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Citroën C4 EGS driving tips

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Howard Summers   
Fri Aug 24 2007, 05:33am
Hi All

As a new EGS driver, I was a little surprised that the user manual didn't explain best methods for driving.

The EGS is a very different driving experience, and I am very impressed with the EGS system and the C4 in general.

I had a brief demo on delivery, and then just got in and set off. However, after a month I'm still learning! For example, while stationary and in 1st gear, you can select 2nd gear before starting off, that's quite useful for down-hill starts.

Also, I've been pondering whether or not to leave the car in gear when parked. I always used to leave my Xsara in 1st gear to prevent it rolling in case of a hand brake failure.

Does anybody know of any other features, or can give me any hints or tips regarding driving with EGS?

I'd love to hear from you.

Cheers

Howard
blueclouduk   
Sat Sep 01 2007, 05:24am
I have, at least for another week, a Renault Grand Scenic that has a similar electronic parking brake set-up. If I leave the car on any slope (especially at the in-laws - massive hill) I never trust the parking brake on it's own and always leave it in gear. I will do the same with the GC4P.

The only other tip I can give you is to make sure you lift off the gas when changing up through the gears. The EGS is for all intents and purposes a manual box and keeping your right foot planted will only stress the engine between changes.
C4P HDI EGMV Exclusive   
Sat Sep 01 2007, 06:53am
Whether or not you leave the car in gear depends on the situation.
In my garage I make sure the car is not in gear and the hand brake is off.
In that way you can push the car back, closser to the garage door.

In other cases you want it to be in gear, but no hand brake, like in the winter with sub zero temp (although with global warming,....)

As for lifting the foot when shifting.
My manual says that there is not need to lift the foot.
In fact when shifting down you sometimes can gear the EGS just adding a little throtle, before closing the clutch again.

I think this will be an interesting discussion
iron grey   
Sat Sep 01 2007, 09:07am
Well I've had my C4 Picasso for over 6 months and didn't know you could set off in second gear.

Thanks for that tip Howard.
routemaster1   
Sun Sep 02 2007, 03:52am
Member No: #574
Joined: Jul 08 2007
Location: Dorset
I had also found that you could start off in 2nd gear. I assumed it was for snow, ice or mud. Trouble is, if you slow down too much the box changes down to 1st again and won't re-engage 2nd until stationary. I don't know what the ESP does as I have not yet had it cut in.

I have tried driving in Auto mode. Sometimes I can get the box to change up when I want by lifting off. The next time the logic won't allow it to happen at the same speed, and it hesitates giving a poor change. In these circumstances the paddles can be used to force the change when I want.

Generally I use manual mode as auto doesn't change up when I want it to. On slowing in manual the box changes down with a little throttle blip. If it decides to change down at low revs when approaching a junction the blip actually increases the speed momentarily (4th to 3rd, and 3rd to 2nd) which can be disconcerting at first. Again the logic will make the change happen at different speeds so usually I will change down with the paddles at higher revs.

I hope I don't make it sound as though I don't like the EGS box. I find it very easy to drive, it's just that it has a few idiosycracies.
blueclouduk   
Sun Sep 02 2007, 05:28am
If you want to see what the ESP does in a fairly safe way then try and accelerate hard whilst driving around a round-a-bout. If everything is working then no matter how far you push down on the gas you shouldn't go any faster than about 25mph (depending on how tight the curve is). If the road is at all greasy then the speed at which the ESP quicks in will be lower.

If you're feeling brave then turn off the ESP and do it again - you should get a fair bit of understeer and might even get the nearside front wheel to spin. Not good for the tyres though.

Of course, try to make sure that you use a quiet spot on the road with no spectators especially those with stripey cars and flashing lights.



IF YOU'RE NOT CONFIDENT ABOUT DOING THIS THEN DON'T!
Rich_Eason   
Sun Sep 02 2007, 05:34am

Member No: #90
Joined: Jan 29 2007
Location: Bristol
The ESP will kick in again as soon as you hit 30, only on the VTS is the ESP able to be turned off and stay off.
CoolCarbon   
Sun Sep 02 2007, 09:36am
EGS...

You can change up more than one gear at a time too providing you have exceeded the minimum speed for the gear you are trying to engage, ie once over 40 say, you can effectively change from 3rd to 6th with a quick succession of clicks of the paddles.


The ESP works at any speed....

Just for fun I stuffed it into a long 180+ degrees exit loop off the A90 near to where I stay at about 60...it was tyre squealing stuff under control bit at the limit.....however, as soon as the front started to run a wee bit wide and different wheels were registering different speeds on their sensors (front n/s spinning slightly under power), ESP clicked a few times and brought it all back into shape...

We have a gravel drive about 300yds long, if I set off in a wee bit of a hurry, it kicks in then too..
masona   
Mon Sep 17 2007, 10:32am
Member No: #1091
Joined: Sep 15 2007
Location: Essex
Howard Summers wrote ...

