Citroen S1 Hot and Cold Slider Switch Problem

[CitroJim]

Excellent news on the cabin sensor servicing Rog If it's spinning and quiet, don't go any further with it!

Don't disconnect the heater cables at the slider unless you want a whole world of pain! Howe Colin has described it is the way. With the wireless out, there's no need even to unscrew the slider control panel. Just clip off its lid.

The bulb bar will then lift out with some fiddling but the sliders have to be in a certain position for it to clear. Look down at it and it'll be obvious.

I'll search out the link for the bulbs. they're special little things and nothing else will do.

Thanks for the kind comments about the forum That's really appreciated!

[Rhothgar]

Hi Jim

Although the fan is spinning it is quite filthy and not entirely silent but perhaps the noise is from the speed of the blades. I would imagine some noise is acceptable?

Not clear on these bulbs. I'm just about to go outside and have a last fiddle! Oo er, missus!

Hopefully these bulbs and connector are readily available off the shelf from Citroen or an automotive factors.

Can I wipe the thermistor over? Or should I not touch it at all? With bending the sensor left, right, in and out, I did manage to touch the thermistor and bend it.

Whilst its legs are secure, I am now praying that its position isn't critical. I have bent it back to perpendicular with the circuit board it sits on.

When this bulb bracket is aligned or whatever, will that allow removal of the slider control unit in its entirely or should I just leave it alone and forget about the recirculation slider?

[Rhothgar]

With the wireless out, there's no need even to unscrew the slider control panel. Just clip off its lid.

Too late. I had already unscrewed the screws holding the slider control panel in the dash but presumably THAT won't cause me any problems - please say it won't so long as it the truth!

[CitroJim]

With the wireless out, there's no need even to unscrew the slider control panel. Just clip off its lid.

Too late. I had already unscrewed the screws holding the slider control panel in the dash but presumably THAT won't cause me any problems - please say it won't so long as it the truth!

No, that won't cause any problems at all. It's just disconnecting the bowden cables that can spoil your day. They don't even get disconnected when pulling the dash right out to change a matrix. Just unscrew the panel and push it back in..

The bulbs you need for the panel are these. They are a good firm to deal with and also very good for instrument lamps.

[Rhothgar]

Great! Thanks for that Jim.

Now my issue is that this firm may not be able to get them to me for Tuesday especially with the predicted weather even if I upgrade and pay for Royal Mail Special Next Day Delivery, any guarantees from RM are long gone.

I believe I have seen bulbs like these before.

I see they sell a pack of ten. Are these used elsewhere on the Xantia?

[CitroJim]

I see they sell a pack of ten. Are these used elsewhere on the Xantia?

No, sadly not as far as I know. The other oddity is the clock bulb. That' not a standard dash bulb and it's not the same as in the heater panel.

Knowing the exact designation of the bulb (R509TMBK) you should be able to get a couple from a good motor factor.

One last tip, try them before you put everything back together. There's nothing worse than finding one of your newly fitted bulbs is duff (not unknown) when all is back together again...

[CitroJim]

Sorry, I didn't see one of your posts Rog

There's no problem at all in giving the thermistor a gentle wipe over or even covering it in switch cleaner. In fact a good idea as a layer of filth on them will shield them from the true temperature to a degree. Also no problem if the thermistor legs bent a bit, they'll straighten out. Just be careful that a leg does not snap off right at the blue body. Luckily, that;s very rare and only happens after lots of abuse.

The fan should be almost silent. Put your ear to it and a quiet whirring will be heard.

My Old V6 one occasionally kicks up a racket but a well aimed thump quietens it again. That's despite a dismantle and a spray of switch cleaner... Mind you, that was some time ago now...

[Rhothgar]

Excellent. Thanks again Jim

Got the bad bulb out but have somewhoe created another problem.

When I lifted the bottom of the slider control unit up after setting the fan speed control to Off.

