Citroen was at the head of the pack when MPVs were the sort of vehicles craved by families. The C4 Picasso (five seats) and C4 Grand Picasso (seven seats) were incredibly flexible and allowed the cabin to be changed from being a seven-seater into a two-seat van in a matter of seconds.
Families loved the versatility, plus the fact it was so light and airy, with its huge glass area and ‘up-and-over’ windscreen.
If there was a fly in the ointment, it was that the reliability was a teensy bit questionable, and this situation is unlikely to have changed much as the years and miles have been added to the first-generation C4 Picasso and C4 Grand Picasso. But that’s precisely where Haynes can help, because our C4 Picasso Autofix product can help you diagnose and sort problems with the minimum of fuss. Make a one-time investment in the product and it’ll be there every time you need it to be.
What recalls has the Citroen C4 Picasso Mk1 been subject to?
The Citroen C4 Picasso and its sister car, the C4 Grand Picasso, have both been recalled a few times. The first recall was because the starter motor wiring loom could be subject to chafing, which could cause a short circuit and a risk of fire.
Faulty seatbelt bolts forced another small recall, then 17,628 vehicles were recalled because an out-of-spec parking brake cable replaced. Chafing to a fuel return pipe meant another minor recall.
New brake caliper mounting bolts were required on 134 examples, and faulty sealing of the panoramic sunroof affected 367 cars. Then 307 cars were recalled because of a dodgy brake vacuum pump valve, while a faulty electrical connector in the fuel preheater cover could overheat.
What common problems does the Citroen C4 Picasso Mk1 have?
The Citroen C4 Grand Picasso Mk1 can fall victim to an issue that makes the steering heavy to turn. A new power steering pump is needed.
A noise from the right-hand side of the engine bay can usually be traced to a squeaky engine mount.
It is also not unknown for the engine warning light to illuminate, even though the motor appears to be running correctly.
Owners have also reported a problem that appears to be with the cruise-control and engine start-top systems, but is in fact nothing of the sort.
Finally, the C4 Picasso can start to emit a whine from the engine bay that increases in pitch when the engine is revved.
Has your Citroen C4 Picasso Mk1 steering become heavy?
One of the plus points of the Citroen C4 Picasso is its light steering. So steering that suddenly becomes heavy is going to be disappointing.
First things first, plug a fault-code reader into the OBD socket. If this generates the code C1178, then the issue could be with the car’s ECU, which could require a software update.
However, if no fault appears, then the issue most likely lies with the power steering pump, which will need to be replaced.
And that’s where the Haynes C4 Picasso Autofix can help, because the technical drawings will show you what the pump looks like and where it is, together with the torque settings for all the fastenings.
So, gather together everything you’ll need, look up the Autofix and away you go.
Why is the front of your Citroen C4 Picasso making a noise?
Several owners of the Citroen C4 Picasso and C4 Grand Picasso have reported an unusual noise emanating from the front right of the vehicle.
This noise tends to appear when the car is being driven over rougher roads.
The problem is that there isn’t enough grease on the upper engine mount on the right-hand side of the engine, which you’ll be able to confirm by rocking the engine when the car is at a standstill.
The engine mounts are displayed in detail, along with the required torque for the fasteners. The repair simply involves applying more grease to the noisy part of the engine mount.
Is your Citroen C4 Picasso engine warning light on?
There you are, driving along quite happily in your Citroen C4 Picasso, when all of a sudden there’s an ominous glow from the dashboard. Worryingly, the engine warning light is on. But the car seems to be driving along as normal. What can it be?
Well, in order to find out, you’ll need to plug in a fault-code reader (click here for our test of the best fault-code readers you can buy). If this generates the code P0420, then the issue lies with the catalytic converter, which will have to be replaced.
Why doesn’t your Citroen C4 Picasso cruise control work?
Citroen C4 Picasso owners have told us that on occasion the cruise control in their car refuses to work. Well, technically it actually does work, it’s just that they can’t switch it off again by pressing the brake pedal. Not ideal.
At the same time, the engine stop-start system ceases to operate, and the brake lights are always on.
If you plug in a fault-code reader, it will display the codes P1536, P0504, P0571 and P0703, all of which signify that the most likely culprit is a brake light switch that’s gone on the blink.
Still, it’s easy enough to swap, and just requires you to get down into the driver’s footwell, unplug the old switch and undo the fastening, before fitting a new one and plugging it in.
Does the Citroen C4 Picasso have engine-noise problems?
Well, not usually. However, the Citroen C4 Picasso can occasionally develop a noise that appears to be coming from the engine. It’s a whine that changes in pitch when the engine is revved.
This is an easy fix that’s explained in full in the Haynes C4 Picasso Autofix. The issue lies with the auxiliary drivebelt system, and can be cause by either the drivebelt wearing out or some dirt getting into the system. Either way, the solution is to remove the old belt, clean up the pulleys and fit a new belt. After that, the noise should be gone.
