Car judders / shakes and engine fault light on permanently

2016 Citroen DS3 DS3
Car: Citroen DS3
Year: 2016
Variant: DS3
Categories: Electrics, ECU, Warnings & Lights
I have a 66 plate DS3 and the engine fault light has now been on for about 8 weeks . It went into the garage after about 3 weeks and they said the fault code referred to the oil filter somewhere . The oil filter was flushed twice , engine fault still showed up so went deeper cleaning all of the parts around it . They said there were lots of fibres in the oil filter and around it and they think this is down to the design of the model where the timing belt /cam belt is very near and the fibres look like they are coming off of the cam belt . The light eventually went off so they thought the problem had been solved , £650 later I hoped it had! 2 days later I’ve got the engine fault light back on and the same issue . The car judders , mainly when the car is stationary or I’m sitting in very slow traffic , at times it can shake and then cut out but does restart and if I’m then moving it will judder for a bit and then slowly get better again . Recently the problem is getting worse and the car can judder as soon as I set off but it’s always when I’m going slowly , the car is an automatic . I had a similar fault with it a year ago but that was sorted out straight away , this time they are struggling to get to the bottom of it . I think I have no choice but to go back to a Citroen garage , I was trying to avoid such high prices but this is still costing loads trying to find what the problem is
Problem added: Dec 28, 2021 (2 years ago)
Often false economy going to a garage that cannot diagnose the fault codes correctly and /or dont have suitable equipment to do so . Fibres off the timing getting into the oil filter theory ........................... strange . I would have replaced the filter firstly in case it had collapsed inside and changed and examined the engine oil . After already paying £650 , going to the dealership would have been a better option but do understand the big difference in labour charges is a big concern Hope it is a known and easy fix at dealership .
Answered Dec 28, 2021 (2 years ago)
There's a recall on it for timing belt breaking off teeth and getting stuck in the oil filter. Just had mine done at dealership all costs covered.
Answered Jan 12, 2022 (2 years ago)
Replying to post by Kaz:
There's a recall on it for timing belt breaking off teeth and getting stuck in the oil filter. Just had mine done at dealership all costs covered.
Does not mention oil filter

Citroen DS3 The brake vacuum pump may be affected by material detaching from the timing belt Recall
Recall affects Citroen DS3
Reason for recall: The brake vacuum pump may be affected by material detaching from the timing belt.
When was it announced?
Jan 20, 2021
What action are Citroen taking?
Update detection software inspect and if necessary replace vacuum pump and timing belt.
Answered Jan 12, 2022 (2 years ago) Edited on Jan 12, 2022 (2 years ago)
Replying to post by Kaz:
There's a recall on it for timing belt breaking off teeth and getting stuck in the oil filter. Just had mine done at dealership all costs covered.
Thank you , I’ll mention that to the garage tomorrow , can I ask what plate your car is ? I’ve had one recall about 18months ago for a break problem but not heard anything from them about this
Answered Jan 12, 2022 (2 years ago)
This is the years of the recall

