Citroën Nemo
Entry-level variant of the 1.6 HDi with 75 hp. Economical and adequate for city driving, but limited performance reserves. Belt-driven timing, change every 240,000 km or 10 years.
Mini van
75 hp 1.6 HDi in the Nemo — pure utility vehicle, comfort is secondary. Adequate for the intended use; of little appeal as a private vehicle.
Engine Weaknesses 6
Oil sludge and coke deposits block the oil supply passage to the turbo journal bearing. Typical with excessively long oil change intervals. The 75 hp fixed-geometry variant is slightly less affected than the VTG versions.
Symptoms: Whistling noise under acceleration, blue exhaust, noticeably reduced boost, oil loss
Injector copper washers on the DV6-75 can fail and let combustion gases past the injector seat. In the worst case the injector seat seizes, meaning removal is only possible with specialist extraction tools.
Symptoms: Ticking or knocking from the engine, diesel smell, black soot streaks at the injector, misfires
On the 75 hp DV6, the EGR valve and EGR cooler coke up early from heavy urban driving. The car frequently falls into limp mode; a heavily sooted cooler can become porous and let in coolant.
Symptoms: Limp mode, power loss, hesitation at medium load, engine warning light P0401
The DV6-75 particulate filter needs at least 20 minutes of motorway driving for a complete regeneration. Without this the filter loads up with soot; forced regenerations dilute the oil with fuel and raise the oil level.
Symptoms: FAP warning light, oil level rises, engine warning light, strong soot smell from exhaust
The EGR valve on the 1.6 HDi 75 hp clogs with heavy soot deposits and sticks open or closed. After replacement the valve must be calibrated with a PP2000 diagnostic tool, otherwise immediate re-failure occurs.
Symptoms: Power loss, rough engine, fault code P0400 (EGR flow), engine warning light. Increased soot output under acceleration.
The turbocharger shaft seals wear from contaminated oil and sludge in the oil circuit. Oil enters the intercooler and intake system. Continued operation risks turbo damage from oil starvation.
Symptoms: Blue smoke from exhaust particularly under load, oil smell inside the cabin, oil mist in the air filter housing, increased oil consumption above 0.5 L/1,000 km.
Vehicle Weaknesses 5
In the ADAC elk test the Citroën Nemo tipped over at just 80 km/h because it lacked ESP. PSA only fitted ESP as standard from September 2010 on diesel variants; petrol versions followed later. Vehicles built before 2010 without ESP are significantly at risk of rollover.
On vehicles from 2011 and 2012 faulty fuel lines were recalled due to fire risk from fuel leakage. Repair free of charge at a Citroën dealership.
On Nemo models from 2013 and 2014 the brake servo vacuum pump developed problems that significantly reduced braking performance. A known issue on the PSA platform of this generation.
The sliding door rails on the Nemo offer virtually no protection from dirt and moisture. The lower and rear rails rust through early. With advanced corrosion the sliding door becomes stiff or jams.
On Citroën Nemo vehicles from 2008 to 2010 the gearbox control wiring harness can chafe through, causing shifting problems. Faults in the gearbox control unit or sensors such as the EGR valve also occur.
