Potentially very daft Xantia warning question!?

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 31 Jan 2009, 18:39

Ok, try not to laugh, pull my leg or ridicule me, I'm feeling very fragile!

Having driven nothing but Citroens for ever and ever I believe I have a fairly
reasonable grasp of what they're about and what they try to do when you're
back's turned although today my 1996 TD SX Xantia estate has me foxed
with something seemingly very obvious/important/fundamental that's even
forced me to dig the handbook out!!

Driving it to my barn to unload a pair of Honda VFR**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff] motorcycle engines after
being in slumber for about 4 months it decided to bring the main "STOP"
warning light on which prompted me to do exactly as it ordered even though
I'd checked obvious fluids/levels earlier before using it after it's lay up.

The engine oil and water checked out fine and I tried bleeding the coolant
by the two dust caps and the hydraulic fluid was a tiny bit down off the
correct mark so I continued the 3 miles to the barn and topped the fluid
up there to the correct level.

The "STOP" just won't go out and yet from physically checking everything I
can see, it all checks out. I've run the car from high/low through at least 4
cycles of Citrobics and checked and then rechecked the water and engine
oil and wonder now whether the cooling system has an air lock and am
allowing the car to cool right down where I'll check it out shortly. The water
temperature went up to just below 90 much earlier in the day when I had
the car idling for a while to heat through and demist the inside after it has
stood as I jetwashed the car and it all worked fine for a 5 mile run before
my subsequent run/problem. In fact the temperature this evening looks
quite low and not at the regular 80 mark which was me questioning this
as a likely problem area?

NO OTHER warning light is illuminated after the engine is started - they all
light when the ignition is switched on initially including the oil and hydraulic
pressure warnings, the alternator and the handbrake which accounts for all
the red warnings. The orange warnings for the engine oil level, glow plugs
and the ABS all check out fine too; only omission from the party is the
engine auto diagnosis symbol, the front pad wear and the low screen wash!!

The handbook states the red "STOP" only illuminates with another warning
but there isn't one on! There is a tiny delay in the hydraulic pressure lamp
going out last once the engine is started and running.

I've not checked to see what the alternator charge is yet although I've
revved the engine and seen a brightening of lights on the dash/main
external lights!

I have real grave doubts about my sanity at the moment as I managed to
missfuel and likely totally kill my other Xantia TD estate earlier in the week
but that's the content for another thread to follow shortly...

Anyone been here in a similar scenario?
What do I check out for now with this big important and scary "STOP"
burning a hole into my retinas!?

Andrew

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 31 Jan 2009, 18:58

Andmcit no idea about the main bit of the post

Honda VFR**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff] motorcycle engines

800's or 750's ?

I have a spare 800 motor outside, would be great in a go kart

John

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 31 Jan 2009, 19:09

John: we've talked about VFR**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff]'s before IIRC! They're 750's spare for my
father's 5 bikes ranging from the first VFR**************[VIN obfuscated, can be read by forum staff] FG to his 'best' black
& gold FN; he's like me with Citroens: buys them because he can't
decide what colour he wants!

8)

Andrew

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 31 Jan 2009, 19:54

Andrew,

Now surely being a well seasoned citroen fan/owner surely you must have thought that there is the tiniest possibility of, i don't know, an electrical fault giving a false warning perhaps

. I know, crazy talk but........................

Unread post by **admiral51** » 31 Jan 2009, 23:20

Hi Andrew
You dont happen to have the cooling fans on when the big red stop light is on as that would keep the temp down to about 70 ish

Only ask as ive had it on mine and it was the temp sensor giving false readings to the bitron..............and you pointed me in its direction

Sorry to hear of the miss fueling not good but then with the amount of cits you have is it a case of just been waiting to happen

Colin

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 31 Jan 2009, 23:50

Well Colin, it wasn't the usual missfuel in the normal expected sense of
driving an unleaded car for ages and then putting some in a newly used
diesel - I've posted the sorry story elsewhere.

The fans don't run continuously. I'm pinning my campaign of attack on a
dodgy connection or sensor as everything else checks out OK. The only
thing I really suspect is the hydraulic pressure/level. The "STOP" lamp
flickered a bit earlier and the hydraulic light is always slowest to go out
on starting up.

It's all very well and good ignoring big red warning lamps that say "STOP"
but I don't want to be another victim of cruel hindsight!

Andrew

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 01 Feb 2009, 12:17

Well I do find it a bit funny that YOU of all respected Citroen owners are puzzled by this problem

Then agian I might better keep my big mouth shut, as I dont really have any inputs worth a penny ...

However ...
I DO know for sure, that the charge lamp does not normally light up the STOP lamp on Citroens, neither does a charge fault set the STOP lamp.
A also DO know that a (corrosive) fault in the coolant level sensor circuit is prone to play with the STOP lamp, not always setting the low coolant level lamp at the same time as it should.
Anything that can be related to a longer period of non-activity is worth a check.
Which means most of the electrics in the engine bay ...

Fingers x-ed, cheers Andy 8)

dnsey · Unread post by **dnsey** » 01 Feb 2009, 19:45

Why not try pulling off the connector of each sensor in turn (of those which can operate the stop light)? You'll soon narrow down the fault area, and can then check the sensor and its input, unless, of course, none of them is operating the light, in which case you'll know that it's a fault in the wiring.

andmcit · Unread post by **andmcit** » 02 Feb 2009, 00:33

I'm still scratching my chin on this one but I'm not at all surprised
when I'm talking about Citroen electrics here as it's been pointed out!
Just to mix things up remember the car all worked 100% right from
the off after the long rest and after a bit of use then decided to throw
a strop when it was having attention lavished on it. Sometimes you just
can't win. I'm going to have a prod around when we're not under threat
of Siberian Blizzards!

Andrew

Deanxm · Unread post by **Deanxm** » 02 Feb 2009, 19:58

Hi Andrew

Had the same problem this morning with my xm turbo not the same car but it was the coolant level sensor or the plug onto it, took it out, cleaned it off and the stop lamp went out, but it didnt give a low coolant message on the dot matrix or any lights other than the STOP! though this has already been mentioned thought it would be worth mentioning.

D