A few problems with my Citroen Xsara.

Snaps · Unread post by **Snaps** » 25 Jul 2008, 09:36

Hi all,

Im new to these forums, sooo ... hello world

I drive a 2001 Citroen Xsara 5 door hatchback 1.6 petrol. I have had it for over 7 years, and never really had much trouble with it, until recently.

I only 2 months ago I did a full service on the car, changed the exausts and did some engine work (head gasket had to be reskimmed)

But recently, I have had some trouble with it. So, let me begin:

1) For starters. When driving, even in day time, my dipped lights icon starts flashing on my instrument panel, and this essentially turns on the dipped lights. Now sometimes, it may flash for a while, while on other occasions its only for a very short time. But the light come on anyway... I can turn the lights off, by turning my lights on and off. This usually works, but then the lights come back on automatically anyway! I do not have automatic lights btw. I have no idea why this is happening, I dont turn the lights on! Secondly, I just went for a quick drive, and my emergency indicators started flashing automatically... No idea why, but I turned them off. Sounds like an electrical issue maybe? Can I fix this myself? I called Citroen and they told me that it will cost £80 exc VAT just for testing and diagnostics. After that, they will advise me on further costs. I dont want to pay this since I just spent £1500 fixing the car!

2) My key stopped working recently. I initially thought that this is the battery, so a very simple fix. Went on ebay, I purchased a battery for it, I changed it and its not working. The garage tried the same thing, also doesnt work. Someone told me that the key wont work even if you change the battery because you have to set up the key again to my cars frequency or something? How can I do this?

3) This has been a problem for a while, but nothing major. My back passenger door no longer works with central locking. If that door isnt locked, and you lock the car, the door remains open. So you can open the door, while the car is locked AND alarmed... And the alarm doesnt even go off?? Why is this? Anyway, there is a quick and easy solution to this, just keep the door locked, but this creates problems when I have passangers and have to open the door manually for them. What could this be? Can it be fixed?

Any help on any of these issues will be greatly appreciated. I am a noob when it comes to cars. As a IT expert, I am not very car literate, so please try and explain things in simple, non car technical words! I would like to spend minimal amounts and ideally I want to fix these problems myself.

So thanks again for reading, and I am looking forward to reading some answers.

P.S. For any gamers in the house... GTA4 for the PC was officially announced this morning

Unread post by **RichardW** » 25 Jul 2008, 10:02

Hi Snaps, welcome to the forum

Now:

1. Is your car a face lift jobbie (with the big headlights)? If so, then this is most likely a COMMS 2000 failure. The COMMS 2000 is the switch unit that sits behind the steering wheel, and has the stalks on it. Changing it is not too difficult, and it's not too expensive, and can be DIY - unless you have traction control, as then it has to go on the diag computer.

2. Presume you just mean the remote locking element? The key should work with a new battery. It might have gone out of synch - I'll find the instructions for re-synching it later. If not, then possibly the switch has broken off the PCB inside - time to get the soldering iron out. I suspect you cannot code in another remote key without putting the car on the diag computer.

3. Possibly the lock mechanism, possibly the wiring to the door - either way you will need to get the door panel off and have a look inside.

Snaps · Unread post by **Snaps** » 25 Jul 2008, 10:09

RichardW wrote:Hi Snaps, welcome to the forum

Now:

1. Is your car a face lift jobbie (with the big headlights)? If so, then this is most likely a COMMS 2000 failure. The COMMS 2000 is the switch unit that sits behind the steering wheel, and has the stalks on it. Changing it is not too difficult, and it's not too expensive, and can be DIY - unless you have traction control, as then it has to go on the diag computer.

2. Presume you just mean the remote locking element? The key should work with a new battery. It might have gone out of synch - I'll find the instructions for re-synching it later. If not, then possibly the switch has broken off the PCB inside - time to get the soldering iron out. I suspect you cannot code in another remote key without putting the car on the diag computer.

3. Possibly the lock mechanism, possibly the wiring to the door - either way you will need to get the door panel off and have a look inside.

