Xantia HDI Immobiliser Problem

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

Post Reply
howiedean
Posts: 448
Joined: 11 Oct 2003, 13:36
Location: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 2

Xantia HDI Immobiliser Problem

Post by howiedean »

Please help, I need some assistance with my Xantia HDI. :cry: I went to start th car this morning and after putting the key in the ignition the light will not go out along with an associated beep.
I have looked at some previous posts but there is nothing regarding the HDI model.
I have disconnected the battery for ½ hour and re-seated the ecu plug, I have not got my Haynes manual handy (although this is likely to be of no help).
One of the previous posts mentioned that there is a relay in the system that can be checked (this was for a mk2 2.1 admittedly).

Regards

Howie
Howie

2006 Fiat Idea Dynamic 1.3 Multijet
2010 Renault Laguna Dynamique tom tom 2.0 DCI 130
C5 VTR 2l 8v HDI Estate 112000 miles gone
Kia Rio 2007 1.5 CRDI 62,000 miles gone
2001 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8 170,000 miles gone
1999 Ford Crown Victoria 4.6 V8 151,000 miles gone
Top
RichardW
Forum Treasurer
Posts: 10871
Joined: 07 Aug 2002, 17:12
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars: MK2 '17 C4GP 1.6 BlueHDi 120
'13 3008 1.6 HDi GripControl
x 996

Post by RichardW »

Howie,

Have you got a spare key, and have you tried this? The immobiliser aerial around the ignition barrel was a weak point on Saxos, but I have not heard of problems on Xantias. The part is not dear, so if you are not near anyone that has a Lexia and can interrogate the computer, it might be worth changing the aerial. Is the locking and internal lighting working as expected? Presumably it will crank, but will not start, meaning that the battery is OK?
Richard W
Top
howiedean
Posts: 448
Joined: 11 Oct 2003, 13:36
Location: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 2

Post by howiedean »

RichardW wrote:Howie,

Have you got a spare key, and have you tried this? The immobiliser aerial around the ignition barrel was a weak point on Saxos, but I have not heard of problems on Xantias. The part is not dear, so if you are not near anyone that has a Lexia and can interrogate the computer, it might be worth changing the aerial. Is the locking and internal lighting working as expected? Presumably it will crank, but will not start, meaning that the battery is OK?
Hi Richard,
I've tried all three of the keys. They worked previously, the engine will crank so there is enough power to start normally.

Cheers

Howie
Howie

2006 Fiat Idea Dynamic 1.3 Multijet
2010 Renault Laguna Dynamique tom tom 2.0 DCI 130
C5 VTR 2l 8v HDI Estate 112000 miles gone
Kia Rio 2007 1.5 CRDI 62,000 miles gone
2001 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8 170,000 miles gone
1999 Ford Crown Victoria 4.6 V8 151,000 miles gone
Top
RichardW
Forum Treasurer
Posts: 10871
Joined: 07 Aug 2002, 17:12
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars: MK2 '17 C4GP 1.6 BlueHDi 120
'13 3008 1.6 HDi GripControl
x 996

Post by RichardW »

Howie,

It does sound like it's not picking up or recognising the key for some reason. The aerial might be worth a punt - p/no 616051 @ £23.67 up to RP 8056 and p/no 616057 @ 20.45 after RP 8057. The picture makes it look like a tube that fits over the ignition barrel. Unless you happen to be near Jim or Dickie and can persuade them to plug in their Lexias... :lol:
Richard W
Top
howiedean
Posts: 448
Joined: 11 Oct 2003, 13:36
Location: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 2

Post by howiedean »

RichardW wrote:Howie,

It does sound like it's not picking up or recognising the key for some reason. The aerial might be worth a punt - p/no 616051 @ £23.67 up to RP 8056 and p/no 616057 @ 20.45 after RP 8057. The picture makes it look like a tube that fits over the ignition barrel. Unless you happen to be near Jim or Dickie and can persuade them to plug in their Lexias... :lol:
Cheers Richard,
What else is in the system, am I right in assuming that the aerial detects the code which is then fed to the ECU for checking. If the right code is sensed then there is a signal that is sent out of the ecu to remove the key light?

I guess that fault diagnosis will pick up this type of fault?

Thanks for the info, I'll check the connections to the aerial sensor tonight.

Regards

Howie....
Howie

2006 Fiat Idea Dynamic 1.3 Multijet
2010 Renault Laguna Dynamique tom tom 2.0 DCI 130
C5 VTR 2l 8v HDI Estate 112000 miles gone
Kia Rio 2007 1.5 CRDI 62,000 miles gone
2001 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8 170,000 miles gone
1999 Ford Crown Victoria 4.6 V8 151,000 miles gone
Top
howiedean
Posts: 448
Joined: 11 Oct 2003, 13:36
Location: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 2

Post by howiedean »

Update,
The problem has gone away for now. :wink:

I disconnected the battery and removed the ECU at lunch time today, on return from work I reconnected everything and it worked. I'm not sure what I've disturbed to cure the fault?

