2004 Citroen C2 VTR Sensodrive 1.4

Summary:

Interesting car, but with serious issues

Faults:

Two major similar incidents have happened recently.

When pressing down the gas pedal to accelerate, the car when starting from stand-still at a traffic light, the car accelerated by itself, increasing the gas and changing to higher gears. The car acted as if the cruise control was set at a high velocity, and the car itself tried to accelerate up to the target velocity. Worse was that it did not help to brake, and the only way to stop the car was (as I saw it) to pull out the ignition key whilst braking hard with both the foot and hand brake, so that the engine stopped. Luckily, the steering wheel had not locked, I assume because the brakes were on full.

Now, the car is at the Citroen mechanic. The mechanic has upgraded the software, but tells me that I have probably obstructed the gas pedal with the mat - but I know for sure that this is not the case. My plan is now to get the mechanic to go with me on a test drive, to test that the same thing does not happen again. Hopefully, the software upgrade has had an effect, regardless of what the Citroen mechanic says. I am concerned that there may be other cars with the same software and gas/gearbox system that may have the same problem.

General Comments:

Has anyone else with a Sensodrive system (C2 or C3 or other) from the same production years had the same or similar issues?

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Don't Know

Review Date: 20th January, 2009

20th Jan 2009, 12:11

Sounds dangerous. I prefer to be in control of the car rather than the other way around.

21st Jan 2009, 16:57

I am on my my 2nd SensoDrive Citroen. My 1st was an 2005 C3 1.6i 16v Exclusive SensoDrive a brilliant car never let me down. My current car now is a 2008 C2 1.6i 16v VTR SensoDrive and has been great so far.

But My brothers 2006 C3 1.6i 16v Exclusive SensoDrive has been a nightmare since week 1. Keeps cutting out, won't change up Gears sometimes. Had a New Gearbox and clutch at 21,000 miles.

And last week I was driving it, and braked and went to accelerate away, but the car beat me to it and started doing it on its own. I stopped it by pressing the brake.

Citroen's computer never seems to find a fault.

Luckily it won't be my brothers problem as of a week Friday, as he is getting a new car.

6th Oct 2009, 09:22

I've had my C2 VTR for a couple of years now, and it's been nothing but trouble. There's always something going wrong with it, and the service you get from the dealership is pathetic. What a load of dummies, they couldn't sort out the problems if their life depended on it. All they could do is hook the car up to the diagnostics and look in utter confusion.

The last time the car was in the garage, it had gearbox problems, and the muppets had it for 17 days, and still I got it back not fixed.

Unless you have a back up car, I strongly recommend you stay well clear of the numpties at Citroen.

2nd Oct 2013, 11:46

We have a 2004 C2 1.4 Furio with SensoDrive. We haven't had the self accelerating problem I've heard a few stories about; just the car not being to make up its mind what gear it should be in! Usually when giving way at a junction or roundabout and still moving, you put your foot down, and there is a huge delay while it decides on 1st or 2nd gear, then usually chooses 2nd, leaving us crawling out of a junction with oncoming traffic braking to avoid us!! Highly dangerous and scary stuff.

The latest thing is with the power steering. Apparently something with the ECU tells the steering rack that the car is actually parked up, so switches off the power. The result is steering that is twice as heavy as a vehicle not even fitted with power steering!!!