Problems with Citroen Ccrosser 2009: Unsteady engine, high fuel consumption and black smoke

Hi, I had a similar problem with my 2007 Citroën C4 Picasso, I don't have much car experience but I will try to help as I can. My garage found a "fault entry after changing the fuel filter" and fixed it. The repair cost me 45 euros at the time, which was quite reasonable considering the circumstances. Something you can check is whether your car is still running rough even after the fault has been detected and rectified. Black smoke and loss of power can often be caused by other problems, such as a faulty ignition coil or a dirty air filter. It would be best if you could give me a little more information about your car - details of the symptoms, when they occur, if you have had any recent repairs or servicing, etc. - and then I can go into more detail. - maybe then I can go into more detail and help you better. Hope that helps a bit!

(Translated from German)

Hi, your answer has really helped me, thank you! So the car has now done 87799 km. Nothing special was done at the last inspection, which was about 5000 km ago. The symptoms occur when the engine is warm. Sometimes the engine does not start immediately, especially if the car has been parked for a long time. I've already tried to see if it's the fuel filter, but no improvement. I'm afraid it could be something more serious.

(Translated from German)

Hi, I'm glad I could help. With the mileage of almost 88,000 km, it could actually be that you have a more serious problem to deal with. One possibility is that your fuel pressure regulator is defective. At the very least, this would explain the high fuel consumption and the engine's rough running. However, it could also be a problem with the fuel pump - you should take a closer look. The fact that the engine sometimes does not start immediately could indicate that the fuel pump is not building up enough pressure. This could also be the reason for the sudden loss of power and stalling while driving. Your exhaust gas picture - i.e. black smoke and a strong smell - suggests incomplete combustion. You could check the lambda sensor, which is responsible for regulating the fuel-air mixture. It's definitely worth having this checked by a garage. If you're lucky, it's "only" the fuel pressure regulator and you can easily replace it. Otherwise, you could be heading for a major repair. I hope I've been able to help you a little and keep my fingers crossed that it's nothing serious. Stay tuned!

(Translated from German)

Thanks again for the helpful tips! It really does seem that the fault could be elsewhere and not the fuel filter. I will take your advice and take the car to the garage to have the fuel pressure regulator, fuel pump and lambda sensor checked. It's a bit of a bummer to be confronted with a problem like this, but I'm glad I got some helpful advice here. Thanks to you, I now know what to expect and what I can tell the garage. Thanks again and I'll keep you posted as soon as I have any news.

(Translated from German)