Failing electrics on a citroen XM
- Thread starter Phil2008
- Start date
Caporegime
- Joined
- 11 Mar 2005
- Posts
- 32,250
- Location
- Leafy Cheshire
Not really, French wiring looms around that time are of very bad quality and rust causing electrical problems, you need to take it to someone to trace the problem, odds are it will need sections / the whole loom replacing, in short unless its a simple earth problem its time for a new car.
Hi, I would suggest a specialist french garage and if they cant do it they will most likely refer you to someone who can. Clearly other xms pick up similar faults so it would be sensible to take to a specialist who has seen the faults before. If you are near manchester then take the car to Paris Autos (google them for the phone number) or ask Doug at Westroen Spheres if he knows anyone although he will probably refer you to Paris Autos. Another option is go to http://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk They may be able to tell you how to sort some of the faults or suggest someone to fix it. Finally...Join the Citroen owners club and they will certainly be able to help and refer you to a good specialist.
Nice car, pretty worthless now but mega interiors and quirky styling.
Thanks for the info, but like if its gonna cost loads its not woth it and got no money atm either, but I'll post on the forum and see what they say
Yeh there brill cars, its a shame the XMs didnt really take off, Cant remember what the cause of the xm being dead and berried tho. The XM was a luxary car tho. for ppl who are intrested, heres a pic of our car.....
Also citroen has a awsome anti theft gadget, and I dont know why other manufactors dont use this. Basically you have to punch a 4 digit number before the car will start, If you put in the wrong number the engine will turn over but it wont fire up.
Caporegime
- Joined
- 11 Mar 2005
- Posts
- 32,250
- Location
- Leafy Cheshire
Nah, that was pre key imobiliser, basically the old system to what all cars are fitted with now but without the hassle of typing in a number, they did it with some phase 1 saxos also iirc.
I'll let my parients know, cos its my dads car not mine,, I wish..lol. I prefer the saloon 2.1 turbo diesel cos its quicker then the 2.5 exstate
wasnt the Xantia the next 1 down to the XM, The XM was the daddy of citroens back then if I remember rightly?
Soldato
- Joined
- 14 Jul 2005
- Posts
- 17,616
- Location
- Bristol
Yup, also a lot of 306 DTurbos and XSis had them too.
I really like these, not very common and i'd love to have one. Better than a lot of modern alternatives and pretty cheap to buy too.
Be a shame to scrap it for electrics, but may not be cost effective unless you don't mind getting your hands dirty
Be a shame to scrap it for electrics, but may not be cost effective unless you don't mind getting your hands dirty
I used to love the Xm. To remind me how cool they were, I did a little search and came up with this 62 page French forum thread with the first page alone showcasing an Xm convertible and Xm pick-up.
Those crazy french!
Those crazy french!
Last edited:
Yeah ppl who owned a xm do actually miss them, cos there such good cars. Ours has a cool feature that I havent seen on other cars, when you put the car in reverse the passengers wing mirror tilts down.
We also had a few citroem bx turbo diesel cars, not nearly as good as the XMs. But this 1 BX we had was comming up todo 300 thousand miles but the dam gearbox went, so we sold it few a few hundred. But even doing all those miles, It always started first touch and even when it it had been sitting for a few months, and with a semi flat battery
We took it somewhere and he did did try bending stuff in the box to try to get the gear to change more easily, but that idea failed.. But he couldnt belive how well it drove dispite of the gearbox, he said it drove like a new car. Plus the engine had never been touched, accept for oil changes, ect.
We also had a few citroem bx turbo diesel cars, not nearly as good as the XMs. But this 1 BX we had was comming up todo 300 thousand miles but the dam gearbox went, so we sold it few a few hundred. But even doing all those miles, It always started first touch and even when it it had been sitting for a few months, and with a semi flat battery
We took it somewhere and he did did try bending stuff in the box to try to get the gear to change more easily, but that idea failed.. But he couldnt belive how well it drove dispite of the gearbox, he said it drove like a new car. Plus the engine had never been touched, accept for oil changes, ect.
Soldato
- Joined
- 13 Sep 2003
- Posts
- 8,557
- Location
- Glocestershire
My mate's dad had one from I was a kid (a 2 litre G plate). We loved it, there were just so many buttons and things to fiddle with. I remember being first person to discover the mini centre sun visor, after he'd owned the car for 4 years.
I'd love to own an XM. It's ironic considering the reputation large French cars have for depreciation but I think they're already starting to have classic appeal and nice ones will hold their value.
EDIT: Just had a look on Auto Trader, there is one for sale in the entire country.
I'd love to own an XM. It's ironic considering the reputation large French cars have for depreciation but I think they're already starting to have classic appeal and nice ones will hold their value.
EDIT: Just had a look on Auto Trader, there is one for sale in the entire country.
Last edited:
You can come and have a go at fixing it
I would love to try to sort it out myself but im in a wheelchair, and my dad is useless with that kind of stuff, but it might be the regulators that need changing for the roof and windows cos they go 1 way but not the other. But not sure why the heater or blower isnt working tho.
Last edited:
Associate
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2007
- Posts
- 1,681
- Location
- York
French cars normally have Italian electrics and they're pretty crap.
I had an XM Exclusive 2.4TDi saloon/hatch and it was superb, it was the nicest car I've owned apart from its tendancy to break down a lot. 
We drove it from Swindon to Paris and back once in 24hrs, it was lovely and just wafted along. We stopped at Cite D-Europe on the way back and loaded about half a ton of beer and wine in the boot - and with the active suspension it had the same ride height and handled just as well as when it was unladen.
Can't help with the electrical issues I'm afraid, other than to say I was plagued with faults too - I sold the car in the end as it was doing my head in having to get it fixed every month.
We drove it from Swindon to Paris and back once in 24hrs, it was lovely and just wafted along. We stopped at Cite D-Europe on the way back and loaded about half a ton of beer and wine in the boot - and with the active suspension it had the same ride height and handled just as well as when it was unladen.
Can't help with the electrical issues I'm afraid, other than to say I was plagued with faults too - I sold the car in the end as it was doing my head in having to get it fixed every month.