Late Xantias and EOBD Compliance?

[CitroJim]

I've got my anorak on at the moment and have a bee in my bonnet about ECU diagnostics on my Activa.

I've been reading up about EOBD ECU diagnostics recently and become quite hooked on the subject but information on just how compliant a 2000 model Xantia may be is sparse, confusing and contradictory.

Mine seems to have the required SAE J1962 16 pin EOBD/OBDII diagnostics socket and some [internet] articles seem to suggest that it uses the ISO protocol and should be readable using an ELM323 based interface and serial cable. I see there is a green socket next to my diagnostics socket that looks more like a relay base Anyone know what this is?

I'm very game to have a go but I'm bulking at paying out for an interface pod and cable if it is a complete non-starter. If the ELM323 will extract data, will it be in the standard EOBD format or something totally unique to Citroen? Also, can I expect to see diagnostics from the Hydractive, ABS and airbag ECUs or is this the role of the green socket? If so, does anyone know the codes returned and/or the protocol this green socket might use?

I'd expect to see the standard P (Powertrain) codes from the engine ECU but how might the HA computer output its codes? might they be special C (Chassis) or B (Body) codes?

Software is not too much of a concern. I've used Microsoft Visual C++ to speak to serial ports in the past so if I can extract the codes, and the meaning of any non-standard ones can be worked out, I should be able to write some software to make sense of them.

This could be the start of a very interesting project. Any information that will help me get it off the ground will be heavily appreciated.

[jeremy]

Does this help?

A useful supplemental tool covering all EOBD enabled vehicles, including Japanese and Korean. All vehicles sold in the UK after December 31st 2000 are required by legislation to allow European On Board Diagnostic (EOBD) protocol. In practise this means that most that were built in 2000 also work. We have found several Fords and Vauxhalls that do not comply. Some diesels will work, but are not EOBD compliant. This will not be required until 2004. Commercial vehicles are also excempt until this point.
With all other vehicles you will be able to gain access to live engine and emission data, diagnostic trouble codes, and be able to reset the engine management light

http://www.bba-reman.com/content.aspx?c ... re_bbd_1_0

I recall looking at these some time ago and the name ScanTool springs to mind. I think there was a comprehensive list of what it would work with.

From my quick search on Google I think the interfaces may be not very expensive.

[DickieG]

I've looked into this in great detail and as far as I can find out the only way to interrogate the Hydractive system is with Citroen equipment such as Proxia, Lexia etc.

Engine ABS and airbags I can get access to with my Sykes ACR4, which also gives 'Datastream', the ability to see the flow of information between sensors and ECU etc.

I'm pretty sure a 2000 model Xantia will be OBD compliant, if you wish to make sure Jim, pop over and I'll plug in the relevant OBD equipment with my ACR4 into your car.

[CitroJim]

I got my EOBD interface yesterday and unfortunatey it does not work on my Activa so despite having an EOBD connector, it is not EOBD compliant, at least not using ISO or KWP2000 protocols It just refuses to talk in any way to the interface and will not initialise.

Does anyone know if the subscription area of pr.net (service.citroen.com) has really detailed wiring diagrams available? I'm after seeing exactly how the diagnostic socket is actually wired.

I'm not going to let this one rest. I'm determined to read the ECU but not at huge expense. Time and parience I have but not money

[admiral51]

hi jim
not sure if this helps or just muddys the waters
on my old vectra i could connect a wire to one pin on the diagnostic socket with the other end earthed.
with the ignition on the engine management light would flash out a four digit code ie 1-10 flashes = 1 - 0 pause then 1-10 etc until you get a code
from memory 0308 was cam sensor.
i found this out from a vauxhall forum and downloaded the fault codes
my vectra was a 1996 so maybe you can try something similar if cits use the same style diagnostic systems
will try and find pin out diagram for vauxhall and see if it is close lucky me not got anything like that on my 1.9d lx xantia

colin

[MikeT]

I'm determined to read the ECU but not at huge expense. Time and parience I have but not money

£40 is a lot of money for one readout, but I know a mobile mechanic that can do it for that price, including the ABS ECU. Maybe he could adivse you on the DIY approach too?

[CitroJim]

I'm determined to read the ECU but not at huge expense. Time and parience I have but not money

£40 is a lot of money for one readout, but I know a mobile mechanic that can do it for that price, including the ABS ECU. Maybe he could adivse you on the DIY approach too?

I've spent nearly that much on a disgnostic interface pod that does, as yet, not work Mike

It's a challange for me!

on my old vectra i could connect a wire to one pin on the diagnostic socket with the other end earthed.
with the ignition on the engine management light would flash out a four digit code ie 1-10 flashes = 1 - 0 pause then 1-10 etc until you get a code

Thanks Colin, That avenue has to be worth a look and certainly worked on the first generation Motronic systems but I'm not so sure this will work on the Activa Motronic. It falls into a sort of no-mans land between a propietry (sp?) system and formal EOBD. Certainly if you want to pay mega-money there is a lot of information to be grabbed out of it but how?

The big snag is that any concrete information on it is very hard to come by. It is a very well kept secret it seems. I've gone cross-eyed searching the internet for anything useful and found precisely zero.

I feel a bit like a trailblazer here

[admiral51]

hi jim
just checked some old paperwork i had and it was a ten pin plug on the veccy and it was pin 6 that i used and put to earth

had a look on a vx site and it changed to TECH2 in 2001 and the pin 6 is no longer there which stopped that route of attack

looks like they are now coming out with 2 digit codes but as yet not able to find how they aquire them

will keep digging as there must be a way but me and electronics are not the best of bedfellows but i will get there even if it addles what little is left of my brain
could be that you have a hybrid system compliant for future legislation but not actually used still using the old system
colin

[MikeT]

I'm determined to read the ECU but not at huge expense. Time and parience I have but not money

£40 is a lot of money for one readout, but I know a mobile mechanic that can do it for that price, including the ABS ECU. Maybe he could adivse you on the DIY approach too?

I've spent nearly that much on a disgnostic interface pod that does, as yet, not work Mike

It's a challange for me!

If you want, just say the word and I'll get him to come to you when you're on hols down here

[admiral51]

jim
had a look around and found this may be of some help
http://www.gendan.co.uk/article_15.html

also found this but it may be useless
http://www.auto-diagnostic-codes.com/pl ... -Saxo.html

these may give you more info its all double dutch to me brain is getting fried
http://www.ukobd.co.uk/forum/forum_post ... KW=citroen+

off for a coffee

colin
back again!!
this looks sort of promising but hopefully you will understand it better than me check the link for the complete list at bottom of web page
http://www.tdichip.com/

found this on a german site link below

Citroen Xantia HDI 2000 Diesel 80 Europa AGV 4xxx Ja Ja ISO 14230-4

http://www.blafusel.de/misc/obd2_scanned.php#1045

let me know if i am barking up the wrong tree

this gives a list of vehicles systems leads etc
http://www.cryptontechnology.com/acatal ... 203.30.pdf

would citroenpr.net not give you the ecu type/number for your car cant do anything on it with mine cos mine is nonexistant

this may not be related but could prove useful to someone 8)
http://www.eobd.co.uk/acatalog/CODEx%20 ... 2006-1.pdf