My Xantias Little Niggles

[shropshireman]

hi there , found the info here very good so ill ask a few more questions if thats ok.

im running a 95 td lx@93k all going well except a few little niggles.

 

firstly i have to re enter the radio code every flippin time i get in the car , im following the instructions but it just doesnt seem to remember the code.

secondly sometimes wen i get out of the car it makes the most horrendous groaning noises, i have noticed that in the lhm reservoir the float is very high but the spheres are all pretty new and it rides well.

 

thirdly wen i park the car , and apply the handbrake ive sometimes noticed the car if left will still roll forward or backward a bit ... or a lot was wonderingis this normal also wen starting the car the foot brake ive noticed has delayd reaction and wen it works it lightning sharp, it seems ok if you leave it to tick over a bit , .. maybe cos to much lhm fluid.

and then theres the front passenger door will not open with the central locking, is it something like a stuck relay .. im no mechanic lol.

 

i think thats about it, small niggles as i say but all and any help gratefully accepted

many thanks

oh and the clock does the same as the radio, same problem?

 

many thanks

Al

[shropshireman]

hi there , found the info here very good so ill ask a few more questions if thats ok.

im running a 95 td lx@93k all going well except a few little niggles.

 

firstly i have to re enter the radio code every flippin time i get in the car , im following the instructions but it just doesnt seem to remember the code.

secondly sometimes wen i get out of the car it makes the most horrendous groaning noises, i have noticed that in the lhm reservoir the float is very high but the spheres are all pretty new and it rides well.

 

thirdly wen i park the car , and apply the handbrake ive sometimes noticed the car if left will still roll forward or backward a bit ... or a lot was wonderingis this normal also wen starting the car the foot brake ive noticed has delayd reaction and wen it works it lightning sharp, it seems ok if you leave it to tick over a bit , .. maybe cos to much lhm fluid.

and then theres the front passenger door will not open with the central locking, is it something like a stuck relay .. im no mechanic lol.

 

i think thats about it, small niggles as i say but all and any help gratefully accepted

many thanks

oh and the clock does the same as the radio, same problem?

 

many thanks

Al

 

 

have i asked in the wrong way?

[Guest ---DAF---]

Hiya

 

I have a petrol Xantia but has similar issues regarding some of your "niggles" , i can say that if the lhm is high when still/engine off, have u checked it once running ? i think it may drop slightly. I had new spheres last yr and mine is also right at the top of the glass viewing bubble but was assured by citroen this is normal. The brakes are direcly linked to the hydraulics hence pulling over imediatley if the red lights on the dash come on unless you have braked very sharpley in which case they should go out again when the cars back in normal position. The creaking is the hydraulics settling down again this is normal in older vehicles. As the brakes are linked to hydraulics this is why they are so different upon starting the engine, they have to pressurise with the spheres as the hydraulics level the car basically.

 

Citroen showed me a trick if the car does not rise properly using the brakes and pas. If the car will not rise or gets stuck in full height or fully down then: Depress the brake fully, turn the wheel completely antin clockwise then all the way clockwise and back again anti clockwise then back to centre. This usually sets the hydraulics to where they should be if the leveling mechanism isnot loose enough. You will notice the brake peddle push back hard when it ready to level doing this also.

 

I hope this is of some use to u :D

 

DAF

[Guest ---DAF---]

I forgot about your radio!! is it the original radio unit? if not is the live and live switch correct on the adapter block? this would lose all infornation including track placing on cd's. If they are incorrect then its easy to just switch the wires over one for the other .

 

DAF

[shropshireman]

I forgot about your radio!! is it the original radio unit? if not is the live and live switch correct on the adapter block? this would lose all infornation including track placing on cd's. If they are incorrect then its easy to just switch the wires over one for the other .

 

DAF

 

Many thanks daf, at least iknow that the moaning isnt particularly abnormal....... as for the radio problem its the standard unit allthough the bloke i bought it off , had had another cd unit it , then replaced the original unit when it was sold to me.

 

ill have to check the bubble after a drive see if its settle down, i do remember some posters saying theyd drained some out and that the ride was better after that!!!!!!!

 

the brake problem i probnably didnt describe very wel l, its as if wen i park on a hil facing upwards and apply the handbrake , it will somhow realease itself... just seems really odd allthough leaving it in gear seems to solve the problem.

