Citroen XM Forum

Hi Garry,

Sorry for the delay - visitors!

I did the repair with the conductive rubber strip in Oct 2013.
Ebay supplier....exact supplier I can't locate on Ebay now, but was probably this one: Ebay ref 161756353015.
This is €25, but there are a couple of others listed at €15.

How to fit, including dash dismantling covered here:
Hope helpful.
The Google Translation is pretty grizzly; you can probably get a better translation with the current newer version of G.T.
Don't let this put you off - the repair is actually very straightforward.

I happen to have a complete description at http://citroen.tramontana.co.hu/electri ... el-columns" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; although it describes a slightly different solution, using a 3M tape to glue the original flexible PCB back when it's still feasible.

I plan to buy one of these rubbers as I have a second display unit, out of the car, with completely unusable PCB. But if somebody could make a few pictures of their repair in the meantime, I'd be glad to add that to the description.

On second thought, we should identify the conductive rubber strip used. Just like with the 3M tape, there is nothing XM-specific about it. I'm sure the actual strip can be bought directly for a mere fraction of the ebay price, although in larger quantity.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

A good idea; let's try to identify it.

Maybe somebody who bought it? I read the whole web, twice, and I couldn't find anything similar. Only plain vanilla zebras.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

The strip I bought (from the French seller) had no identifying marks or packaging.
Will also have a go on the web in the next couple of days.

Maybe a simple flat flex cable could do the business: http://www.ebay.de/sch/i.html?_nkw=flat+flex+cable
We should know the width and the pitch of the connector.

This might help.

Have had a look through the flex strips listed by tylla.
Unfortunately none are suitable for repair of the later type LH display.

It is important to be aware that there are five or six variants of this LH display for XM's.
All use the same staggered double row electrical connector.
Pin assignments are different for Mk1 and Mk2 XM's.
So display will not work if swapped between those model types.

The next big difference is in the construction of the display LCD.
There are two generic types of LCD with very different construction.
All the help postings above refer to the later type LCD.
This was only introduced into XM production within the first year of Mk2 production.

So the earlier type of LCD was used for all Mk1's (LH display version 1 - 9601587680) and the first few Mk2's (display marking to be checked).
These LCD displays have a very similar construction to those used in the RH display.
The main method of failure is "bleeding" of the display but this is not as common as bleeding is with the RH displays.
Bleeding can easily be seen without disassembling provided the bulbs are working.
In the unusual case where lines go missing on these early displays no spare parts are needed.
These LCD's use simple elastomer (zebra) strips along both long sides of the LCD.
Each strip carries a full set of LCD contacts so every contact signal is duplicated.
This signal duplication is why these displays seldom loose lines.
They are easy to strip, clean zebra and contacts to repair the occasional failure.
Mk1 displays have the part number 96 015 876 80 printed in the plastic on the case back just below the bulbs.

The subsequent versions of the LH display use LCD's of the type shown in the above guides.
Most UK versions of this display have a white paper sticker 96 156 259 80 on the case back just below the bulbs.
Late in production the display code changed to 96 319 033 80.
I believe there were other non UK versions of these displays.

These displays have a single short multi contact (80 -100, not counted) foil joining the pcb to the LCD.
The glue used to join this foil often swells with age just enough to break contacts.
It does this on a random basis.
Putting extra pressure seldom remakes the contact and there is no knowing which contacts have failed.
To repair the contacts must be cleaned of all glue.
It is then a matter of choice what to use for the replacement foil.
French zebra strip or Chinese duplicate foil.
Most members have found the French zebra the easiest to use (currently on ebay for £15 to £30).
Just reassemble with the new strip.
The Chinese foil is more difficult to use but can be obtained much cheaper in quantity.
For one off repair do not assume you will be successful with the foil and silicone tipped soldering iron.
It needs considerable experience and expertise to make nearly 100 contacts in one hit.
The alternative is gluing the foil with 3M contact strip.
Works well but you need to know how to cut up the 3M strip without distortion.
Again the 3M strip is expensive for a one off repair.

John

Forgot to report back but I also found the conductive rubber strip to be the best solution. With its thickness, it gives extra force to the contacts and can be expected to be a final solution to outlast everything.
EBay links come and go but it can be found by searching for the French words "nappe afficheur gauche citroen xm". I got mine from the French Club Génération XM.

> Late in production the display code changed to 96 319 033 80.

This is the version that can display radio/CD information as well.