Stop Warning Light

[RugbyPete]

I get the STOP warning light come on with the ((!)) symbol when i first start up the car. It used to go away after a few minutes of driving as per the manual but every now and then it comes on, flickering, going off and on, a bit like if you were low on engine oil and you go around a roundabout.

 

Is this anything to be concerned about? The power steering works fine, the brakes work (all be it a little bit ***oops***, but down to pads i reckon) and the ride is smooth and not bouncy.

 

The light always comes on if you raise the car. I tend to just drop it a few cm and the light goes out when driving.

 

I have no history of the spheres being doen. its on my list but the ride is fine.

[DaveWalling]

Hi Pete,

Welcome to the forum, the Xantia has wear sensors on the front pads, so I would say that is going to be your first place to check. It certainly sounds like they are on their last legs. If you look back over some of the older messages there is a link to download a workshop manual for the Xantia. Looking at that it should not be a hard job to do. As for the light coming on when you raise the car, sounds like there could be something shorting or possibly a bad earth. When the car is up it is shorting and when you lower the car it clears, hence the light.

Hope this is of help :D

[Guest Colin Hunter]

The "STOP" light comes on when the LHM level is low. When you raise the car the fluid is displaced into the suspension system and the level drops.

 

If you look at the LHM tank there is a dome with two lines on it and an orange disc inside it, the disc is connected to a float in the tank. Below the orange disc is a brass ring. When the float drops down the ring makes a connection between the two tabs that have the wires coming off them and illuminates the "STOP" light. The orange disc should be between the two lines with the car at full height.

 

The RED((!)) light has to do with the brakes as you assumed but does not indicate pad wear, only that the system pressure is low. The pad wear light is orange and has a similar symbol on it.

 

If you feel that your front discs and pads are past their best then replace them. As you have said in a previous post they are not dear and for peace of mind they should either be inspected or replaced. Bear in mind that, because the handbrake operates on the front wheels of these cars, the caliper pistons need to be "Wound" back. You can't just press them in. The manual (haynes) describes how to do it with a piece of square section bar. I used an old square file last time.

 

This is one area of Xantia ownership that can NOT be overlooked. Because the Xantia is a "Fully hydraulic" Citroen (The last "True" one I would say) EVERYTHING works off the one pump. Suspension, brakes and steering so it is most important to keep the LHM level correct. As in my own car , a little too much is OK. Too little can lead to complete failure of ALL systems! Beware! :D

[RugbyPete]

Ok, well its due a coolant change and the pads really need changing as braking distance is terrible. I bought the pads today so I'll get them done tomorrow and check the LHM levels, thanks

 

I heard somewhere about this twisting motion for the brakes, I'll do a search for a haynes manual, cos although i have changed other cars brake pads, i like to know before hand what to do.

 

Thanks for the help

[Guest Colin Hunter]

Have a look here http://my.opera.com/Brecknaheim/blog/ for the relevant info on your brakes. There was a link in one of the older posts in this site for downloading the Xantia manual but I haven't been able to find it again. Sorry

 

Cheers.Hope this helps :)

[RugbyPete]

Have a look here http://my.opera.com/Brecknaheim/blog/ for the relevant info on your brakes. There was a link in one of the older posts in this site for downloading the Xantia manual but I haven't been able to find it again. Sorry

 

Cheers.Hope this helps :D

 

Good old bitorrent got me the manual :)

 

Yep, its the lhm fluid... seems the level is very low so thats getting topped up right now, hopefully there's not a leak, dont think the missus could cope with anoher bunch of expense after my over picky other maintenance i have done/plan the first two weeks of ownership!

 

TOTAL LHM not available, but halford s do an exact replica - i take it the spec is ok? Also, being a sunday, its the only place open and i gotta go to work - Haynes top up using TOTAL anyway, which isnt citroen. GS&F not open, they do morris LHM+1 and Total

[Guest Colin Hunter]

Our local Citroen dealership supplies Total Oils and LHM. Basically if it meets the spec it will be OK

[RugbyPete]

Yeah, got it, it was fine, stated for Citroens only and specific requirements, also stated it could mike with any other current fluid.

 

However, After raising and lowering the car a bit, i noticed the fluid had gone down. I raised the car, no leak. i put it normal, no leak, i dropped it to the lowest and the rear part where the spheres is located wept a bit of fluid.

 

So, trip to the garage i think, may just be something needs tightening asi think its maximum pressure at that height?

[DaveWalling]

I might be wrong Pete, and no doubt Colin will correct me if I am wrong, but the spheres should be hand tight. I don`t know but I would suspect that the seal washer might be going. Having said that I don`t suppose giving it a small nip would hurt.

P.S. Here is the link for anybody reading this thread for the Haynes manual.

http://pdftown.com/Citroen-Xantia-Service-Manual.html

P.S. You need to allow about 15 mins between each part, otherwise it will cost you to download the second part. Once both parts have been download unzip them, and if memory serves me correctly they should then become one. (I think there might be a song in there somewhere!!) :)

[Guest Colin Hunter]

Yes! The spheres should be "Spun" on by hand. There is a flat metal face on both the sphere and the sphere housing outside the circle of the square section seal. When the faces are together the square seal is compressed and fills the space so no oil can escape. When fitting the spheres it is important that both the faces are clean. When you spin on the sphere it will contact the face with an audible "Clonk". That's it! Leave it there. If it's leaking from between the sphere and the housing it may have loosened off (Doubtfull) if it's not been properly tightened and may require a new seal.

 

As Dave says, try a wee "Nip" first, but if that does not cure it, you'll need to replace the seal. I'm not sure of the pressure at the spheres but it is high. Around 50bar (a little under 750psi!) seems to stick in my mind. The manual gives the pump pressure at between 145 and 175 bar. (2131-2572 psi!) OUCH! That's much the same as the Fuel Injection pressure!

 

Cheers.