2021 CITROEN C-ELYSÉE ESP

39
Safety
5(confirmed by this warning lamp flashing on the
instrument panel).
Deactivation / Reactivation
In exceptional conditions (starting a vehicle
which is bogged down, stuck in snow, on soft
ground, etc.), it may be advisable to deactivate
the ASR system, so that the wheels can turn
freely and regain grip.
Reactivate the system as soon as the level of
grip permits.




► Press this button to deactivate / reactivate the
function.
The button indicator lamp is on when the
function is deactivated.
Deactivation is confirmed by the
illumination of this indicator lamp in the
instrument panel.
The ASR system is reactivated automatically
every time the ignition is switched back on or
from 31 mph (50
km/h).
Below 31 mph (50
km/h), you can reactivate it
manually.
Malfunction
In the event of a malfunction, this warning
lamp lights up on the instrument panel,
accompanied by the display of a message and
an audible signal.
Have it checked by a CITROËN dealer or a
qualified workshop.
ASR/DSC
These systems enhance safety during
normal driving, but should not encourage
the driver to take extra risks or drive at high
speed.
It is in conditions of reduced grip (rain, snow,
ice) that the risk of loss of grip increases. It
is therefore important for your safety to keep
these systems activated in all conditions, and
particularly in difficult conditions.
Correct operation of these systems depends
on compliance with the manufacturer's
recommendations relating to the wheels
(tyres and rims), braking and electronic
components, as well as the assembly and
repair procedures provided by CITROËN
dealers.
In order to ensure that these systems remain
effective in wintry conditions, the use of snow
or all-season tyres is recommended. All four
wheels must be fitted with tyres approved for
your vehicle.
All tyre specifications are listed on the
tyre/paint label. For more information
on Identification markings , refer to the
corresponding section.
Seat belts
Front seat belts
The front seat belts are fitted with a pyrotechnic
pretensioning system and a force limiting
system.
This system improves safety in the front seats in
the event of a front or side impact.
Depending on the severity of the impact, the
pyrotechnic pretensioning system instantly
tightens the seat belts against the body of the
occupants.
The pyrotechnic pretensioning seat belts are
enabled when the ignition is on.
The force limiter reduces the pressure of the
seat belt on the chest of the occupant, thus
improving their protection.

40
Safety
Rear seat belts

Each of the rear seats has a three-point seat belt
with inertia reel.
Fastening

► Pull the strap, then insert the tongue into the
buckle.
►

Check that the seat belt is fastened correctly
by pulling on the strap.
Unfastening
► Press the red button on the buckle.
► Guide the seat belt as it is reeled in.
Seat belt not fastened/
unfastened alerts




1. Front left seat belt warning lamp
2. Front right seat belt warning lamp
3. Rear left seat belt warning lamp
4. Rear centre seat belt warning lamp
5. Rear right seat belt warning lamp
Not fastened at the front
When the ignition is switched on, the warning
lamp and the corresponding indicator lamps light
up if the driver and/or the front passenger have
not fastened their seat belts.
At a speed greater than 12 mph (20 km/h),
these warning lamps flash, accompanied by an
increasing audible signal for approximately two
minutes. After two minutes, these warning lamps
remain on as long as the front seatbelts are not
fastened.
Not fastened at the rear
When the ignition is switched on and with the
engine running or the vehicle moving at a speed
below 12 mph (20
km/h), the warning lamp and
the corresponding indicator lamps light up for
1 minute, if one or more rear seat belts are not
fastened.
Unfastened
After the ignition is switched on, the warning
lamp and the corresponding indicator lamps light
up if the driver and/or one or more passengers
unfasten their seat belts.
At a speed greater than 12 mph (20 km/h), these
warning lamps flash, accompanied by an audible
signal for approximately two minutes. After this
time, these warning lamps remain on as long as
the seatbelts are not refastened.
Advice
The driver must ensure that passengers use the seat belts correctly and that they
are all fastened before setting off.
Wherever seated in the vehicle, you must
always fasten the seat belt, even for short
journeys.
Do not invert the seat belt buckles, as they
will not fulfil their role properly.
To ensure the proper functioning of the belt
buckles, make sure that there are no foreign
bodies present (e.g.
a coin) before fastening.

