 3. Squeaking from passenger footwell each time brake pedal is pressed. 4. Knocking noises when turning off a hot engine, and when changing gear. 5. Maintenance Indicator keeps telling me the car is overdue a service (when it's not due for another 7000 miles). 6. RDS Function on the radio resets to "ON" each time the station is changed or radio turned off. Radio changes station whenever it feels like it. Any help greatly appreciated!!!!!