heater gauge no bars

hello everyone

im a new member to this site so thought i would say hello to everyone and then hit you with my problems

my wife is driving a c3 02 reg 1.4 hdi sx with 105k miles

the temp gauge is not showing anything at all and the heat that is blowing out is warm but not hot also the diagnostic sign has just appeared and the car would not start for the first time ever on saturday. my wife only does short runs so i have charged the battery overnight and took it 25 mile round trips to work for the last 3 days.

i know i should take it for a diagnostic check but money is tight and i dont want to waste it. i was thinking it could be the coolant temp sensor any thoughts would be much appreciated.

I would check you have coolant in there! and check it before its driven again.

Oh, Hi c3ben. Welcome to the forum.

There is a nice topic on the correct coolant for a C3 in this post https://citroenc3owners.com/citroen-c3-t ... t-t40.html

a weak heat , no heater bars, diagnostic warnings, 105K miles all together sound like a lack of coolant to me.

Checking coolant is a good start, if that's OK it could be that the thermostat is stuck open (sometimes called lazy thermostat). If it is this the cure is to replace the stat. You can get other clues by parking the car after a journey and leaving the engine running with the front of the car in a sheltered place, eg half in a garage. This should allow the engine to heat up slightly.

I have checked the coolant level and it is at the full line, i will check the thermostat if it is stuck open does that mean it needs replacing. i will try what you suggest with the garage