41
Safety
5Before and after use, ensure that the seat belt
is reeled in correctly.
After folding or moving a seat or rear bench
seat, ensure that the seat belt is positioned
and reeled in correctly.
Installation
The lower part of the strap must be
positioned as low as possible over the pelvis.
The upper part must be positioned in the
hollow of the shoulder.
At the front, adjusting the position of the
seat belt may require the seat height to be
adjusted.
In order to be effective, a seat belt must:
–

be tightened as close to the body as
possible.
–


be pulled in front of you with a smooth
movement, checking that it is not twisted.
–


must only be used to secure one person.
–


not show signs of tearing or fraying.
–


not be changed or modified, in order to
avoid affecting its performance.
Recommendations for children
Use a suitable child seat if the passenger
is less than 12 years old or shorter than 1.5
metres.
Never use the same seat belt to secure more
than one child.
Never carry a child on your lap.
For more information on Child seats, refer to
the corresponding section.
Maintenance
In accordance with current safety
regulations, for all work on your vehicle's
seat belts, contact a qualified workshop with
the skills and equipment needed, which a
CITROËN
dealer is able to provide.
Have the seat belts checked regularly by a
CITROËN dealer or a qualified workshop,
particularly if the straps show signs of
damage.
Clean the seat belt straps with soapy water or
a textile cleaning product, sold by CITROËN
dealers.
Airbags
General information
This system is designed to improve the safety
of the occupants of the front seats and the rear
outer seats in the event of a violent collision. The
airbags supplement the action of the seat belts
equipped with a force limiting system.
Electronic detectors record and analyse the
front and side impacts sustained in the impact
detection zones:
–

In the event of violent impact, the airbags
deploy instantly and help better protect the
occupants of the vehicle; immediately after the
impact, the airbags deflate rapidly in order not
to hinder the visibility or the possible exit of the
occupants.
–

In the event of a slight impact, a rear impact
and under certain rollover conditions, the airbags
may not deploy; only the seat belt helps to
protect you in these situations.
The seriousness of the impact depends on the
nature of the obstacle and the speed of the
vehicle at the moment of collision.
The airbags do not operate when the
ignition is switched off.
This equipment will only deploy once. If a
second impact occurs (during the same or a
subsequent accident), the airbag will not be
deployed again.
Impact detection zones
A. Front impact zone
B. Side impact zone
When one or more airbags are deployed,
the detonation of the pyrotechnic charge

42
Safety
incorporated in the system makes a noise and
releases a small quantity of smoke.
This smoke is not harmful, but sensitive
individuals may experience irritation.
The detonation noise associated with the
deployment of one or more airbags may result
in a slight loss of hearing for a short time.
Front airbags

This system protects the driver and front
passenger in the event of a serious front impact,
limiting the risk of head and chest injury.
The driver's airbag is fitted in the centre of the
steering wheel; the front passenger airbag is
fitted in the dashboard above the glove box.
Deployment
They are deployed, except for the front
passenger airbag if it is deactivated*, in the
event of a violent front impact applied to all or
part of front impact zone A.
The front airbag inflates between the chest and
head of the front occupant of the vehicle and
the steering wheel, on the driver's side, and the
* For more information on Deactivating the front passenger airbag, refer t\
o the corresponding section.dashboard, on the passenger's side, to cushion
their forward movement.
Lateral airbags

This system protects the driver and front
passenger in the event of a serious side impact,
limiting the risk of injury to the chest, between
the hip and the shoulder.
Each lateral airbag is fitted in the seat backrest
frame, on the door side.
Deployment
The lateral airbags are deployed on one side in
the event of a serious side impact applied to all
or part of the side impact zone B.
The lateral airbag inflates between the chest of
the vehicle's occupant and the corresponding
door panel.
Malfunction
In the event of a malfunction, this warning
lamp lights up on the instrument panel.
Contact a CITROËN dealer or a qualified
workshop to have the system checked.
The airbags may not be deployed in the event of
a serious impact.
In the event of a minor impact or bump at
the side of the vehicle or if the vehicle
rolls over, the airbags may not be deployed.
In the event of a rear or front collision, none of
the lateral airbags are deployed.
Advice
For the airbags to be fully effective,
observe the safety recommendations
below.
Adopt a normal and upright sitting position.
Fasten your seat belt and position it correctly.
Do not place anything between the occupants
and the airbags (e.g.
child, animal, object), do
not fix or attach anything near or in the path of
the airbags, as this could cause injuries when
they are deployed.
Never modify the original definition of the
vehicle, particularly in the area directly around
the airbags.
Even if all of the precautions mentioned are
observed, a risk of injury or of minor burns to

51
Driving
6Driving recommendations
► Observe the driving regulations and remain
vigilant whatever the traffic conditions.
►

Monitor your environment and keep your
hands on the wheel to be able to react to
anything that may happen any time.
►


