What is the correct courtesy light operation on a Xantia S1?

[Rhothgar]

Hi all,

Please someone put me out of my misery!

I am sure my courtesy lights used to come on when a door was opened. I have searched the forum and cannot find anything about it other than a post on a 306 which wasn't helpful.

My courtesy lights only operate when a door is open and... wait for it!

THE IGNITION IS SWITCHED ON!!!!!!

This cannot be normal. I know my memory is beginning to fail me but it that is the correct operation, it's absurd. There's no point in having them.

The BoL is the usual help. Wiring diagram 13.39 shows the door switches connected to 77-- and 44-- (if fitted and whatever THEY are - as the index doesn't show it). The wiring then runs up to the central locking control unit ( if fitted - mine has c/l so I assume it must be there).

The actual interior door pillar lights 3024, 3025 then go to Fuse 15, earth and Terminal A1 on the c/l control unit and that's all the information you get.

Not being competent at electrics, does this mean the c/l control unit is faulty. If the fuse was blown, they wouldn't work at all.

Any advice is always greatly appreciated.

[Xaccers]

On the S1, the switches are very basic spring loaded contact, where the spring presses the earth against the body of the car.
The +ve feed comes out the hole the switch sits in (held to the car by a T25) when you extract the switch, connected to one of two tabs.
Corrosion reduces the effectiveness of the spring and the earth contact.
Pull on one of the switch plunger and give it a wiggle.

[Rhothgar]

Thanks for the response, Andy.

I know I'm not competent at electrics but... surely the problem would exhibit itself when the ignition was switched on also?

I'll perform tests on the switches anyway. The lights do not come on when the door is opened e.g. when first getting into the car in the morning. I was wondering if it was more complex and linked to a central locking issue.

So, from what you're saying, the courtesy lights should come on when a door is opened irrespective of key position?

[Gibbo2286]

Thanks for the response, Andy.


So, from what you're saying, the courtesy lights should come on when a door is opened irrespective of key position?

They should, you clearly have a wiring fault but what............. maybe a poor ground connection somewhere causing a back feed but i'd say if you're not able to think it out it's a job for a mechanic or auto electrician.

[Rhothgar]

That's why I think it must be the central locking control unit.

I cannot see how it can work when the ignition is on but not when it's not! If it was a bad earth, then maybe it would be faulty all of the time or intermittent but not so clear cut as ignition on or off. It's bizarre!

[Gibbo2286]

Bad earths can mean both poles of the lamp get a 12 volt back feed from some other circuit, if you get 12 volts coming from two directions they cancel each other out so no light.

[Rhothgar]

Gibbo.

Wow! Seriously? I know you wouldn't joke.

[CitroJim]

It's quite normal for electrical faults to be very bizarre Roger

[Xaccers]

Indeed, I once heard about a Vectra with a speedo that had a mind of its own.
The fix was to replace the radio.
The two were linked so the faster you went the louder the radio got, and it let the faulty radio affect the speedo.

[Rhothgar]

Tell me about strange! I haven't posted about it yet but I noticed my rev counter went intermittent for about 15 seconds on a couple of occasions in the last week!

[Gibbo2286]

Common lost earth faults we don't get so may of now but when the rear lamp wiring used to be exposed to the weather and the wet got in, using the indicators would flash all the lamps in the cluster slowly and applying the brake would make the headlamps flash.

[Rhothgar]

Did a few tests on the electrics today!

Need some more assistance, please.

There is NO power at Fuse 8 on either side of it.

I managed to locate BB10. As I failed to understand the legend, I have not tested whether power is getting to 2V MR on the connector but I am happy to check that again but in the meantime make an assumption before I do the further testing.

2V MR means it is a brown connector with 2 wires. What does the V stand for? I would imagine that there is one wire to each connector socket on the block connector. Does anyone know whether I am right in this assumption and is this generally the case for EVERY connector on the car - ONE wire per connector socket.

The BoL states BB14 comes from this connector but I can find no reference as to what this is. It states it is a wire number but there is no reference for BB colour in the legend. Does this simply mean the wire will have BB14 printed on it in tiny lettering?

This wire connects to the fuse box on a black connector. Perhaps my issue is as simple as the connector has simply come detached!

Assuming it hasn't, then there must be a break in this wire. Does anyone know of any common area where this could occur?

Sorry for all the questions.

[CitroJim]

Roger,

I'd better dig out some wiring and harness diagrams for you. Trouble is my scanner PC is not well at the moment..

The 'V' bit in '2V' on a connector means it has two pins...

That's fuse 8 in the cabin fuse box is it? I'll have a look at the diagrams and see where it's fed from...

Hold tight...

[CitroJim]

Roger, if we are speaking of F8 in the cabin fuse box than this is the shunt and it's not really a fuse at all and what looks like a solid fuse should straddle the F8 and F23 positions. F8 is only inserted on a brand-new car for transit purposes. Likewise F23 should be absent too...

The shunt runs a lot so if it was dead then a lot of the car would not work...

If the shunt is in the wrong place then the operation of the lights you see may be correct. In transit you'd not want the interior lights to come on under any circumstances...

F1 and F16 have dual positions too. If they are to the right then the wireless goes on and off with the key whilst if they are in the left hand position the wireless will stay on all the time. I believe they affect the powering of the fag lighter too... In one position it's live all the time and in the other it's ignition switched...

[Rhothgar]

Hi Jim,

Good to hear from you.

I see.... so it effectively tells you how many pins are in the connector block.. Excellent! It makes life easier understanding things a bit more.

Yes fuse 8 in fuse box by my right legio ( obviously not at moment as I am sitting in front of PC ).

I was looking at some other postings which had component locations for a petrol Xantia. The detail is awesome and clearly this information is presumably in the sacred Citroen manuals.

If you can find any further information out, that would be superb.

Fitted the ABS sensor today also. Got a genuine one for GSF for £13 cheaper than Citroen. How's that work? If only GSF could get any part from Citroen for you? Save a bomb!