xantia not starting, no ignition lights

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aneesh84
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xantia not starting, no ignition lights

Post by aneesh84 »

starting problem on xantia 1.9 TD (1994). On turning the key no dashboard lights glow up, no heater plug light, just the parking light glows. on further turning, the engine turns but does not start. I had been having this problem once in a while over the past one year and then resolving itself in a few hours. but now again it wont start. seems like the ignition sequence is not powering and the fuel pump, and the starter coils are not receiving the signal.
aneesh84
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Post by aneesh84 »

I have the same problem as posted in this forum

http://www.totalfrance.com/france/forum ... hp?t=90881

But no solution there!
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Post by aneesh84 »

As mentioned in the forum, only the battery and parking light show up on the dashboard, and nothing else prior to ignition.
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KennyW
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Post by KennyW »

Worth getting the multimeter out and start checking the supplies from start to finish from the ignition barrel to fuel cut off supply.

Be extremely methodical in your approach and don't make the same mistake I did by crossing 2 wires. :oops:

I would start by checking there is 12v being supplied from the battery to the ignition switch through the 3 red,black and grey connectors under the steering column.

Kenny
C5 x7 2.0 HDi 160 hp Estate exclusive, the newbie
Xantia 2.0 Hdi 90hp 1999 only 189,000 and rising!!!!!!! Moved on to a new home
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Xantia TD 1.9 Mk 2 Estate LX 1998 model over 210,000 miles now and still rising!!!!!!!!!!!!! now deceased 17/12/2010.
aneesh84
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Post by aneesh84 »

KennyW wrote:Worth getting the multimeter out and start checking the supplies from start to finish from the ignition barrel to fuel cut off supply.

Be extremely methodical in your approach and don't make the same mistake I did by crossing 2 wires. :oops:

I would start by checking there is 12v being supplied from the battery to the ignition switch through the 3 red,black and grey connectors under the steering column.

Kenny
Did a thorough multimeter check. The starting problem resolved by itself but it happened once again. the ignition switch gives off power fine put it doesnt reach the right pin in the ignition control unit. i suspect it's some loose contacts in the fuse box. Can you help, i cant figure out how to open the fusebox and access the wires. do i need to take off the entire dashboard?
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KennyW
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Post by KennyW »

Aneesh84,

No you don't need to remove the dash board

If you take off the steering column plastic shrouds then unscrew the plastic surround under the driver's footwell.

As per access to ignition switch.

The fuse holder is held by red plastic pull tie which you pull to release the fuse box.

If I remember correctly you pull the box upwards to release it.

It is tights but a bit of jiggery pokery and the box will become free.

Kenny
C5 x7 2.0 HDi 160 hp Estate exclusive, the newbie
Xantia 2.0 Hdi 90hp 1999 only 189,000 and rising!!!!!!! Moved on to a new home
C3 1.4 petrol (SWMBO)
Xantia TD 1.9 Mk 2 Estate LX 1998 model over 210,000 miles now and still rising!!!!!!!!!!!!! now deceased 17/12/2010.
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Post by spider »

Although not likely, if one of the main earths is missing it can do this too. Unless you have an intermittent contact with one of them I guess, although I'd expect it to get rather hot in that case.

I know as I've accidentally left one off when putting a gearbox back once, and the switch behaved as though it did not have a '2' / 'ignition' position.
Andy.

91 205D-Turbo, gone but still missed
02 106D, TUD5B, gone but not really missed apart from the MPG
aneesh84
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Post by aneesh84 »

KennyW wrote:Aneesh84,

No you don't need to remove the dash board

If you take off the steering column plastic shrouds then unscrew the plastic surround under the driver's footwell.

As per access to ignition switch.

The fuse holder is held by red plastic pull tie which you pull to release the fuse box.

If I remember correctly you pull the box upwards to release it.

It is tights but a bit of jiggery pokery and the box will become free.

Kenny
Hi i couldn't see any red plastic pull tie around the fusebox. I dont know if i am missing something or its just different in my car. i tried to push the fusebox up but it seemed too hard.
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KennyW
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x 132

Post by KennyW »

Aneesh84,

Black circle on photo is the red pull tag.

Image

Pull tag and this releases fuse box and then pull upwards will separate box from fixings.

MY Xantia is a MK2.

Kenny
C5 x7 2.0 HDi 160 hp Estate exclusive, the newbie
Xantia 2.0 Hdi 90hp 1999 only 189,000 and rising!!!!!!! Moved on to a new home
C3 1.4 petrol (SWMBO)
Xantia TD 1.9 Mk 2 Estate LX 1998 model over 210,000 miles now and still rising!!!!!!!!!!!!! now deceased 17/12/2010.
aneesh84
Posts: 366
Joined: 31 Jul 2011, 22:29
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
My Cars:
x 28

Post by aneesh84 »

KennyW wrote:Aneesh84,

Black circle on photo is the red pull tag.

