maintenance Citroen C3 PICASSO RHD 2011.5 1.G Owner's Manual
Page 23 of 244
21
Limit the causes of excessconsumption 
   
Spread loads throughout the vehicle; 
place the heaviest items in the bottom 
of the boot, as close as possible to the 
rear seats. 
  Limit the loads carried in the vehicle 
and reduce wind resistance (roof bars, 
roof rack, bicycle carrier, trailer...). Use 
a roof box in preference. 
  Remove roof bars and roof racks after 
use.  
   
At the end of winter, remove snow tyres 
and refi t your summer tyres.  
 
Observe the recommendations on maintenance
 
 
Check the tyre pressures regularly, 
when cold, referring to the label in the 
door aperture, driver's side. 
  Carry out this check in particular: 
   
 
-   before a long journey, 
   
-   at each change of season, 
   
-   after a long period out of use.  
  Don't forget the spare wheel and the 
tyres on any trailer or caravan.     
Have your vehicle serviced regularly 
(engine oil, oil fi lter,  air fi lter...)  and 
observe the schedule of operations 
recommended by the manufacturer.  
 
 
   
When refuelling, do not continue after 
the 3 rd  cut-off of the nozzle to avoid 
any overfl ow.  
 
 
At the wheel of your new vehicle, it is only 
after the fi rst 1 800 miles (3 000 kilome-
tres) that you will see the fuel consumption 
settle down to a consistent average.  
  
Page 48 of 244
3
46
COMFORT
  The condensation created by 
the air conditioning results in a 
discharge of water under the ve-
hicle which is perfectly normal. 
  The air conditioning system does 
not contain chlorine and does not 
present any danger to the ozone 
layer. RECOMMENDATIONS FOR VENTILATION AND AIR CONDITIONING
  In order for these systems to be fully effective, follow the guidelines on operation 
and maintenance below: 
   
 
 ) 
  If the interior temperature remains very high after the vehicle has been 
parked in the sun for a considerable time, fi rst ventilate the passenger 
compartment for a few minutes.  
  Place the air fl ow control at a suffi cient level to provide an adequate renewal 
of air in the passenger compartment. 
   
 ) 
  To obtain an even air distribution, take care not to obstruct the exterior air 
intake grilles located at the base of the windscreen, the nozzles, the vents 
and the air outlets, as well as the air extractor located in the passenger 
compartment on both sides of the rear shelf. 
   
 ) 
  Do not cover the sunshine sensor, located on the dashboard (behind 
the instrument panel); this is used for regulation of the air conditioning 
system. 
   
 ) 
  Operate the air conditioning system for 5 to 10 minutes, once or twice a 
month to keep it in good working order. 
   
 ) 
  Ensure that the passenger compartment fi lter is in good condition and have 
the fi lter elements replaced regularly (refer to the "Checks" section).  
  We recommend the use of a combined passenger compartment fi lter. 
Thanks to its second special active fi lter, it contributes to the purifi cation 
of the air breathed by the occupants and the cleanliness of the passenger 
compartment (reduction of allergic symptoms, bad odours and greasy 
deposits). 
   
 ) 
  To ensure correct operation of the air conditioning system, you are also 
advised to have it checked regularly. 
   
 ) 
  If the system does not produce cold air, do not use it and contact a 
CITROËN dealer or a qualifi ed workshop.  
  When towing the maximum load on a steep gradient in high temperatures, 
switching off the air conditioning saves engine power and so improves towing 
capacity.  
Page 120 of 244
9
118
DRIVING
   
Operating fault 
 
In the event of a fault with the system, 
the  "ECO OFF" 
 switch warning lamp 
fl ashes then comes on continuously. 
  Have it checked by a CITROËN dealer 
or a qualifi ed workshop. 
  In the event of a fault in STOP mode, 
the vehicle may stall. It is then neces-
sary to switch off the ignition and start 
the engine again using the key.     
Before doing anything under the 
bonnet, deactivate the Stop & 
Start system to avoid any risk of 
injury resulting from automatic 
operation of START mode.  
Maintenance
 
This system requires a battery with a 
special specifi cation and technology 
(reference numbers available from a 
CITROËN dealer or a qualifi ed  work-
shop). 
  Fitting a battery not listed by CITROËN 
introduces the risk of malfunction of the 
system. 
   
