Citroën C3
Modern 1.5-litre diesel from the Stellantis era with SCR cat and DPF. Economical and clean, a good replacement for the 1.6 HDi. Belt-driven timing.
Modern small car diesel
102 hp in the C3 III — economical and Euro 6-compliant; a good modern everyday engine.
Engine Weaknesses 6
The DV5-100 was initially shipped with a 7 mm wide timing chain that stretches prematurely and can snap under short-trip use and fuel dilution of the oil. Stellantis recalled over 141,700 vehicles and upgraded to a stronger 8 mm chain.
Symptoms: Clattering rattle on cold start (chain tensioner), sudden engine stall, engine warning light, no restart
The Bosch high-pressure fuel pump on the DV5-100 can seize due to a design fault. Metal particles then contaminate the entire fuel circuit; injectors and fuel tank must be completely replaced. Damage often occurs below 50,000 km.
Symptoms: Hesitation and stumbling under load, engine misfires, no or difficult restart, engine warning light
The DV5-100 shares the PSA-wide AdBlue tank problem: the integrated level sensor fails and the tank cannot be repaired individually. In winter the urea solution crystallises and additionally blocks pump and lines.
Symptoms: AdBlue warning message, countdown to starter lockout, implausible range display
During DPF regeneration, post-injection fuel is sprayed in; some passes the cylinder walls into the engine oil. With frequent short trips the oil dilutes heavily, the oil level appears to rise. Bearing and turbo damage may follow. Stellantis offers extended goodwill coverage of 10 years/240,000 km.
Symptoms: Significantly rising oil level (oil smells of diesel), frequent DPF regeneration cycles, knocking noises after long urban driving, increased oil consumption.
The DV5-100 regenerates every 40–70 km in heavy urban use, far more often than normal. This noticeably increases fuel consumption, and fuel dilution of the oil significantly accelerates wear of the timing chain and bearings.
Symptoms: Sharply elevated fuel consumption, rising oil level, frequent brief smoke from exhaust, DPF warning message
The PSA AdBlue pump weakness also affects the DV5: the pump PCB corrodes, urea crystallises in the system and blocks the injector or tank. P20EE or P20E8 is the most common fault code. Repair costs up to €2,000.
Symptoms: Exhaust aftertreatment warning light, countdown to engine lockout, abnormal ammonia smell from the exhaust, fault codes P20E8/P20EE, vehicle will not start after reaching the limit.
Vehicle Weaknesses 5
Vehicles produced between 04.01. and 22.02.2017 had a production fault in the side airbag that could fail to deploy correctly in an accident. Citroën recalled the affected vehicles for inspection.
Brake discs on the C3 III are rated negatively and need changing significantly more often than the class average. MOT testers flag the brake system above average from the first inspection.
In almost all build years, faulty headlights, tail lights and indicators are flagged at the MOT. The fault rate is well above the class average.
MOT testers flag rusted exhaust systems and oil loss visible on the underfloor check above average. Regular oil level checks are strongly recommended.
Build years 2017–2019 may show elevated NOx emissions due to faulty engine control calibration. Citroën remedied the problem with a software update at the dealer.
