xantia speedometer

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Fri 19 Sep 2003 17:47
xantia speedometer - Demon
Hi, my fathers got a problem with the speedo on his M reg 1.9TD citroen xantia whereby when the car starts running it registers no speed but then after a few seconds the needle moves up to and stays at around 50mph until the engine is switched off when it falls down again. I've checked thru old posts for speedo problems but didn't find anything similar to this. Obviously this needs sorting asap, so if anybody has any ideas of what could be the problem and the most cost effective way around it that would be helpful. I know it cost my aunty about £300 to get the speedo on her BMW fixed a few months ago.
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Fri 19 Sep 2003 20:11
xantia speedometer - teabelly
My dad's speedo on his p reg xantia td died a death similar to this last year ( he still hasn't fix it....) It started just dropping to nothing then reading again a few times during a journey. Now it doesn't even register a thing. I think citroen said it would only cured by a new speedo head unit for several hundred pounds including fitting which is why he hasn't bothered.

I vaguely recall someone mentioning that on these cars there is some electrical connection/fuse that can cause trouble somewhere behind the glovebox which can cause the speedo problem but I may be talking out of my rear end on this!


teabelly
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Fri 19 Sep 2003 20:30
xantia speedometer - Mondaywoe
Could be a dodgy cable - or head, but I recall when I test drove a Xantia for the first time, there was something amiss with the speedo - I think it made a clicking noise, as I recall. The salesman said they'd had a few with a bad batch of cables and was waitiing for them to come in. (Same old story!

Then I bought my one and found the speedo needle was very 'wavy'. At its first service the mechanic fixed it - he said he'd put in a little rubber washer just behind the speedo head. It worked perfectly for the next 9 years / 105,000 miles!

There does seem to have been an issue with the speedos - maybe a more enlightened dealer can fix this fairly cheaply for you. I'm not sure, but I got the impression that this little washer took up a bit of free play between cable and head.


Graeme

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Fri 19 Sep 2003 20:59
xantia speedometer - NVH
to help pin down the problem: when the speedo does not register, does the odometer/trip meter stop counting; and is the rev counter working ?
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Fri 19 Sep 2003 21:04
xantia speedometer - teabelly
On my dad's car the speedo is dead and the odometer is dead. The rev counter is working fine though.
teabelly
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Fri 19 Sep 2003 21:34
xantia speedometer - NVH
right then teabelly. these symptoms are identical to mine last year. the solution was a new speed sensor which cost around 70 quid + labour at dealer prices ( i was in a hurry).
I know the sensor was retrieved from a peugeot dealer and was a screw-in type and simple to fit. no problems since.
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Fri 19 Sep 2003 21:40
xantia speedometer - NVH
forgot to add: replacing the speed sensor was after checking the obvious cables/connections for damage/dirt ingress.
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Fri 19 Sep 2003 22:44
xantia speedometer - Big John
Check the earths at both ends, the cause of many electrical problems of this nature. Cheap to fix so worth a try.
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Sat 20 Sep 2003 11:05
xantia speedometer - Demon
Forgot to mention actually that the rev counter has also been on off alongside this problem, but the speedo thing happens every time whether the rev counter's working or not, just rises to 50 and stays there.
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Sat 20 Sep 2003 13:48
xantia speedometer - Reggie
Teabelly, I'm only guessing, but the symptoms that you describe are the same as happened on my 406, which was caused by the "interface" a box of electrical gubbins found (on the 406) behind the glovebox. It cost about £40.00 to buy. As the 406 and Xantia are related I'd check this out especially before looking at a speedo head. Another point, does the Xantia have a speedo cable?
Reggie
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Sat 20 Sep 2003 18:53
xantia speedometer - Mondaywoe
Now there's a thought! When I bought my 1.8 SX in 1993, the salesman definitely mentioned a batch of bad cables. Either....

a) He was speaking a load of rubbish.
b) Early Xantias had a cable - later ones went electronic.

I honestly don't know for sure, because my problem was fixed under warranty and I never had occasion to actually look and see if there was a cable. I do, however, have a vague memory of going into the workshop at the dealers to see if the car was ready and the mechanic had the instrument panel pulled forward and was (apparently) screwing the cable back into the speedo head. He told me that he'd just fitted a washer. I ASSUMED it was between cable and head - but there you go!

I used to have a Haynes for the Xantia, but have passed it on to a friend, so can't go and check.

Hope I haven't misled you all!


Graeme

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