The Citroën C4 Picasso is a MPV five-door family car that emphasizes space, comfort, and ease of use. It was in production between 2006 and 2018 when it was replaced by the C4 Space Tourer. The Citroën C4 Picasso is still a really popular car in Europe because it offers many modern family-friendly features which make you feel safe and comfortable.
When it comes to reliability, the C4 Picasso is all over the place as some models tend to be better than others. Either way, we can say that if you want to enjoy one, you must keep it in good condition as issues on these can add up over time which can easily result in a bunch of more serious problems.
The most common Citroën C4 Picasso issues are associated with the brakes, the equipment, the electricals, leaks, and the gearbox. Some of these issues are worse than others such as fuel leaks and problems with the brakes. If these are not repaired early enough, they can make the car borderline undrivable and extremely unsafe.
All in all, there is no reason why you should not consider one of these as your used family transporter as there are many great features you can benefit from. If so, be sure to do a pre-purchase inspection as you don’t want to risk problems you aren’t even aware exist.
Citroën C4 Picasso – Brakes issues
Citroën is one of those brands that often suffers from similar issues no matter the model or the model year. Many Citroën models suffered, suffer, and are likely to suffer from brake-related issues, some of which even prompted Citroën to recall the C4 Picasso altogether. The worst potential issue is related to the rear brake caliper which can let go after you engage the parking brake and make the car roll.
This can end catastrophically if your car is on an incline or a decline for obvious reasons. Many owners have also reported that the C4 Picasso tends to suffer from brake pressure problems after a few years of use which makes it difficult for the car to stop at a logical distance.
Citroën C4 Picasso – Equipment issues
The Citroën C4 Picasso is not a luxury car, but it does get a surprising amount of high-end features which do make it easier to live with. A great example of that is the large sunroof which should make your life easier, but it seems that it can also make your life a lot more difficult because the glass panel is known to detach due to improper molding.
The seatbelts are also a sore point for many Citroën models and the C4 Picasso is no different. Some complain about the seatbelts wearing a bit too quickly while others have reported issues with the belt buckle which does not want to lock with the safety seat mechanism.
Citroën C4 Picasso – Electrical issues
We have already mentioned that the C4 Picasso suffers from a wide variety of issues that are present in many other Citroën models. Electrical issues are also more or less the same as all Citroën models from this era suffer from electrical issues, especially after a few years of use. The most common electrical issues are related to the wipers, the lightning system, and the battery.
The starter motor is also a known issue for the C4 Picasso as it often fails to start the car up. Most sources state that this issue is due to a problem with the wiring harness. All in all, there are many other potential electrical issues, but these are the most common ones.
Citroën C4 Picasso – Leaks
One of the worst problems with the Citroën C4 Picasso are the ones related to fuel leaks. It is rather obvious that fuel leaks can cause a bunch of unwanted problems, the worst of them being the car bursting into flames. These issues are mostly associated with diesel C4 Picasso models, especially those built between July and October of 2010.
The fuel chafe is known to disconnect itself and cause a massive fuel leak. As such, if your car is built in this era, pay close attention to the chafe.
Citroën C4 Picasso – Gearbox issues
The C4 Picasso comes with a rather controversial EGS automatic gearbox which certainly isn’t to everybody’s liking even when it operates without any issues. Many owners have reported the gearbox being slow, jittery, harsh, and hesitant.
However, many owners have also reported issues with the clutch which could need replacing even before the car reaches a significant amount of miles.
FAQ Section
Is the Citroën C4 Picasso a good purchase?
If you are interested in buying a fairly large family car that is going to do its job without any fuss while also being really unintrusive and under the radar, then the C4 Picasso is the perfect car for you. Because it offers so much space and because it costs as little as it does, the C4 Picasso is a really popular 2nd hand market family car.
On the other hand, if you don’t like MPVs, you are not going to like the C4 Picasso either. It is a car that doesn’t do anything special, it just goes about its business like it’s nothing. It is not fun to drive, not fun to look at, and it isn’t luxurious by any means.
How long can a Citroën C4 Picasso last?
It is really difficult to gauge how long any car can last, but we can safely say that the C4 Picasso should last at least 100,000 to 200,000 miles without needing a major overhaul if you keep it in good condition. This car does need constant maintenance, but the upside of that is that the car is going to serve you for the longest while not being expensive at all.
Why did Citroën discontinue the C4 Picasso?
The Citroën C4 Picasso came to the end of its lifeline so Citroën didn’t really discontinue it as much as the car was getting on a bit. Citroën replaced the C4 Picasso with the C4 Space Tourer which is basically the same car, but with a whole host of updates in order to modernize it.
