Handbrake Cables and Battery

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 25 Mar 2009, 00:24

Couple of questions:

Where can I get handbrake cables from other than Citroen? I am talking specfically about the longer LH cable for the HDi 110. I don't fancy paying £51 plus the dreaded.

Other thing, just been out to the car to grab my Haynes manual to look at the handbrake cable procedure (they look worse for wear, incidentally any tips - please let me know) and the battery is flat again. Can't even lock the car now, keeps unlocking itself. It's been sat for a couple of weeks so something is draining the battery as this has happened before. It's fine if it's used daily or every few days as I assume the alternator puts enough charge in the battery to top it up. Leave it though and battery is flat. What could possibly be draining it? Or is it likely to be a duff battery? It usually turns over fine so it's not that weak

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 25 Mar 2009, 01:21

Look here for information on the handbrake cables.

Check the battery levels, and the electrolyte condition, if the type of battery fitted to the car allows for it to be done.

After you jump start the car, and have run it for a while, use a multimeter on the battery to see what reading you are now getting from the battery while it is still running.

When the engine has been stopped, again use the meter to find out what the battery now has in it, repeat that test again later, after it has been left for a few hours, and also the next day.

Also with the multimeter you can test the battery during cranking the engine.

It could be that you are getting a voltage drop after a while, and the battery is past its best.

If this is the original battery it could well need changing.

Post by **RichardW** » 25 Mar 2009, 07:53

Active8 wrote:Look here for information on the handbrake cables.

When I looked a few weeks ago, ECP list the same LH cable for all variants, which as we know is wrong...

I looked up the dealer price before service.citroen was taken away, and I thought it was about £30 + VAT - which seemed reasonable given they last 8 years / 100k miles! Motor factors should be able to supply the longer LH cable, just make sure you get sight of the book, and the cable is a different one to the 'normal' Xantia ones.

Tip for the handbrake cables? Get stuck in and be amazed at how easy it is. I think even easier on the HDI, as I'm sure when I looked under mine there is no need to even work behind the exhaust heat shield as there is on other variants! If you've already got it on stands and the caliper end off, it will take minutes - literally!

ACTIVE8 · Post by **ACTIVE8** » 25 Mar 2009, 14:00

RichardW wrote:
Active8 wrote:Look here for information on the handbrake cables.
When I looked a few weeks ago, ECP list the same LH cable for all variants, which as we know is wrong...

I looked up the dealer price before service.citroen was taken away, and I thought it was about £30 + VAT - which seemed reasonable given they last 8 years / 100k miles! Motor factors should be able to supply the longer LH cable, just make sure you get sight of the book, and the cable is a different one to the 'normal' Xantia ones.

Tip for the handbrake cables? Get stuck in and be amazed at how easy it is. I think even easier on the HDI, as I'm sure when I looked under mine there is no need to even work behind the exhaust heat shield as there is on other variants! If you've already got it on stands and the caliper end off, it will take minutes - literally!

Well they should know the difference, and the mistake on their web site, and correct the mistake it does not build much trust in a business, if they can't get these simple obvious things right.

MikeT · Post by **MikeT** » 25 Mar 2009, 15:34

Hi Toby, if you want we can do a temporary battery swap for a week or so? That way you'll know if it's the battery or the car.

Xaccers · Post by **Xaccers** » 25 Mar 2009, 15:37

Dad's old Xantia sensation from new would drain the battery in 2 weeks if it wasn't driven.
Stealers believed it was the alarm system but never got to the bottom of it.

Old-Guy · Post by **Old-Guy** » 25 Mar 2009, 15:48

Ref. battery drain. Suggest either:
1. A hidden light (boot? glove box?) permanently on, or
2. a partial internal short in the battery - typically caused by dislodged plate 'paste' settling in the bottom of the battery. Only cure is a new battery.

dnsey · Post by **dnsey** » 25 Mar 2009, 17:39

Why not disconnect the battery when the car's not in use, and see what happens?

Post by **CitroJim** » 25 Mar 2009, 17:55

Xac wrote:Dad's old Xantia sensation from new would drain the battery in 2 weeks if it wasn't driven.
Stealers believed it was the alarm system but never got to the bottom of it.

Static current drain on a MK1 Xantia is around 50mA. I found an interesting chart somewhere that showed the quescent current consumption of all devices in a Xantia. If I can find it again, I'll post it up. Useful for tracing these kind of issues, bearing in mind that a device can still apparantly work even though it is drawing excessive current.

My Activa and 2.1TD batteries easily hold up for well in excess of two weeks and I'm with Guy here in thinking the battery is past it's best.

Found it! Here is the Document containing tables of static current consumption.

reblack68 · Post by **reblack68** » 25 Mar 2009, 19:18

Toby_HDi wrote:Couple of questions:

Where can I get handbrake cables from other than Citroen? I am talking specfically about the longer LH cable for the HDi 110. I don't fancy paying £51 plus the dreaded.

I got mine at a local independent motor factor. They listed the short one for my 110HDi but they had the longer one listed for other models so I asked for one of those. I can't remember how much it was but I'm sure it was well under £20. The short one will appear to fit but it will pull itself on at full lock.

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 25 Mar 2009, 20:13

Thanks for the replies fellas.

Jim, that document is very useful, thanks!

Mike - sounds a plan, perhaps once the car is back on the road again (once brakes etc done at it has a MOT? Be good to see you and your Xantia again.

reblack - Any chance of the name of said factors? I will ask around local ones here but if I can't find one then you local one may be the way to go.

I also believe it is a duff battery, I've had my suspicions for a while but I wondered if it could be a drain somewhere. Anyway, new battery added to the list of jobs

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 30 Mar 2009, 17:30

Handbrake cables are off. Was a doddle, took me 5mins

Now, I thought I was supposed to have a longer cable on the one side due to having the HDi 110? The ones I've taken off are both the same size?

Any ideas?

red_dwarfers · Post by **red_dwarfers** » 30 Mar 2009, 18:45

Toby_HDi wrote:Handbrake cables are off. Was a doddle, took me 5mins

Now, I thought I was supposed to have a longer cable on the one side due to having the HDi 110? The ones I've taken off are both the same size?

Any ideas?

Isn't it the case that on say the 1.9TD, the cables are of different lengths?

Post by **CitroJim** » 30 Mar 2009, 21:35

Toby,

According to the oracle, the handbrake cables fitted to cars with the ML5T gearbox should be 1295mm LH and 1335mm RH

The RH is the same in all models but for comaprason, the LH on everything but the ML5T is 1265mm.

Hope that helps clarify...

Toby_HDi · Post by **Toby_HDi** » 30 Mar 2009, 21:49

Indeed, Service Citroen is confusing me though. Under my VIN it lists one RH cable at £17ish and another at £51

As I say both the cables taken off the car seem to be 1335mm?

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Handbrake Cables and Battery

Handbrake Cables and Battery

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