Hi I just got a 1991 XM 2.0i. It is in great condition (only 80k miles with service history) but there is a couple of little electrical problems. The rev counter doesn't work and it looks like the dashboard lights dont work either. I checked the fuse but that seems okay. Any help would be greatly appreciated please! Thanks Roy
fightgear ( snipped-for-privacy@btconnect.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
Dash lights are probably as simple as a fistful of duff bulbs - but it's worth trying to turn the brightness up first... I don't know about an s1, but on s2 XMs, there's a dimmer under the dash next to the steering column.
Tacho's probably a duff connection somewhere.
Never realy got into the electrics on the XM but this might help.
On the early XM's there was one hell of a lot of electrical gremlins, the cure for most of these was to sort out the earth wires. The earths can be found on a multi plug on the inner wing right up next to the back of the headlights, (both sides) The modification on these early cars was to disconnect the multi plug from thr earth point, then remove the body side of the multi plug, this is held on with a M6 nut (10mm socket) Bin the multi plug and this will leave you with a M6 stud poking out of the inner wing. Next cut off the wire end and put normal ring connectors on all of the wires, then you can place the rings over the stud and wind on a 6mm nut, of course not forgetting to clean it all. This will give you a much more secure earthing.
I dont know if this will cure all of the problems, but it was a Citroen reccomended mod on the early cars. My guess as to the rev counter would be a duff sensor, this should be around the flywheel area, if I remember right!
The XM was allways a very much underated car, bad news if you bought a new one but buying used you allways got one hell of a lot of car for not a lot of cash.
Regards. Slim.
Slim ( snipped-for-privacy@tesco.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
And, I hear, very well worth doing.
I have a feeling that it takes it straight from the ECU.
You are probabaly right about the rev counter coming off the ECU, as I said, I never realy got into elecy bits, I did mainly the hydraulics.
You would be suprised on the amount of customers that came into the workshop complaining of duff dash lights, only to find out that they had dimmed the switch with their knee when getting into the car !!!!!!
I stand by my words though. The XM is a great car, very much underated.
Regards. Slim
Isn't the rheostat (dimmer switch) the dial to the left of the steering wheel? Or is there another under the dash? I'll check out the multiplug - I noticed on the fuse idenitification chart that the tacho, dashboard lights and a couple of other things have the same fuse so first thing I was going to do was check if the power was going to that (the fuse hasn't blown). Also, any idea where I can get the little plastic frame which houses the two electric window controls in the driver side door? Cheers for all the advice guys.
Slim ( snipped-for-privacy@tesco.net) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
Agreed. I've had my '96 TCT Auto VSX for over five years now - I still miss the '89 CX GTi Auto that I had before, but the XM is a far "better" car, viewed with the head.
No competition for the CX if you let the heart get involved, though...
fightgear ( snipped-for-privacy@btconnect.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
As I said - I've only had an s2. On that, the dimmer is right under the dash, next to the steering column housing, just to the right (I think) of it. Fiddle with the fingertips for it...
Scrappy.
Well just tried to take the dashboard off (according to the Haynes) with no joy! It says in the book unfasten the two securing screws and pull it forwards - well, the two screws are not there AND it looks like the dash has cracked as someone has tried to wrench it away. It seems like something along the top of the instructment panel is holding it on! Damn, and I thought this would be easy!
fightgear ( snipped-for-privacy@btconnect.com) gurgled happily, sounding much like they were saying :
Heh heh heh... It's an XM. It's testing you, to see if you're worthy of it.
XM and easy are not usually uttered in the same breath. However I loved mine. There are some dodges to get round some of the tricky stuff.
Oh Gawd.... Just spent the weekend trying to detatch the dashboard so I can get at the dials. I have checked my voltages from the rheostat and thats okay so the lighting problem (dashboard lights don't work) and rev counter are dashboard related. Please gimme some idea of how to get the dashboard off! The Haynes says unfasten two screws and it will come off but it seems attatched on the top ledge. Am I missing something??????
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