1995 Xantia LX TD.Brakes dont work when car is started?

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minty
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1995 Xantia LX TD.Brakes dont work when car is started?

Post by minty »

Hi guys, weird brake thing going on????
When i start the car and pull off the brakes dont work, when i say they dont work what they do is. On the first breaking i perform after pulling off there are no brakes after that they are fine??
Shed any light on this for me please guys and galls
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Post by CitroJim »

Minty,

The first task in this situation has to be a full brake bleed. Likely you'll find the rears full of air.

Also, check the accumulator sphere is healthy and good. A flat accumulator can cause poor initial braking along with a feekling the brakes are "pulsing"

This guide will help you..
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Post by xantia_v6 »

Are you waiting for the "STOP" light to go off before driving?
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Post by Johnny Cogs »

xantia_v6 wrote:Are you waiting for the "STOP" light to go off before driving?
I still have to wait a little longer after mine goes out.... otherwise I get the old snatchy brakey effect!!! scared the bejesus outta the missus first time she drove ecto1 :lol:
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Post by panason1c »

xantia_v6 wrote:Are you waiting for the "STOP" light to go off before driving?
I am surprised if moving off before the 'stop' warning light extinguished would have any detrimental effect on the operation of the braking system?.....is this specific to a xantia?
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Post by stedmancinques »

The first few times I drove my Xantia after I'd got it, I thought, 'Jesus Christ! The brakes have failed!!'. That was because I was used to driving DS, GSA and BX with proper Citroen brakes; it was then I found out about that stupid spring (gone now) between the pedal and the doseur, where PSA-Cit decreed that a Citroen should be more like a 'normal' car. The same philosophy brought us 'anti-sink' spheres, indicator stalks and fascia switches, rather than the far more ergonomically designed satellite pods of the CX and GSA. The best brake set-up for response speed, imho, is still the rubber mushroom on the footboard of the DS. However, while hydractive 2 is a definite advance, the C5 system is a retreat into the hygroscopic dark ages.
But to your problem; sounds like air in the system to me. Bleed all round, and you might as well change the LHM while you're at it. If the pressure regulator valve is clicking more frequently than every minute or so with the engine ticking over, suspension normal height, then it could be a flat accumulator sphere as well.
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Post by citroenxm »

panason1c wrote:
xantia_v6 wrote:Are you waiting for the "STOP" light to go off before driving?
I am surprised if moving off before the 'stop' warning light extinguished would have any detrimental effect on the operation of the braking system?.....is this specific to a Xantia?

OF COURSE you have to wait for the stop lamp! LIGHTS ON - NO PRESSURE supply little or no brakes depending on your accumilator sphere.

Jim has hit the nail on the head - its a symptom of Air in the brakes. I had this when I swapped a doser valve (Brake Valve) without dooing a bleed.

They would snatch on untill Full system pressure was applied. Should of bled it really....

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Post by RichardW »

I'd go with gas in the brakes too (most likely nitrogen from spheres, but that's probably splitting hairs!), although it probably needs a new anti sink sphere as well. My thought is that when the rear AS valve opens and the AS sphere is flat all the pressure rushes in the sphere and robs the brakes of pressure - probably find the rear drops at the same time.

Mine does this, thinking it might need to have 6x new spheres, plus re-set the heights in the summer.
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Post by CitroJim »

Johnny Cogs wrote:
xantia_v6 wrote:Are you waiting for the "STOP" light to go off before driving?
I still have to wait a little longer after mine goes out.... otherwise I get the old snatchy brakey effect!!! scared the bejesus outta the missus first time she drove ecto1 :lol:
I know exactly what you mean!!!

Even now and after all these years of Xantia ownership, if I drive off in my Old V6 as soon as the STOP light is off (and they go off very fast in a V6) the brakes are not exactly wonderful. Several times I've wondered when reversing out of my parking spot if I'll stop in time to prevent a Xantia shaped dent appearing in the neighbour's Passat :lol: :lol: :lol:

Wait just a few seconds after the light has gone out and all is well...
Jim

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