2023 CITROEN C4 CACTUS engine

67
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 to carry out operations that
require close attention (such as adjustments).
►


During long trips, take a break every two
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 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
damage to the braking system!
Do not park the vehicle or leave the
engine running on a flammable
surface (dry grass, dead leaves, etc.). The
exhaust system of your vehicle is very hot,
even several minutes after the engine stops.
Risk of fire!
Never leave a vehicle unattended with
the engine running. If you have to leave
your vehicle with the engine running, apply
the parking brake and put the gearbox into
neutral or position N or P (depending on the
type of gearbox).
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 the electrical
systems of your vehicle.


If you are obliged to drive on a flooded road:
► check that the depth of 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.
In case of towing
Driving with a trailer places greater
demands on the towing vehicle and
requires extra care from the driver.
Respect the maximum towable weights.
At altitude: reduce the maximum load by
10% per 1,000 metres of altitude; the density
of the air decreases with altitude and the
performance of the engine reduces.
New vehicle: do not pull a trailer before
having driven at least 620 miles (1,000
kilometres).
If the outside temperature is high, let the
engine idle for 1 to 2 minutes after the
vehicle comes to a stop, to help it to cool.

68
Driving
automatically to preserve the remaining battery
charge.
Starting the engine
With the parking brake applied:
► With a manual gearbox, place the gear lever
in neutral then fully depress the clutch pedal.
► With an automatic gearbox, place the gear
selector in mode N or P then fully depress the
brake pedal.
► Insert the key into the ignition switch; the
system recognises the code.
► Unlock the steering column by simultaneously
turning the steering wheel and the key.
In certain cases, you may have to apply
significant force to move the steering
wheel (wheels on full lock, for example).
► With a petrol engine , operate the starter
motor by turning the key to position 3 without
pressing the accelerator pedal, until the engine
starts. Once the engine starts, release the key.
With petrol engines , after a cold start,
preheating the catalytic converter can
cause noticeable engine vibrations for
anything up to 2 minutes while stationary with
the engine running (accelerated idle speed).
► With a Diesel engine, turn the key to position
2, ignition on, to operate the engine preheating
system.
Before setting off
Nose weight
► Distribute the load in the trailer so that the
heaviest items are as close as possible to the
axle and the nose weight (at the point where it
joins your vehicle) approaches the maximum
permitted without exceeding it.
Tyres
► Check the tyre pressures of the towing
vehicle and of the trailer , observing the
recommended pressures.
Lighting
► Check the electrical signalling on the trailer
and the headlamp beam height of your vehicle.
If a genuine CITROËN towing device is
used, the rear parking sensors will be
deactivated automatically to avoid the audible
signal.
When driving
Cooling
Towing a trailer uphill increases the temperature
of the coolant. The maximum towable load
depends on the gradient and the exterior
temperature. The cooling capacity of the fan
does not increase with engine speed.
►

Reduce speed and lower the engine speed,
so as to limit the heating-up. In all cases, pay attention to the coolant
temperature.
If this warning lamp and the
STOP
warning lamp come on, stop the vehicle
and switch off the engine as soon as possible.
Brakes
Braking distances are increased when towing a
trailer. To avoid overheating of the brakes, the
use of engine braking is recommended.
Side wind
Bear in mind the increased susceptibility to the
wind that the vehicle will have.
Anti-theft protection
Electronic immobiliser
The key contains an electronic chip which has a
special code. When the ignition is switched on,
this code must be recognised in order for starting
to be possible.
This electronic engine immobiliser locks the
engine management system a moment after
the ignition is switched off, and prevents
unauthorised engine starting.
In the event of a fault, you are informed
by illumination of this warning lamp, an
audible signal and a message in the screen.
In this case, your vehicle will not start; contact
a CITROËN dealer or a qualified workshop as
soon as possible.
Starting / Switching off the
engine with the key
Key ignition switch

