Sometimes it happens that some vehicles reserve for us unpleasant surprises. This is the case of Didier R., one of our readers.
The problem with the engine is only 122,500 km
The one who always took care of his own C4 Picasso sees himself as opposed to ending Citroën’s refusal to replace his engine, 1.6 THP with 165 hp.
During the first years of commercialization 1.6 THPjointly developed PSA and BMW, knew about serious problems with the timing chain. However, when our reader Didier decided to buy a Citroën C4 Picasso in 2016, the reliability of this unit was there return to upper level.
Therefore, he chose an example equipped with the most powerful option available on the Picasso (165 hp), which was quite recent at the time. Unfortunately, a few weeks ago, the engine stopped while Didier was driving around town. We remind you that his Picasso is only on display 122,500 km!
Our reader has no choice but to have the minivan towed to his regular dealership.
How long can an engine run without oil?https://t.co/SM0hSKag6C
— AutoPlus (@AutoPlusMag) September 22, 2020
Change, not fix
It won’t take long for the latter to find the culprit in this unexpected breakdown. The tensioner of the timing chain broke, which led to the destruction of the engine.
This is bad news for Didier. But the real blow came when the workshop presented him with an estimate 7913 euros and that the producer abandons the slightest financial effort. The height of irony: Citroën specifies that the gesture is possible if its customer decides to replace his C4 Picasso with another Citroën after this breakdown.
Didier is rightly beside himself. On the one hand, because the brand refuses to accept what it considers a manufacturing defect. On the other hand, because he does not plan to change his car, especially to another Citroën.
Our defense strategy
After the appearance of the 165-horsepower version, the epidemic of broken timing chains of the 1.6 THP actually ended. But if Didier’s case is isolated, this in no way exempts Citroën from supporting a large part of the repair.
Indeed, according to the scale of our experts, the service life of the engine is 300,000 km. However, the fact that Didier’s car is more than 5 years old and has traveled 100,000 km allows the normal wear and tear to be applied. A discount of at least 65% awaits our reader!
Source: Auto Plus
Robert is an experienced journalist who has been covering the automobile industry for over a decade. He has a deep understanding of the latest technologies and trends in the industry and is known for his thorough and in-depth reporting.