Hi Richard, thanks for the quick reply.

1) Its the car with the big head lights, this is the exact model: http://www.northstarmotorgroup.co.uk/images/1685329.jpg I dont have a computer in the car. Im not too sure if I have traction control. Its a basic model essentially, and my interior looks like this: http://i12.ebayimg.com/07/m/000/94/da/758f_27.JPG So do I need to buy another COMMS 2000 thing?

2) Yeah exactly. The buttons no longer work, so I cant lock/unlock the car from a distance. I opened the key and all elements looked ok. I did no notice any breakages anywhere. Yeah, I prolly just need to sync it. it would be great if you can find something about this.

3) Ill have to have a look? is there a book or some guide on the net about this?

Ideally I probably want a guide to open the COMMS 2000 unit, and the car door?

Thanks btw

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 25 Jul 2008, 16:44

hi snaps and welcome

my Xantia rear passenger door has two broken wires in the rubber trunking between ?B pillar and door.. symptoms same as yours...
it could also be the locking unit itself...

I think try and remove doorskin as Richard says, and see if you can get to the lock mech.

If you can get inside the trunking have a look... i found it difficult and cut through it in the end... duck tape will have to be the remedy

John

Unread post by **RichardW** » 25 Jul 2008, 17:38

Re the key - Autodata says re-synch required after battery change, done like this:

Switch on ignition, press and hold lock button for 10s, switch ignition off, wait 3 seconds.

If it's a basic model, then no traction control. Changing the COMMS 2000 is just like changing an indicator switch - except both it and the wiper stalk come together. Remove steering wheel, remove shrouds, replace switch, reassemble. I think there's a Haynes for this car - if not the 306 is pretty similar.

nick · Unread post by **nick** » 25 Jul 2008, 18:33

Just to check, does the car the remote radio controls on the steering wheel itself or on a stalk on the steering column?

COMM2000s only began to be fitted during 2001, if your car has the radio controls on the wheel it won't have a COMM2000. It they are on a separate stalk/pod then it will have a COMM2000.

Snaps · Unread post by **Snaps** » 26 Jul 2008, 15:30

Thanks guys,

Ok so ill have to try a few things here.

Richard, thanks for that info, ill make sure to try it later today and get back to you with the results.

Regarding the car door, yeah, its not a big problem, when I get the time, ill try and take the door off and have a look inside it. Hopefully it will be an easy fix.

Nick, my radio controls are not on the steering wheel. It is on that stalk on the right hand side of the steering column behind the actual steering wheel. So it looks like I have a COMMS 2000 unit. I have been googling "Comms 2000 citroen" and not getting any decent results. When can I buy this unit? Shall I go to a scrap yard? Is it expensive? Is it easy to remove etc?

Thanks a lot for your help guys

Snaps · Unread post by **Snaps** » 26 Jul 2008, 15:34

Richard,

I just tried to re synch the car and it worked! Thanks a lot mate! Really, I was getting pissed off using the key over and over again!

Cheers man! 1 down, 2 to go

BTW, I have a lot of scratches on the car, quite mild ones, where can I get paint? The colour I have is a bog standard dark blue.

nick · Unread post by **nick** » 27 Jul 2008, 13:11

When my COMM2000 packed up I tried scrappies all over the place and couldn't find one. I think because its such a common failure they tend to get taken off the cars as soon as they are scrapped.
They also vary according to what equipment is fitted on the car, so a Xsara with automatic lights for example will have a different part number COMM2000 to a Xsara without auto lights. I seem to remember there are about 4 different possible ones for the Xsara.

I don't know if this is correct, but I was also told that it needs to be configured to the car, so you would need to find someone with a 'Lexia' to set it up for you.

wheeler · Unread post by **wheeler** » 27 Jul 2008, 18:22

Only cars fitted with ESP need to have the COMM's unit programed with lexia as the steering wheel angle sensor needs to be calibrated.

nick · Unread post by **nick** » 27 Jul 2008, 19:59

Thanks wheeler, that's useful to know.