It has 3 positions:
– 1. Stop: inserting and removing the key ,
steering column locked.
–

2. Ignition : steering column unlocked, ignition
on, Diesel preheating, engine running.
–


3. Starting
.
Avoid attaching heavy objects to the key or the remote control. It would weigh
down on its shaft in the ignition switch and
could cause a malfunction.
Ignition on position
It allows the use of the vehicle's electric
equipment or portable devices to be charged.
Once the state of charge of the battery drops to
the reserve level, the system switches to energy
economy mode : the power supply is cut off

69
Driving
6automatically to preserve the remaining battery
charge.
Starting the engine
With the parking brake applied:
► With a manual gearbox, place the gear lever
in neutral then fully depress the clutch pedal.
►

With an
automatic gearbox, place the gear
selector in mode N or P then fully depress the
brake pedal.
►

Insert the key into the ignition switch; the
system recognises the code.
►


Unlock
the steering column by simultaneously
turning the steering wheel and the key.
In certain cases, you may have to apply
significant force to move the steering
wheel (wheels on full lock, for example).
►

With a
petrol engine , operate the starter
motor by turning the key to position 3 without
pressing the accelerator pedal, until the engine
starts. Once the engine starts, release the key.
With petrol engines , after a cold start,
preheating the catalytic converter can
cause
noticeable engine vibrations for
anything up to 2 minutes while stationary with
the engine running (accelerated idle speed).
►

With a
Diesel engine, turn the key to position
2, ignition on, to operate the engine preheating
system.
Wait until this warning lamp goes off in the
instrument panel, then operate the starter
motor by turning the key to position 3 without
pressing the accelerator pedal, until the engine
starts. Once the engine starts, release the key.
In wintry conditions, the warning lamp
may stay on for a longer period. When
the engine is hot, the warning lamp does not
come on.
If the engine does not start straight away,
switch off the ignition. Wait a few
seconds before operating the starter motor
again. If the engine does not start after a few
attempts, do not keep trying - risk of
damaging the starter motor and the engine.
Contact a CITROËN dealer or a qualified
workshop.
In mild conditions, do not leave the
engine at idle to warm up but move off
straight away and drive at moderate speed.
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 about thirty
minutes, you can still use functions such as the
audio and telematics system, courtesy lamps,
windscreen wipers, dipped beam headlamps,
etc.
For more information on Energy
economy mode, refer to the
corresponding section.
Key left in
When opening the driver's door, an alert
message is displayed, accompanied by an

70
Driving
Switching on the ignition
without starting the engine


With the electronic key in the passenger
compartment, pressing the “START/STOP”
button, without pressing any of the pedals ,
allows the ignition to be switched on without
starting the engine (turning on the instrument
panel and accessories such as the audio system
and the lighting).
► Press this button again to switch off the
ignition and allow the vehicle to be locked.
Key not detected
Back-up starting
A back-up reader is fitted underneath the
parking brake lever so that the engine can be
started if the system does not detect the key
in the recognition zone, or if the battery in the
electronic key is flat.

audible signal, to remind you that the key is
still in the ignition switch at position 1 (Stop).
If the key has been left in the ignition switch
at position 2 (Ignition on) , the ignition will be
switched off automatically after one hour.
To switch the ignition back on, turn the key
to position 1 (Stop), then back to position 2
(Ignition on) .
Starting / Switching off the
engine with Keyless Entry
and Starting
The electronic key must be present in the
passenger compartment.
If it is not detected, a message is displayed.
Move the electronic key so that the engine
can be started or switched off.
If there is still a problem, refer to the "Key
not detected - Back-up starting or Back-up
switch-off" section.
Starting

► With a manual gearbox, place the gear lever
in neutral and fully depress the clutch pedal.
►

With an
automatic gearbox, select mode P
or
N and press the brake pedal.


