Jump to content

Recommended Posts

Posted
Hi

My Sx Sensodrive C3 (reg July 04 approx 1400 miles to date) has had occasional judder when pulling away in 1st. This gradually clears after a number of starts from standstill. I suppose it could be the actuator 'pumping' in rapid succession? but it's quite severe initially and would seem to occur (three times to date over a month) after car has been standing unused for a couple of days.

The car is booked-in in ten days time but would be grateful to know if anyone has experienced this and found/cured th cause?
Posted
Yes clutch judder does seems to be fairly common on sensodrives and can be made more pronounced by certain driving styles.

The gearbox is also supposed to adapt to your driving style. Not sure how long it takes to adapt, but if you change the type of journies you are doing or if different people are driving the car then it will be constantly changing how it works.

The more you drive it the less it seems to judder, or maybe the more you drive it the more you get used to adjusting your driving style to the sensodrive. Whichever it is, practise makes perfect.

Ian
Orange 03 Senso
Posted
Hi Ian - Doesn't look too hopeful then!

I believe that since asbestos was not used in clutch linings (and brakes) judder is fairly common. I changed the clutch disc in my last car (manual) when things became impossible, this did the trick for a few thou' but it started again. The only cure I found was to slip the clutch a bit (not good practice!) when starting from cold which seemed to cure it for a few days - cant do this with a Sensodrive though!!!!

Have to see what dealer can do - bet it wont show though when they examine the car!

By the way the readouts on the main lcd are Ok now thanks to your info. (now what about the rattle from the dash ???? oh Lord!!!)
Posted
I got a C3 1.4i SX Automatic (Not Sensodrive) Should have had the same as me. If you want to make it go faster it has sport mode on there. It also has Snow mode which can be used as an option not like Sensodrive. You can change the gears manual but not controls on the wheel like Sensodrive and it has 4 gears where the Sensodrive has 5 gears.

Lee
Posted
Hello Lee

Not a lover of auto boxes really but with advancing age (and a spouse with an Auto Only licence!) had to find a compromise and felt the 1.4 16valve 90bhp engine Sensodrive, plus a decent mpg, fitted the bill, which it has, being quite nippy.

The 'auto' is a bit weird as there is no 'creep' as in normal automatics, but I tend to use the sequential usually which is pretty good (apart from this judder, that is!)
Posted
My Automatic have had its Faults

All The Faults on My C3 Since I had it on 24/2/03

1 Week old the Electric window broke when I was far from home which I had to drive for 3 hours with the window open. Not a good Start

2. Petrol guadge put a full tank in. Still stuck on the red for about a week.

3 August 2003 Driving the car now came to a top of a hill and I stopped to let a car come then I pulled off as I pulled off I thought this car is quiet and I went to press the brake and it cut out. So I was coming down a steep hill about 60mph I say and there was a sharp corner on the bottom with houses right in front. So as I got to the bottom I just managed to make the corner on the other side of the road lucky there were no cars coming the other way. So I took it to the Dealer. Can't find any faults.

4. October 2003 Needed New Break Pads at 15,000 miles

5 December 2003 Needed a New Third Stop light bulb and The Gear box checked because it was going into snow mode on its own and it made a bang. Couldn't find a fault

6. Feb 2004. Exactly one year old and my window switch broke again. Luckily it was at home but I had to stay with the car intill the RAC came it was -1 that night.

7 March 2004 Still going into snow mode so had it checked again. There was a fault so they fixed that in May after waiting so long for the parts. And now its starting to do it again.

8. My Breaks are getting stuck. Took it to the dealer yesterday can't find any faults..

Its not due for renewal intill 24/2/06

Lee
Posted
Oh do you find with your Sensodrive that if you are on a bit of an hill and you want reverse for about 2 secsonds it still rolls forwards. Its dangerous on my Auto because I have nearly hit cars when parking.

Lee
Posted
Gosh! Sorry to read of all the troubles you've experienced Lee!!!!