Cheers for now

Howie
Howie

2006 Fiat Idea Dynamic 1.3 Multijet
2010 Renault Laguna Dynamique tom tom 2.0 DCI 130
C5 VTR 2l 8v HDI Estate 112000 miles gone
Kia Rio 2007 1.5 CRDI 62,000 miles gone
2001 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8 170,000 miles gone
1999 Ford Crown Victoria 4.6 V8 151,000 miles gone
Top
wheeler
Posts: 6885
Joined: 21 Sep 2002, 19:07
Location: United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 730

Post by wheeler »

The system consists of the key & pickup, The CPH unit which stores the code & the engine ECU which has the same code. If any of them dont match it will flash the warning. Other things that will also bring up the warning are a missing feed or earth to the ECU, this could be a blown fuse or also the inertia switch if tripped can cause this fault.
If all the fuses & inertia switch are ok i would also suspect the aerial around the barrel, Its fairly cheap, easy to fit & nothing will require re coded. Does the engine management light come on when the ignition is switched on ?
Lexia wont really show anything apart from a key not recognised fault which can be caused by all of the above.

Edit: must have been typing at the same time, if its all working now i would say there is a very good chance it's the aerial.
Top
MikeT
Posts: 4809
Joined: 11 Jun 2007, 16:17
Location: Christchurch, Dorset. UK
My Cars: 2005 C5restyle 1.6HDI 16v 110hp VTR Estate
2008 C5 X7 1.6HDI VTR+ Saloon
x 231

Post by MikeT »

I thought it best I add my own findings on this topic, it may help someone in the future.

After removing and replacing the car battery from my Mk2 (non-Hdi), it wouldn't accept the key, the light remained on and it beeped accordingly everyt time I tried it, that is, until the key had been left in (and ignition switched on) for a few minutes and on next try it accepted it.
Top
howiedean
Posts: 448
Joined: 11 Oct 2003, 13:36
Location: Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
My Cars:
x 2

Post by howiedean »

Thanks for the replies,
I'll see how the car gets on and if the fault happens again I'll change the aerial. I might have been unlucky and ended up with some sort of ECU glitch similar to that on Mike's Xantia?
I have an idea of the system operation now. :wink:

Regards

Howie
Howie

2006 Fiat Idea Dynamic 1.3 Multijet
2010 Renault Laguna Dynamique tom tom 2.0 DCI 130
C5 VTR 2l 8v HDI Estate 112000 miles gone
Kia Rio 2007 1.5 CRDI 62,000 miles gone
2001 Dodge Durango 4.7 V8 170,000 miles gone
1999 Ford Crown Victoria 4.6 V8 151,000 miles gone
Top
steelcityuk
Posts: 1053
Joined: 03 Jul 2006, 21:51
Location: not applicable
My Cars: not applicable
x 1

Post by steelcityuk »

On the C5 I find that until I lock and unlock the doors several times remotely the engine won't start if I've had the battery off. Probably to do with the syncronisation of the 'rolling code', the handbook does warn not to press the buttons too many times away from the car for this reason.

Steve.
not applicable
Top
Kempathonnodge
New User
Posts: 1
Joined: 04 Jan 2012, 13:41
Location:
My Cars:

Re: Xantia HDI Immobiliser Problem

Post by Kempathonnodge »

I have been having this problem for a couple of years now. I can't seem to find a solution, but after quite a few hundred pounds spent at various specialists (including one very expensive main dealer on the basis that they may have the expertise to help) I have been informed it is a wiring loom issue that would have to be tracked down, resulting in the ECU reporting an error and refusing to allow a start.
I had the ECU sent off to the Citroen garage and they then sent it to another firm, who sent it to another firm, who programmed the ECU to ignore the inputs that were giving the fault signal. Eventually I have had the vehicle returned to me and it worked!

UNTIL... The car is turned on, off and on again quickly.
OR
The vehicle is jump started or some shock is provided to the ECU.

The same issue occurs and the only way to get it fixed is to send the ECU to be reset again.
I have found the place that will do this for around £50, but it may be more in order to get the first reprogram done.
The company is called Blue streak and there phone number is: 01623886400. I'm not sure where they are based and they apparently only work with trade (although they have helped me out).

I may be giving up my Xantia soon because of this issue, as it is very inconvenient and it is beginning to erk when this happens at inconvenient moments. I am currently filling time in said broken down vehicle waiting for the AA to recover me whilst also trying to move house. A good example of inconvenient...

If anyone comes up with a solution (I'm not sure the wiring loom issue is the true problem as it does seem to be related to the immobiliser) do post so that my car can be rescued from death by eBay...
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Citroën”