xantia headlight, sidelights and fog lights out?!

[fotobright]

Hi,

Driving home tonight the road plunged into darkness. the headlights went out, the dip, sidelights and fog lights also didnt work. Scary stuff, thank god I wasnt on the motorway.

The hazards work, the indicators work and the brake lights work. None the internal 5amp or engine 10amp fuses are out. I have noticed that the immobilizer keypd dosnt work, which its not done before till tonight.

Any idea what the problem might be or a way to test?

Thanks as ever

[Mandrake]

Main beam lights won't be running off 5 or 10 amp fuses. I don't have my owners manual to hand but I would suspect the main beam fuses live in the under bonnet fuse box behind the battery not the the one under the dashboard. Have you checked those as well ?

[Hell Razor5543]

I had a quick look at the fuses in my handbook, and the main beams are on seperate fuses, as are the dipped beams. However, my handbook is for an S2 Xantia, so it may not be relevant for yours.

I wonder if it could be the indicator stalk? I bought a replacement for Gracie, as there is an issue with the indicators, but the lights didn't work with it (but the indicators do). If it is the stalk (and you have an S1 Xantia), you have a problem, as (according to what I have read on the forum) you have to take off the steering wheel to remove the covers and accesss the stalks.

[fotobright]

Hi,

The engine fuses are fine as far as I could see.

I do have a mark1 xantia, feb 98

I did hitch up my trailer today and then unhitch it. I wonder if i've shorted something there in the loom. I'm getting the impression that ifs not the stalk its an earth issue.

Taking off the steering wheel means taking off the airbag, which might be a bit tricky. Is it?

[Hell Razor5543]

If you have the Haynes BoL, it is reasonably accurate about taking off the steering wheel (and dealing with the airbag) from what I have read, but I would search the forum for better information. I have not yet had to remove the steering wheel (Gracie is, as previously mentioned, an S2), so I cannot offer advice I would be happy with.

[fotobright]

We cut out the plastic steering surround and pulled out the stalk but the terminals to the stalk lights were showing a constantly changing voltage, which was odd? The voltage to the indicators terminals to the was correct however. Fault seems to be before the stalk?

Its odd that the car no longer needs an immobiliser key code and that the clock stopped yesterday. Both worked fine before. However I supspect that the clock stopped for the same amount of time the trailer was attached to the car making me think the hitch electrics are up to something.

All the footwell and engine fuses seem fine.

We are stumped frankly?

ps could this be a problem with the immobilser,- lights not working- linked to flashing lights from immob ??

[RichardW]

Got to be an earth fault I think - there are a number of fused feeds for the lights, so as all have gone out, you would need to have blown about 10. Try the eart connection on the battery, and the earth plate on the inner wing behind the battery.

Removing the air bag / wheel on a MK1 is not too bad:

Set steering wheel 90deg one way or another so you can reach the two holes in the back
Battery off, have a cup of tea
Unbolt the air bag (T30?) through the two holes in the back of the wheel - you might need to cut away some of the rubber to get the tool in
Carefully lift the air bag clear, and disconnect the wire to it - store safely!!
Disconnect the wire from the radio control board (tricky IIRC) - maybe lift the board out
Mark the wheel vs the shaft and undo the securing nut (21mm deep socket). may be tight.
Leave the nut on the thread then jar the wheel off the splines - leaving the nut on serves 2 purposes - 1. Prevents you pulling the wheel away and wrecking the rotary connector; 2. Prevents the wheel banging into your chin / nose when it lets go
Undo the nut off the shaft and feed the wires though as you lift the wheel away.

Reverse is opposite of removal - but stand outside the car first time you turn it on, just in case the airbag detonates.....

[fotobright]

Thanks for the steering wheel advice Always good to know how to deal with the airbag.

We sort of bypassed that stage by cutting a channel out of the lower plastic steering stem housing, taking out the three bolts, bending the top panel in half and thus removing both upper and lower plastic panels to expose the lighting stem wiring. Cosmetically not my finest Citroen surgery but saved me quite a lot of time.

I think we're mostly all agreed that its likely to be an earthing problem. I took the lower loom out below the radiator and had a good feel through the wires. Where they return back up into the engine body is quite a lot harder to get at and examine. I didnt seee anything that obviously seemed damaged although in the bundle there are the odd connections which have been joined mid section, prob in the factory.

I've checked out the earth points near the battery. My earthing panel (Mark1 98 xantia) is beside the battery, connections seemed alright there. I wonder if its worth removing the battery tray to look underneath? I didnt immediately see an easy wasy to do that as it appears to be attached to the air filter box. something might be damaged under there though.

I guess i'm looking for a damaged wire. I'd like to find it, I really would and when I do i'm going to ring its wee neck! Then resolder it back together..