The Stop & Start system makes 
use of advanced technology. All 
work on this type of battery must 
be done by a CITROËN dealer 
or a qualifi ed workshop.  
  
Page 133 of 244
10
131
CHECKS
  Avoid prolonged contact of used 
oil or fl uids with the skin. 
  Most of these fl uids are harmful to 
health or indeed very corrosive. 
  Do not discard used oil or fl uids 
into sewers or onto the ground. 
  Take used oil to a CITROËN 
dealer or a qualifi ed  workshop 
(France) or to an authorised 
waste disposal site.  
Diesel additive level (Diesel engine 
with particle emission filter) 
Used products CHECK
S 
Batter
y
  The battery does not require any 
maintenance. 
  However, check that the terminals 
are clean and correctly tightened, 
particularly in summer and winter. 
  When carrying out work on the battery, re-
fer to the "Practical information" section for 
details of the precautions to be taken before 
disconnecting the battery and following its  
reconnection.  
 
 
Air filter and passenger compartment filter 
 
Refer to the servicing booklet 
for details of the replacement 
intervals for these components. 
  Depending on the environment 
(e.g. dusty atmosphere) and 
the use of the vehicle (e.g. city driving), 
  replace them twice as often if neces-
sary 
 (refer to the "Engines" section). 
  A clogged passenger compartment fi lter 
may have an adverse effect on the per-
formance of the air conditioning system 
and generate undesirable odours.  
 
 
Oil filter 
 
Replace the oil fi lter each time 
the engine oil is changed. 
  Refer to the servicing booklet 
for details of the replacement 
interval for this component.      
Topping up 
  This additive must be topped up by a 
CITROËN dealer or a qualifi ed  work-
shop without delay.  
 
 
Unless otherwise indicated, check these 
components in accordance with the servic-
ing booklet and according to your engine. 
  Otherwise, have them checked by a 
CITROËN dealer or a qualifi ed workshop. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The presence of this label, in particular 
with the Stop & Start system, indicates 
the use of a specifi c 12 V lead-acid bat-
tery with special technology and speci-
fi cation, for which the involvement of a 
CITROËN dealer or a qualifi ed  work-
shop is required when replacing or dis-
connecting the battery.  
Failure to observe this recommendation 
may shorten the life of the battery.     The additive reservoir low 
level is indicated by fi xed  illu-
mination of this warning lamp, 
accompanied by an audible warning and 
a message in the multifunction screen.  
Page 134 of 244
10
132
CHECKS
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Only use products recommended 
by CITROËN or products of equiv-
alent quality and specifi cation. 
  In order to optimise the opera-
tion of units as important as 
the braking system, CITROËN 
selects and offers very specifi c 
products. 
  To avoid damaging the electrical 
units, the use of a high pressure 
washer in the engine compart-
ment is strictly  prohibited 
.  
 
Manual parking brake 
 
If a loss of effectiveness of this 
system is noticed, the parking 
brake must be checked, even 
between two services. 
  Checking this system must be done by 
a CITROËN dealer or a qualifi ed  work-
shop.  
Manual gearbox
 
The gearbox does not require any 
maintenance (no oil change). 
  Refer to the servicing booklet for 
the details of the level checking 
interval for this component.   
For information on checking 
brake disc wear, contact a 
CITROËN dealer or a qualifi ed 
workshop.  
 
 
Brake disc wear 
 
Brake wear depends on the 
style of driving, particularly in 
the case of vehicles used in 
town, over short distances. It 
may be necessary to have the 
condition of the brakes checked, even 
between vehicle services. 
  Unless there is a leak in the circuit, a 
drop in the brake fl uid level indicates 
that the brake pads are worn.  
Brake pads 
 
The gearbox does not re-
quire any maintenance (no oil 
change). 
  Refer to the servicing booklet 
for details of the checking in-
terval for this component.  
Electronic gearbox
Particle emission filter (Diesel)
 
The start of saturation of the 
particle fi lter is indicated by 
the temporary illumination 
of this warning lamp accompanied by a 
message in the multi-function screen. 
  As soon as the traffi c  conditions  per-
mit, regenerate the fi lter by driving at a 
speed of at least 40 mph (60 km/h) until 
the warning lamp goes off. 
  If the warning lamp stays on, this indi-
cates a low additive level. 
   
