Annoying fault with non-lighting display

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Hi

I've just joined the forum, but I've been ploughing through the archives for a couple of weeks since I bought a 2004 C5 LX Estate 2.0Hdi. It's my first Citroen and I really like the comfort & ride.

I got the car cheap, so I'm happy to spend some money on it. I do like my comfort, so I've done the following updates:

- Leather interior - all the plugs for the electric seats were tucked away under the carpet and the main fuse was present too!
- Electric rear windows - again, all the plugs were there and apart from having to drill out rivets holding the old manual mechanism, , the change over was a doddle.
- Folding Mirrors - I had to change the winder motors on the front window to the type that has the extra plugs for the folding mirrors.
- Updated display - I installed the 4 line display in place of the old 2 line and blow me down, the computer was already in place!

I'm looking for the correct rain & light sensor so I can upgrade to an auto dimming mirror. I found a rain sensor on Ebay, for the right year, but it doesn't fit the plug tucked behind the roof lining, so I'm thinking that it should be a combined rain and light sensor that's installed? Any ideas?

Why am I doing all this to an old car? It's cheap and an interesting challenge too. I bought a Lexia setup and that's where the odd fault has occurred.....

The light stopped working on the old display before I changed it and I thought it might be a configuration issue, but I can't find anything in Lexia that relates to the illumination of the display. The display works perfectly (the old one and the new one) it's just that at night, it doesn't light up. Before I started using Lexia it worked, so I'm pretty sure it's related, but it could be a coincidence. I'm guessing that the signal to illuminate is built into the logic of the display rather than being a wire feed? If it is a wire feed, I just nee to know which one so I can test it, but there's no circuit diagram to help.

I'm hoping someone on the forum has been down the same route and knows Lexia better than me or can direct me to a solution. I hope I can be of assistance to others once I've completed the upgrades!

Cheers
David

[Hell Razor5543]

Although I cannot remember how I did it, I found that the radio display lights can be turned on and off. It may be the left of the two instrument buttons (the one to the left of the speedo) that does it, but I cannot be sure.

My C5 has the rain sensor, and the wiring was in place for the auto mirror (and I got one from my local scrappy for £15), and that is now in place, working properly. Looks a bit hazy when the electrics are off, but fine when they are on.

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Thanks for the reply.

Can you remember how many pins were on the plug for the sensor? My plug has 4 pins and the sensor I bought only has 3.
Cheers
David

[wheeler]

You havent mentioned it so sorry if im stating the obvious but have you checked that the illumination bulbs in the display are working ? May be you have popped the 3 bulbs when you have been messing about with them ??

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Yes all present. Neither the old or new display illuminates. Really annoying.
Cheers
David

[Hell Razor5543]

If I remember correctly, the connector for the mirror was a blue, 3 pin one, but only 2 pins were used. The wiring did not come from the sensor, but branched off from the loom.

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Thanks James. I actually meant the rain sensor. I think the sensor should have 4 pins so I've bought one to try.

The windscreen is cracked and delaminating, so I'll replace it with the correct one to take a sensor and hopefully I'll be in business! Still leaves me with the unlit display. Grrrrrrrr.

Cheers
David

[Hell Razor5543]

Sorry, I didn't take a look at the rain sensor (as it was working, so I stuck to the golden rule of engineering).

[BSC]

Although I cannot remember how I did it, I found that the radio display lights can be turned on and off. It may be the left of the two instrument buttons (the one to the left of the speedo) that does it, but I cannot be sure.

My C5 has the rain sensor, and the wiring was in place for the auto mirror (and I got one from my local scrappy for £15), and that is now in place, working properly. Looks a bit hazy when the electrics are off, but fine when they are on.

Hmmmm. I wondered if there was some strange button combo which might produce that effect but couldn't find it. I'm still assuming it's a Lexia controlled function if I could only dig deep enough.

Cheers
David

[wurlycorner]

Welcome. Exactly the same scenario as the C5 I bought (though I am a very long standing Citroen owner, rather than a newbie ) and have been going through pretty much the same upgrade route as you have (check my c5 profile linked from the footer on my posts).

I had no problem with the dash illumination not working after swapping, so can't understand what has happened there. Worth checking one of the pins on the plug wasn't damaged during the change?


I looked into the auto sensors but decided against doing it, because from what I could see, it needed the different windscreen to work properly. Would be interesting to see what you have found/done. Some pics maybe?

As for the electric windows, I'm yet to do that (so still haven't swapped the door cards in, either) but it was looking to me as if the regulator didn't need to be changed - unusually in comparison to other cars, it seemed as if the manual winder could just be removed and the electric motor bolted on in its place, without changing the regulator. Is that not the case?

[Hell Razor5543]

My apologies, wrong button. Try tapping the right hand button on the instrument panel (to the right of the speedo). IIRC one tap switches them on/off, but holding it down allows you to choose the brightness level.

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Welcome. Exactly the same scenario as the C5 I bought (though I am a very long standing Citroen owner, rather than a newbie ) and have been going through pretty much the same upgrade route as you have (check my c5 profile linked from the footer on my posts).

I had no problem with the dash illumination not working after swapping, so can't understand what has happened there. Worth checking one of the pins on the plug wasn't damaged during the change?


I looked into the auto sensors but decided against doing it, because from what I could see, it needed the different windscreen to work properly. Would be interesting to see what you have found/done. Some pics maybe?

As for the electric windows, I'm yet to do that (so still haven't swapped the door cards in, either) but it was looking to me as if the regulator didn't need to be changed - unusually in comparison to other cars, it seemed as if the manual winder could just be removed and the electric motor bolted on in its place, without changing the regulator. Is that not the case?

I'll have another look at the bulbs in case there's been a coincidental issue. Front & rear side lights weren't working, so I immediately suspected a fuse and messed around for an hour because the manual didn't agree with the fuse box. Turns out both the bulbs were blown on the side!

I'll order the replacement screen with rain sensor provision and see what happens.

Changing the rear manual windows for electric was a doddle. The winder comes out after drilling out 3 rivets and the track just has two. The window is held in place with a nylon plug which you have to push out - you'll see what I mean when you get the replacement track which has the motor mounted on it. When I bought my leather interior, it came with the door cards with 'wood' trim and switches. The two plugs are lying in the door. Very easy job. Even the door card clips didn't break which is unusual...

Thanks for the cruise info - it looks like a simple job and I like using cruise. I might change out the entire comm unit anyway so I get the Auto lights function.

BTW if you're going to change mirrors, get the foldback ones (it will involve changing the front window motors for the 2 connector type but they are cheap at £10) - they fit with ease and are simply switched on in the BSI.

Cheers
David

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My apologies, wrong button. Try tapping the right hand button on the instrument panel (to the right of the speedo). IIRC one tap switches them on/off, but holding it down allows you to choose the brightness level.

Sadly, that didn't work - I will double check the bulbs though! Thanks for getting back to me.

Cheers
David

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"Never assume - you'll make an ASS out of U and ME"


Well..... would you believe it? All the bulbs in both units were blown! I guess the old one maybe just had one bulb working, which failed after it had been removed. I assumed that at least 1 out of 6 bulbs would be functional, but I was wrong. Installed 3 new bulbs and the display is up and running!!!!

Thanks for the input from you all. Not a good start for a newbie I guess...

Cheers
David

[myglaren]

I think we have all been there at one time or another David.
At least you solved it in the end.