Citroen C3 I (2003-2009) has a separate fuse box in the lower dashboard/glove compartment and another in the engine bay next to the battery. This guide covers the first-generation C3, not the later C3 II or the C3 Pluriel roof installation.
The two tables below preserve 30 documented fuse positions and alternatives from the owner’s handbook, including the cabin transport/customer parking shunt at F18. Fuse numbers absent from the particular manufacturer’s list are not assumed to be spare. Equipment such as diesel particulate filters, parking assistance, headlamp washers, alarm and Bluetooth may not be installed in every car.
Where are the Citroen C3 I fuse boxes?
Dashboard fuse box: switch off the engine and all electrical consumers. On a left-hand-drive C3 I, look at the lower dashboard between the steering wheel and the driver’s door and release the fuse-box access cover carefully. On right-hand-drive configurations, the access can be through the lower glovebox compartment: open the glovebox and pull the fuse cover handle as shown in the corresponding handbook. The exact trim and cover vary by market. Identify the physical panel with the original vehicle-specific fuse label before removing a fuse.
Engine compartment fuse box: open the bonnet and find the covered electrical distribution unit near the battery. Where fitted, remove the battery cover first, then release the plastic retaining clips from the fuse-box lid. Close the weather-sealed cover properly after inspection to prevent water entry. The manufacturer’s manual advises leaving MAXI fuse servicing to qualified technicians.
Dashboard fuse box – all 13 listed positions
The dashboard circuits include central locking and deadlocking, the rear window heater, ignition, airbag and diagnostic supplies, radio, interior lighting and the cigarette lighter. The table retains F18 as a service shunt, which is not a conventional blade fuse with an amp rating. The original diagram is small, so a scalable number-and-rating index is provided for readability; it does not replace the physical schematic.
| Pozycja | Amperaż [A] | Chroniony obwód / funkcja |
|---|---|---|
| F3 | 5 | Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbags |
| F4 | 10 | On-board diagnostics, diesel particle-filter additive, clutch switch and steering-angle sensor |
| F5 | 30 | Rear electric windows and electric sunroof, where fitted |
| F6 | 30 | Front and rear windscreen washer pump |
| F8 | 20 | Digital clock, steering-wheel audio controls, radio and dashboard information display |
| F9 | 30 | Cigarette lighter/12 V accessory socket, clock, cabin lamps and illuminated vanity mirror |
| F10 | 15 | Anti-theft alarm system |
| F11 | 15 | Ignition switch, steering lock and diagnostic connector |
| F12 | 15 | Airbag control unit, rain sensor and automatic light sensor |
| F14 | 15 | Parking sensors, instrument cluster, air conditioning and Bluetooth phone control |
| F15 | 30 | Central locking and deadlocking |
| F17 | 40 | Rear window demister/heating element |
| F18 | – | Customer park shunt – service/transport bridge, not a standard rated fuse |
Engine compartment fuse box – 17 listed positions
The engine-bay panel carries the fuel pump, starter, horn, washer systems, ABS/ESP, injection components, blower, front wipers and left/right headlamp circuits. F1 (20 A) concerns a diesel water sensor and may be absent on petrol versions. F14 (30 A) has a petrol air-pump or diesel fuel-heater assignment, depending on the engine. The manufacturer’s chart does not list an engine F13; no circuit has been invented for that position.
| Pozycja | Amperaż [A] | Chroniony obwód / funkcja |
|---|---|---|
| F1 | 20 | Water-in-diesel-fuel sensor (diesel versions) |
| F2 | 15 | Horn |
| F3 | 10 | Windscreen washer system |
| F4 | 20 | Headlamp washer system, where fitted |
| F5 | 15 | Fuel pump |
| F6 | 10 | Electric/hydraulic power steering control supply |
| F7 | 10 | Engine coolant level sensor |
| F8 | 25 | Starter motor supply |
| F9 | 10 | ABS and electronic stability programme (ESP) controllers |
| F10 | 30 | Engine control actuators: ignition coils, solenoid valves, oxygen sensors, injectors and fuel-vapour canister purge valve |
| F11 | 40 | Heater/air-conditioning air blower |
| F12 | 30 | Front windscreen wiper motor |
| F14 | 30 | Secondary-air pump on petrol engines or fuel heater on diesel engines |
| F15 | 10 | Right-hand high-beam headlamp |
| F16 | 10 | Left-hand high-beam headlamp |
| F17 | 15 | Right-hand dipped-beam headlamp |
| F18 | 15 | Left-hand dipped-beam headlamp |
Practical checks for C3 I electrical faults
Dashboard clock, interior lights and 12 V outlet all stopped: the cabin F9 (30 A) supply protects these functions together. Check the socket for conductive debris and verify power at the fuse; if the fuse is intact, inspect the relevant BSI/body-control wiring rather than fitting a larger fuse.
Central locking intermittently fails: inspect cabin F15 (30 A), then the door lock wiring and deadlocking switches. Rear window not demisting: inspect cabin F17 (40 A) and the heated-screen connections. A cracked demister track can fail even with an intact supply fuse.
Front washers work but the wipers do not: the engine box has separate F3 (10 A) for washer control and F12 (30 A) for the wiper motor. Engine cranks but does not start: engine F5 (15 A) is the documented fuel pump circuit; also verify the correct diesel or petrol engine controls.
One headlamp fails: engine F15 and F16 (10 A each) supply the right and left high beams, while F17 and F18 (15 A each) protect dipped beams. Check the bulb and connector as well as the fuse.
Year, engine and model differences
First-generation C3 electrical equipment changed between individual markets and engine codes, especially with diesel particulate filtering, alarm systems, electronic stability control and convenience equipment. The original owner’s handbook for the 2008-2009 period confirms this 13+17-position arrangement, but other fuse cards exist for earlier or differently equipped vehicles. The car’s specific wiring legend takes precedence.
The closely related Citroen C2 (2003-2009) uses a related PSA electrical architecture, but its exact fuse numbers and locations must be checked separately. This C3 guide does not apply to the later C3 II fuse carrier.