Citroen C3, C4, C4 Cactus, C4 Picasso, DS3, DS4, Berlingo The brake vacuum pump may be affected by material detaching from the timing belt. 20/03/2013 01/04/2017
Answered Jan 12, 2022 (2 years ago)
Replying to post by Tracey:
Thank you , I’ll mention that to the garage tomorrow , can I ask what plate your car is ? I’ve had one recall about 18months ago for a break problem but not heard anything from them about this
Mine is a 15 plate , first sign was engine management light on , then red lights telling me oil pressure low don't drive, changed oil pressure sensor at local garage which didn't fix it, they suggested the timing belt problem , so I phoned citroen and gave them my reg and it was on a recall for the timing belt breaking down causing fibres through the system. They replaced the belt which is a wet belt and the vacumn pump and everything was cleaned out at their cost , all the lights have gone out but now the timing belt will have to be replaced every 5 years.
Answered Jan 21, 2022 (2 years ago)
I have a 63 plate Citroen DS3 DSport 1.6, had for nearly 6 years. Just clocked up 67k miles. Had nothing but problems with it since I brought it. Been having a more notable issues with it since January this year, it’s been in & out of the garage 5-6 times in the past few months, having various work done on it (Replace Spark plugs, coil packs changed, air intake valve refitted, rear suspension coil replaced, new tyres etc.) All clear on the health check for advisories that required urgent attention. However, the car is still displaying “Engine Fault - Repair Needed”. Starting the car up, it stutters a lot, sometimes the fan automatically comes on but sounds like a jet engine is about to take off (a common safety feature among Citroens apparently). Driving off with the car, going up into 2nd/3rd gear, the car splutters when you accelerate & then shakes rather erratically. The car also has a Turbo, and have noticed that it doesn’t seem to sound quite like it should do, I am accustomed to the high pitch whistle it should make, however since January when the problems started, it sounds like a very droning whoosh type sound, I have taken it to various garages and no one can seem to get to the bottom of it, it is costing me a lot of money & time & patience doing this. The garages check the faults, the code is then cleared, two days later, the Engine Fault notification comes back again. The easy option is to get rid but the car is in good condition (externally), has a decent mileage, and decent to drive. Can anyone advise/help as to what this could be? Some people have said it could be the ECU causing the car to misfire - and it misfires every time you drive it, my theory is that the issue is with the turbo or a leaking pipe (Advisory in February stated one of the blades on the turbine in the turbo broke off, I am wondering if it caused damage to another component that isn’t being picked up on the diagnostics or by the mechanics).

I am at a loss as to what the problem is, but if someone has had something similar happen or knows how to resolve it, I am all ears.

Thanks.
Answered Jun 20, 2022 (1 year ago)
Replying to post by Callum:
I have a 63 plate Citroen DS3 DSport 1.6, had for nearly 6 years. Just clocked up 67k miles. Had nothing but problems with it since I brought it. Been having a more notable issues with it since January this year, it’s been in & out of the garage 5-6 times in the past few months, having various work done on it (Replace Spark plugs, coil packs changed, air intake valve refitted, rear suspension coil replaced, new tyres etc.) All clear on the health check for advisories that required urgent attention. However, the car is still displaying “Engine Fault - Repair Needed”. Starting the car up, it stutters a lot, sometimes the fan automatically comes on but sounds like a jet engine is about to take off (a common safety feature among Citroens apparently). Driving off with the car, going up into 2nd/3rd gear, the car splutters when you accelerate & then shakes rather erratically. The car also has a Turbo, and have noticed that it doesn’t seem to sound quite like it should do, I am accustomed to the high pitch whistle it should make, however since January when the problems started, it sounds like a very droning whoosh type sound, I have taken it to various garages and no one can seem to get to the bottom of it, it is costing me a lot of money & time & patience doing this. The garages check the faults, the code is then cleared, two days later, the Engine Fault notification comes back again. The easy option is to get rid but the car is in good condition (externally), has a decent mileage, and decent to drive. Can anyone advise/help as to what this could be? Some people have said it could be the ECU causing the car to misfire - and it misfires every time you drive it, my theory is that the issue is with the turbo or a leaking pipe (Advisory in February stated one of the blades on the turbine in the turbo broke off, I am wondering if it caused damage to another component that isn’t being picked up on the diagnostics or by the mechanics).

I am at a loss as to what the problem is, but if someone has had something similar happen or knows how to resolve it, I am all ears.

Thanks.
I’m having this exact same problem, did you find out what it was ?
Answered Oct 22, 2022 (1 year ago)

This problem is archived

If you're having a similar problem please click below to re-post this problem, you can then customise it to suit your situation.

Helpful & Related Pages on AutoInsider

More problems with the 2016 model year Citroen DS3

We have 18 problems and solutions in our database for this model year of the car.

View all Citroen DS3 Problems