Citroën C3 Recall R/2003/016: Water Ingress May Cause Anti Lock Brake Control Unit To Malfunction, Who Is Affected And What To Do
- Urgent
- How serious
- 21 Jan 2003
- Launched
- 5,032
- vehicles in the UK
- R/2003/016
- DVSA reference
Citroën recalled C3 vehicles built between 1 September 2002 and 30 November 2002. Water ingress to the ABS ECU connector may cause a malfunction of the anti lock braking system. The dealer will protect the ABS connector from water ingress. You won't usually pay for it.1
What’s Wrong
Water ingress to the ABS ECU connector may cause a malfunction of the anti lock braking system. In the worst case water contamination could cause a short circuit and fire in the ABS control unit.
DVSA's Original Wording
Concern: WATER INGRESS MAY CAUSE ANTI LOCK BRAKE CONTROL UNIT TO MALFUNCTION Defect: Water ingress to the ABS ECU connector may cause a malfunction of the anti lock braking system. In the worst case water contamination could cause a short circuit and fire in the ABS control unit. Remedy: Protect the ABS connector from water ingress. Replace the ABS ECU if found necessary.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
The Risk
If the fault occurs, the recall notice says it could cause a malfunction of the anti lock braking system.
The Fix
The dealer will protect the ABS connector from water ingress.
Are You Affected?
C3 built between 1 September 2002 and 30 November 2002 may be included. Citroën estimates 5,032 vehicles in the UK. Enter your registration to check, then confirm by VIN with Citroën, because not every car in the date range may be included.
Which Car Is It?
Choose the make and model so we can match recalls to your car.
What To Do Now
- Check your car by registration above, then by VIN with Citroën.
- Book with any franchised Citroën dealer, quoting the DVSA reference R/2003/016. See how to get a Citroën recall fixed.
- Follow the letter's instructions until the repair is done. See can you drive a car with a recall?.
Related Recalls
| Launched | Vehicle and fault | Severity | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| C3, C3 AircrossAlarm triggered randomly: BCM software | Low | R/2026/122 | |
| C3, C3 Aircross, C4, C4XAlternator protection | Urgent | R/2026/073 | |
| C3Citroen C3 v5 Autonomous telematics box cannot connect to server | Low | R/2025/487 | |
| C3, C3 AircrossCitroen C3 C3 Aircross brake pedal bracket connection | Urgent | R/2025/514 | |
| Berlingo, C3, C3 Aircross, C4 and 5 moreOn board diagnostics | Low | R/2025/346 |
This is one of 414 Citroën recalls in DVSA’s data. The Citroën recall launched before it was R/2002/174 on 13 Dec 2002, for passenger airbag may not completely deploy. The one launched after it was R/2003/081 on 14 May 2003, for possible short circuit. You can also see every Citroën recall, all recalls launched in 2003 and brake recalls across every make.
Source: DVSA recall R/2003/016, launched 21 January 2003. Data updated 15 October 2026. How we grade urgency.
Sources
- The Code does not itself say repairs are free. GOV.UK guidance says "You will not usually have to pay for any repairs or parts under a safety recall." gov.uk Checked 15 Oct 2026.