citroen xantia 1.9 td s reg - starting problem

Honest John Back Room » Technical matters
View Threaded
Sat 19 Jun 2010 22:57
citroen xantia 1.9 td s reg - starting problem - paulommaia

hi my xantia lost all but the battery dash lights rev counter and mileage display and both interior and engine fans plus it wont start.

there is no power on the glow plugs,

I managed to get it going by connecting a cable from the battery to the glow plugs and waiting ten seconds before disconnecting it and turn the key ,started fine then.

so I (maybe wrongly) ruled out both immobiliser and diesel pump problems,

while driving home for a few minutes everything came back (dash lights, fans, speedometer rev counter)

now its gone again and I don't want to drive the car around without fan as it might overheat without me noticing it (easily done without dash).

any help would be very appreciated

thank you

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 19 Jun 2010 23:26
citroen xantia 1.9 td s reg - starting problem - Peter.N.

I would suspect a faulty ignition switch, Xantias are prone to them, failing that you have an intermittent connection in a supply cable.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 19 Jun 2010 23:37
citroen xantia 1.9 td s reg - starting problem - paulommaia

I would suspect a faulty ignition switch, Xantias are prone to them, failing that you have an intermittent connection in a supply cable.

thanks for your reply,

is there a way of testing the ignition switch?

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 21 Jun 2010 00:46
citroen xantia 1.9 td s reg - starting problem - Peter.N.

Only really by connecting a meter across the suspect contacts and see if they are not closing when the fault occurs, but you have to be able to get at the connections to do that.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 27 Jun 2010 01:32
citroen xantia 1.9 td s reg - starting problem - paulommaia

fixed now,

it turn out to be a broken fuse box (the one by the drivers feet) the contacts inside the fuse box were unsolder.

found after dismantling most of the car, lol

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 27 Jun 2010 10:04
citroen xantia 1.9 td s reg - starting problem - Peter.N.

I know, they are a pig those jobs, well done anyway. I recently spent a week trying to find an ABS fault on my XM estate - similar problem, wire corroded off the engine compartment fusebox.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 23 Aug 2011 02:30
citroen xantia 1.9 td s reg - starting problem - Aneesh

Hi. I have the same starting problem although it happens just once in a while. Checking the circuits, ignition switch was fine but just the power was not reaching the appropriate pin of the ignition control unit. I suspect its loose contacts inside the fusebox.

Can you please guide me as to how I can reach the back side of the fusebox to check the contacts. cant figure out how to open the fusebox.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 23 Aug 2011 18:15
citroen xantia 1.9 td s reg - starting problem - Peter.N.

My cars are XMs but I think the fuse box is the same. There are two long bolts that go right through it, not very easy to get at but once you have removed them you can lift the box up but not far because of all the wires connected to it.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link