Drive smoothly
, anticipate the need for
braking and maintain a longer safety distance,
especially in bad weather.
►

Stop the vehicle before performing operations
that require sustained attention (e.g.

settings).
►

During long trips, take a break every 2 hours.
Important!
Never leave the engine running in a
closed space without sufficient
ventilation. Internal combustion engines emit
toxic exhaust gases such as carbon
monoxide. Danger of poisoning and death!
In very severe wintry conditions
(temperature below -23°C), let the engine
run for 4 minutes before moving off, to ensure
the correct operation and durability of the
mechanical components of your vehicle
(engine and gearbox).
Never drive with the parking brake
applied . Risk of overheating and
damaging the braking system!
Never park the vehicle and never
leave the engine running on a
flammable surface (e.g.
dry grass, dead
leaves).The vehicle exhaust system is very
hot, even several minutes after the engine
stops. Risk of fire!
Never drive on surfaces covered with
vegetation (e.g. tall grass,
accumulated dead leaves, crops, debris)
such as a field, a country lane overgrown
with bushes or a grassy verge.
This vegetation could come into contact with
the vehicle's exhaust system
or other systems
which are very hot. Risk of fire!
Make sure you do not leave any item in
the passenger compartment which could
act like a magnifying glass under the effect of
the sun's rays and cause a fire. Risk of fire or
damage to interior surfaces!
Never leave the vehicle unattended,
with the engine running . If you have to
leave your vehicle with the engine running,
apply the parking brake and put the automatic
gearbox into position N or P.
Never leave children inside the vehicle
unsupervised.
On flooded roads
We strongly advise against driving on flooded
roads, as this could cause serious damage to the
engine or gearbox, as well as to your vehicle's
electrical systems.


If the vehicle absolutely must drive through a
flooded section of road:
►

Check that the depth of the water does not
exceed 15

cm, taking account of waves that
might be generated by other users.
►

Deactivate the Stop & Start function.
►


Drive as slowly as possible without stalling. In
all cases, do not exceed 6 mph (10

km/h).
►

Do not stop and do not switch off the engine.
On leaving the flooded road, as soon as safety
conditions allow

, make several light brake
applications to dry the brake discs and pads.
If in doubt about the state of your vehicle,
contact a CITROËN dealer or a qualified
workshop.

54
Driving
Switching off the engine
► Immobilise the vehicle.
► With the engine at idle, turn the key to
position 1
.
►

Remove the key from the ignition switch.
►


T
o lock the steering column, turn the steering
wheel until it locks.
To facilitate unlocking of the steering column, it is recommended that the
wheels be returned to the straight ahead
position before switching off the engine.
Never switch off the ignition before the
complete immobilisation of the vehicle.
With the engine off, the braking and steering
assistance systems are also cut off - risk of
loss of control of the vehicle!
Check that the parking brake is correctly
applied, particularly on sloping ground.
When leaving the vehicle, keep the key in
your possession and lock the vehicle.
Energy economy mode
After the engine has stopped (position 1. Stop),
for a maximum combined duration of 30 minutes,
you can still use functions such as the audio and
telematics system, courtesy lamps or dipped
beam headlamps.
For more information on Energy
economy mode, refer to the
corresponding section.
Key left in
When the driver's door is opened, a
message is displayed, accompanied by an
audible signal, if the key has been left in the
ignition switch in position 1.
If the key has been left in the ignition switch
in position 2, the ignition will be switched off
automatically after one hour.
To switch the ignition back on, turn the key to
position 1, then back to position 2.
Parking brake
Release

► Pull the parking brake lever up slightly , press
the release button, then lower the lever fully.
When driving the vehicle, if this warning
lamp and the STOP warning lamp come
on, accompanied by an audible signal and the
display of a message, this means that the
parking brake is still applied or has not been fully
released.
Application
► Pull the parking brake lever up to immobilise
the vehicle.
When parking on a slope, turn the
wheels against the kerb, apply the
parking brake, engage a gear and switch off
the ignition.
Hill start assist
(Depending on engine.)
This system keeps the vehicle briefly stationary
(for approximately 2
seconds) when making a hill
start, while you transfer your foot from the brake
pedal to the accelerator pedal.
The system is only active when:
–

The vehicle is completely stationary
, with your
foot on the brake pedal.
–

Certain slope conditions are met.
–


The driver
’s door is closed.
Do not leave the vehicle while it is being
held temporarily by hill start assist.
If someone needs to get out of the vehicle
with the engine running, apply the parking
brake manually. Then check that the parking
brake indicator lamp is on fixed on the
instrument panel.

