C3 Aircross Cruise control....and other things

[Cloud9]

Hi everyone

I'm new to the forum with a C3 Aircross - was just wondering if anyone has experienced this......

When changing down from, say, 5th to 4th or 4th to 3rd Without braking, my Aircross wants to speed back up again.......

If I brake first, no problem - the car slows down normally. However, without braking first it's almost like cruise is engaged and it wants to accelerate back up to the previous speed??


I've had the car for a month (l am a driving instructor and use this as my tuition vehicle) I'm really pleased with the car and my pupils all love it too!
This is just one thing I'm unsure about as to whether it's a fault or not.
It's not been an issue with any pupils so far, as I always teach braking before changing down, but there are situations where I personally would ease off the accelerator without initially braking and change down (say when going uphill approaching a roundabout) This is where the issue occurs.

I was also initially surprised that cruise control isn't cancelled if the clutch is used - all other cars I have had with cruise control (including a DS3, C3 and C4 Cactus) have the system deactivate if the brake or clutch is used. This does make more sense however, as there are situations where you may want to change up without necessarily cancelling the cruise.

I have spoken to the dealer, and he actually took his demonstrator out and found the same issue. He suggests this is probably normal, but to be fair he has offered to get the service dept to check it over.

I just wondered if any other owners have encountered the same thing?

I would be grateful for any thoughts.

Regards,
Nick

[routemaster1]

My guess is that the cruise is set to maintain a speed. If you are going uphill and the car cannot maintain the speed the cruise is requesting, changing down with the cruise still engaged will then allow it to recover the lost speed to the preset figure. The cruise on our C3 does not disengage when the clutch is used, unlike our C4 Picasso. When I have the opportunity I will try it out. In the meantime, you can disengage the cruise using the button on the end of the stalk.

And, by the way, do you instruct your pupils in the use of cruise control?; I would imagine it unnecessary.

[Cloud9]

My guess is that the cruise is set to maintain a speed. If you are going uphill and the car cannot maintain the speed the cruise is requesting, changing down with the cruise still engaged will then allow it to recover the lost speed to the preset figure. The cruise on our C3 does not disengage when the clutch is used, unlike our C4 Picasso. When I have the opportunity I will try it out. In the meantime, you can disengage the cruise using the button on the end of the stalk.

And, by the way, do you instruct your pupils in the use of cruise control?; I would imagine it unnecessary.

Many thanks for your reply - sorry I need to clarify my first message slightly as it was a bit ambiguous ... In fact, what I meant was when I change down without cruise engaged! This is what makes me think there is a fault as if I haven't engaged cruise and I start to ease off the accelerator I would not expect the car to speed up again after I change down even if I don't use the brake.
It doesn't do this 100% of the time, but probably around 70% of the time it will exhibit this behavior.

I think I get the fact that the cruise control does behave differently in this vehicle to all previous cars I have had, but it's the issue when not in cruise mode that concerns me somewhat!

I do use cruise with pupils on pass plus sessions or on motorway training..... Which of course we are now allowed to do with pupils before they pass! (only in a dual-controlled car with a qualified ADI of course!!)

[AlBaker]

Hi,
I've got a C3 aircross, and change gear with cruise control on, it will disengages every time. On the coasting and changing down, sounds odd. My car does not do that. I have on occasion found myself resting a foot near brake and actually been careless with my foot placement and caught the accelerator on the outside of my foot, while hovering/covering the brake which has caused a similar sensation.

[Beanee687]

The C3 cruise control in a manual car is OR should be disengaged by the following actions:
1. Applying the brakes. This is caused by the brake pedal switch which signals the BSI to disengage the cruise control, switch on the brake lights and if cut off on the overrun switch the fuel back on.
2. Pressing the clutch down. This is caused by the clutch pedal switch which signals the BSI to disengage the cruise control and if cut off put the fuel back on.
3. Pressing the pause button on the end of the cruise/limiter stalk.
4. Rotate the selection rotary switch on the stalk to Off.
The cruise does not stay engaged on a manual gearbox when changing gear, it stays armed but is PAUSED, you have to re engage it by pressing one of the back buttons on the stalk or pressing the pause button.

On the EAT6 OR 8 (C5 Aircross) auto boxes the cruise stays engaged during gear changes as there is no clutch, the box being a full torque converter box. It will disengage as in steps 1, 3 & 4 above..
Anything else is fault.

[-VJ-]

The C3 cruise control in a manual car is OR should be disengaged by the following actions:

2. Pressing the clutch down. This is caused by the clutch pedal switch which signals the BSI to disengage the cruise control and if cut off put the fuel back on.

The cruise does not stay engaged on a manual gearbox when changing gear, it stays armed but is PAUSED, you have to re engage it by pressing one of the back buttons on the stalk or pressing the pause button.

No. I can press clutch, change gear and lift clutch pedal and cruise control are still operating without pressing any buttons. I find this very fine behaviour of the cruise control. When using the clutch engine rpm:s go down and come back after using clutch pedal.

When I press the clutch pedal for longer period the cruise control goes to pause.

[routemaster1]

The C3 cruise control in a manual car is OR should be disengaged by the following actions:

2. Pressing the clutch down. This is caused by the clutch pedal switch which signals the BSI to disengage the cruise control and if cut off put the fuel back on.

On our C3 this is not true. You can change gear up and down without the cruise disengaging. However, the statement is true on our 2011 C4 C4 GP, our current 2015 C4GP, our 2011 C3 and our (now written off) 2016 C3. Iwas initially surprised to find this happened, and you can see a post about this near the top of the thread.

[srperry]

My C5 Aircross (manual) does keep the cruise control on when changing gear. It is certainly not a fault. Clutch and brake actions do switch it off - or rather pause it - again by design.

[peter m]

Taken from scan my citroen app if fitted with stop/start then if cruise control is selected on then changing gear doesn't disconnect cruise control, but braking does. Will check on mine later.

[peter m]

I can confirm if cruise control is On, clutch doesn't disconnect cruise when changing gear .