xantia td 1.9 1998

franchi · Unread post by **franchi** » 19 Dec 2003, 16:10

hi all
just discovered your forum. it looks great.
can any one help me i wonder
my 1.9td xantia has developed a strange habit.
when stationary at trafic lights, if i dont release my foot brake for a few seconds, when i do release it, the car drops at the rear....only to lift again a few of seconds later! also, the foot brake seems to have fallen closer to the floor. when at rest, the pedal is lower than the accelorator and clutch.the braking has become more of an on/off affair and not as smooth as it used to be.
ive checked the suspension fluid level and it is ok, it doesnt lose any fluid either.
the mot is due next month. is this a common/easy to fix problem, or is the car destined to become a recycled cube?
any info would be appreciated
thanks. russ

Kered · Unread post by **Kered** » 19 Dec 2003, 16:16

Hi Russ
Is it a VSX? I have a VSX and mine does exactly that. This is the reason that the handbrake works on the front wheels so that the rear wheels can rotate to accomodate the rising/falling. By sitting with the footbrake on then the wheels can't turn and you get the action you found.
Strange about the foot pedal. I'll leave that to my more learned fellows.
Derek

alexx · Unread post by **alexx** » 19 Dec 2003, 17:02

In mine (1.8 16v) it's about 2 cm above the accelerator pedal. I presume that the spring between brake pedal pushrod and brake doser valve broke, so now you have brakes reacting like in older citroen vehicles without that spring.
Is rear end of the car rising during braking? If rear brakes are ok, it should stay almost in level, so there will be no strange effect if you leave your foot on the pedal.

franchi · Unread post by **franchi** » 22 Dec 2003, 19:11

thanks for the advice guys.
the ride hieght is stable during braking. its just while at lights etc when foot brake is held for a while, then released that the suspension drops/lifts.
i think i will change all the fluid. the car has done 60k and ive just checked the service history and its never been changed.
looks like its a christmas job. ill check to see if the pedal spring is attached too.
again thanks
russ

AndersDK · Unread post by **AndersDK** » 22 Dec 2003, 20:45

Try the Citaerobics :
http://citroenz.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=42
Otherwise the rear sinking and then raising again could be an indication of flat rear spheres.

Dave Burns · Unread post by **Dave Burns** » 23 Dec 2003, 00:42

These rear end shenanigans are a known xantia trait, its to do with the suspension geometry and the fact that it is self leveling, but only being a machanical system it can be fooled.
If you come to a stop, usualy with some urgency the front dives and the rear rises, holding the brake on keeps the rear up slightly because the wheels need to rotate to allow the trailing arms to turn on their axis, meanwhile with the rear up the height corrector is dumping the oil in an attempt to lower the body again, but it wont come down and it can dump the entire spheres worth, then when the brakes are released and the wheels turn allowing the trailing arms to rotate and down she comes.
Dave

Kered · Unread post by **Kered** » 23 Dec 2003, 02:01

However, my VSX has always oscillated up and down whilst stationary - always has - since 1995.
Seasons Greetings to our Hosts, Participants and Readers.
Derek