Awolfo

Citroen C4 Diesel 2008: Pre-glow lamp, starting difficulties and increased fuel consumption

Hey guys, I have a problem with my old Citroen C4 Diesel, built in 2008, which now has about 12979 kilometers on the clock. The preheating light doesn't go out anymore, the car starts badly, especially when it's cold, and sometimes not at all. It guzzles far too much fuel and the exhaust control light is on. When accelerating, black smoke comes out of the exhaust and the DPF regeneration no longer works. I suspect that it is due to a defective glow plug. Have any of you ever had similar problems and can recommend a good mechanic? I didn't have a good experience on my last visit. Many thanks in advance!

(Translated from German)

4 comment(s)

Hey buddy, I recently had the exact same problem with my 2011 Citroen DS3 Diesel. The glow plug was defective due to wear. Just like you described, there were problems starting, especially when cold. My car also consumed more fuel than normal and black smoke was coming out of the exhaust. Your symptoms definitely sound like a faulty glow plug. The repair mainly consisted of changing the glow plug. Was a bit of a hassle, hard to get to and all, but easy enough once you got the thing out. Not too serious a problem, but you still want to get it fixed asap before it gets worse. Had my repair done at a small local garage. The guys there were great! You might want to try a few local places too, I'm sure you'll find someone to help you. Good luck with it!

(Translated from German)

Hey, thanks for the answer! Your experience sounds really similar to mine. Do you remember how much you spent on the repair? I'd like to have an overview before I take my car to the garage. And did you have any problems with your Citroen afterwards or was everything ok? Thanks in advance!

(Translated from German)

Hey, of course I remember the repair costs! It cost me €560 to repair the glow plug - that was mostly replacement due to wear and tear. Honestly, it was quite an expense, but it was definitely worth it. And yes, since I had the glow plug changed, my Citroen has been running like clockwork! No more problems with high fuel consumption or poor starting. So, it looks like the glow plug fault was indeed the main culprit. But don't worry, once you get it fixed your Citroen should be running smoothly again. Good luck and let me know how it goes!

(Translated from German)

Hey, thanks for the info! 560 euros isn't exactly cheap, but if it gets my Citroen running again, it's definitely worth it. I'm glad to hear that everything has gone well for you since the repair, that reassures me a little. I'll probably make an appointment at the garage next week and hope that my problem is as easy to solve as yours. I'll keep you up to date! Thanks again for your help!

(Translated from German)

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