2012 Citroen C3 RHD Owner's Manual

8
SAFETY













For the airbags to be fully
effective, observe the following
safety rules:
Sit in a normal upright position.
Wear a correctly adjusted seat belt.
Do not leave anything between the
occupants and the airbags (a child,
pet, object...). This could hamper the
operation of the airbags or injure the
occupants.
After an accident or if the vehicle has
been stolen or broken into, have the
airbag systems checked.
All work on the airbag system must be
carried out by a CITROËN dealer or a
qualifi ed workshop.
Even if all of the precautions mentioned
are observed, a risk of injury or of minor
burns to the head, chest or arms when
an airbag is deployed cannot be ruled
out. The bag infl ates almost instantly
(within a few milliseconds) then de-
fl ates within the same time discharging
the hot gas via openings provided for
this purpose.
Front airbags
Do not drive holding the steering wheel by its spokes or resting your hands on
the centre part of the wheel.
Passengers must not place their feet on the dashboard.
If possible, do not smoke as deployment of the airbags can cause burns or
the risk of injury from a cigarette or pipe.
Never remove or pierce the steering wheel or hit it violently.



Lateral airbags
Use only approved covers on the seats, compatible with the deployment the
lateral airbags. For information on the range of seat covers suitable for your
vehicle, you can contact a CITROËN dealer (see "Practical information -
§ Accessories").
Do not fi x or attach anything to the seat backs (clothing...). This could cause
injury to the chest or arms if the lateral airbag is deployed.
Do not sit with the upper part of the body any nearer to the door than necessary.

Curtain airbags
Do not fi x or attach anything to the roof. This could cause injury to the head if
the curtain airbag is deployed.
If fi tted on your vehicle, do not remove the grab handles installed on the roof,
they play a part in securing the curtain airbags.

9
11 2
DRIVING
PARKING BRAKE

When parking on a slope, direct
your wheels against the pave-
ment, apply the parking brake
and engage a gear.

Applying


)
Pull the parking brake lever fully up
to immobilise your vehicle.


Releasing


)
Pull the parking brake lever gently,
press the release button then lower
the lever fully.

When the vehicle is being driven, if this
warning lamp and the STOP
warning
lamp come on, accompanied by an
audible signal and a message on the
multifunction screen, this indicates that the parking
brake is still on or has not been properly released.
6-SPEED MANUAL GEARBOX
En
gaging 5th or 6th gear


)
Move the lever fully to the right to
engage 5th or 6th gear.

As a safety precaution and to fa-
cilitate starting of the engine:


- always select neutral,

- press the clutch pedal.
Only engage reverse gear when
the vehicle is stationary with the
engine at idle.

)
Raise the ring under the knob and
move the gear lever to the left then
forwards.
Engaging reverse gear

9
113
DRIVING
GEAR EFFICIENCY INDICATOR *

System which reduces fuel consumption
by advising the driver to change up on
vehicles fi tted with a manual gearbox.


Operation

The system intervenes only when driving
economically.
Depending on the driving situation and
your vehicle's equipment, the system
may advise you to skip one or more
gears. You can follow this instruction with-
out engaging the intermediate gears.
The gear recommended should not
be considered compulsory. In fact, the
confi guration of the road, the amount
of traffi c and safety remain determining
factors when choosing the best gear.
Therefore, the driver remains responsi-
ble for deciding whether or not to follow
the advice given by the system.
This function cannot be deactivated.
In the case of driving which
makes particular demands on
the performance of the engine
(fi rm pressure on the accelerator
pedal, for example, when over-
taking...), the system will not
recommend a gear change.
The system never suggests:


- engaging fi rst gear,

- engaging reverse gear,

- engaging a lower gear.


- You press the accelerator pedal
moderately.
Example:


- You are in third gear.

- The system may suggest that you
engage a higher gear, if appropriate.

*
According to engine.
The information appears in the form
of an arrow in the instrument panel
screen.
Depending on your vehicle's equipment,
this arrow may be accompanied by the
recommended gear.

