Citroen Xsara problems, reliability and known faults
If you are considering buying a used Citroen Xsara, these are the common problems worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 2 known faults for this model. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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Is the Citroen Xsara reliable?
The Citroen Xsara has 2 known faults in our database, 0 of them rated high severity. The most serious are engine (the crankshaft pulley on the 8-valve 2.0 HDi is two metal rings bonded together) and gearbox (the AL4 (also called DPO) four-speed automatic is the weak point of these cars). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
That is a count of the faults we hold, not a reliability score. Popular cars get written about more, and a newer generation has had less time to show its faults.
Generation 1 of 12 known faults · 11 good notes
Citroen Xsara (1997 to 2006) problems
Transmission/ClutchMedium severity💬 Owner reports
The AL4 (also called DPO) four-speed automatic is the weak point of these cars. Contaminated, overheated or never-changed fluid wears the pressure-regulation solenoids, so the box loses line pressure, shifts harshly and drops into limp mode with a gearbox fault message. PSA never specified a fluid change on many cars, which is the root of it. Replacing solenoids also needs the correct updated ECU firmware or the fault returns, and once the clutches have been slipping the fix is a full rebuild
Rough guide
£500-1500
Typical symptoms
Gearbox Fault warning and Sport/Snow lights flashing
gearbox thumping or banging into gear
stuck in 3rd gear (limp mode)
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All AL4 Automatics
Typical mileage:
60000-100000 miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
Engine/EmissionsMedium severity📝 Editorial
The crankshaft pulley on the 8-valve 2.0 HDi is two metal rings bonded together with rubber, and with age the rubber comes apart. The outer ring then wobbles or slips, which throws or shreds the auxiliary belt; a loose belt can be drawn into the timing belt, and a timing belt failure on this engine wrecks it. The damper pulley should be renewed with every timing belt change rather than refitted.
Rough guide
£Unknown
Typical symptoms
Hard rattle or knock from the crankshaft pulley at idle
Battery charge light on as the alternator stops being driven
Squeal or a frayed, misaligned auxiliary belt
Affected vehicles
Engines:
2.0 HDi 90 and 110 8-valve diesel (DW10) with the rubber-bonded crankshaft damper pulley
Typical mileage:
Unknown miles
🔍 We have a specific pre-purchase check for this faultCheck an advert →
What owners like about the Xsara
11 notes
The Xsara offered improved refinement and safety features, including patented side-impact protection, compared to its predecessor.
This model achieved an above-average three-star performance in NCAP crash testing, indicating good occupant protection.
The 1.8 litre 16-valve engine performed well, complemented by excellent ride quality and effective bump absorption.
Estate versions provided ample space, superior handling, and maintained the comfortable ride quality of the hatchbacks.
The 1.9 XUTD engine remained reliable, and new 2.0 HDI diesel options were introduced from early 1999.
A major facelift in autumn 2000 enhanced the car's appearance, and a new 110 bhp 1.6 16v engine was introduced.
A three-year, 60,000-mile mechanical warranty was announced for the model on 24 October 2000.
A new 137bhp 2.0 litre 16-valve engine became available, offering good handling and driving pleasure for a family car.
The HDI 110 model was recognised as the Caravan Club Towcar of 2001 in its price category.
This model demonstrated a low death rate from accidents, scoring three out of nine points.
Petrol models from 1998 to 2000 were rated average for breakdowns and problems in a 2003 survey.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 5 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Citroen Xsara advert and we check it in seconds.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: October 2026
Citroen Xsara buying questions
What should I check when viewing a used Citroen Xsara?
Ask the seller about the engine and gearbox faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for hard rattle or knock from the crankshaft pulley at idle and gearbox Fault warning and Sport/Snow lights flashing. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against its known faults before you travel. Check a Citroen Xsara advert →
If you used to check the Honest John “Good & Bad” section before the site closed in 2026, this page is where that information now lives. We rebuilt the Citroen Xsara owner-report history from the archived Honest John dataset, added our own research, specialist and owner-club sources and DVSA recall data, and we keep it free. Each fault above is badged with its source. The same data feeds our free advert check, which reads a listing against every known fault for the exact engine and year.
Knowing what a Citroen Xsara goes wrong with is half of it. The rest is reading the advert and checking the car's history before you hand any money over.