► Press the " START/STOP" button while
maintaining pressure on the pedal until the
engine starts.
For Diesel engines, when the temperature is
below zero and/or the engine is cold, starting will
only occur once the preheating warning lamp is
off.
If this warning lamp comes on after
pressing the " START/STOP" button:
►

Keep the pedal fully depressed and do not
press the "

START/STOP" button again until the
engine is running.
If one of the starting conditions is not met, a
message is displayed.
In some circumstances, a message indicates
that it is necessary to turn the steering wheel
while pressing the " START/STOP" button to
assist unlocking of the steering column.
With petrol engines , after a cold start,
preheating the catalytic converter can
cause noticeable engine vibrations for
anything up to 2 minutes while stationary with
the engine running (accelerated idle speed).
Switching off
► Immobilise the vehicle, with the engine at
idle.
►

With a
manual gearbox, ideally put the gear
lever into neutral.
►

With an
automatic gearbox, ideally select
mode
P or N.
►

Press the "
START/STOP" button..
In some circumstances, it is necessary to turn
the steering wheel to lock the steering column.
If the vehicle is not immobilised, the
engine will not switch off.
With the engine off, the braking and
steering assistance systems are also cut
off - risk of loss of control of the vehicle!
Never leave your vehicle with the
electronic key still inside.

71
Driving
6Switching on the ignition
without starting the engine


With the electronic key in the passenger
compartment, pressing the “START/STOP”
button, without pressing any of the pedals ,
allows the ignition to be switched on without
starting the engine (turning on the instrument
panel and accessories such as the audio system
and the lighting).
►

Press this button
again to switch off the
ignition and allow the vehicle to be locked.
Key not detected
Back-up starting
A back-up reader is fitted underneath the
parking brake lever so that the engine can be
started if the system does not detect the key
in the recognition zone, or if the battery in the
electronic key is flat.


► Place and hold the remote control against the
reader .
►

W
ith a manual gearbox, place the gear lever
in neutral then fully depress the clutch pedal.
►

W
ith an automatic gearbox, select mode P,
then fully depress the brake pedal.
►

Press the “
START/STOP” button.
The engine starts.
Back-up switch-off

If the electronic key is not detected or is no
longer in the recognition zone, a message
appears in the instrument panel when closing a
door or trying to switch off the engine.
►

T
o confirm the instruction to switch off the
engine, press the " START/STOP" button for
approximately 5
seconds.
In the event of a fault with the electronic key,
contact a CITROËN dealer or a qualified
workshop.
Emergency switch-off
In the event of an emergency only, the engine
can be switched off without conditions (even
when driving).
►

Press the "
START/STOP" button for about
5
seconds.
In this case, the steering column locks as soon
as the vehicle stops.

72
Driving
N.Neutral
– Vehicle immobilised, parking brake
applied.
– Starting the engine.
D. Automatic operation
M. + / - Manual operation
► To move up / down through the
gears, move backwards / forwards.
Information displayed on
the instrument panel
When a position is selected in the grate 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
1...6. Gear engaged during manual operation
-. Instruction not processed in 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.
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.
6-speed manual gearbox
Engaging 5th or 6th gear
► Move the lever fully to the right to engage 5th
or 6th gear.
Failure to follow this advice may cause
permanent damage to the gearbox
(engagement of 3
rd or 4th gear by mistake).
Engaging reverse gear

► Raise the ring under the knob and move the
gear lever to the left then forwards.
Only engage reverse gear when the
vehicle is stationary with the engine at
idle.
As a safety precaution and to facilitate starting the engine:
–

always select neutral,
– press the clutch pedal.
Automatic gearbox (EAT6)
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.
–

Manual
operation for sequential changing of
the gears by the driver.
Gear selector module
1. Sport programme
P. Parking
–

V
ehicle immobilised, parking brake
applied or released.
–

Starting the engine.
R. Reverse gear
–


Reversing manoeuvres, vehicle
stationary

, engine at idle.

