Citroën C8
PSA V6 petrol with timing belt. Refined running and good power, but high consumption. Timing belt replacement complex and expensive due to V arrangement.
V6 cruiser for the family van
204 hp V6 in the C8 — surprisingly refined. The large MPV glides confidently on the motorway; power is never an issue.
Engine Weaknesses 6
The ES9 3.0 V6 has a timing belt whose replacement is very labour-intensive due to the V6 architecture. The belt also drives the camshafts of both cylinder banks. Neglected intervals lead to total engine damage on failure.
Symptoms: On failure: immediate engine shutdown, metallic hammering from the engine, bent valves, no compression
The slim pencil coils on the V6 are prone to wear, especially the factory-fitted original types. A coil failure causes misfires in individual cylinders and rough running.
Symptoms: Engine stumbling, misfire warning light, rough running at certain revs, power loss
Sealing rings and gaskets on the V6 camshaft cover become brittle and start leaking. Oil can drip onto hot engine components and in the worst case cause an engine fire.
Symptoms: Oil spots in the engine bay, burning smell, visible oil traces on the cam cover
The complex exhaust system with two pre-catalysts and two lambda sensors each is failure-prone. Pre-cats can fail early; genuine replacement parts are very expensive, and aftermarket parts often trigger fault codes.
Symptoms: Engine warning light, exhaust fault message, increased fuel consumption, power loss
The Sagem ignition coils on the ES9 3.0 V6 are a known weak point. Individual coils fail. The rear three coils under the intake manifold are considerably harder to replace. Denso coils are recommended as replacements.
Symptoms: Vibrations and rough running, engine check light, power loss, stumbling under load, fault codes P030x for affected cylinders
The water pump on the ES9 V6 can leak or wear out. Being difficult to access in the V6 engine bay, labour costs for replacement are considerable. A failure leads to V6 overheating.
Symptoms: Coolant level drops regularly, leakage at the engine block, temperature gauge rises on motorway driving, overheating warning STOP
Vehicle Weaknesses 5
A C8 with reliably working electric sliding doors is the exception — they open and close by themselves, cannot be opened from outside, or one side fails completely. Central locking on individual doors also fails.
The automatic gearbox in the C8 frequently falls into limp mode — especially after a long cold soak. 3rd and 4th gears are no longer selected. Worn or blocked valves in the control unit are typical causes.
Brake pads on the C8 can already be worn after 22,000 km. Additionally there was a recall (2007, build years June 2001 to November 2005): water could enter the brake servo and freeze in cold conditions, causing loss of brake assistance.
Electric window regulators do not work reliably — windows stop halfway or require several attempts. Door mirrors do not fold reliably. The trip computer sporadically reports defective ABS and ESP systems.
The C8 interior shows significant quality issues with age: trim panels rattle and creak. Poor build quality means customers have to accept compromises when buying.
