Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure

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Wed 11 Mar 2020 23:22
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - Nomag

Colleague at work told me of her father's woe with a 5 year old (but only 30k mile) Grand Picasso that has suffered total engine failure (cracked block?) which started with a seemingly impossible to diagnose coolant loss.

However, in Citroen's favour, although the car doesn't have a full Citroen service history they are fitting a new engine FOC.

I believe it is the 1.2 130 Puretech engine which is well regarded on this site.

Ironically, he apparently chose petrol because he knew it would be doing low mileage but needed to accommodate 4 car seats.

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Wed 11 Mar 2020 23:51
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - Avant

All credit to Citroen. Presumably they accept that it's a manufacturing fault which can't be put down to wear and tear.

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Thu 12 Mar 2020 08:26
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - Brit_in_Germany

I am not sure about this engine being "well regarded on this site". There seem to be a few instances now of catastrophic damages in various cars with this engine.

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Thu 12 Mar 2020 09:54
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - I'm a Pane

"seemingly impossible to diagnose coolant loss."

Wouldn't the owners weekly check on coolant level under the bonnet highlighted this?

But fair play to Citroen in this instance

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Thu 12 Mar 2020 10:00
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - gordonbennet

As said well done to Citroen for doing the right thing.

Now a question for you all, when the time comes one of the family might be interested in an upgrade from the ageing Aygo to newer model, but might be tempted to the 1.2 engine available i believe in the Pug version.

Is this the same engine (presumably without turbo) and is it proving a good un please?

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Thu 12 Mar 2020 10:08
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - I'm a Pane

Yes, same engine non turbo. No issues.

But Peugeot and Citroen stopped putting it in the 108/C1 a couple of years ago and now only sell with a modified 1.0 toyota engine again

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Thu 12 Mar 2020 11:59
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - gordonbennet

Yes, same engine non turbo. No issues.

But Peugeot and Citroen stopped putting it in the 108/C1 a couple of years ago and now only sell with a modified 1.0 toyota engine again

Very much obliged to me learned friend.

A pity to drop it, little Pugs with larger engines make superb effortless cars, going right back to 205 with the 1.9 engines of both fuels, they ever really favoured the C2 or 106 or 107 with proper large or fast Diesels either, nor a larger petrol motor unless you were prepared to accept the concrete sprung warm hatch versions, missing a trick here imho, those softly sprung turbo Diesel 306's in fairly basic trim have never been replaced.

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Thu 12 Mar 2020 13:18
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - alan1302

"seemingly impossible to diagnose coolant loss."

Wouldn't the owners weekly check on coolant level under the bonnet highlighted this?

But fair play to Citroen in this instance

No, that would only show there was a loss...not why it was being lost

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Fri 13 Mar 2020 12:15
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - Gibbo_Wirral

I've never really understood mystery coolant loss in an engine.

Surely it can only go to three places - on the floor, into the air as steam or into the engine?

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Fri 13 Mar 2020 12:32
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - madf

I've never really understood mystery coolant loss in an engine.

Surely it can only go to three places - on the floor, into the air as steam or into the engine?

Out the exhaust..

And with sump underguards, you may have a lot sloshing around when parked which distributes itself all over the road when you drive off..

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Mon 6 Apr 2020 12:54
Citroen C4 Grand Picasso - Citroen 1.2T engine failure - Jon.m

Just to add to this thread. There appears to be a problem that's beginning to manifest itself with the cambelts running in oil. Today I finally got to the bottom of this on the 308 Facebook page. A Peugeot technician stated that the engine has been subject to three cambelt revisions. Gen1 is a smooth black belt that degrades and cracks across the width throughout the whole belt. Gen2 revision has a textured finish and would have been fine had it not been for the fact that it is slightly wide therefore causing it to fray at the sides with debris blocking the oilways. The engine is currently being fitted with a Gen3 belt with no known problems yet. The technician implied that PSA know about this and are changing them under warranty or possibly contributing to the cost out of warranty.

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