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Citroen C4: 1.6 THP timing chain stretch, cold-start rattle and carbon buildup

1.6 THP timing chain stretch, cold-start rattle and carbon buildup is a common engine fault on the Citroen C4 on the 2008–2018 cars, and we rate it major. Putting it right costs $1,200 to $3,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. Below is what goes wrong, the symptoms to notice on a test drive, where to look, and what to ask the seller before you hand over any money. It is one of 8 documented faults on the Citroen C4.

Vehicle
Citroen C4
Engine
1.6L
Years
2008–2018
Fuel
petrol
System
Engine

This page covers the Citroen C4 as a model. Some faults only affect particular engines or build years — enter a plate below to narrow the list to one car.

All Citroen C4 faults8 documented faults on this model

What you are looking at

The front of a dual overhead camshaft engine with the timing cover removed, exposing the timing chain and sprockets.Example of the part — not this vehicle

The front of a twin-cam engine with the timing cover off — chain, sprockets and guides.

Logansenf · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

What goes wrong

The 1.6 THP turbo petrol (co-developed with BMW/Mini) suffers premature timing chain stretch and tensioner failure - the telltale is a diesel-like rattle for a few seconds on cold start, typically developing between 60,000-100,000 km. Left alone, the chain can skip teeth and put valves into pistons. Being direct-injected, the same engine also carbons up its intake valves, causing rough idle and lost power. A chain kit plus a walnut-blast intake clean restores it, but both jobs together are serious money on a cheap car.

What you would notice

  • Rattle for a few seconds on cold start
  • Engine light with camshaft/crank correlation fault codes
  • Rough idle and hesitation
  • Loss of power at higher revs

How to check it

Where to look. Timing chain at the transmission end of the engine; intake valves behind the inlet manifold

Insist on a stone-cold start - arrive before the seller has warmed the car. Listen at the passenger-side end of the engine for a rattle in the first seconds. Check history for a chain/tensioner replacement invoice. A car that was started 'to move it out of the garage' before you arrived may be hiding the rattle.

Parts involved: Timing chain.

What it costs to put right

$1,200 to $3,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That is for this job on its own, not for the car.

An estimate, in NZD, for the repair as normally carried out. What a specific car costs depends on which part has failed and what it damaged on the way — treat this as the floor for a negotiation, not a quote.

Ask the seller

  • “Has the timing chain or tensioner been replaced? Invoice?”
  • “Does it rattle on cold start?”
  • “Has the intake ever been cleaned of carbon?”

Now check the Citroen C4 you are actually looking at

Everything above is true of the model, and it is free. What it does not tell you is whether THIS car has been looked after: its odometer history and whether the reading has ever gone backwards, whether there is still money owing on it, whether it has been reported stolen, how many owners it has had and what it is really worth today. That comes from the official records for that plate. Enter the plate for the free details, or get the full history and a market valuation from $13.49.

Not sure what you would be paying for? See what a full KickTyres check includes.

Where this comes from

The failure described above is documented in the sources below. The inspection instructions and the cost estimate are KickTyres’ own interpretation of them.

  • AutomotiveFaults - Citroen C4 II 1.6 THP 155 common faults
  • CarChecker.pro C4 Picasso 1.6 THP reliability report
  • c4owners.org forum timing chain threads

Citroen C4 buyer questions

Is 1.6 thp timing chain stretch, cold-start rattle and carbon buildup serious on a Citroen C4?

We rate it major and common on the Citroen C4. The 1.6 THP turbo petrol (co-developed with BMW/Mini) suffers premature timing chain stretch and tensioner failure - the telltale is a diesel-like rattle for a few seconds on cold start, typically developing between 60,000-100,000 km. Left alone, the chain can skip teeth and put valves into pistons. Being direct-injected, the same engine also carbons up its intake valves, causing rough idle and lost power. A chain kit plus a walnut-blast intake clean restores it, but both jobs together are serious money on a cheap car.

How much does it cost to fix on a Citroen C4?

$1,200 to $3,200 at New Zealand independent workshop rates. That figure is for this job on its own. A car showing the symptoms on this page is usually worth either walking away from or negotiating down by at least the repair figure.

Which Citroen C4 years are affected?

Our research records this fault on the 2008–2018 Citroen C4. Build dates move around, especially on imported cars, so treat the range as the years to look hardest at rather than a guarantee either way. The official records tell you the exact build and first registration date for the car in front of you.

How do I check for it before I buy?

Insist on a stone-cold start - arrive before the seller has warmed the car. Listen at the passenger-side end of the engine for a rattle in the first seconds. Check history for a chain/tensioner replacement invoice. A car that was started 'to move it out of the garage' before you arrived may be hiding the rattle. Look here: Timing chain at the transmission end of the engine; intake valves behind the inlet manifold