 

and finally the door look problem well as im main driver it isnt a huge problem i just thought some one might know a quick fix.... but maybe not.

 

a petrol xantia heh what sort of mpg are you getting from it daffylad

cheers for info anyhow

[Guest ---DAF---]

hey again al

 

Just got back from a short "break" , took the bloody Pajero not my car and its like driving a slug.

My mpg is prob ridiculous because im not one for waiting round really. Think its not bad on petty but i've had a few fuel problems of l8 and its driving like a restricted bus. redex or injector cleaner needed and some regular long trips.

 

I've seen some Xantia electric window assemblies on that there popular bay of E type bidding site and also some ,,breaking diesels, with all parts available.I think it may be easy enough and save you a few squid if u could get a central locking unit and fit it. If its anythin like my dads old 3series its so easy once u get inside the panel a child could do it. Plug n play ;) .

 

There should be an online guide to the Xantia dl'able as PDF but i cannot find one anywhere!!!

Your handbrake should not, ever be releasing itself even intermittantly in any vehicle. This could be due to overstretched cables but hardly likely, or you would find the handle loose at its peak upward point. Plus cables only strecth so far untill they TWANG.

 

I find my brakes vibrate slightly when slowing at lower speeds but the handbrake is solid. I have a friend that has assured me this is not a worry and has driven mine and said his was the same even after he got his pads changed.

 

The Radio unit, have u looked at the connector block at all? it may well be that if another make of stereo was used that the previous owner changed the permanent live with the live switch, simple to test with voltmeter or the old fashioned light bulb and 2 wires. In the unit bay ont the exsisting block there will be 2 wires that have yellow and red. Either yellow from car to red or vice versa. Mine is red from car=permanent live (thats using the connector block). The clock should be seperate but may have a small lithium battery that keeps the memory. These are the reasons i want an actual Haynes manual for the car, the little bits n bobs easy to fix yourself.

 

My "little niggle" as it were. When i first got the car i found a few new and fancy functions that were not in my rover and one was the seat hieght adjustment lever. wich i pulled. It imediately upon release, fell apart. Star bolts and nuts everywhere. It was a complete arse to put back together keeping the tension etc. The seat springs up everytime u get out of it. Make sure if u use yours that its tightened as the plastic cover on mine is still not on and never will be!!!

 

DAF

[Guest Colin Hunter]

There was a well doccumented problem regarding Xantias "Releasing" their handbrakes when they frst came out. Because the handbrake works on the front discs, it was reckoned that some people were not putting the brake on hard enough. If you have been driving and braking "Hard" then the discs and pads would expand with the heat. When you stop and apply the handbrake all is OK untill it all cools down. Then the car will set off on it's own after it all cools down and contracts. Citroen did a recall on this and it was quite a simple "Fix" they just told the dealers to file the first 6 ratchets off the handbrake quadrant so that you had to pull the brake on harder to get it to "hold". It may well be that your car missed the recall and "modification".

 

Regarding the seat height adjustment, the lever incorprates a spring loaded clutch type arrangement which is supposed to hold the seat in your desired position. Unfortunately, the mechanism in the handle base is prone to failure and the seat will then rise to full height on its springs when you get out and fall to its lowest setting when you get back in. Although the height contol lever can unbolt from the seat base it is not available from Citroen as a seperate replacement part. However, the same height control handle was used on a number of PSA cars of that era, including Xantias, ZXS Xsaras, pug 406s and 306s. Maybe some Saxos and 106s of higher spec. Don't know for sure. All you have to do is find a dead car with a decent seat height controller and you've cracked it.

 

Cheers. Hope this helps. :unsure:

[shropshireman]

hey again al

 

Just got back from a short "break" , took the bloody Pajero not my car and its like driving a slug.

My mpg is prob ridiculous because im not one for waiting round really. Think its not bad on petty but i've had a few fuel problems of l8 and its driving like a restricted bus. redex or injector cleaner needed and some regular long trips.

 

I've seen some Xantia electric window assemblies on that there popular bay of E type bidding site and also some ,,breaking diesels, with all parts available.I think it may be easy enough and save you a few squid if u could get a central locking unit and fit it. If its anythin like my dads old 3series its so easy once u get inside the panel a child could do it. Plug n play :huh: .

