Citroen Xsara Picasso electrical issues

[neilpicasso]

Hi. I recently returned from 3 weeks away to an unhappy old car (52 plate). Using the door lock did not activate the central locking (first clue). Also not working were the dashboard display (apart from the 2 orange lights which still came on for a short time as normal), the wipers, the e/windows, the indicators, and several other bits. The main lights were working and were some other things. There was also a thin film of mould on the steering wheel - at this point I should say I am a gardener and have been using the vehicle for transporting often wet garden waste regularly for over 10 years so the interior is often damp.Managed to get the engine started with jump leads and gradually everything seemed to dry out and come back on line. However, today (5 days after drying out) the dashboard, indicators and wipers all failed simultaneously (while driving).
I am thinking that trying to get this fixed could be like finding a needle in a haystack due to all the circuitry where damp could get in but thought I’d try all your experience and expertise in case it might be traceable. As I say, I’m fairly resigned to having to scrap her (always been in our family, previously my dad’s) and get a replacement (same model as they are the perfect gardener’s vehicle!) but would appreciate any replies/ideas or advice.

[Huskyxantia]

Check under the back storage cubby holes lift out the inserts they do come out with a hard wiggle and pull if theres water under neath then they may well be earth points and parts of the loom corrided. Check fuse boxes dry them then protect them with spraying some wd40. Check any and all earth points clean if needs be.

[neilpicasso]

Thanks!

[PaulC5]

We had a 2005 Xsara Picasso and that used to get water under the floor on the driver's side. I never found where it as getting in but left the floor bungs out to help it drain.

[wheeler]

Does the car still start ok despite the various faults that just appeared?

[Huskyxantia]

We had a 2005 Xsara Picasso and that used to get water under the floor on the driver's side. I never found where it as getting in but left the floor bungs out to help it drain.

Comes in driver side bulk head theres some holes that didmt get filled in when clutch mods were being done many yrs ago water runs down under the false floor and pools in these storage compartmemts under the inserts.

[neilpicasso]

Yes, starts fine. Had battery replaced in past year or 2 and that seems fine

Does the car still start ok despite the various faults that just appeared?

[wheeler]

Tried a BSI reset?

[Rp0thejester]

I've only personally had that happen to me once when driving a T Reg Xsara. Lost all electrics including power steering on a roundabout. Restarted the engine and could never find the problem, it also never happened again.... If the battery has been changed then we can discount that, if not it could possibly point to an alternater issue not charging the battery properly especially if running alot of things oof the battery. Damp is normal if you have heating on alot and can be noticed more if parking on a slope in cold weather, so I wouldn't worry about that.

[Rp0thejester]

Is there a common fuse that links dash, signal and wipers? Seems weird that all 3 would fail at the same time. Has this problem sorted itself or is it still the same?

[Huskyxantia]

When i had my old xsara picasso sometimes corning a bit quick would make the dash all go off, turns out the long battery leads come lose as the battery is under the front passenger seat and the battery teminal location is under bonnet on 2 posts terminals , when i foumd this out 5 , 6 yr back i was shocked at the design , when sorted it went ok no outages after that

[neilpicasso]

No, they are different circuits and fuses. Car is currently working as it should (today) but the fault occurred yesterday and the day before whilst driving so unable to say whether it’s fixed or not. Fairly confident it’s not a fuse issue as circuits come and go and fuses don’t heal (as far as I’m aware). Going down the faulty earth connection route and have cleaned and wd40’d the ones I could find, and have found a diagram of them all to work through

Is there a common fuse that links dash, signal and wipers? Seems weird that all 3 would fail at the same time. Has this problem sorted itself or is it still the same?

[neilpicasso]

How was this fixed? Just re-fixing all connections on the battery and battery terminal?

When i had my old xsara picasso sometimes corning a bit quick would make the dash all go off, turns out the long battery leads come lose as the battery is under the front passenger seat and the battery teminal location is under bonnet on 2 posts terminals , when i foumd this out 5 , 6 yr back i was shocked at the design , when sorted it went ok no outages after that

[Huskyxantia]

Yes more or less , i think i chopped corrision off one of the cables ends & cleaned the part which it bolted onto , aswell as sorting the quick release clamp on the battery as these can work loose i think i pushed the thing open a bit then when you clamp it up it is tighter , im not sure but i think there might be a video on youtube about the clamps coming lose amd what to do, ive also got a nail the same height as the battery terminal pushed this down between the terminal and clamp then pushed the clamp down which was harder but made a better snug fit to the terminal.

[neilpicasso]

Got a new one