Citroen C3 Radiator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

A genuinely specific detail before DIY thermostat housing work: real torque figures and sealing method that prevent over-tightening from causing the exact leak you're trying to fix.

Illustration for editorial purposes

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OEM Part Number: confirm via VIN — radiators (aftermarket) Nissens 61284 / Valeo 733101

Accuracy note: Covers the Citroen C3 (2016-) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Radiators are sold by engine, gearbox and air-conditioning fitment, and one model usually has two or three different cores — a thicker core for diesels and automatics, a thinner one for small petrols — with different hose positions, so a radiator for the wrong engine will not connect up. The references below are UK aftermarket listings whose fitment lists name this generation, labelled by brand with the core size in mm; genuine numbers are those quoted against the listing. Check your engine code and whether the car has air conditioning against your VIN, and replace the coolant and bleed the system after fitting.

Radiators (aftermarket)	Nissens 61284 (380 x 415 x 23 mm, without gasket/seal); Nissens 636007 (380 x 544 x 23 mm, without cap, without expansion tank, with gaskets/seals); Valeo 733101 (544 x 380 x 23 mm, for vehicles without oil cooler, without coolant regulator, without cap); NRF 58226 (538 x 380 x 28 mm, with attachment parts); NRF 50429A (398 x 380 x 24 mm); NRF 53531 (409 x 380 x 27 mm, with attachment parts); NRF 58226A (544 x 380 x 23 mm)
Core sizes & variants	Two core widths on the same 380 mm height: 415 mm for the smaller petrols and 544 mm for the 1.2 PureTech turbo and 1.6 BlueHDi.
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	None quoted in catalogue listings — order a genuine unit against your VIN
Fitment notes	match the core width to the old unit.

Accuracy note: genuinely worth knowing: many C3 radiators are engine-code specific rather than universal across the range — the engine code is usually stamped on the block or listed on the VIN plate, and it's the most reliable way to confirm fitment.

A Genuinely Specific Detail Worth Knowing Before DIY Thermostat Housing Work — Citroen C3 Radiator

If you're replacing the thermostat housing yourself, it's genuinely worth knowing a specific detail that catches many DIYers out: on several engines in this range, the housing is secured directly onto the cylinder head with a thin bead of RTV sealant rather than a conventional gasket, using a relatively large number of bolts (commonly 8) tightened to a comparatively light torque figure — documented at around 8Nm on some engines — rather than fewer bolts at high clamping force. Over-tightening these bolts, assuming a higher torque figure "seems safer," can actually crack the housing or distort its sealing surface, causing exactly the leak you were trying to fix. Confirming the genuine torque specification and sealing method for your specific engine before starting is worth doing rather than guessing.

A genuinely distinct leak point worth checking separately: the corrugated rubber pipe connecting the water pump to the thermostat housing, which runs behind the engine, is a separate, well-documented leak point in its own right — distinct from the housing or pump themselves. If you've replaced the housing and pump but coolant is still disappearing, this specific pipe is worth checking directly before assuming a more complex fault, since it's a relatively simple and inexpensive part to replace once correctly identified.

It's also worth knowing that a genuine air lock trapped in the system after any coolant work is a common cause of the same overheating symptoms as a faulty thermostat or pump — always follow the correct bleeding procedure for your specific engine after any repair in this area, since air trapped in the system will restrict coolant flow regardless of how correctly everything else was fitted.

Citroen C3 Radiator: The Part That Keeps Everything Else From Cooking

There's nothing exciting about this component, yet on the Citroen C3, most catastrophic engine failures that aren't simply down to wear trace back to a cooling problem someone ignored too long. Catching it early is cheap; catching it late usually isn't.

Citroen C3 Radiator: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: Remplacement du radiateur sur Citroën C3 : guide étape par étape en atelier (non-english)

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French workshop guide; title does not state the C3 generation, so check it is the 2016- car before linking.

Before you buy: radiator size and design vary significantly by engine size, transmission type, and whether your car has air conditioning. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Citroen C3 Radiator: What It Does

The Citroen C3 radiator's core job is moving heat out of the engine coolant and into the passing air, holding engine temperature within safe limits. Automatic versions frequently add a second internal circuit for transmission fluid cooling, which is exactly why the correct part number carries extra weight on this component.

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Citroen C3 Radiator: Faults, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Radiator Guide for the three common failure modes, confirming fitment against your VIN, and OEM vs aftermarket guidance.

More Citroen Radiator

The same part, covered across other Citroen models.