On a new vehicle, the fi rst  par-
ticle fi lter regeneration opera-
tions may be accompanied by 
a "burning" smell, which is per-
fectly normal. 
  Following prolonged operation 
of the vehicle at very low speed 
or at idle, you may, in excep-
tional circumstances, notice the 
emission of water vapour at the 
exhaust on acceleration. This 
does not affect the behaviour of 
the vehicle or the environment.  
  
Page 233 of 244
231
ALPHABETICAL INDEX
P  Paint colour code .......................171
  Panoramic glass sunroof ..............67
  Parking brake ..................... 110, 132
  Parking sensors, rear .................123
 Particle emission fi lter ........131, 132
 Passenger compartment 
fi lter ..........................................131
  Player, CD MP3 ..................193, 213
  Port, USB .....................80, 214, 216
  Priming the fuel system ..............127
 Protecting 
children ................. 90-98, 105, 107
 Puncture .....................................133
R Radio .................................. 191, 211
  Reading lamps, rear .....................78
 Rear foglamp ..............................145
  Rear parcel shelf ....................87, 89
  Rear screen (demisting) ...............47
  Recharging the battery ...............156
  Reduction of electrical load ........156
  Reinitialising the electric 
windows .....................................63
  Reinitialising the remote 
control ........................................60
  Remote control .......................58, 61
  Removing a wheel ......................140
  Removing the mat ........................83
  Repair kit, puncture ....................133
 Replacing bulbs ..........................142
 Replacing fuses ..........................148
  Replacing the air fi lter ................131
  Replacing the oil fi lter .................131
  Replacing the particle 
emission fi lter ...........................132R  Replacing the passenger 
compartment fi lter ....................131
 Replacing wiper blades ........77, 157
  Resetting the service indicator .....32
  Resetting the trip recorder ............34
 Rev counter ..................................22
 Reversing lamp ..........................145
  Risk areas (update) ....................188
 Roof bars ....................................161
 Roof blind .....................................67
  Routine checks ...................131, 132
  Running out of fuel (Diesel) ........127
S  Safety for children .... 90-98, 105, 107
  Scented air freshener ...................51
  Screen, colour 16/9 ............178, 199
 Screen, 
monochrome ............210, 222, 224
  Screen, multifunction (with audio 
equipment) .....................35, 37, 39
 Screen-wash reservoir ...............130
  Screen menu map ......199, 222, 224
 Screenwash .................................76
 Screenwash fl uid level ...............130
  Seat, rear bench ...........................54
 Seat adjustment .....................52, 54
  Seat back storage pockets ...........84
 Seat belts ............................102-105
  Serial number, vehicle ................171
 Service indicator ...........................31
 Servicing ......................................20
  Setting the clock ...36, 198, 220, 221
 Short-cut menus .................179, 180
 Sidelamps ....................71, 143, 145
 Side repeater ..............................143 L  Localised emergency call ...........174
  Locating your vehicle ...................59
  Locking from the inside ................65
  Long objects, transporting ............86
  Low fuel level ...............................68
M Main beam ...........................71, 143
 Maintenance .................................20
  Map reading lamps ...............78, 147
 Markings, identifi cation ...............171
 Mat ...............................................83
 Menu, main ................................210
  Mirror, rear view ...........................57
 Mirrors, door .................................56
 Misfuel prevention ........................70
 Motorway function 
(direction indicators) ...................99
 Mountings
for ISOFIX seats .........................95
 MP3 CD ..............................193, 213
  Music media players ..........192, 213
 MyWay ................................175-206
N Navigation ..................................181
  Number plate lamps ...................145
O Oil fi lter .......................................131
 Oil level ................................33, 130
  Opening the bonnet ....................126
  Opening the boot ....................58, 66
  Opening the doors ..................58, 64
  Opening the fuel fi ller fl ap ............68
  Operation indicator lamps .......23-30