Coolant Replacement & Bleeding Procedure for DS4 1.6 PureTech 225 – Workshop Manual Needed

DS Automobiles DS 4 & DS 4 CROSS
1

Hi everyone,

I’m planning to replace the engine coolant on my DS4 1.6 PureTech 225, and I want to make sure I perform the refill and air bleeding procedure correctly.
If anyone happens to have the official PSA/DS workshop manual or Service Box procedure for this exact engine and is willing to share a PDF or screenshots, it would be hugely appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

2

Welcome @Niki
If it’s not an E-Tense model, the procedure is simple. You just need to bleed the engine cooling system at the two caps at the thermostat and at the hose leading into the vehicle’s interior (located in the engine bay, beneath the windshield and behind the 12V battery).
The cooling system air bleed cap looks like a tire valve cap.

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Thanks, @Andrew_PL.
I’m generally familiar with the procedure and the location of the bleed points. It’s not an E-Tense, but given the electronically controlled water pump and thermostat, I thought there might be a more specific procedure involved. Thanks for the help.

4

The bleeding procedure via Diagbox applies to the E-Tense. Here, it’s the traditional method.

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5

Hi everyone,

For anyone interested in tackling this DIY procedure, I wanted to share my personal experience. Today I finally found the time and gathered the necessary equipment for the job.

Given the locations of the bleed screws, the amount of disassembly required just to access them, and the inevitable mess from spilled coolant, I decided to go with a vacuum refill kit instead.

Here are a few takeaways from the process:

  • Equipment: These tool kits are now quite accessible for home mechanics. I bought the cheapest one I could find on the market for around €30, paired with a small garage air compressor.
  • Performance: Coming from a background with professional shop-grade equipment, I was originally quite skeptical of a cheap tool. However, the refill process went surprisingly smoothly!
  • Process: Because the vacuum level was somewhat low (or at least reading low on the budget gauge), I performed 3 vacuum cycles—one initially on the empty system, followed by two additional ones (though in hindsight, those extra cycles probably weren’t even necessary).
  • Coolant Level & Initial Run: After pressure equalized, the coolant level in the expansion tank was initially quite high. I decided to start the thermal cycle with the intention of siphoning off the excess later. After running the engine at idle for about 10 minutes with the heater set to HI and fan speed 1, the system drew in the excess coolant, settling exactly at the MAX mark.
  • Thermal Cycle & Observations: During the warm-up cycle, the heater started blowing hot air around the 5–6 minute mark, which confirmed there were no air pockets in the heater matrix. After waiting a bit longer, the thermostat opened naturally (without needing to force it electronically by revving). The coolant level remained unchanged, proving that the primary circuit was also completely air-free. Finally, after revving the engine at standstill, I managed to trigger the cooling fan through two full cycles.

Overall, using a vacuum tool made the process much cleaner and easier than manually bleeding the system via the bleed points. Hope this helps anyone looking to do the same!

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