V6 Xantia oh dear it seems to be broken! Help

[dunk]

Hello, After 3000 or so trouble free miles I was really rather enjoying the Xantia, this evening things have taken a turn for the worse
This evening having driven 20 miles home from work, I stopped at the in laws to pick up the wife & child (stopped for about 10 mins) loaded every one in the car & tried to set off for home. I put the code in the immobiliser turned the key & she burst into burbling life as usual, foot on the brake, & oh dear I can't shift it out of Park, look at the dash notice it is showing no revs (bit odd it's running) all other warning lights have gone off suspension is up can't say I noticed what the other gauges were doing but the outside temp screen was blank, all a bit odd, I conclude that maybe some thing has got a bit "confused" so I turn it off & try & start again, this time I put the code in the immobiliser turn the key & nothing happens, well I say nothing the headlights dim, like when the battery is knackered (might be that but doesn't feel like that) or the engine's seized (lets hopefully not go there) so as it is very dark & has started to snow a little I decided to leave it were it is & knick the mother in laws car to get home, that went down well, especially as they now have a Xantia blocking there drive, that I can't get out of park even when it's switched off (should you be able to move the gear selector when it is switched off, not sure I've tried)

Anyway I'd be most grateful of any thoughts as to what I can try to get it to work again, or at least how I can move it. I'm in RAC the so I can get it transported home or otherwise but you only get to do that once, per breakdown & I've never had an RAC man fix a car, so would prefer to have a fiddle first.

Please Help Dunk

[RichardW]

I'd check the battery - modern ones do just seem to go pfft one day - even if you have just used them. Especially when it's cold!

[dunk]

Will do Richard, It's top of my hope that's what's wrong list, just worried it started instantly seconds before, but that could have been the final death nail in the battery I guess, The V6 battery dose seem physically quite small to turn over quite a big lump, so a small deterioration might well kill it.

Thanks Dunk

[Mandrake]

Sounds like either the battery has died or there is a problem with one of the fuses..

Regarding getting it out of park, there is a solenoid that unlocks the gear lever when you press the brake pedal with the ignition key turned on - no power and it can't be disengaged electrically.

I've been stuck in that situation before where the solenoid wont activate (not due to a flat battery though) and thanks to the forum I discovered a workaround, all you need is a long flat blade screwdriver - pry the boot around the gear lever up from the console so that you can see the wiring around the gear lever, on the right hand side you'll see a cylinder - that's the solenoid. The pin in the solenoid slides horizontally from left to right to unlock.

With the screwdriver you should be able to push the pin to the right to free the gear lever (wiggle the gear lever as you do) and get it into neutral so you can push the car off the driveway.

I wouldn't panic about any serious faults, find something to measure the battery voltage and/or find a substitute battery and go from there, that's probably all it is. If you have another car you can jump start from you could try connecting that to see if the dashboard lights and other electrical functions start working (thus confirming faulty battery) but I wouldn't recommend actually starting the car if the battery is faulty given the symptoms you described, as there won't be much to smooth the voltage spikes from the alternator without a working battery (which acts like a huge filter capacitor) once you disconnect the jumper leads.

[dunk]

that's Interesting so I take it the solenoid is fed by a fused feed, I take it from that you can't normally move the gear lever unless the ignition is on? (don't think I've tried). presumably If I stick on a battery that I know is OK I can give it a try starting it up, It's only a problem via Jump leads?

[Mandrake]

that's Interesting so I take it the solenoid is fed by a fused feed, I take it from that you can't normally move the gear lever unless the ignition is on? (don't think I've tried). presumably If I stick on a battery that I know is OK I can give it a try starting it up, It's only a problem via Jump leads?

You can't move the gear lever out of park without the solenoid activating, no.

I don't recall the exact wiring without looking it up, but the solenoid requires the igntion key to be on, the gear lever to be in park, and the brake pedal depressed, only then will it operate. Obviously if nothing electrical is working it won't work...but with a screwdriver you can manually push the solenoid pin to get it out of park. Once its out of park you can operate the gear lever manually without power as long as you don't put it back into park as it will lock again when put back into park.

If you've got a multimeter check the voltage, if not and you have a known good battery just try fitting that and see if it will start.

[dunk]

that's brilliant, thank you, it solves my most immediate problem (unblocking the In laws driveway) then I can tinker from there.