56
Driving
As a safety precaution and to facilitate engine starting:
►

Always select neutral.
►


Press the clutch pedal.
6-speed automatic
gearbox
6-speed automatic gearbox which offers a choice
between the comfort of automatic operation or
manual gear changing.
Two driving modes are available:
–

Automatic
operation for electronic
management of the gears by the gearbox: •

With the
Sport programme for a more
dynamic driving style.
•

Or the
Snow programme to improve driving
in the event of poor grip.*
–

Manual
operation for sequential changing of
the gears by the driver.
* Snow programme : depending on the country of sale.
Gear selector module
1.Gear selector
2. Sport programme
3. Snow programme P. Park
–

V
ehicle immobilised, parking brake
applied or released.
–

Engine starting.
R. Reverse
–


Reversing manoeuvres, vehicle
stationary

, engine at idle.
N. Neutral
–

V
ehicle immobilised, parking brake
applied.
–

Engine starting.
D. Automatic operation
M. +/- Manual operation
►


T
o shift up/down through the gears,
push the control backwards/forwards.
Information displayed on
the instrument panel
When a position is selected in the grid with the
gear selector, the corresponding indicator lamp
lights up on the instrument panel.
P. Park
R. Reverse
N. Neutral
D. Drive (automatic operation)
S. Sport programme
T. Snow programme
1...6. Gear engaged during manual operation
-. Instruction not accepted during manual
operation
Foot on the brake
► Depress the brake pedal when this
warning lamp is displayed on the
instrument panel (e.g. when starting the engine).
Starting the vehicle
► With your foot on the brake pedal,
select position P
or N.
►

Start the engine.
If the conditions are not met, you will hear an
audible signal, accompanied by the display of a
message.
►


With the engine running, depress the brake
pedal.

58
Driving
If the engine speed is too low or too high, the
selected gear flashes for a few seconds, then the
gear actually engaged is shown.
It is possible to change from position D to
position M
at any time.
When the vehicle is stationary or moving very
slowly, the gearbox selects gear 1 automatically.
The Sport and Snow programmes are inactive
in manual operation.
This symbol is displayed if a gear is not engaged correctly (gear selector between
two positions).
Switching off the vehicle
Before switching off the engine, it is possible to
engage position P or N to place the gearbox in
neutral.
In both cases, apply the parking brake to
immobilise the vehicle.
If the gear selector is not in position P ,
when the driver's door is opened or
approximately 45
seconds after the ignition is
switched off, an audible signal sounds and a
message appears.
►

Return the gear selector to

P
; the audible
signal stops and the message disappears.
Malfunction
In the event of a malfunction, this warning
lamp comes on accompanied by an
audible signal and a message is displayed, when
the ignition is switched on.
In this case, the gearbox goes into back-up
mode and is locked in 3
rd gear. You may feel a
significant jolt (without risk to the gearbox) when
changing from

P

to R and from N to R.
Do not exceed 62 mph (100
km/h), local speed
restrictions permitting.
Have it checked by a CITROËN dealer or a
qualified workshop.
There is a risk of damaging the gearbox: – If the accelerator and brake pedals are
depressed simultaneously
.
–

In the event of a battery failure, forcing the
selector from position P

to another position.
Gear shift indicator
(Depending on engine)
This system is designed to reduce fuel
consumption by recommending the most suitable
gear.
Operation
Depending on the driving situation and
the vehicle's equipment, the system may
recommend skipping one or more gears.
Gear engagement recommendations are
not to be considered mandatory. Indeed, the
configuration of the road, the traffic density and
safety remain determining factors when choosing
the best gear. Therefore, the driver remains
responsible for deciding whether or not to follow
the system’s advice.
The system cannot be deactivated.
With an automatic gearbox, the system is
only active in manual operation.
The information appears on the instrument panel, in the form of an arrow
and the recommended gear.
The system adapts the gear change instructions according to the driving
conditions (e.g.
slope, load) and driving style
(e.g.
power demand, acceleration, braking).
The system never suggests:
–

engaging first gear
.
–

engaging reverse gear
.
Stop & Start
The Stop & Start function puts the engine temporarily into standby - STOP mode - during
phases when the vehicle is stationary (e.g.
red
lights, traffic jams). The engine automatically
restarts - START mode - as soon as the driver
indicates the intention of moving off again.
Primarily designed for urban use, the function
is intended to reduce fuel consumption and
exhaust emissions as well as the noise level
when stationary.
The function does not affect the functionalities of
the vehicle, in particular the braking.