Hi All

As a new EGS driver, I was a little surprised that the user manual didn't explain best methods for driving.

The EGS is a very different driving experience,

Does anybody know of any other features, or can give me any hints or tips regarding driving with EGS?

Hi, I was interested of buying a C4 Picasso auto (EGS) as I have driven 2 manual Picasso cars over the years but always wanted diesel auto and when I read this month What Car magazine and someone wrote saying the EGS is too jerky and not smooth to drive, well, I decided to road test it and find out for myself, how very true it was too jerky much to my disappointment and even my wife did the same. When returning the car, I told the dealer it's a fantastic car but too jerky for a auto and was told the reason it's jerky because I was driving it like a auto, eh!, but I've driven many auto cars, so the saleman took it out for a drive with me and he was driving it so smooth I couldn't believe it!!!

I took my wife for another spin and she couldn't believe how I was driving it smoother!! The secret is timing of the gas pedal and being very light footage on the pedal and practise, practise!! You just drive it very gently like an old boy and eventfully you will be driving it on auto pilot without realising then with enough practise you will be able to drive it a little faster and being smoother. It's a pity they don't do some sort of driver training programme to help to drive the auto ESG car, it's easy when you know how!

I've ordered one and deliverly will be this Thursday

Hope that helps
tonyenjoyd   
Mon Oct 01 2007, 10:59am
Hi all,

I bought a C4GP 1.6HDI EGS VTR+ just over 3 months ago.

Auto driving - the lag in lowerr gear change is horrendous if you are trying to floor it. It seems to actually be dangerous during rush hour at roundabouts.

If you are trundling in 1st gear to get out at a roundabout, see your chance and go for it, the car speeds up, then just at the danger point decides to change to 2nd leaving you in a dead spot going nowhere .

I now switch to EGS with the ESP off as I approach then back to auto after the roundabout - much safer.

With regard to using the EGS, I find it so much smoother of you throttle back like a manual when you change up.

I'll have to try the 2nd gear start - may be handy,

With regard to auto mode, it's better and smoother if you just play the throttle, it's when you floor it that the lag kicks in.

regards

Tony
comegetsome2   
Sat Oct 06 2007, 10:33pm
Hi, my experience with my C4 HDi 1.6 EGS is to just leave it in Auto mode for most situations. Then I just ease off the throttle for smooth changes. Sport Auto mode is not to my liking, it revs too high (yes designed to) prior to changing, though change is very rapid. The only time in normal driving I use the Manaul mode (sliding the gear into the other gate) is when the car is very cold, as in Auto mode it changes up at too low a revs and the engine sounds like it is labouring, once warmed up (3 bars above bulb) it's fine.

One annoyance, when using manual over-ride (i.e. using paddles in Auto mode), I would prefer it stay in that mode until I say otherwise. For comparison, our 'family truckster' a Mitsubishi Outlander has paddles which you can over-ride the full auto mode, the diffence is that it stays on manual control using the paddles. To go back to full Auto mode you hold the upshift (right) paddle up for 2 seconds (yes it changes up to next gear) then reverts to full Auto mode. Better logic in my opinion. Thoughts?
hertsnminds   
Wed Oct 10 2007, 03:05am
Member No: #1276
Joined: Oct 09 2007
Location: Scotland
From all of the comments it sounds like EGS is just a renaming of Sensodrive. I drove a Pluriel with the 1st version of the Sensodrive system and had all of the issues raised.

One thing not mentioned so far is SNOW mode. On the Sensodrive when it is below a certain temp and the wheels slip the car pauses for about 30 seconds beeps at you twice engages 2nd and then crawls off. Very scary the first time it happens and you are pulling on to a roundabout.

Also not mentioned here, but a useful tip is to turn off the ESP when pulling away in slippery conditions (ie on ice) with ESP on the car will not let the wheels get any traction you have to turn it off and manually control the power to get you going.
Rich_Eason   
Wed Oct 10 2007, 03:55am

Member No: #90
Joined: Jan 29 2007
Location: Bristol
Welcome over Ian!

I think it mentions the bit about the snow in the manual...also works the same in mud as well as I once found out...
routemaster1   
Wed Oct 10 2007, 12:56pm
Member No: #574
Joined: Jul 08 2007
Location: Dorset
On another thread someone mentioned being able to select 2nd gear at rest in manual. I assume this is snow mode.
hertsnminds   
Thu Oct 11 2007, 02:46am
Member No: #1276
Joined: Oct 09 2007
Location: Scotland
"I assume this is snow mode"

No this is just a driver being able to know more than the car mode (i.e. it's slippery out there and I can't ride the clutch as I could in a manual).

When the car goes into snow mode you get a snow symbol come up on the dash and the car will not let you pull off in 1st.

With the Sensodrive you did have a small amount of clutch control by pressing the accelerator very gently, I assume it's the same with EGS.
1 User said Thank You to hertsnminds for this Post :
 gitch (03 Jul 2013 : 05:46)
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