9
11 4
DRIVING
ELECTRONIC GEARBOX
Five or six-speed electronically con-
trolled gearbox which offers a choice
between the comfort of automated op-
eration or the pleasure of manual gear
changing.
Two driving modes are offered:


- automated
mode for automatic
control of the gears by the gearbox,
without any action by the driver,

- manual
mode for the sequential
changing of the gears by the driver,
using the gear lever or the steering
mounted control paddles,
In automated mode, you can temporar-
ily take control of gear changes at any
time, using the steering mounted control
paddles.
R.
Reverse


)
With your foot on the brake, move
the lever forwards to select this po-
sition.

N.
Neutral.


)
With your foot on the brake, select
this position to start the engine.

A.
Automated mode.


)
Move the lever backwards to select
this mode.

M +/-.
Manual mode with sequential
gear changing.


)
Move the lever backwards, then to
the left to select this mode, then:


- push forwards to change up a gear,

- or push backwards to change down
a gear.

Gear lever


+.
Paddle to the right of the steering
wheel for changing up.


)
Press the back of the steering
mounted "+"
paddle to change up a
gear.

-.
Paddle to the left of the steering
wheel for changing down.


)
Press the back of the steering
mounted "-"
paddle to change down
a gear.


Steering mounted controls

The steering mounted paddles do
not allow neutral to be selected,
reverse gear to be engaged or
disengaged, or the driving mode
to be changed.

9
115
DRIVING

Display in the instrument panel


Gear lever positions

N.
Neutral

R.
Reverse

1 2 3 4 5/6.
Gears in manual mode.

AUTO.
This comes on when automated
mode is selected. It goes off when
changing to manual mode.

Moving off



)
Select position N
.

)
Press the brake pedal fully.

)
Start the engine.
N
appears in the instrument
panel.

N
fl ashes in the instrument panel
screen if the gear lever is not in
position N
when starting.


)
Select automated mode (position A
),
manual mode (position M
) or reverse
(position R
).

AUTO
and 1
, 1
or R
appear in
the instrument panel.


)
Place your foot on the
brake
when this warning
lamp fl ashes (e.g.: starting
the engine).


You must keep your foot on the
brake pedal while starting the
engine. Vehicles fi tted with the 6-speed
electronic gearbox system then
move off on their own (refer to
the paragraph "Creep function").
Creep function
(6-speed electronic gearbox system)
This function allows the vehicle to be
manoeuvered more easily at low speeds (when parking, in traffi c jams...).
With the gear lever in position A
, M
or R
,
the vehicle moves as soon as you take
your foot off the brake pedal
, at low
speed and with the engine at idle.
Do not leave children unsuper-
vised inside the vehicle when
the engine is running.


)
Release the parking brake.

)
Progressively take your foot off the
brake pedal.
Do not press the brake and
clutch pedals simultaneously.
This can cause rapid clutch
wear.

)
Accelerate away. The creep function may be tem-
porarily unavailable if the clutch
temperature is too high or the
slope too steep.

9
116
DRIVING

Manual mode



)
Select position M
.
The gears engaged appear in
succession in the instrument
panel.
The gear change requests are only carried
out if the engine speed permits.
It is not necessary to release the accel-
erator pedal during gear changes.
When braking or slowing down, the
gearbox changes down automatically
so that the vehicle picks up in the right
gear.
Under full acceleration, the change up will
not take place unless the driver operates
the gear lever or steering mounted control
paddle (unless the engine is close to its
maximum speed).

Temporary control of gear changing
You can temporarily take over control of
gear changes using the steering mount-
ed "+"
and "-"
control paddles: if the
engine speed allows, the gear change
is carried out.
This function allows you to anticipate
certain situations such as overtaking
another vehicle or approaching a bend.
After a few moments without any action
on the paddles, the gearbox resumes
control of gear changing automatically.

You can change mode at any
time by moving the gear lever
from A
to M
or the other way
round.
Never select neutral (position N
)
when moving.


