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Danger : Citroen Xsara Picasso


Johnboy

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Does any one else out there own one of these potential death traps. My wife got one on an 04 plate about a year ago. It has been ok so far - no problems at all until Monday. Reversing out our back yard one of the front springs suddenly broke and the sharp end of the spring embedded itself in the tyre causing it to instantly burst.

My first call was to the dealer who sold us the car - Arnold Clark - All they said at first was to get the car down to them and they would have a look at it. The car was undriveable - there was no point in changing the front wheel because of the way the sharp end of the broken spring was pressing against the wheel/tyre.

Next call was to Caley100 to get his advice. Interestingly he explained this was a problem with certain Citroen cars because the spring is eliptical rather than round and when it breaks, the broken end shoots out and embeds itself in the tyre. He agreed with me that had the car been on the road when the spring broke - doing say 70mph on a dual carriegeway it would have been catastrophic. This was was the right hand front spring that broke - if it had been travelling at speed it would have veered across the carriegeway - probably turning over at the same time.

Caley100 kindly offered to get the car picked up for us and take to his own place for repair. Thinking further about the consequences of a spring breaking at speed prompted me to contact Citroen at the HQ. There was no one to take my call but I was able to leave a message with them in which I voiced my concerns with this problem.

A couple of hours later I got a call from Arnold Clark saying they had been contacted by Citroen HQ and told to replace both front springs free of charge as a "goodwill" gesture. I suspect they are aware there is a potentially serious problem with springs on these cars breaking. There are millions of these cars on the road - if Citroen were ordered to recall them all and fit modified springs it would probably put them out of busness.

If anyone of you drive one of these cars you should be aware of this potentially lethal problem.

I can't praise Caley100 highly enough for his valueable and helpful advice in this matter.

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Perhaps people should learn to do their homework better when buying cars, or at least before they go on a rant blaming everyone but themselves......

A recall for this problem was issued in July 2005 - Clicky Clicky

Always amazes me that people will take time to properly read a food label on an item costing a couple of pounds but will blindly part with cash for a car costing thousands after doing nothing more than taking a quick look at it!!!

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I've always gone by Parkers Used car guide

Strangely the spring problem doesn't get a mention here.

According to Arnold Clark there was not a recall issued for this problem. The chances are the previous (original) owners of the car were contacted by Citroen. If they were they must have chosen to ignore it.

QUOTE (CaleyD @ Apr 22 2009, 11:32 AM)

Always amazes me that people will take time to properly read a food label on an item costing a couple of pounds but will blindly part with cash for a car costing thousands after doing nothing more than taking a quick look at it!!!

I don't pay much attention to food labels either, CD....

Do you?

Edited by Johnboy
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I can't praise Caley100 highly enough for his valueable and helpful advice in this matter.

Ye havnae seen his invoice yet :thumb04:

:018: ... Aye... thats me ordered me new Merc :rotflmao:

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  • 1 month later...

Ours was done under the recall in 2005, and what a bodge it is!!

Instead of putting new springs on they just clamped a bracket onto the strut, so that if the spring breaks it is physically deflected away from the tyre.

We had nought but probs with our Picasso, mostly electrical, we got rid as soon as it was out of warranty.

Loved the space but the build quality and electrics were terrible. If they hadn't had these probs they would have made great taxis. But you know how bad they are when you realise their are only 3-4 Picasso cabs working Inverness.

Edited by kiltarlity
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I swear to you this happened to me about a year ago, in my Pug 307SW, AC inverness basicly shrugged there sholders and said its just your bad luck, my ones a 54 2005 car, I wouldnt be suprised if its the same springs involved seen as they work close with there parts.....

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I swear to you this happened to me about a year ago, in my Pug 307SW, AC inverness basicly shrugged there sholders and said its just your bad luck, my ones a 54 2005 car, I wouldnt be suprised if its the same springs involved seen as they work close with there parts.....

I do remember it was not just the Picasso this effected, it did effect other peugeot/citroen cars, you are right they do share many parts. Don't know if it effected the 307 might be worth a bit of internet searching on your part.

Like you I have been far from was impressed with AC. Mind you don't get me started I currently own a 2005 Mazda 6 nice car shame about the rust!! and Mazda don't want to know!!

Edited by kiltarlity
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really? Mazda 6's are built on Ford Mondys I beleve, the should have a corrosion policy in the handbook, did you buy it from a Mazda dealer?

I didn't buy it from a Mazda dealer, their is a corrosion policy/warranty. But according to small print it must have a full Mazda main dealer service history (mine don't) and what's more you have to have paid the extra ?20 each service for the optional body inspection for warranty to be valid.

I might have pushed it, but as my car is used as a taxi, they basically didn't want to know!

My car is not unique, loads of complaints on the web about rusty arches and sills and alloy wheel corrosion.

My Mazda 6 is not based on mondeo platform, but the new one is I believe.

Edited by kiltarlity
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Aye.. it is an ongoing problem with the french cars mainly, the coilspring on Peug/cit differs from 'normal' springs insomuch as its shape is oval vertically, ie the centre coils are maybe 25mm wider in the middle than at the ends, ordinary springs have the loops mostly all the same diameter.

The problem arises when a spring fractures on a cit/peu it invariably collapses over itself causing the car to lurch down on that side and the force of the action can cause the sharp end to spring sideways into the tyre.

Ordinary springs because the coils are similar diameter will drop onto the next coil causing little change and probably not be detected till MOT time or next service.

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  • 8 years later...

I know this is an old thread but I have just put my 12 week old baby in my Picasso 04 to go out and the coil spring drivers side just snapped in my driveway thank god I wasnt on the a1 which I live next to and was about to do as God knows what would of happened I need advice this was also my parents car for the last 11 years so I know it's history what do I need to do?

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On 1/10/2018 at 1:37 PM, Joanne N Peter Bower said:

I know this is an old thread but I have just put my 12 week old baby in my Picasso 04 to go out and the coil spring drivers side just snapped in my driveway thank god I wasnt on the a1 which I live next to and was about to do as God knows what would of happened I need advice this was also my parents car for the last 11 years so I know it's history what do I need to do?

To be honest, you're unlikely to get a reply on here.  This section of the website is a ghost town these days.

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