 

There should be an online guide to the Xantia dl'able as PDF but i cannot find one anywhere!!!

Your handbrake should not, ever be releasing itself even intermittantly in any vehicle. This could be due to overstretched cables but hardly likely, or you would find the handle loose at its peak upward point. Plus cables only strecth so far untill they TWANG.

 

I find my brakes vibrate slightly when slowing at lower speeds but the handbrake is solid. I have a friend that has assured me this is not a worry and has driven mine and said his was the same even after he got his pads changed.

 

The Radio unit, have u looked at the connector block at all? it may well be that if another make of stereo was used that the previous owner changed the permanent live with the live switch, simple to test with voltmeter or the old fashioned light bulb and 2 wires. In the unit bay ont the exsisting block there will be 2 wires that have yellow and red. Either yellow from car to red or vice versa. Mine is red from car=permanent live (thats using the connector block). The clock should be seperate but may have a small lithium battery that keeps the memory. These are the reasons i want an actual Haynes manual for the car, the little bits n bobs easy to fix yourself.

 

My "little niggle" as it were. When i first got the car i found a few new and fancy functions that were not in my rover and one was the seat hieght adjustment lever. wich i pulled. It imediately upon release, fell apart. Star bolts and nuts everywhere. It was a complete arse to put back together keeping the tension etc. The seat springs up everytime u get out of it. Make sure if u use yours that its tightened as the plastic cover on mine is still not on and never will be!!!

 

DAF

many thanks daf for the info, the main problem is with the brakes though , ill check the clock and radio fixes once ive sorted the brakes out

again many thanks A

[shropshireman]

There was a well doccumented problem regarding Xantias "Releasing" their handbrakes when they frst came out. Because the handbrake works on the front discs, it was reckoned that some people were not putting the brake on hard enough. If you have been driving and braking "Hard" then the discs and pads would expand with the heat. When you stop and apply the handbrake all is OK untill it all cools down. Then the car will set off on it's own after it all cools down and contracts. Citroen did a recall on this and it was quite a simple "Fix" they just told the dealers to file the first 6 ratchets off the handbrake quadrant so that you had to pull the brake on harder to get it to "hold". It may well be that your car missed the recall and "modification".

 

Regarding the seat height adjustment, the lever incorprates a spring loaded clutch type arrangement which is supposed to hold the seat in your desired position. Unfortunately, the mechanism in the handle base is prone to failure and the seat will then rise to full height on its springs when you get out and fall to its lowest setting when you get back in. Although the height contol lever can unbolt from the seat base it is not available from Citroen as a seperate replacement part. However, the same height control handle was used on a number of PSA cars of that era, including Xantias, ZXS Xsaras, pug 406s and 306s. Maybe some Saxos and 106s of higher spec. Don't know for sure. All you have to do is find a dead car with a decent seat height controller and you've cracked it.

 

Cheers. Hope this helps. :huh:

 

 

 

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There was a well doccumented problem regarding Xantias "Releasing" their handbrakes when they frst came out. Because the handbrake works on the front discs, it was reckoned that some people were not putting the brake on hard enough. If you have been driving and braking "Hard" then the discs and pads would expand with the heat. When you stop and apply the handbrake all is OK untill it all cools down. Then the car will set off on it's own after it all cools down and contracts. Citroen did a recall on this and it was quite a simple "Fix" they just told the dealers to file the first 6 ratchets off the handbrake quadrant so that you had to pull the brake on harder to get it to "hold". It may well be that your car missed the recall and "modification".

 

MANY THANKS that does sound exactly what is happening, now youve told me ..lol

NOWWW does that mean i can still get it recalled or would there be a time limit on that problem?

again many thanks A

[Guest Colin Hunter]

Possibly worth a try! If you know the dealer who originally supplied the car, Check vehicle service book if you have it. Failing that, look on the number plates. They (or perhaps any dealer) will be able to access computerised records and see whether the car has, or has not, been subject to a recall.

 

I remember my first 1.9D Xantia, upon which the main hydraulic pump failed within a few months of my buying it. I returned to the (Citroen) dealer who, upon checking said records, found that the car should have had the pump replaced under recall some months before. they replaced it under the recall rather than the warranty and saved both themselves and me a considerable sum!

 

Basically, give it a try. Nothing to lose so to speak!

 

Cheers. Hope this helps. :huh: