307 XSI - barmy HUD - any advise? (and a soft reset howto)

Hello all

I've got a 52 307 XSI (worse car I've ever had, tbh. anti polution fault every summer, bits take months to turn up..) It has just been in for a safety recall (code X8Z - something to do with 'salt water on road and power steering do not mix'). Also, whilst it was there, the radio was looked into (under warranty) as it couldn't get AM.

Anyway, recall task was done & aerial replaced ("base was full of water

- can't explain why") & had to wait another 4 hours "for a quality control check".

Driving it home, I noticed the interior lights were flickering randomly- like a dodgy connection.

Getting home & taking the key out, the HUD (where the radio station/MPG/time appears) is cycling through all the options all by itself, the 'battery warning' light is blinking once every second, and the interior lights are fading on and off - judging by the way the 'leccy windows keep stopping in time with the lights, it looks like the network is resetting itself (i'm no expert in car management systems).

Anyway, I contact the Pug dealer (Sterling in Ipswich, miserable bunch imo) - it's 17:20, they're about to go home, but senior tech' says to me: "ah, let's try a reset - it shouldn't mess your keys up or the radio.

1) wind down o/s front window 2) take key out of car, pop the bonnet & shut the door 3) leave for three minutes 4) disconnect battery & leave for 30 seconds 5) reconnect - it will chime 6) reach in and turn headlights on to dipped at the stalk - make sure lights come on. 7) leave for 30 seconds & turn off lights 8) get back in and put in key - reset should have happened."

I did all this, the car wouldn't start initially (starter ok, felt like fuel pump disabled) until i took key out again put it back in again & then it started fine.

But stopping & taking key out again still makes HUD/interior lights go barmy.

I have to take it back now - tech'n says "disconnecting battery overnight is a good idea as the state it's in will flatten the battery. it should be drivable when you plug it back in again"

Any ideas?

I hope 'soft reset' is helpful (if it works for anyone else who's never heard of it. It certainly isn't a 'reset' variation I've heard of).

Hi if this has honestly just started happening on way back from dealer to me it MAY be due to something being left off .To do the recall x8z it requires inspecting the earth point by the o/s/f light we remove this earth and clean it as peugeot earth points are terrible to say the least.It may be possible that the earth hasnt been tightened up correctly which is why you are getting all these strange goings -on, but the earth i'm talking about isn't the same earth for the interior light + electric windows BUT it may be stealing another earth (not the first time ive seen this). other things what can cause this are >>> bad earths, water ingress into the b.s.i.(central computer) (40 way white connector) but it seems strange to me that these faults have just "come on" usually they happen over a period of time and are intermittent.The soft re-boot you are talking about really is just to wake up the central computer in the cleanest way and is usually used to inialise things i.e. your oil level indictor on your instrument panel as an example after say a download.i'll be surprised if the fault you have is cured by a soft re-boot !. .. let me know how you get on .....all the best mark

307 XSI - barmy HUD - any advise? (and a soft reset howto) - longish