Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

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Dusan2222
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Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by Dusan2222 »

Hello all

I own a 2001 2.0 HDI Citroen Xantia Berline. Recently the STOP light together with the examination mark started glowing. At the beginning they were just flashing in short intervalas and since today, both are on constantly. I checked the LHM level today and was under both of the orange disks with the car in service position (Even in the driving position). I had around a litre of LHM and i topped it but the indicator was still under the two orange disks. I went for a short drive and the lights were not glowing. After my second drive today they started flashing on short intervals again. I m worried because i had LHM level chech in april this year in a official citroen dealership and it was all ok. Can you please tell me if there is a possible leak somewhere or maybe faulty indicator. I also noticed that the car is bit slow to rise from the lowest to the driving position. I cant notice any leaks on the spheres or at the reservoir.

Thank you very much.
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by xantia_v6 »

An LHM leak on a Xantia is usually easy to localise, by the stain on the ground....
If there is no external sign of leakage, then it is possible that the rubber cap on the Doseur brake valve is split, and the LHM is sitting in a little lake under your carpet. If you search the forum you should find a few posts on this, and the repair procedure (if necessary).
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by Dusan2222 »

Thank you for your answer. Do you mean the carpet where my legs rest? I hv issue with worn brake pads and i m going to change them next thursday.
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by xantia_v6 »

Yes, there is a thick foam pad under the carpet which soaks up lhm and turns into a sticky mess.

Remove the plastic door sill cover and push your hand under the carpet towards the pedals and see if it comes out clean.
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by Dusan2222 »

Seems that you are right. Just checked the place and noticed green leaks. I pressed the brake pedal and it started leaking. Is this dangerous? I know i should bring the car to service asap but sometimes i hv needs to drive it. Should i top more oil
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by xantia_v6 »

It is only dangerous if it runs out of oil. The leak is from a low pressure point and does not directly affect the efficiency of the brakes.
The parts to repair the valve are cheap, but access behind the engine is difficult, and you really need to take out the carpet to clean up the mess, and that is also a challenging job.
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by CitroJim »

xantia_v6 wrote: 11 Oct 2017, 19:44and you really need to take out the carpet to clean up the mess, and that is also a challenging job.


It is made all the more challenging as the LHM melts the sound-deadening pad stuck to the footwall floor panel and turns to a horrid, sticky, gooey substance not far removed from black treacle.

Last time I was faced with the issue I laid a piece of heavy gauge plastic sheet over the molten pad.

Carpets will clean up well with detergent and a good hosing down... Remove them fully as they will never dry otherwise. Even then, a carpet and its underlay takes a good week to dry out in a warm and airy environment...
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by Dusan2222 »

Hi Jim
Thank you for the answer. Is there a procedure on how to remove the carpet here so far on the forum? I will visit citroen service next week so they can look into the problem. I topped more oil today just to be on the safe side.
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by xantia_v6 »

From memory, you need to remove the centre console and pull up the bottom section of the door rubbers. I think that the front seats have to come out (hope I am wrong). You will find that the carpet is still trapped by the handbrake cable, but it is easiest to slice that (normally hidden) piece of carpet to allow removal.
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by Dusan2222 »

Wow that is destroying my enthusiasm to clean the carpet...
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by xantos »

Google Xantia brake doseur (valve).

Well as said the carpet is most easily removed if sliced under the centre console where the handbrake is... When putting all back you can't see that it was sliced...

It's not that hard of a job but it's fiddly and requires nerves of steel :-D The most hard thing that I remember was connecting those four high pressure pipes back on!
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by CitroJim »

xantia_v6 wrote: 12 Oct 2017, 19:54 From memory, you need to remove the centre console and pull up the bottom section of the door rubbers. I think that the front seats have to come out (hope I am wrong). You will find that the carpet is still trapped by the handbrake cable, but it is easiest to slice that (normally hidden) piece of carpet to allow removal.


Yes, spot-on Mike :)
Dusan2222 wrote: 12 Oct 2017, 20:02 Wow that is destroying my enthusiasm to clean the carpet...
Don't let it as it's worth doing properly... Otherwise you'll forever have a sticky carpet and a smell of old LHM and rotting sound-deadening in the car ;)
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by Dusan2222 »

What u mean by rottening deadening sound? I love my xantia but i m afraid i wont fit everything back properly if i start dissasembling stuff.
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by CitroJim »

I mean the sound-deadening pad stuck to the floorpan that rots and melts when LHM comes into contact with it ;)

You will have no trouble removing and replacing the carpets if you take care and ask how. Some of us on here, me included, have done the job many, many times and can advise exactly how to remove and more importantly replace.

Work logically ad methodically. Also take lots of photographs as you go and then you can consult those if you have any doubt as to how something goes back together...

Go on! You might surprise yourself ;)
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Re: Citroen Xantia possible LHM leak

Post by Dusan2222 »

Oh didnt know that LHM was that aggressive so it can melt the carpet. The thing is that i dont have much operational space (i keep my car in front of my apartment building and i dont have a garage. But why not, i may try it with your assistance after i get the valve fixed.
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