When your car is running normally everything is fine, nevertheless if it starts to have regular complications you may start to wonder, specifically if your car won’t start. In this post we will show you where the starter of a Citroen C3 is, it will help you to resolve your ignition complications. To do this, we will first illustrate the role of a starter, then, where is the starter on a Citroen C3 , and, finally, how to change the starter of a car.

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Purpose of the starter on your Citroen C3

We start this content page by detailing the role of the starter motor on your Citroen C3. The starter is an electric motor which is powered by your battery, its function will be to make your engine run at a high enough speed to start it (usually around 300/400 rpm). It is consisting of three main parts:

  • The Solenoid: This part is an electrical relay that will act as a switch, it will be activated by the key of your Citroen C3 and let the current from your battery to the engine of your alternator.

    • The engine: Most important element of your alternator, it is the one that will drive the flywheel of your Citroen C3 and make enough speed for your engine to start.

  • The engagement pinion: This is the last component of your starter, it is the toothed wheel that will be in direct contact with the flywheel, it allows to transfer the force from the starter to the engine.

Where is the starter on a Citroen C3?

Now that we have fairly quickly detailed what a starter is and how it functions, we will answer the question that most of you have to ask yourselves where is the starter based on a Citroen C3? It is quite easy to find a starter, in truth, it is a large component that will almost always be placed in a similar place. We let you discover the two possible places for your car starter below.

Location of the starter on traditional Citroen C3

First and most general circumstance, where to find the starter of a Citroen C3 with a conventional motor (implied without start and stop). The starter has a specific objective, to start the engine of your car, for that, it must always be near the engine flywheel of this one because it is the component that it actuates when it is used. The flywheel is based at the junction between your gearbox and your engine.

Location of the starter to Citroen C3 with start and stop

And now second possible starter location of your Citroen C3 . This case is much less frequent. It just concerns engines fitted with start and stop, and a good component of them will be equipped with a starter placed close to the flywheel. However, on some specific series or engines, the starter of your Citroen C3 might be integrated in your alternator, it is then called a starter-alternator, to find it nothing less difficult, locate your accessory belt and you should find out the big starter block.

How to change the starter on a Citroen C3?

Finally, we’ll show you to you quite fairly quickly how to change the starter of a Citroen C3. This procedure is not necessarily complex, it can be considered by people who have a minimum of basic mechanical experience and adapted equipment. Adhere to below the main steps to perform this intervention:

  • Disconnect the battery on your Citroen C3, if you don’t know how to do it, don’t think twice to consult our content page which points out how to do it without taking any risk.
  • After finding your starter, loosen the fasteners that hold it in your engine block, there will usually be 2 or 3

    • .

  • It will be time to disconnect the power cables from the starter motor of your Citroen C3, nevertheless before doing so we advise you to take a picture of the set up to avoid making a mistake when reassembling.
  • It’s possible that to remove it you may need to remove auto parts like the gimbal.
  • Remount the new starter, being careful when connecting the connectors.
  • Reconnect your battery and test your starter.

In the event that you have any additional questions about the Citroen C3, do not hesitate to consult our Citroen C3 category.