C3 1.4hdi (57 plate) pollution warning and lost power

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Richard_C
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 535
Joined: 15 Oct 2011, 17:31
Location: Cambridge, England
My Cars: C4 Picasso 1.6 Blue Hdi 120 Manual Excl+ 2016
C3 1.2 Puretech 110 Auto Flair 2017
x 99

C3 1.4hdi (57 plate) pollution warning and lost power

Post by Richard_C »

Hi

My wife is 200 miles away juggling with a poorly mother and her dad in hospital. Yesterday evening she rang me to say that there was a pollution system fault warning and that the car had lost power. She had spent 3 hours trundling round in Leeds/Bradfrod traffic so I assumed DPF like my C5 does sometimes. She took it out last night for a 30 minute run along a decent road, but warning didn't go away. Very down on power.

A bit more telephone dignostics, car started absolutely fine this morning. Warning still there. After a 5 mile run she stopped in a layby and called me. Turns out it won't rev above 2800 even in neutral in a layby, I can hear over the phone it is as if it was hitting the rev limiter, but at 2800 not 4500+.

It's a 57 plate 1.4 hdi 70, manual, Cool, bog standard properly serviced and so on,c 55k miles on it. No recent work or anything unusual until last night. LIves on a mix of long and short trips so its not just a city car.

I don't have the handbook or a manual to hand, and don't really know the 1.4 (give me an XUD and I'm fine), and I can't get up there until the weekend. She has it booked in to a local dealer in Bradford (Evans Halshaw) for tomorrow morning.

In the meantime:
  • any ideas?
    does it have a 'limp home mode' ?
    if so can it easily be reset following simple instructions I could read out over the phone?
    even with revs limited it should cruise at 60+ in 5th. Is there a risk in driving it 200 miles home wih the warning showing?
    (the handbook says "take to dealer as soon as possible, which is open to many interpretations)
Richard_C

Current: , C4 Picasso 120 BlueHdi, C3 1.2 Auto
Past Citroens: Dyane (x2), 2CV, Visa, BX (x2), Xantia, Xsara Picasso, C3 (x2) C5 X7 Tourer, Synergie 1.9TD, C1
Others: Hillman Hunter, Cortina Mk 1, Maxi, VW Type 2, Granada, SAAB 900, SAAB 9-5, R5 Gordini
Richard_C
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 535
Joined: 15 Oct 2011, 17:31
Location: Cambridge, England
My Cars: C4 Picasso 1.6 Blue Hdi 120 Manual Excl+ 2016
C3 1.2 Puretech 110 Auto Flair 2017
x 99

Re: C3 1.4hdi (57 plate) pollution warning and lost power UP

Post by Richard_C »

Update, one hour later it's given up on a steep hill near Bingley. Will start, tickover, but not deliver enough power to progress. Breakdown recovery has been summoned. That makes most of my questions redundant, but "any ideas" still welcome.
Richard_C

Current: , C4 Picasso 120 BlueHdi, C3 1.2 Auto
Past Citroens: Dyane (x2), 2CV, Visa, BX (x2), Xantia, Xsara Picasso, C3 (x2) C5 X7 Tourer, Synergie 1.9TD, C1
Others: Hillman Hunter, Cortina Mk 1, Maxi, VW Type 2, Granada, SAAB 900, SAAB 9-5, R5 Gordini
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