It's a pity we are all stuck with electronics now! Getting towards the end of my motoring life I've had quite a few funny experiences over the years and always managed to get home somehow! Having rebuilt engines, gearboxes, differentials etc. is of no use now that everything is electronically controlled!!!

I always considered that a 'normal' automatic needed at least a 2 litre engine to compensate for losses in the fluid transmission - which tells you how out of date I am - engines have a lot more 'poke' these days!!

One aspect of the sequential/semi-auto sensodrive that pleases me is the ability to use engine braking downhill which saves a lot of brake wear (Couldn't stop some of my early vehicles WITHOUT engine braking when cable/rod brakes and no hydraulic assistance were the norm - plus having to double de-clutch to change down!!!!)

Oh blimey! Who wants to read all this twaddle! Anyway, it seems that now I've got the little C3 I'll have to make sure I've got my St Christopher medal and an up-to-date full RAC/AA/Greenflag assistance to hand!!!

Regards - Dave
Posted
Lee - I forgot to answer your question about roll-back on hills. There is no fluid-drive creep with the Sensodrive system and, as I haven't got the hang of left-foot braking, I always use the handbrake when stopping temporarily, uphill or downhill. It's become second nature now!
Posted
I use the handbrake much more with sensodrive.

One thing to be careful of when using the gears to brake, do NOT put your foot on the brake pedal too heavily. I was going down a steep hill yesterday and was in 1st car was in gear and slowing itself on the gears until I was near the bottom when I put my foot on the brake....instant declutch and increase in speed!

And yes slow speed manouvers like parking and turning in the road are much more dangerous as you don't know when the clutch is going to kick in and out.

Interesting that newer automatics have NO handbrake at all, they expect the auto system to hold the car on hills.

Ian
Orange 03 Senso
Posted
Before on my Saxo Automatic you could leave it in D or N and pull the handbreak and it would not move and you could leave it in N with the handbreak off and it would not move but on this C3 if its in D and you pull the handbreak up it would still move.
Posted
Hi Ian & Lee

Delay in reply due to a few days away.

Car behaved well - no clutch judder (mind you it was in use every day!) No rattle of note from dash (which sort of proves it's temperture sensitive, as I thought) Now got a rattle from (presumably) door pillar/seat belt trim!!! Ah well -you cant win 'em all!!!

Your point about engine braking is well taken Ian - Haven't got into the situation you mention yet - but I'll watch out now as, of course, the sequential also changes down when speed is decreased right down!!!!

Initially had some amusement (not for following drivers though!) when climbing steepish hills in auto. Following traffic tended to bunch up while the gearbox made up its mind which gear to select, then, having almost ground to a halt with accelerater depressed - it changes down and away we go at full throttle !
Bet there was some cussing behind! Got the hang of it now though!

C3 is quite nippy now engine is freeing up - pity the trim is so flimsy though.
It's booked-in on the 13th for the clutch problem, though I doubt they'll find it as it only occurs when car has been standing unused for a couple of days!

When a photo is available, I'll 'net one to you Lee, though theres nothing different to see from all the others around - it's Arctic Steel (silver) which seems very popular judging by the numbers seen around here .
All the best! Regards to you both - Dave.
  • 1 month later...
Posted
Just in case someone with a sensodrive does read this section, my dealer did some updates on computer and probably reset something pertinent to the auto clutch.
Anyway, they seem to have done the trick as now, some time and miles on, there's no problem other than just a hint of 'bite' if the car has'nt been used for some days.

From what I've read, I think I'm lucky that my dealer is competent and very obliging! :)
Posted
Any chance your obliging dealer would tell you the code for the upgrade they have done, either a software revision number or recall X code?

At least that way we can all check how up to date our software is.