73
Driving
6N.Neutral
–
V ehicle immobilised, parking brake
applied.
–

Starting the engine.
D. Automatic operation
M. + / - Manual operation
►


T
o move up / down through the
gears, move backwards / forwards.
Information displayed on
the instrument panel
When a position is selected in the grate 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
1...6. Gear engaged during manual operation
-. Instruction not processed in 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, press the brake
pedal.
►


Release the parking brake.
►


Select position R

, D or M.
►

Gradually release the brake pedal.
The vehicle moves off immediately

.
If position N is selected inadvertently
while driving, allow the engine to return
to idle, then select position D to accelerate.
When the engine is running at idle with
the brakes released, if position R, D or M
is selected, the vehicle moves off even
without the accelerator being pressed.
Never leave children unattended in the
vehicle when the engine is running.
When carrying out maintenance with the
engine running, apply the parking brake and
select position P.
Automatic operation
► Select position D for automatic changing of
the six gears.
The gearbox then operates in auto-adaptive
mode, without any intervention on the part of the
driver. It continuously selects the most suitable
gear according to the driving style, the road
profile and the load in the vehicle.
For maximum acceleration without touching the
selector, press the accelerator fully down (kick-
down). The gearbox changes down automatically
or holds the gear selected until the maximum
engine speed is reached.
When braking, the gearbox changes down
automatically to provide effective engine braking.
If you release the accelerator sharply, the
gearbox will not shift to a higher gear for safety
reasons.
Never select position N while the vehicle
is moving.
Never select positions P or R unless the
vehicle is completely stationary.
"Sport" programme
This special programme supplements the
automatic operation in specific conditions of use.
"Sport"
► Press this button, once the engine has
started.
"
S" appears on the instrument panel.
The gearbox automatically favours a dynamic
style of driving.
Return to automatic operation
► At any time, press the selected button again
to quit the activated programme and return to
auto-adaptive mode.

74
Driving
The system adapts its gear shift recommendation according to the driving
conditions (slope, load, etc.) and the driver’s
requirements (request for power, acceleration,
braking, etc.).
The system never suggests:
– engaging first gear.
– engaging a lower gear.
– engaging reverse.
With a manual gearbox, the arrow may
be accompanied by the recommended
gear. The system always suggests changing
to a higher gear when this is necessary.
Hill start assist
This system keeps your 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.
This 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. After that, ensure that the
parking brake indicator lamp and the indicator
Manual operation
To limit fuel consumption during an extended standstill with the engine
running (for example, in a traffic jam), set the
gear selector to N and apply the parking
brake.
►

Selecting position

M
enables sequential
shifting between the six gears.
►

Push backwards to shift up a gear
.
►

Push forwards to shift down a gear
.
The gearbox only changes gear if the road
speed and engine speed permit; apart from
this condition, the rules for automatic operation
temporarily apply.
D disappears, and the gears engaged appear in
succession on the instrument panel.
If the engine speed is too low or too high, the
selected gear flashes for a few seconds, then the
gearactually activated is displayed.
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 M1
automatically.
The Sport programme is 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 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 for the gearbox) while
changing from

P

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

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

to another position.
With an automatic gearbox, never try to
start the engine by pushing the vehicle.
Gear efficiency indicator
(Depending on engine.)
This system helps reduce fuel consumption by
recommending the most appropriate gear.
Operation
Depending on the driving situation and the
vehicle's equipment, the system may advise to
skip one or more gears.
Gear shift recommendations should not be
considered compulsory. In fact, the road layout,
the traffic density and safety remain the deciding
factors when choosing the best gear. The driver
therefore remains responsible for deciding
whether or not to follow the indications issued by
the system.
This function cannot be deactivated.
On certain BlueHDi Diesel versions with
manual gearbox, the system may suggest
changing into neutral ( N is displayed in the
instrument panel) so that the engine can go into
standby (STOP mode with Stop & Start), in
certain driving conditions.
The system is only active on vehicles fitted with a manual gearbox.
The information appears in the instrument panel in the form of an arrow.