[CitroJim]

Dunk, I believe the is car has done this before. Not for may years now but I remember her ex-owner having a similar issue and it was down to a blown fuse but no reason could ever be pinned down as to why... Maybe Mike will tell us more. Definitely worth doing a fuse check hough..

Here is the circuit of the auto gearbox including selector switch and park lock solenoid (item 1638)

And here's the harness and location diagrams to go with the above...

Hope that helps to fix and if you need any other wiring diagrams to chase this down then please let me know...

[dunk]

This morning things have been much better, I think. I returned to the In laws this morning, dropped the fuse box cover, to get the hand book out to work out were to start with fuses, & thought wonder if anything else doesn't work, might help with which fuse to try first, turned the key, keyed the immobiliser, turned the key the rest of the way & it started Instantly, foot on brake & moves out of park no problems, also the rear wiper that stopped working over Christmas has come back to life . So what to do next, never that confident when cars fix themselves, been bitten by that before. I'm planning on taking the fuses out one by one & applying contact cleaner to each holder, dose the internal fuse box come out? more to the point is it plugged into the loom? (if it dose I thought that plug connector might benefit from a spray contact cleaner too?). I've been and had the battery tested at my local halfrauds auto centre (they do free battery tests) they said it's 92% (not sure 92% what exactly, but they didn't try & flog me a battery so I'm assuming it's ok! ). The v6 Xantia love hath returnath

[Xantidote]

battery tested at my local halfrauds auto centre (they do free battery tests) they said it's 92% (not sure 92% what exactly,

I've had Halfords do battery testing on a number of occassions. They put the details of your battery into their little tester, it runs it's test program, and then displays the magic figure, in your case 92%.

I may be wrong, but I've always assumed that the % figure is the % of Cold Cranking Amps that the battery now has (from the their testing), compared to the "as new" figure. IIRC, Halfords condemn a battery when it's down to 66%. Having said that, last time I had a test done, and the battery was condemned, I replied that the battery still seemed to be performing OK and that I'd soldier on a bit longer with it, and they just accepted my comment - no argument.

Doesn't seem to me your battery is the problem, assuming it is to original spec, and not a cheap lower capacity replacement

[myglaren]

If you have access to a trickle charger, charge it over a weekend before refitting.

[CitroJim]

Well, that's an odd one but pleased it seemed to have gone away...

And delighted the V6 love hath retuned

[Citroenmad]

The v6 Xantia love hath returnath

Excellent news

I was a little worried but I have a feeling that V6 Xantia will outlive most modern cars Its a great car

[Northern_Mike]

The v6 Xantia love hath returnath

Excellent news

I was a little worried but I have a feeling that V6 Xantia will outlive most modern cars Its a great car

I really, really do miss the power of it... Couldn't cope with the steering though. I must start the search for an S2 one at some point.. I'm liking the C5 a lot, but it doesn't satisfy my urge to go hilariously fast. I thought that urge had gone, until I got a car that wouldn't go fast..

[Northern_Mike]

.... I must start the search for an S2 one at some point.. I'm liking the C5 a lot, but it doesn't satisfy my urge to go hilariously fast. I thought that urge had gone, until I got a car that wouldn't go fast..

Well now ... i've been keeping my S2 ticking over weekly for the past year but am still NOT convinced that i'm ever going to be satisfied by an automatic car. Keep wanting to do that little bit more with the gear change and am getting frustrated by not being able. Maybe, and just maybe, mine will be moving on to pastures new in the not too distant future . Silex Grey, 94k miles (new gearbox at 54k by B&L Autos as per service history so only 40k logged against this one), short MOT if i remember rightly (mid-March) but only a couple of advisories last time around .. the usual front flexi pipe and a rear tyre 'bulge' which has been there for ever according to previous owner so no doubt once tyres are swapped out ... no problem. Can't see myself ever growing to love the car despite its engine, colour and interior and as I have another Activa in the same colour and interior but still off road, think that my efforts this year will be better spent going into that car and not this one. Jury's still out but the verdict is moreorless imminent shall we say ....

Hmm, this could be most interesting. One question - does the S2 have lighter steering than the S1, and does it turn into corners any better? I can live with the weird autobox, and I love it in the traffic..

Does the aircon and heating work properly? That's one of the most important things for me.

Worryingly, I'll have an extra parking space come April...