French Car Forum

Hi All
It's been a while since I was on the forum but I could do with a bit of help. My 2009 C5 Tourer has failed its MOT as the handbrake is not doing its job properly.

The cable at the caliper end seems to be sticking too far out so when the unit engages there is insufficient pull.

The options discussed with me by the garage are to either...

My wife's 2.2HDI C5 Mk1 2004 Exclusive Automatic gave the diesel additive warning a few thousand miles before 100k.
We continued to drive it for well over a thousand miles before I finally tackled it. I was armed with a Eolys refill kit and 1 litre of Eolys 176 (green).

You read posts that suggest that the Eolys additive is not being added as...

Up for your delectation today, we have a CUSTOM designed and made replacement for the Power Assisted Steering Hose on the Citroen Xantia.

I purchased the car, knowing it needed work. The previous owner had been quoted in the region of £500, 2 days, and that wasn't a guaranteed fix either. It took a few £££'s to get it right, and arguing with the...

As discussed:

With thanks to all who contributed.

Alan S

Refer here:

Cheers,

Alan S

Rather than break the thread or shift it, here's a link to a thread in the Citroen forum regarding testing when the ABS warning light stays on. It also includes pin outs for the test.

Thanks again to those who have contributed.

I was getting a new muffler on one of the cars the other day and whilst there found a brochure relating to the topics of this post.
It was a re-run of an article attributed to NRMA Tech Topics Bulletin 1/98 and whilst it's long & involved, I'll try to summarise it here as it may answer a lot of questions associated with the problems we get on...

I've got a bit of a rattle from my air con compressor, only when the air-con is off, it disappears completely when I turn the air con on. I thought I'd better fix it before the pulley drops off!

I'm guessing that the idle bearings in the pulley are dead or dying and need replacing. I've got a Sanden manual that suggests the pulley is easy enough...

From a previous posting which offers a solution to the mad ticking that some Xantias get that seems to eminate from the steering wheel area.

Alan S

With thanks to member deian for his efforts on this.

To use, click on thumbnail of pic you wish to see. When enlarged, this will bring up a series of boxes in some photos. When the cursor is run over the inset boxes, a description of the part will pop up.
Handy when trying to identify parts when doing repairs.

Alan S

Courtesy of sbraud the technical manuals for the Hydractive 1 and 2 series:

quote: Citroen Technical Training - Consultant Technician Module B7 Hydractive I and II systems for XM and Xantia”

This week I've had my first opportunity to take a decent look at and become a little educated on the ZF auto in these cars.
It has always been said that the ZF auto was considered bomb proof in the CX yet in the lighter BX it has had all kinds on things said against it; granted not the same box, but rarely does a manufacturer go from a quality...

Referring to a topic from the Citroen forum

Alan S

Our acknowledgements to peteev for the excellent detailed description of the job detailed below.
I left the 1995 1.9TD Xantia whilst I went off on holiday. On returning to the car there was a musty smell and some bright blue globules of water running down the heater outlets onto the carpets but worst of all the clouds of moisture deposited all...

First programming:
Ignition on.
1 Enter the code 0001
2 Press key C
3 Enter your personal 4 figure code.
4 Press C key to validate.
Four flashes of the green warning lamp and four audible beeps indicate the information is recorded.
************************************
To Change the code:
Ignition switched on
1 Enter your old code already in...

Here's a link to a (long) detailed write up on the fitting of air/con to a series one BX16V.
The things we learnt along the way can be used as a guide to anyone retro fitting air/con to any make or model as a lot of the traps are universal.
It should be remembered also, that by trade I am a refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic with many...

If you've ever replaced an accessory belt on a BX with air/con, you'd know the high pitched squealing that usually follows this, caused by belt slip.
It is particularly common on 16Vs and it usually ends with someone declaring it's a faulty belt or something else has gone amiss. Here's the procedure that should sort it out.
Slacken the top bolt on...

Just did the injectors over on the TZi but the same applies to the 16V.
Kits are available (includes enough gear to do 2 nozzles) which cost around $10.50 a set, so for about $21 and say an hours time, a full revamp of the injectors can be done. This includes filters to fit in the nozzles, O rings and end caps and makes one real big difference to...

Had to do a rush job on a BX that came from the UK.
A rear wheel bearing had collapsed following the seal backing having rusted out due to salt contamination. This of course caused the seal to totally collapse and leave the bearing open to a variety of foreign substances such as moisture and grit.
The result was that the inner cone had become...