Image

Pull tag and this releases fuse box and then pull upwards will separate box from fixings.

MY Xantia is a MK2.

Kenny
Thank you sooo sooo much for taking the pains for the pic. i really appreciate it. now i understand that the problem is that the red lever is actually broken in my car. I can only see the remaining bits of red plastic inside the hole that it is supposed to come out from. any idea about how i could open it without that red lever now! :-O
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KennyW
(Donor 2022)
Posts: 2499
Joined: 17 Jan 2006, 21:22
Location: Letham, Fife
My Cars: Current Citroen's
C5 x7 2010
SWMBO C3 2012
Previous Citroen's
Xantia 2.0 90hp estate
Xantia 1.9 TD estate
x 132

Post by KennyW »

Aneesh84,

Can grip it with needle nose pliers otherwise I'm stumped.

How bad is the break :?:

Kenny
C5 x7 2.0 HDi 160 hp Estate exclusive, the newbie
Xantia 2.0 Hdi 90hp 1999 only 189,000 and rising!!!!!!! Moved on to a new home
C3 1.4 petrol (SWMBO)
Xantia TD 1.9 Mk 2 Estate LX 1998 model over 210,000 miles now and still rising!!!!!!!!!!!!! now deceased 17/12/2010.
aneesh84
Posts: 366
Joined: 31 Jul 2011, 22:29
Location: Lisbon, Portugal
My Cars:
x 28

Re: xantia not starting, no ignition lights

Post by aneesh84 »

Hi I am reactivating this link since I didnt have the problem in 1 year. But now again the cold wet rainy season is on, maybe because of humidity, but i was driving last night and the engine stopped. Had to get my car towed back home.

The heater coil indicator was was not showing on my dashboard while turning the key up to the 2nd position. (as it usually does) Turning the key further, the engine was cranking but not starting. So this morning I got my multimeter and checked the pre heating control unit (unit 1150 Page 13.32 of Haynes Manual. page 9 of file https://dl.dropbox.com/u/2778969/xantia ... hemata.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). Checked that there was no power on pin 3. If I follow that diagram the supply to pin 3 of 1150 should go through pins A1 and B1 of the fuse panel (BF00). But both A1 and B1 didnt have power. Surprisingly pin A2 had power. So I tried shorting A2 with A1 to see what happens. There was a small spark and then A2 stopped having power supply. Tested the car again and it started working.

Again checked the fuse panel pins, now A2 has no power but A1 has power. B1 and B2 still dont have power, but surprisingly pin 3 of 1150 has power and teh car works fine. I am very confused, can anyone please help me.

As i mentioned in earlier posts, the red plastic tag of my fuse box is completely broken. Any ideas on how it can be opened. Does it sound like a soldering problem?
Xantia Estate 1999 2.0 HDI 110
C5 2005 2.0 HDI 138
Nissan Leaf 2018 40Kwh
Adydum
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Re: xantia not starting, no ignition lights

Post by Adydum »

Hi ,
I have almost the same problem, even my car is not diesel.
When is humidity, radomly i don`t have spark to start the engine, even the rotor in cranking.
I found the error ?
( Sorry for my bad english as is not my native language).

I changed and checked tp sensor, ignition coil, engine relay for tension, etc , but is no way to start, when is no umidity works fine..
aneesh84
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Re: xantia not starting, no ignition lights

Post by aneesh84 »

I have deduced that most likely cause is humidity in fuse box that causes bad contacts. Because when it was not starting, i checked that the appropriate pin in the engine starter ECU unit was not getting the signal. I followed the wiring diagram for that.

I went to the market bought a contact spray. It said removes humidity and cleans electrical contacts. I am sure you can find many brands for that. I then opened the panel under the steering to see the fuse box. I disconnected the battery.Then I shook the bottle, and generously sprayed into all the small holes at the side of the fuse box so that the spray started flowing out from the bottom through the fuses, and the inside gets completely flushed by the liquid. i even sprayed at the back where the wires enter the fusebox. The spray is just alcohol so it dryes out quickly. Connected the batteries in 20 minutes.

Since then I havnt had this problem and I live in extremely high humidity region by the sea.

So i could recommend you to try this. Where do you stay? I live in portugal.

Wish you all the best
Xantia Estate 1999 2.0 HDI 110
C5 2005 2.0 HDI 138
Nissan Leaf 2018 40Kwh
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