V6 Xantia......... the beginning of another adventure

[Mandrake]

Its a mercury tilt switch somewhere in the back section of the tailgate which lifts up and tilts as the boot opens. I don't know precisely where as I haven't had to fix mine.

The conventional switch that you can see at the base of the boot catch on the floor (behind the black plastic trim) is for the alarm not the boot light.

[Mandrake]

Just had a look at the wiring diagrams, they show the mercury switch as roughly in the middle between the tailgate stop light clusters or maybe slightly higher, so if you remove the inside black trim on the boot lid you should find it somewhere in there in the middle.

The earth return wire from the mercury switch appears to run back up the tailgate to the hinge, across to the body and then down the right rear wing to connect to the chassis behind the right hand rear stop light cluster - the ones attached to the car, not the tailgate. I can post the wiring diagrams if you need any further details.

[CitroJim]

That's right, if you pop the tailgate trim off the tilt switch is a little white cylinder with a rounded end and a single spade terminal on the other end.

It's not technically a mercury tilt. If it was it owuld be reliable but actually inside the tune is two little ball bearings and it's there rolling around that makes the circuit.

The tilt switch can be carefully prised apart to allow the balls and contact to be cleaned but rarely is this 100% good - best to procure a new one.

[Trainman]

Wonderful! I'll have a quick look this afternoon, just in case the wire has come off or some such thing......

The steering felt a bit heavy again this morning, but that could just be me, I went out in the C6 last night, which, of course, is super light by comparison, given that it's electronic steering.....

If I still think it's heavier than it should be then, I'm considering the possibility of Paul's and it being the UJ. If that is the case, then I'll taken Simon's suggestion on board and grease up the steering column at the same time.

[Trainman]

When in for a service today, only because I'm at work and yes there are yet more problems, the NSF drop link has play in it, Front needs new Disc's and Pad's. The reear needs new Disc's, Pad's and Calipers................ Marvellous The only reason he's saying caliper's is due to the corrosion and the pistons in the calipers being twisted....

I'm beginning to feel like it would have been easier to build a new one................ erm, actually I think I more or less will have done........

[KP]

Steve I still have the front calipers from the breaker and some almost new pads and discs sat in the garage if you fancy them?

[RichardW]

New rear calipers will not be needed(*). Once removed, the corrosion can be chipped / filed off and they will sit square again. If they are really bad, then just swap them left to right - they are identical, just need to swap the feed and bleeds over. Of course, if they are that bad that they're well twisted, then getting the pipes out in one piece might be a challenge.... And that's AFTER you've extracted the bolts

* on my first Xantia I had to replace a burst brake pipe. One of the calipers was so rusted up that I had the saw the pad in half to get it out, and drift out the remains of the pad bolt after giving it some serious heat. Worked just fine afterwards!

[KP]

Wire will attachment on a drill did wonders with the last xantia I had

[Trainman]

Wire will attachment on a drill did wonders with the last xantia I had

GULP I hope you mean the calipers and not the car.............

Steve I still have the front calipers from the breaker and some almost new pads and discs sat in the garage if you fancy them?

Got my parts department checking their stock Will but I like the idea.......

[KP]

No worries Paul, still on the hubs and struts ready to go and meant wire wool on the calipers and their mounts then grease up each face and cut a piece of paper to size and stick it between them as well to stop it happening again

[Trainman]

Use Victor Meldrew voice "I don't believe it" Just spoken to the garage, Xantia won't be ready until tomorrow, because despite requesting the bit's for a V6 Xantia, they only sent 4 spark plugs

You just couldn't write it

[KP]

Pmpl they couldn't try harder now could they!! Bet the garage are likely to blame as I bet they part requester plonked the part number in and quantity of 4 as the normal amount for a family hatchback...

[Trainman]

I know, I know....... still did make me chuckle though.........

[Trainman]

Front brakes and disc's now sourced thanks to Will looks like yet another busy day next Wednesday on my day off.....

[KP]

Shouldn't be too bad Steve if you get all the bits ready before hand and apply some easing fluid to the disc retention bolt should help and get some disc cleaning fluid or use petrol like I do to clean the discs up and they should be perfect for you

Glad they will find a new home and get some good use as well as I was starting to think they would need weighing in