Citroën won’t start – causes and how to fix it

Citroën won’t start - how to fix it

The Citroen brand is owned by Stellantis which also owns a few reputable European-based brands such as Vauxhall, Peugeot, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge, DS, Lancia, and RAM. All of these brands share various parts with each other and are built on similar platforms. Be that as it may, in this article we are going to focus on why a Citroën won’t start – causes and how to fix it.

The first and likely most common reason why a Citroen won’t start is due to a depleted battery. However, the battery can either be weak or corroded to also stop you from starting the car up. Other reasons include problems with the alternator which fails to charge the battery up or with the starter motor which fails to crank the car up.

As all new Citroen models are supplied with key fobs instead of normal blade keys, you ought to check the key fob battery as a dead key fob battery can also cause the car to refuse to start. The spark plugs and the fuse box can also cause the same issue, but these aren’t as common.

To top off the list, we are also going to mention issues with the fuel system which includes clogged fuel filters and a faulty fuel pump, both of which can block fuel passage to the engine and will therefore not let the engine start-up.

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Battery Issues

The first reason why a Citroen won’t start is associated with a few battery-related problems. The most obvious one is a dead battery that completely fails to deliver any power to the car which means that none of your electrics will work. To test out the battery, you need to hook it up to a multimeter which should read 12-13 volts which is what you’d expect from a healthy battery.

If the readings are higher or lower than that, sometimes is wrong with the battery. Moreover, the battery can also be covered with corrosion over its terminals which will have to be cleaned in order for the battery to do its job. As such, you need to disconnect the battery and clean the terminals with a dedicated battery cleaner.

Key Fob Issues

As previously stated, you really can’t find modern-day Citroen models that aren’t equipped with a key fob as blade keys have become a thing of the past. These usually come with keyless entry-and-start features which will not be able to work if the key fob battery is depleted. The car will not be able to recognize that the key is in the near vicinity and thus will lead to the car not wanting to start up.

If you did get a blade key as well, try and start the car up manually to see if it starts. If it does not start, your key fob might not be the issue. If it does, your key fob is most definitely the reason why.

Alternator and Starter Motor Issues

The alternator is designed to charge up the battery while on the move which means that if an alternator is dead, it will usually lead to a dead battery. To test this out, try and jump-start the car, if the car later stalls and loses all electrical power, it is likely due to a broken alternator which will have to be replaced.

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The starter motor is located between the alternator and the engine and is intended to crank the engine up. If you don’t hear any cranking noises while turning the car to start the car up, chances are that your starter motor is to blame and will have to be replaced.

Fuse Box and Spark Plug Issues

Your fuse box and your spark plugs can also sometimes cause the car to fail to start, but these aren’t nearly as common as all the reasons mentioned above. If a spark plug gets burned or dislodged, it will affect your combustion process and the car is likely to misfire. If more than one spark plug is toast, your car might not even start at all.

As far as the fuse box is concerned, it is tasked with keeping the car’s electrical system safe from short circuits and overloads which means that it tends to get burned if something is not okay. To fix this, you will have to replace the associated fuse with one that offers the same amperage readings.

 Fuel System Issues

To finish off our list, we also need to mention problems with the fuel delivery systems which means clogged fuel filters that fail to deliver fuel to the engine or a faulty fuel pump that can’t pump fuel away from the tank. You can hear the fuel pump while turning the ignition on, if you don’t, chances are that it is broken.

As far as clogged fuel filters go, these will need to be replaced in order for your car to start up again.

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FAQ Section

How Much Does A New Citroen Battery Cost?

You can expect to pay between €100 and €200 for a new Citroen 12-volt battery which is considered the norm in today’s day and age of car batteries. If your battery dies while the car is still under warranty, you are likely to be eligible for a brand-new battery that is covered under warranty.

Does Citroen Make Reliable Cars?

Citroen is not a brand known for making the world’s most reliable cars, but it also isn’t a brand known for the exact opposite. Citroen is somewhere in the middle which means that Citroen cars are decently reliable if properly taken care of. Sure, they aren’t nearly at the top, but most of the issues are associated with substandard maintenance.

Should I Buy A Citroen?

The main reasons why someone would buy a Citroen are associated with the brand offering relatively affordable, yet modern and quirky city cars which are offered with gasoline, hybrid, and electric powertrains. Most Citroen models are youthful and popular with European drivers. They are not luxury cars, but they do come with quite a few high-end features.

Marko Mikulic

Why do you love writing about cars? I love writing about cars as cars are a huge personal interest of mine. I was raised in a car enthusiast community and ever since I was young, I always wanted to do car-related work.

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