A cog has fallen out the underside, in line of the fan speed control, with a crinkle spring washer also. Any idea why this has happened and how it should fit back.

Looking at the underside of the gear teeth they describe an angle of approx 150 degrees and there are also 4 spring contacts which obviously mate onto a PCB!!!

YIKES![/img]

[CitroJim]

Oh dear

No worries, have a look at this thread by our resident specialist on these things, Clogzz.

I think it shows the cog in question. Hopefully it'll all just pop back together...

[xantia_v6]

One other piece of advice...

When you have put the control assembly back in position, poke around in the passenger footwell and find the cable that goes to the recirc flap and check that it is positioned nicely without kinks.

The first time I had the control box out, the cable was pulled too tight at the heater end, making the inner cable a bit stiff, which resulted in it jamming and getting badly kinked at the control end.

[Rhothgar]

Cheers Jim and Xantia_v6

I've looked at cloggz picture. I think the spring washer must sit on top of the cog then.

What fun lies in store for me tomorrow. Hope there's no snow here 'cos I think my feet are going to be outside of the car. Yippee!

[Clogzz]

http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=23767

[Rhothgar]

Thanks Cloggz.

I can see from the 4th photo that it appears the crinkle washer does go at the top of the cog as I imagined.

What restrains the cog at the bottom? Does it just sit on the plastic of the dash below.

Also, when I get it located right, do I simply move the slider to retain it in that position?

[Clogzz]

Hi Rog, and thanks for the reference Jim.

The crinkle washer sits above the cog but must be flattened with bull-nosed pliers before refitting because it’s got too much wave and pushes the cog too hard down causing the two retaining claws in the yellow circles to break and the cog to fall out.
The claws break one after the other, and you may find the last one fallen out into the centre console’s front tray to glue it back in.
Otherwise, you may have to screw in some improvised retainer like a short button-head self-tapper.
To put the cog into place, you turn it until it goes in, then mesh it into the rack, which can’t go wrong because it’s got a key.
It’s fiddly work by cold weather, and you may find a useable slider panel from a wreck.
Full story in this topic:
http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/v ... hp?t=23767


The dash fan with sensor can be reassembled to be totally silent if it’s cleaned and all parts well realigned and firmly glued together.
The main thing is that the wiring wouldn't pull the fan at an angle.


The lower bulb in the slider control must have a short glass, but is otherwise the same as the upper one, and I think to have used the short-glass one everywhere, including in the dash panel.
The original bulbs have the contacts on the socket side while the clock bulb, I think, has them on the glass side.
I have used Narva 47744 bulbs with contacts on both sides, figure 6 in this link:
http://www.narva.com.au/products/browse/globes

Enjoy the frisky weather … ideal for contortions on the edge of the passenger’s seat.

[Rhothgar]

Hi Cloggz

What do you mean frisky weather? It's alright for you spending life upside-down - it's summer there and I bet it's 30 degrees C!

We're enjoying highs of 30 degrees - FARENHEIT! If we're lucky.

Contortions all done but I forgot to check the topic again before reassembly and so crinkle washer is not flattened though it didn't particularly seem to impose too much downward force.

So the question is, is that going to be a gradual failure?

Managed to get the good lady to pick up some bulbs from GSF (German Swedish French). Bought 3 just in case. Strangely, only two came with a bulb! Now there's quality control for you.

Now I am not sure how you reassembled yours but I put my cog in such that it was free to turn, without the washer at first, until I had determined how it needed to mesh.

Once I had worked out where the first tooth on the slider needed to hit after a couple of tries, I then took the cog out, precariously balanced the washer on top and then re-inserted, all whilst hanging upside-down with my legs through the sunroof and my shoulder resting on the handbrake - all very painful but great fun! The advantage was it left both arms free.

Now I need to get some diesel in the tank and get the car up to temperature and see if cleaning cab temp sensor has improved the response.

Does the Auto fan speed only work under certain conditions?