Citroen C3 Spark Plugs: Intervals, Fitment & Warning Signs
A genuinely distinctive cause worth checking for a stubborn single-cylinder misfire: water leaking through the washer seal can short a specific injector, visible as a darker, wetter spark plug.
Illustration for editorial purposes
Opens live listings in a new tab.
OEM Part Number: confirm via engine code — aftermarket NGK 97968 / Bosch 0 242 140 543
| Petrol engines in this generation | 1.2 PureTech 82 HP, 1.2 PureTech 83 HP, 1.2 PureTech 110 HP, 1.2 THP 110 HP, 1.2 VTi 68 HP, 1.2 VTi 82 HP, 1.6 VTi 115 HP (SXNFPT), plus LPG 1.2 PureTech 83 HP and 1.2 VTi 82 HP |
|---|---|
| Spark plugs (aftermarket) | NGK 97968 (iridium, 5 kOhm, M12x1.25, 14 mm Bi-Hex); NGK 91874 (iridium, gap 0.8 mm, M12x1.25, 14 mm); NGK 97999 (iridium, M12x1.25, 16 mm); NGK 1640 (iridium, LPG Laser Line, M14x1.25, 16 mm, 60,000 km); Bosch 0 242 140 543 (gap 0.75 mm, M12x1.25, 14 mm, 23 Nm); Bosch 0 242 229 797 (gap 0.9 mm, M14x1.25, 16 mm, 28 Nm); Champion OE245 (iridium, gap 0.8 mm, 14 mm Bi-Hex); Champion OE268 (iridium, gap 0.75 mm, 14 mm Bi-Hex) |
| Genuine (OE) numbers quoted | Denso VXUH22I = A0041592503 |
| Fitment notes | M12x1.25 iridium plugs (14 mm hex) suit the PureTech engines, while M14x1.25 16 mm plugs (Bosch 0 242 229 797, NGK 96197 and 6677) are listed for the older 1.6 VTi style heads; NGK 1640 is for LPG with a 60,000 km interval. |
A Genuinely Distinctive Cause Worth Checking: Water Ingress Through the Washer Seal — Citroen C3 Spark Plugs
If you're chasing a persistent single-cylinder misfire that hasn't responded to a new coil pack or plugs, this is genuinely worth knowing about: a documented pattern on this platform links water leaking through the windscreen washer reservoir seal to shorting out the nearest fuel injector, causing exactly this kind of stubborn, single-cylinder misfire. A genuinely useful diagnostic clue worth checking directly: if you remove the spark plugs and one specific plug looks noticeably darker or wetter than the others, this points toward that specific cylinder's injector being affected by moisture rather than a generic ignition fault — worth checking the washer reservoir seal for a leak before replacing more ignition parts on the assumption it's a coil or plug issue.
If you're testing a coil pack directly, one documented method involves lightly spraying water on the coil while the engine is running and watching for visible arcing, which would confirm a breakdown in the coil's insulation — worth approaching this test with appropriate caution given it involves water near live electrical components, and best left to someone experienced with this specific check if you're not confident doing it yourself.
Citroen C3 Spark Plugs: A Cheap Part That Causes Expensive-Feeling Problems
The Citroen C3's spark plugs rarely fail dramatically; they just quietly degrade, showing up as a rougher idle or slightly blunted acceleration that gets blamed on other things. The part costs next to nothing, which paradoxically makes it one of the most commonly neglected items under the bonnet.
Citroen C3 Spark Plugs: Watch: Replacing It
C3 III 1.2 PureTech 110
Citroen C3 Spark Plugs: What They Do
On the Citroen C3, the compressed fuel-air mixture in each cylinder is ignited by the spark plugs, and their condition feeds directly into combustion efficiency, fuel economy and how smoothly the engine runs. Only petrol engines use them; diesels rely on compression alone.
Citroen C3 Spark Plugs: Generations, Engines & Spark Plug Count
| Diesel variants (BlueHDi) | Not applicable — diesel engines use compression ignition and have no spark plugs at all |
|---|---|
| 1.2 PureTech/THP (standard petrol trims) | Genuinely only 3 spark plugs — this engine is shared across the wider PSA/Stellantis range (Peugeot, Citroen, DS), not a four-cylinder |
| GTI/GT (1.6 THP, where fitted) | 4 spark plugs — the performance derivative uses a genuinely different, larger four-cylinder engine from the standard car's 3-cylinder unit |
Opens live listings in a new tab.
Citroen C3 Spark Plugs: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice
These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Spark Plugs Guide for symptoms of worn plugs, why matching your exact plug specification matters, and trusted brands to buy from.
More Citroen Spark Plugs
The same part, covered across other Citroen models.