O.K. I admit it; I'm cheating here, but I asked a question on a board and then answered it myself, so I'll do this in two parts; ask the question (just like most do when they look at what seems to be a Mission Impossible ) and then I'll give a detailed answer.
I'll try to edit out some superfluos banter if possible without losing the content....

The bane of every BX owners life seems to have been these rear (swing) arm bearings. Few have mamanged ownership over any amount of time without having to do them, some more than once.
The symptoms: When the car is set at its highest suspension position, the rear wheels when viewed from about 20 feet away look like this / \ or ! \.
Creaking...

After putting up with the green drips on the driveway whenever the car was parked long enough to allow the suspension to settle, it was decided when the clutch cable carked it that now was as good a time as any to fit the seal kit to the steering pinion.
An examination showed that the problem extended further than the seals too with the steering...

As these pipes already contain LHM I don't see how the ride can be improved, unless of course it's feature of new LHM like the short lived non-sinking rear end when the LHM is replaced.
Bob

Here's a copy of a posting I've put on an Australian Citroen site (mainly because BXs are still fairly *new* by our standards) but one I feel could also be of interest to any Cit & possibly some Peugeot owners. It concerns the lazy starter syndrome and a cure for it.
**********************************************************************
A while...

Before you start, disconnect the speedo cable under the bonnet at the junction of the upper & lower speedo cables to confirm whether it is the upper or lower cable that is broken.
In most cases it seems the upper cable (the top one) is the most likely culprit.
Remember: There are no shortcuts in this job!
To access: Remove the tray near the...

Here's a tip that I have found useful when assembling/dis-assembling brake
pipes and unions.
Before tightening up a rigid brake pipe union, carefully smear a small amount
of copper based anti-seize compound around the brake pipe BEHIND the flare. I
have found that this stops the sort of corrosion that can seize the union to
the pipe and thus...

As many know, a while back my son did a rebuild on the BX 16V series one (160 BHP) engine. Everything was done by the book & only the best of the best went into that engine & only very competant tradepeople worked on or oversaw what was done. It should have been as close to perfect it was humanly possible to get!!
On completion, it was even given...

Below is a copy of a posting from one of our members LHMleak about an incident that happened to him recently in his Xantia with anti-sink.
As a BX & CX driver, I would never have thought of this just as he didn't; red light comes on indicating low LHM, not far to go, car stays up so it should still have brakes & steering is exactly what I would...

A thread on this subject complete with pics that should be of help to all those Xantia owners who have gone beserk in the past rying to solve this one.
Alan S

We often get requests on the forums for advice relating to why certain cars radiators or the heater matrix seems to be continuosly rotting holes in themselves.
It has been blamed on the salted roads in winter causing corrosion from the outside in and in some cases this is possibly a reasonable explanation, however, even that problem can be...

I reckon you guys over there should refer to the period of time between about September & April as Salad Days; everything seems to be swimming in Mayonnaise
It doesn't have to be a blown head gasket, in fact in most cases it's not!
It is usually moisture contamination of oil vapour in the breathing system caused by condensation. The condensation...

This has been taken (on the authors authority) from another board.
It related to a job done by this guy & using Gerry, a Morgan rebuilder as a mentor & assistant when doing the job.
It was done on the head of an 8 valve BX Gti, however, the principles used would be applicable to other engines in the range.
Some time ago I mentioned in this Forum...

We often get postings from people having problems loosening parts that have corroded in and predictably, these all too often all end up in tears when something like a brake bleed nipple sheers off in the caliper or a rear sphere is so tight that the rear cylinder turns & takes out all the plumbing in the process. As a former tradesman working on...

Written by David Goddard
Some information of the wiring of door locks (with deadlock facility).
The electrical connector has 5 pins. Call the highest pin No.1.
Normal Lock Circuit:
Uses pins 1 and 2. The resistance across pins 1 and 2 should be about 5ohms if the coil is OK.
If OK, applying 12V+ to pin 1 and negative to pin No.2 will unlock....

Originally posted by Noz
annanoverone
Apparently a common fault on all series 2 XM's is the window winder mechanism failure. Having compared a series 1 to a series 2 it makes you wnder about Citroen sometimes. The series one has a nylon pulley to and bottom which carry the guide wires which are approx 2.5mm dia. On the series 2, presumably to...

Originally posted by AndersDK.
The Xantia suspension height settings:

Above picture (+ other good stuff) found here :

Thanks and repect to those people and to Anders for finding it.

