These, are the voyages of the starship Turby D.

[russ92xmsed]

Oh dear Jaap, hope you get this unusual issue sorted out. How annoying.
I'm sure your speedo would be the electronic one, so is it anything to do with the connections near the gearbox. Bet you have already investigated everything though.

Excellent getting the parking brake sorted out. At least it wasn't more serious. Old Turby D will be in your good books soon no doubt!!

[Dieselman]

Speedo and live ignition feed going missing sounds like a live feed has a bad connection.

[captainhaddock]

hmmm, let's hope so Russ. It started fine just now.

I once had a xantia....it got me to the petrol station and when I wanted to leave, had no power electrics whatsoever. I had just spent a lot of time fixing this thing or should I say trying to fix it (had I known from the start there was water in the fuel tank...)aaarrgghhhh

Anyway, I measured 1,2 volts on the ignition wire behind the dash and misread this for 12 volts, adding to my misery. When I finally went round all other possibilities and did read the 1,2 volts, I had found the faulty wire. I never found out what happened to the wire and why..I just routed a new wire and had the problem fixed but I HATE WORKING ON ELECTRICS! I rather change a whole engine than finding impossibly strange sudden electric problems and I have had my share with the CX (today!!!) Ungreatful car, I'm still recovering from changing horribly bad hydraulic pipes

I am glad to say, I sorted the CX's sorrow but I only wanted to make space for Turby in the garage by moving the CX out. It took me ....well...a long time Hours to be exact. First battery was dead. So I changed the battery and that caused a (already bad) connector of the fuelpump relay to give up...
Not my lucky day..

[captainhaddock]

Speedo and live ignition feed going missing sounds like a live feed has a bad connection.

Where should I start looking It did cross my mind the problem might be connected because I had the speedo sorted for a good and long time and it suddenly came back badly..

[russ92xmsed]

On no! Citroens really are mis behaving in your neck of the woods. what you doing to them!
Nice result on the CX....well the hydraulics anyway. Bit ungrateful of it to blow the fuel pump relay.

Best of luck solving the starting issue. Curious.

Mine has decided to throw some toys out the window too of late. I hate electronics which come and go. ABS one culprit and the glow plug light...but that is not strictly necessary. Just count to 5! Mind you, my fuel gauge seems to be playing ball since stuffing some fuel system cleaner in the fuel tank. Runs a little better when up to temp too.

[captainhaddock]

Forgot to mention Russ, good chance as stated in this blog before that the glow plug warning light issue.....is the light bulb! It was in my case. When that happens with you, just tap the dashboard, it can withstand a lot of abuse Which car will I take to work now tomorrow......hmmmm.....2cv is going fab, CX is ...well going absolutely great but has a week battery and old petrol

Just read about a DS 5 owner with 5200 kilometres on it - and a list long with things wrong with it, quite unbelievable. Serious things as well.

Maybe I'll just change the ignition lock on the XM tomorrow and see if the problem re occurs, I have to start somewhere. XM locks are similar to Xantia locks only the colours of the wiring is different.... Just checked..

ABS: CX also throws in the ABS light at times, sometimes it works great though.l Didn't you have a Lexia check lately..I bet it is one of you sensors. Did you clean them recently! That's the first thing to do in your case after blowing dirt of the sensor heads first.

[russ92xmsed]

Yes I did have Jim elit the system and cleared the faults. Both front ones were to blame I think. I haven't cleaned them recently, but it has been raining. And I think they don't like damp, I'll take a look tomorrow. Doing the headlight swap too tomorrow. Eek!

The glow plug light might be the bulb. I'll give it a thwack next time. I'm not that bothered really. The system still works.

Must be nice having the CX back in action. Post some piccies

So is wrong with the Ds5.... Sounds like a right lemon. Bet it is all electrical too. The only saving grace would be the warranty. That is not funny for such a new car to go so wrong so quickly. I hope it isn't going to turn into another XM!

[captainhaddock]

Off topic, that DS5: defect airco system that the dealer can not fix (!) and is being referred back to the French:) plus -
broken door handles, rattling sound under back seat area, steering wheel not straight (from new) motherboard software defect. Logo 'hybrid' became loose, windscreen washers spraying the roof on both sides, side window surround loose. Water in headlamp, rattling security belts, totally fried up satnav etc. system and creaking mid console.

Great car for 43000 euro's, no wonder I've only seen one so far in Ireland

On topic: I have changed the wiring of the ignition lock on the car. It starts fine and it hasn't stalled, yet.....How many times does one start before trusting the system again .

If you look closely, there is evidence of (dark) heat burns. I am aware of the topic of putting a relay in between, which is my next job. (hopefully!:) )

The replacement wires came off a TCT and did NOT have the pink wire attached, which goes to the main fuse board on the left hand side of the car. It is coded 1079....there is the off chance that whatever this wire is for, is causing trouble -some faulty relay maybe....Does anyone happen to know this I would love to know. It is the white looking but very pink wire, attached to the bottom of the fanmotor on the right hand sight of the picture.

[captainhaddock]

As for the puzzle of the speedo an not that paper puzzle which no doubt is long been solved now by Liz...I found a rather interesting topic online which was new for me. I must look into this more and see how to get to these connectors. Hopefully the writer doesn't object me posting this here but I doubt that I'd love to know more about this.



The secret connectors
Apart from the well-known problems with the suspension and rear lamp earthing, XMs have another trouble spot very few people—including workshops—are aware of. Deep behind the dashboard, attached to the firewall, way behind the fuse board and above the park brake pedal there is a set of connectors serving all the electronics wiring crossing from the engine compartment to the cabin. After a couple of years, these connectors inevitably develop some contact problems: corrosion, sensitivity to humidity and the like. This would be quite simple to repair, however, getting at those connectors, disconnecting, cleaning and re-connecting them is a major pain in the neck. The usual way is to remove most of the dashboard, which means about a day's work even for an experienced repairer. However, some people confirm that if you only remove the brake pedal cover and lie down on your back under the steering wheel, you can reach up to the connectors—it's neither easy nor comfortable, a dealer workshop would probably never do this but you might still find it easier than to remove the whole dashboard...

If only Citroën had placed these connectors directly on the fuse board (they couldn't leave them out entirely because this is the place where the cabling differences of the various suspension systems are accounted for), the XM could have been as electronically reliable as any of its luxury category counterparts. Or at least they should have used sealed connectors like those in the engine compartment but not, these connectors are of the open type used everywhere in the cabin.

Anyway, if you are ready to clean and protect these connectors once a year, as well as carry out the modifications described in the previous sections, you might be rewarded with a car that, unlike other XMs, is free from those annoying electrical gremlins everybody is complaining about.

[russ92xmsed]

Off topic. That is appalling Jaap. Sounds like that particular DS5 is a complete lemon and needs to be dismantled to save everyone's patients!!

On topic.....I have come across this connection thing too Jaap. I assume this is based on a RHD car, so right up under the brake pedal area. I bet you that's one of my issues. Wouldn't hurt though to clean them anyway. If you do venture up there, do a good write up, would be useful for all of us.

I see what you mean by the burn marks on the switch wiring. Fingers crossed the new one is more reliable. Bit alarming when you discover it has been doing things like that. Better out then in I think on that one. You might have found your problem.