Citroen c3 Diesel 1.4hdi Cold start/glow plugs?

Question

Hi All

Probably a silly question! Im driving the first diesel car I have ever owned, a Citroen C3 1.4hdi 2003. I think I have read somewhere that when starting it I should let the glow plugs kick in before starting it? Silly question does this happen when i turn the key to the point where the radio comes on and the dash lights illuminate? And should the light for cold start always come on whenever I start my car? I have only owned it for a couple of weeks andaren'tt sure I have seen it yet? And indeed what to do if I do! Help

Thanks for your assistance.

K x

Answer 1

i had few diesels

atm i have a 206 2003 hdi diesel

normaly the glow plug light is like a coil icon , it may light up for a secound or 2 in cold weather

if your battery is good it prob never ever show up if it do like a flick of a blink from your eye



mine never shows up unless its seriously cold then i have to study the illumination for a secound or 2 and it start 1st time

Has nothing to do with radio infact turn radio off !!!

turrn the key slow

when all ready for you to fire up give it a few secounds then fire it up

yorur car is not same as a old old diesel and maybe your battery and glow plugs are good

Answer 2

Firstly The megane although 2 doors is actually bigger inside than both these choices. If you are looking for family transport then the Citroen C3 is not bad, under powered engines and sloppy handling can be a problem especially as you are switching from a coupe with better ride, engine and general driving asthetics. However the Citroen C3 has fantastic fuel economy, cheap to insure and run in general and parts and labour costs are pretty good too. The Ford Fiesta 1.3 is a good performing car with solid suspension giving a more confident ride. The 1.3 engine is pretty economical but in comparision the C3 is far better in 1.2 Guise. Space is smaller in the Fiesta too due to the C3 having similar shape to the Xsara Picasso and utilising all the interior it can. Ford costs are a bit higher than Citroen too with insurance being slightly more, parts and labour costs on Ford are very high at the moment compared to Vauxhall, Renault, Citroen and Peugeot. Anyway hope this advice helps you and Good Luck.

Answer 3

Hi don't own a Citroen myself. When you switch on with all the lights on dash board showing but you've not yet started the engine . Look for a yellow light that has a symbol that looks like a spring in it.Wait till this goes out and then start the engine. You only really need to do this when starting from cold. If the engines warm the the light may not even come on.

Answer 4

this should all be in the drivers /owners handbook. it will be a light that comes ON when engine is very cold and normally an image ( icon) for a bulb (heating element) with a filament in it will be lit.

when this light goes out..crank engine over as that means the glow plugs are no longer being heated.

if No red ? lamp showing glow plugs comes on then simply crank as normal. the length of Time the glow plugs are on (red?0 will vary according to outside temperatures and colder = longer.