Xantia rear suspension

[Chetiya Dias]

I don't want to sound patronising at all. I park the car on a complete flat surface and every morning I check oil and coolant levels before starting for the first time. I'm sure this has nothing to do with the engine. Its about the pressure of the hydraulics

[Northern_Mike]

I don't want to sound patronising at all. I park the car on a complete flat surface and every morning I check oil and coolant levels before starting for the first time. I'm sure this has nothing to do with the engine. Its about the pressure of the hydraulics

I don't want to sound patronising, but your low oil level warning light is on.

[Hell Razor5543]

The flashing light in the instrument panel indicates the car 'believes' it is low on oil. This is normally reliable, but it can be thrown if the car is not parked level, but leaning to one side. I have also known the relevant sensor to fail, with the same result. I do not know where that sensor is. The fact the beeping stops at the same time the light stops flashing would strongly suggest they are for the same purpose.

[Northern_Mike]

The flashing light in the instrument panel indicates the car 'believes' it is low on oil. This is normally reliable, but it can be thrown if the car is not parked level, but leaning to one side. I have also known the relevant sensor to fail, with the same result. I do not know where that sensor is. The fact the beeping stops at the same time the light stops flashing would strongly suggest they are for the same purpose.

The sensor is on the back of the engine block I believe, just to the right of the flywheel. It was on the TD anyway. They're usually very reliable unless you use the wrong oil.

[dei9]

I don't want to sound patronising at all. I park the car on a complete flat surface and every morning I check oil and coolant levels before starting for the first time. I'm sure this has nothing to do with the engine. Its about the pressure of the hydraulics

With all due respect, you don't need to check the oil and coolant every morning, unless you suspect it's losing fluids. I find it hard to believe you do this every morning.

Now the problem may be that you don't check your dipstick properly, (check my last reply on how to do it properly) if said you check it every morning before starting when the oil is cold and the reading won't be accurate enough as it is when it's hotter and less viscous. Yes, I may be splitting hairs, but the way I see it is, if you check it when it's cold, it's thick and it will run along the dipstick wall as you pull it up for checking and give you a false reading. Where as with hot oil, it will show where it needs to be an the difference between the oil reading and the dipstick points you need to reference to will be more obvious than if the thick oil has coated the dipstick as you pull it out. This is also the reason you check a few times and clean the dipstick with a tissue or rag everytime it comes out and back in.

(I had a Merc at one time that could read the oil level itself from the dashboard (upon request), it wanted me to be on a level surface, and the engine had been up to temperature and it needed the engine to be off for at least 5 minutes before it check the oil, it did all these checks electronically other wise it wouldn't allow the check to happen, it did so using a timer, the oil temp sensor and a vehicle level sensor of some kind), even so, every half decent enthusiast should know the basics of checking the oil, it's imperative that the oil is good and at the right level.

HOWEVER, if you are certain it's not the oil level that triggering your stop light, we can then discount this and assume the hydraulic system is pressurizing, it's not too bad for it to light up for that long, mine does it every morning too, and I would go as far as to say it's not the root cause of your initial problem, since my car doesn't have the suspension problem yours does, but still lights up while pressuring (my oil level is fine though).

[Chetiya Dias]

Checked the oil level after a run still the level is fine. I think some thing to do with the sensor. This was flashing since I bought the car and I have done several oil changes. Must be a faulty sensor.

[Hell Razor5543]

It could be worth checking and, if faulty, replacing that sensor. I find that having that sensor work helps the peace of mind, plus, in your case, it would probably shut up that beeping every time you start the car!

[Chetiya Dias]

Beeping alarm is conected to the stop light. This came with all Xantia's imported to Sri Lanka. My father got brand new one in 2001 as a company car. That too had this. It goes off when the suspension pressurized. This varies. If I start the car after 10 to 15 mts the stop light goes off instantly. The longer the period the stop light takes a while to go off.

[citronut]

Beeping alarm is conected to the stop light.

the STOP lamp will come on if hydraulic pressure or level is low, engine oil level is low/or the system thinks it is!!! and if coolant level or over temperature warning is on,

i do agree with others the oil warning lamp is on way toooo long and needs sorting ASAP,

but as i said earlier the hydraulic fluid pressure/level light is going out at exactly the same time as the STOP lamp

[Chetiya Dias]

That's true. The video was done after one hour knocking the engine off. But if I start the engine in a shorter period the stop light goes off quickly. If I start the engine instantly the stop light doesn't come on at all. But the engine oil light stays on for the same period. Please watch the video.

[Chetiya Dias]

https://vimeo.com/116068978

[dei9]

ok, so i guess we have confirmed they are unrelated in this instance, but personally, i would investigate the oil light issue first. What if you spend on fixing the suspension and then there is an issue with the engine that costs more?

slight suspension issue + no engine = no transportation
slight suspension issue + working engine = transportation

So for me, we (or the more knowledgable people) will continue to offer advise on the original subject, but i'd love to see that engine light issue sorted, sorry but it's just me (i'll sit quietly in this thread now).

[citroenxm]

The more important thing here which Chetiya is showing, firstly the OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT goes out instantly! This tells me the engine is healthy. pleanty of oil or not .. It takes seconds to check the oil on the stick each day.

If the level on the stick is fine, Id Also not be worried about that level sensor light flashing for now! Its the least of this gentlemans issue.

Ive had two xantias, and known a few others that have suffered from this, and find it is a faulty sensor - and it personally never worried me, and my Black 1.9 td SX still does it, and always has from 175k to 240k ... Does that idicate a faulty engine that needs urgent attention.

Im sorry though Chetiya, I cannot offer a solution to the suspension further then what I sugested earlyer in this thread. My SX TD Does it, Id prefer it to do it, as this will keep the rear linkage arms in working order, and help reduce siezage.

I hope you find a solution soon!

[Northern_Mike]

The more important thing here which Chetiya is showing, firstly the OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT goes out instantly! This tells me the engine is healthy. pleanty of oil or not .. It takes seconds to check the oil on the stick each day.

"Plenty of oil or not "? The fact you think this concerns me. Especially the "or not" bit.

Who the hell checks their oil every day? I certainly don't want a car that I have to do that with. I stopped buying cars like that that when I was 19..

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk

[citroenxm]

I didnt say it did concern you or not mike... I wasnt getting at anyone directly... It was general. You should know me by now Mike.

I stopped buying cars that used oil too, thats why I never bothered sorting my Black SX TD Oil level sensor, as I knew it was lieing and the car didnt use oil.


Sorry if the wrong idea was taken.. Ill keep out next next time.