citroen xantia windows damp

brown3456 · Unread post by **brown3456** » 17 Jun 2005, 21:57

problem with my xantia looks like oil coming from floor vents windows covered in what appears to be oil when driving along all windows steam up but the fan is working and will not clear them

Kowalski · Unread post by **Kowalski** » 17 Jun 2005, 22:15

Sounds like your heater matrix is leaking. If it is leaking it is a big job to replace because the dash has to come out. It could also be the drains for the air inlet in front of the windscreen, if these get full of leaves and the like you get water onto the heater matrix.
You can tell if its coolant or rain water on the carpet by sticking your finger in the wet on the carpet and touching it on the end of your tongue, anti-freeze will taste sweet. Anti-freeze is toxic, so after you've tasted it, spit it out and don't swallow / drink any.
You could try risking some sort of leak stopper in the cooling system if its the matrix, but use it sparingly because it can cause other clogging problems.
Make sure that your coolant level is not low, because you can get all sorts of problems with the headgasket / overheating if you let the level fall.

Richard Gallagher · Unread post by **Richard Gallagher** » 17 Jun 2005, 23:50

Don't for gods sake taste it, just rub your fingers together with it. If it is Anti-freeze it will feel greasy, water well you know how that feels between your fingers.

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 18 Jun 2005, 00:01

Hi. Wouldn't bother putting any leak seeking stuff in.
Apparently, the matrix's burst with "Large" holes, was also told by a supplier, seen one on a Xantia I had to repair... Unfortunally, its dash out as mantioned above

Unread post by **martyhopkirk** » 19 Jun 2005, 03:04

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Richard Gallagher

Don't for gods sake taste it,<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">D'Y know Richard - I have always tasted it if I have beem suspicious of a leak (but all my cars use glycol not OAT) In fact had a little panic today when I saw a drip from under the car - turns out to be condensation dripping off the air con exchanger (it had been running for 3 hours solid before being parked in the sun).
Anyway to get back on track, always tasted it - never done me any harm (except obsession with Citroens)[:o)]
<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Orig posted by CitroenxmThe dash has to come out<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">Didnt you know the build process for a Xantia starts with a Heater Matrix - then the rest of the car is assembled round it?

fastandfurryous · Unread post by **fastandfurryous** » 19 Jun 2005, 03:53

I go along with saying that you really shoudn't taste it. It is farly nasty stuff. You can usually smell coolant as it utterly stinks of sweet stickyness, and does feel yukky and greasy between the fingers.

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 20 Jun 2005, 00:03

if it was just water it would not be oily on the glass,prity sure its coolant,allso unlikly just water would be on screen apart from condensation regards malcolm

mezuk04 · Unread post by **mezuk04** » 20 Jun 2005, 00:42

Of course its never good practice to taste liquids but then as a young kid growing up that was the fun. As long as you spit out and if your that bothered swirl your mouth out with some water....never been bothered in respect to liquids so to speak