Annoying 'helpful' features on C4 Picasso - Stop/Start and auto parking brake.

Jeepers_Creepers

Generally very pleased with my new - 5-year old - C4 Picasso. Roomy, bright & airy, smooth, pretty quiet, very decent economy, nice cabin, nicely nippy.

Two things are annoying the t*** off me, tho'. One is the 'eco' Stop/Start which I have no issues with in principle, but it's active by default every time I start the car up. It then takes a few presses of the touch screen to disable it; press for car settings, press to remove 'eco' - usually needs more than one press..., and press to get back to radio. Every bludy time.

Why don't I just leave it on eco? Because where I live is rural, and the type of driving I do doesn't benefit from the engine conking out every time I come to a halt. This is mostly at give-way junctions, when I'm waiting for a gap to quickly pull out into. I HATE riding the clutch, but this is what I need to do to keep the engine running unless I've disabled the eco. Grrrrr.

And the other annoying feature is the auto parking brake which is applied whenever I shut down the car. I never used the hand brake on my previous car on our level driveway as it just wasn't needed. Two other reasons - it reduces wear, and also stops the brakes binding if left for some time. The C4, tho', slams then on pd tightly. So much so that they 'clunk' on first release next morning, especially if it's been damp. When I first bought the car, I parked it up for 3 weeks while I sold its predecessor, and when I finally came to take it out for its maiden run, the darned PB was stuck on solidly - wheel spin of the front wheels, rocking back and forth and then - CLUNK - they released from the surface-rusted discs. Grrr.

Like the 'eco', I can turn it off, but that requires a stupidly convoluted sequence of events and an annoying warning sound. (Stop engine. PB goes on. Press foot on brake pedal. Turn on ignition without touching clutch. Press and hold PB switch to 'off'. PB releases. Turn off ignition. Open car door to exit - beee-wee-beee-wee-beee- weee... Grrrr.  

I've asked Citroen whether these two features can be set to be off by default - they don't know, ask your dealer. I contacted my nearest dealer - acknowledged email, but never actually replied. Grrrrr.

Anyone know?! :-)   Thanks.

wongataa

Have you tried using the start stop feature instead of just disabling it on principal?  Does it actually get in the way when it is on?  On my car the start stop feature is no issue and doesn't prevent normal driving in any way whatsoever.

Jeepers_Creepers

Yes I have. Sometimes I don't bother disabling it, but then it just goes to reinforce just how intrusive and misguided the system is on some trips (ie, the majority in my area).

We have few traffic lights around here - rural, as I said - but many 'give ways'. What I don't want at a 'give-way' is an engine that's not running, or a clutch that's kept depressed. Yet these are my only options if I leave 'eco' active. Ditto when approaching traffic lights that I know will be changing to green very soon (because they've been on red throughout my approach). What to do then? Allow the engine to 'stop' for what will be literally a second or two, or else keep the clutch depressed until the lights change? Both completely nuts - and detrimental to the car. (Premature wear to starter gear &/or clutch bearing).

I have no issue per se with stop/start - I am very happy to manually kill the engine when I know I'll be stopped at lights for - ooh - 6-7 seconds upwards (ie if I see them turn red on my approach) and the auto-start is then absolutely great. But to have it imposed as the default position is counter-productive - it certainly isn't safe as I'm stabbing at the touchscreen whilst setting off down the road, and it makes me less likely to use it on other occasions. Another car in the household - a Renault Twingo (don't ask...) has a physical manual switch to dis/engage it, and this is left 'off' at all times because what I don't want my 80-year old mil to experience is a 'stalled' car at a junction.   

AdrianC

Perhaps the easiest solution is to buy a car without an electronic parking brake, if you don't actually want to use the parking brake as you should? Pads sticking to discs is an inherent problem with rear discs, not so much with EPBs. It's not a reason not to use the handbrake properly.

If you never use the handbrake, aren't you simply running the risk of the handbrake not working when you do need it...?

As for stop-start, as wonga asks, is it actually a problem, or are you just taking exception on some kind of principle?
If you're looking to react quickly to a gap in traffic, surely you're not in neutral?

Jeepers_Creepers

No, I'm not - in the least - against these feature on principle.

I've explained the issues with stop/start above. Typical scenario is, I'm waiting at a give way to exit into steady, fastish traffic. Foot on brake, gb in neutral. I see a gap appear from one side, and possibly another from the other direction - into first, and waaaiiittt. Nope, gap is too tight. Back into neutral. Another possible gap....?

'Stop/start' in that scenario - virtually a daily occurrence - would either have the engine stop and start 2 or 3 times in fairly quick succession at that one junction, or would else have me 'riding' the clutch for many seconds. Both anathema to someone who has always had oily fingers.

Ditto with the auto-park brake. It is GREAT! I LOVE it! Honestly. I come to traffic lights which I know will be red for a wee while, into neutral, touch the pb switch, done. No need to keep foot on brake pedal, and no blinded driver behind (or one that looks as tho' they are selling themselves in a dodgy part of town). Lights change, into gear, move off - pb released automatically. Honestly - it is superb.

So my question is - why can't the option be there to also manually apply it when turning the engine off? It is absolutely no hardship whatsoever to expect the driver to have to apply the pb when they are stopped - it's what we've always done. Except now it can be at the mere touch of a switch instead of a yank of the lever. That option just seems to me to be overall more sensible, and it gives the driver the responsibility of ensuring it's on too - and not just assuming the car will do it. If only because they will always be switching to cars which do not have this feature, and may fail to apply the manual brake in that. (Drove the Twingo recently, and couldn't work out why it wouldn't move away - yes, manual handbrake still on... :-(  )

dipsomaniac

The joys of 3rd world problems and modern motoring🙂 
I get a warm glow when I can drive from the supermarket petrol pump to a parking space without being nagged to clip in a seat belt😇

Jeepers_Creepers

Oh don't get me started on the range of warning sounds!

It's a great car - I do like it very much. A couple of tweaks would be nice, tho'...

cymruchris

I'm not aware of any way you can permanently over-ride it - maybe plan to renew the car sooner than you would have done otherwise - and ensure those two features aren't on the next choice of vehicle - or at least if they are, that they are customisable. 

Jeepers_Creepers

That's my regretful conclusion, Cymru.

I won't sell it on with any urgency - it's just such a good all-rounder. But, yes, having these 2 features imposed on me on a future car would be a deal-breaker.

[Deleted User]

Risk the car rolling away because you don't want wear on a system that will outlast your car. 
Not all stop/start is the same, mine doesn't kick in unless you put it in neutral and are stopped. I like it and use it as much as possible - I believe 8 seconds stop time is the minimum needed for it to save you vs the engine running so it's not like you can't use it.

molerat

I don't have problems in my car, by the time I have put put the clutch down and put it into gear the engine back up and running and raring to go.