Originally posted by Dave Burns
RE: Replacing the internal & external rear arm bearings on 205,306,309 Zx and Xsara
You will need a 12mm x 1.5mm bolt with around three inches of thread on it to drive into the splined bracket and disengage the anti roll on one side, a slide hammer with an M8 coupling to withdraw the torsion bars, then you will...

You may want to wait until all the bulbs have virtually blown, but that would obviously be illegal for night driving! It would be easiest to change all the bulbs at the same time. Off the top of my head, the basics for the dashboard lights are:
1. Remove the torx screws holding the dashboard controls in place and remove the Hazards/Foglights/Rear...

BX 16 Valve 87>92 (xu9j4 D6C engine)
11 end of fault code output
12 start of fault code output
14 coolant temp sensor
15 fuel pump circuit
21 throttle position switch (at idle)
22 Idle speed control
33 Airflow sensor (flap)
35 Throttle position switch (full load)
53 battery supply voltage to ECU
54 ECM failure
55 CO Adjuster (part of airflow...

Monopoint injection fitted to AX 1.4, ZX 1.4
11 end of fault code output
12 start of fault code output
13 Air Intake temp sensor
14 Coolant temp sensor
21 Idle switch- Throttle Control motor
31 Lambda sensor signal
32
33 Throttle position sensor
41 No engine RPM signal (crank sensor)
51 Lambda sensor signal
52
53 Battery supply voltage to ECM
54...

BX GTi 90>, BX 16v 91>
54 ECM failure
15 Fuel pump circuit/relay
34 Cannister Purge valve solenoid
33 air flow sensor (flap)
52 Lambda sensor signal
42 Injectors
51 Lambda sensor signal
32
31
53 Battery voltage supply
41 Crank Sensor
13 Air temp sensor (in airflow meter)
21 Throttle position switch at idle
35 Throttle position switch at full load

As fitted to XM 2.0, AX GTi etc
12 Start of fault code output
11 End of fault code output
54 ECM failure
22 Idle speed control
33 MAP sensor
52 Lambda sensor
22 Idle speed control
51 Lambda sensor signal
53 Battery supply voltage to ECM
41 Crank sensor
13 Intake air temp sensor
14 Coolant sensor
21 Throttle position sensor

Button is to the right of lower part of speedo
Press and hold in button, turn igntion on.
Keep button pressed in for 5 seconds then release.
Turn ignition off.
Turn ignition back on and Spanner symbol should illuminate for 5 seconds.
Turn igntion off. Job done.
Applies to Berlingo, Saxo; Xsara, Xantia with service indicator in dash display.

Finally got round to doing my ZX rear mounts yesterday at 121,000 miles.
See the Common Problems and Fixes section for more details on this, and in particular the wise words of Dave Burns.
I was very lucky that I was able to do this job on a 2 post ramp and used a hydraulic gearbox stand to support/lower/raise the rear beam, together with a step...

Originally posted by B Draper
I found I had to take off the following in this order - I may be wrong in places as it was a while ago!
Leg Side vents next to centre console,
Ash Tray - there are bolts behind this,
Centre Console around handbrake,
Radio - you'll need to disconnect this,
Unit comprising of the centre airvents above the radio down...

Courtesy of Alan Smith
With the miles many BX's have now travelled, particularly those in City areas may find that the starter motor is tending to become slow & at times particularly in cold weather may not always want to spin the engine fast enough for it to start. If this slow turning is accompanied by a grinding sound, there is a better than...

This is courtesy of Y. Narabayashi from Japan.
SUSPENSION Rear Arm
Maintenance Menu
Remove Rear Arm and replace Arm bearing
Rear suspension of Hydro-pneumatic Citroen, includes BX, use trailing-arm system. Pivot shaft of arm sets on the subframe by through the roller bearing.
All successive hydro-pneumatic Citroen adopts this bearing;however,...

A few notes on changing the anti-sink sphere on a Xantia. Have the rear wheels on ramps, otherwise you won't have room to move. Loosen off the 9mm pipe union leading into the sphere before moving the sphere itself, otherwise the pipe will break. Do less than a quarter turn on both before depressurising. When fitting the new sphere, enter the union...

My Wife was barreling up the autoroute in her BX19D (j-plate) to catch a ferry. she parked up at the port then, on returning to the car, found that there was a fair quantity of coolant dumped underneath.
Obviously concerned, she (after a suitable period) checked the coolant level and found it to be very low. Topped it up and was escorted to the...