Xsara 2.0 HDi Auto intermittenly failing to start

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rfmckay
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Xsara 2.0 HDi Auto intermittenly failing to start

Post by rfmckay »

Hi folks,

I'd appreciate any help you might be able to give me please? This car has been in and out of a Citroen garage here in Spain and they keep replacing components to no avail.

The car can run for a trip or two without any difficulty (longer trips are better than short 5 minute ones). Sometimes though, when you switch the car off and try to start it again,nothing happens. A slight buzzing sound from the engine but no mechanical turning over or anything. I've sat with the car idling and lights on and there's no visible issue with the alternator that I can see, so I've put that to one side.

On Saturday (on one of the many breakdowns) the tow truck guy suggested we replace the battery but that did no good. The Citroen garage has also replaced some large printed circuit type thing and a solenoid in the auto gearbox that tells the car that it is in P or N (so it should start).

It's totally random, it seems. What I have noticed is that sometimes you can put the car in N and then roll the car back a little and it will seem to start (not always).

Any help very gratefully received.
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CitroJim
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Post by CitroJim »

Hi and welcome to the forum :D

So, if I have the symptoms right, the starter is failing to run and if the starter does run it starts fine.

The starter is prevented from running unless the gear selector is in P or N. This is controlled by switch contacts on the gearbox multi-function switch which is mechanically operated by the gear selector lever. This in turn opoerates a relay to allow the starter motor to run. It's quite a simple circuit and should not have needed any solenoids or pirinted circuits replaced to resolve it.

I'll make an assumption that the car has the Siemens AL4 gearbox. Although I have no circuits exactly specific to the Xsara, I do have generic circuits that apply to the AL4 fitted to PSA cars generally.

I can post them up but not immediately as I will not have access to my files until a little later today.

Two thoughts come to mind here. Either the relay is a bit intermittent (it'll be a purple/voilet one most likely as it is a high current relay) or the multi-function switch is a litttle out of alignment with the gear selector and not allowing the switch to make good contact with the start inhibit contacts. Have you ever had any gearbox faults, denoted by the sport and snow lights flashing, that have been caused by the multi-function switch? This may well account for the car sometimes starting in N and not in P.

My first check would be the start inhibit relay.

My first bet would be the relay.
Jim

Runner, cyclist, time triallist, duathlete, Citroen AX fan and the CCC Citroenian 'From A to Z' Columnist...
rfmckay
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Thanks

Post by rfmckay »

Hi CitroJim, thanks for the welcome and your thoughts.

It's an incredibly irritating fault and totally intermittent. Sometimes, moving the car couple of feet one way or the other or actually disconnecting and reconnecting the battery will then allow the car to start.

I'm trying to get an English mechanic locally to look at it as the Citroen garage in Elche (Spain) is charging me a fortune. Pity I wasn't back in the UK as it sounds like you know your stuff and could probably fix it!

If I can't get it fixed soon I may have to abandon things until our next trip out as we return to the UK on Sunday. So much for our family holiday, grr!

Thanks again for your thoughts on it.

Best,
Robert
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Post by topper2 »

hi Robert
if you try holding the key on, to activate the starter motor with the lights on. if the starter motor is drawing currant ,the lights will dim indicating a faulty starter motor. worth a try
good luck al
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