Automated mode



)
Select position A
.

AUTO
and the gear engaged
appear in the instrument panel.
The gearbox then operates in auto-adap-tive mode, without any action on the part
of the driver. It continuously selects the
most suitable gear taking account of:


- optimisation of fuel consumption,

- driving style,

- road conditions,

- vehicle load.
For optimum acceleration, when over-
taking another vehicle for example,
press the accelerator pedal fully down,
beyond the point of resistance.
You can change mode at any
time by moving the gear lever
from A
to M
or the other way
round.
Never select neutral (position N
)
when moving.

9
11 7
DRIVING
Reverse

To engage reverse, the vehicle must
be immobilised with your foot on the
brake.


)
Select position R
.


Stopping the vehicle
Operatin
g fault

With the ignition on, if this
warning lamp comes on and
AUTO
fl ashes, accompa-
nied by an audible signal and a mes-
sage in the multifunction screen, this
indicates a gearbox fault.
Have it checked by a CITROËN dealer
or a qualifi ed workshop. There is an audible signal on
engagement of reverse.
At low speed, if reverse gear is request-
ed, the N
warning lamp fl ashes and the
gearbox goes into neutral automatically.
To engage reverse, put the gear lever
into position N
, then to position R
. Before doing anything under the
bonnet, ensure that the gear le-
ver is in neutral (position N
) and
that the parking brake is ap-
plied.
For all parking situations, you
must apply the parking brake

to immobilise the vehicle. When immobilising the vehicle
with the engine running, you
must put the gear lever into
neutral (position N
).
Before switching off the engine:


- change to position N
to be in neutral,
or

- leave the vehicle in gear; in this case
the vehicle cannot be moved.
Reinitialisation(5-speed electronic gearbox)

Following disconnection of the battery, it
is necessary to reinitialise the gearbox.


)
Switch on the ignition.

AUTO
and - -
appear in the
instrument panel.


)
Select position N
.

)
Press the brake pedal.

)
Wait for around 30 seconds until N

or a gear appears in the instrument
panel.

)
Move the gear lever to position A
,
then to position N
.

)
With your foot still on the brake pedal,
start the engine.
The gearbox is operational again.
In exceptional circumstances,
the gearbox may need an au-
tomatic reinitialisation: starting
and gear changing are no lon-
ger possible.

AUTO
and - -
appear in
the instrument panel.
Follow the procedure described
above.

9
118
DRIVING
AUTOMATIC GEARBOX
Four-speed automatic gearbox which
offers a choice between the comfort of
fully automatic operation, enhanced by
sport and snow programmes, or manual
gear changing.
Therefore, four driving modes are of-
fered:


- automatic
operation for electronic
management of the gears by the
gearbox,

- sport
programme for a more dynamic
style of driving,

- snow
programme to improve driv-
ing when traction is poor,

- manual
operation for sequential
changing of the gears by the driver.


1.
Gear lever.

2.
Button "S"
(sport)
.

3.
Button "

7

"
(snow).




Gear selection gate


P.
Park.


- Immobilisation of the vehicle, parking
brake on or off.

- Starting the engine.

R.
Reverse.


- Reversing manoeuvres, vehicle sta-
tionary, engine at idle.

N.
Neutral.


- Immobilisation of the vehicle, parking
brake on.

- Starting the engine.

D.
Automatic operation.

M +/-.
Manual operation with sequential
changing of the four gears.


)
Push forwards to change up through
the gears.
or

)
Pull backwards to change down
through the gears.

Gear lever

When you move the lever in the gate
to select a position, the corresponding
indicator is displayed in the instrument
panel.

P.
Park

R.
Reverse

N.
Neutral

D.
Drive (Automatic driving)

S.
Sport
programme

7

.
Snow
programme

1 2 3 4

.
Gears engaged during manual
operation

-.
Invalid value during manual operation


Displays in the instrument panel


Foot on brake


)
Press the brake pedal when
this indicator lamp is displayed
in the instrument panel (e.g.:
starting the engine).