S2 Xantia estate tailgate lights not working

[CitroenCrazy]

Hi guys

Does anyone have access to circuit diagrams for an S2 Xantia estate, please ? I'm grappling with an electrical fault.

The new-to-me Xantia estate (W reg) is due an MOT soon. I did a walk around check and realised the tailgate lights aren't working, so that's all of these:
Fog lights
Reversing lights
Tail lights
However, the number-plate lights ARE working.

What have I done so far ?
Checked all the bulbs
Checked for broken wires in the rubber concertina, between the tailgate and the body.
As it happens, there was one broken wire, but I think it was something trivial like the tilt switch that puts the light on. Fixing it has made no difference to the main problem.
I've replaced that one and four others that had cracked insulation, including the positive feed to the HRW and the main ground.
Because several circuits are affected, my first thought was the earth, but I checked and had continuity between the fat ground lead and a random point on the body.
I gave the other wires a good tug, in case there was an invisible break; that didn't reveal anything.
Not really relevant, but I had a spare link cable, the 4 way one that goes between the light clusters, so I tried that. No difference.

I may well have several faults co-existing. There are plenty of signs the previous owner(s) didn't care much.

Other information:
The nearside mirror dips when reverse is selected. I assume it shares the same switch as the reversing lights.
The dash warning light for the rear fogs comes on when selected on the stalk switch.
Front fogs work.

TIA

Andrew

[admiral51]

Somewhere deep in my old grey matter i recall something about a blown/shorted bulb that caused a similar issue.
If you remove all the bulbs and then replace one by one i think was the way it was fixed.

But then as usual i could wrong and

I think the feed for the number plate bulbs is separate from the rear light clusters

Colin

[white exec]

Andrew, put up your VIN, and I can post the relevant wiring diagrams for the items you list.

[CitroenCrazy]

Sorry Chris, I should have had that reflex: VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

[white exec]

Ta muchly. Will go and look out the diagrams.

[white exec]

That VIN number is a figure missing somewhere - should be 17 digits.

[CitroenCrazy]

Oops, sorry, you're right, the Z went AWOL: VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

[admiral51]

Oops, sorry, you're right, the Z went AWOL: VF7**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]

If its any consolation 99.99% of the time he usually is

[white exec]

Xan II 5dr Estate 2.0HDi 110 DW10ATED BVM5 RP.8549=5Apr2000
Hope these will help...
Click each to enlarge

[CitroenCrazy]

Thanks Chris, that's incredibly comprehensive, thank you very much indeed for helping me here.

Cheers

Andrew

[CitroenCrazy]

In case someone with a similar issue finds this thread, it is now fixed.

The three functions that weren't working, reversing lights, tail lights (in the tailgate) and rear fogs all rely on a single earth connection, just above the offside body lamp cluster.

As a consequence, I became fixated on the high current wire to that point. I started off replacing the section that goes through the rubber concertina and then went a step further, replacing that wire completely and bypassing the multiway plug adjacent to the earth point. Only when that failed to achieve a fix did I look further.

The cause was corrosion of the three pin connection on the offside cluster, where the yellow plug seats. Because the contacts are zinc plated steel, they didn't initially appear corroded, but when I looked closer, they were a different shade of grey from the others. Once cleaned them up and sprayed with contact cleaner, we were back in action.

It was worthwhile checking the concertina though; it wasn't pretty in there. A good dose of silicone spray made it much easier to feed new wires through.

Many thanks to all, especially Chris for the circuit diagrams.

[white exec]

Result! Well done, you.

[bill hughes]

Hi Andrew
do you still have that spare link cable which connects the tailgate lights ? if so does it have blue 4 pin plugs on either ends and do you want to sell it ? as during my efforts to sort my lights out all 4 wires have pulled out and I cant see a way of re- connecting them

many thanks Bill

[CitroenCrazy]

Hi Bill, yes and yes
Drop me a pm with your address
Cheers
Andrew

[bill hughes]

Hi Andrew
I have sent you a PM, the first I have sent so let me know it you dont get it
many thanks

Bill