Ian
Orange 03 Senso
  • 3 months later...
Posted
Hi
It’s been about a year since I last posted. In that time my 1.6 Sensodrive exclusive has developed clutch judder when pulling away in 1st. It’s been back to the garage 4 times & is going in again next week. The first visit the garage did nothing , the failed to understand the problem, the second time they recognised the problem but said they needed to contact Citroen for advise & rebooked the car for another day. When the had it for the third time they reset the clutch actuator which gave a slight improvement but by this time I'd had enough of this garage & decided to try my luck at another garage. They also reset the clutch actuator with very little improvement so it’s going in again.
I've also had the dreaded OSF rattle which seems to be a common fault right from the start but no one has come up with a solution, they’ve tried securing the wheel arch cover & replaced a broken water bottle with no success.
Any thoughts whether these things are linked, it crossed my mind that it could be a problem with the engine mounts.
Has anyone had their 2 year (20k) service yet?
How much did you pay, its going to cost me £285 which I think is a bit steep.
Posted
OSF rattles - I think there was a problem with some C3 s.
I had the rattle for 7 months together with the roof creak.
The roof was fixed by upgrading the mastic (I think)and the OSF rattle required an engine mounting replacement.
I believe there was a batch of cars either fitted with wrong spec or faulty mountings as this fault was also on courtesy cars I had while mine was in being fixed.
Don't think it was a recall but perhaps it should have been.
Probably only being sorted if someone complains, same as the buzzing air bag cables in the steering column which should have been fitted with an insulating grommet.
Hope you can get the problem fixed as it really annoys.
I've had a letter from Citroen to the effect that they acknowledge the fact that the car was used for at least 7000 miles with a faulty mounting and that this could be taken into account in the event of something going wrong that may be related to this fact (only because I asked whether I could expect that)

Oliver
(2 yer old 1.4 Desire, 22000 miles, 1st major service and also replacement steering rack at 18000 miles due to linkage wear)
Posted
Hi Oliver, A friend of mine had a New C3 1.4HDi Desire Artic Steel in Jan 05. Citroen have made the Desire Model alot better. It now has colour coded bumpers. Different style wheel trims, Different Interior style on the seats. Colour Gear knob It really stands out now than it used to be because it looked the same as LX.
Posted
My Pluriel is booked in for it's 20k service on the 15th March, I have been quoted £155 which I thought was reasonable seeing as all filters and plugs are changed.

I am expecting there may be some other costs on top of this for things like brake pads/discs but won't know until they are looked at.


Ian
Orange 03 Senso
Posted
Was quoted £165 for 20000 service, and actually paid £152.50.
Don't know if there is a different service for 1600's but I don't think my plugs were changed, have to check.
Was advised that front tyres close to needing changing, pads had approx 3000 miles left and that wiper blade were split.

Has anyone tried to change a headlamp bulb yet?
Offside is just about manageable with a torch and mirror to see in reverse what you are trying to do and I'm thankfull that I didn't have to change the nearside bulb.(looks like you need to remove other things to get at the rear of the headlamp) For those old enough to remember the childrens' programme, you need arms like Twizzle (and a lot of patience with the clipping)

Oliver
Posted
C3 1.4i SX Sensodrive re clutch judder/snatch

Seems Ok since last update to computer. (It seemed to occur if car was left standing, unused, for 3/4 days)

Managed to 'kerb' n/side front wheel, dinging outer edge of rim. To dealer for replacement rim & geometry check. Tracking slightly out otherwise no damage.

On collection, found I'd lost power steering - power returned on way back to dealer. Booked in again for steering power check - dont know what, if anything, was done, but was shown computer read-out of amperage taken by steering in action- up to par. Pity the steering wheel is now slightly off-centre!!!!! Every car Ive owned has had steering wheel off-set after re-tracking - GRRRRRRRR! :ph34r: Dave L
Posted
Further to the above - C3 has now covered around 3500 miles and so far has not consumed any oil - but it looks mighty dirty!!! An oil change at 1500 is not considered necessary by Citroen. I used Castrol Magnatec on previous cars as I do a lot of short journey's .

Anyone got views on this subject?????

Dave L :ph34r:

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...