Charles's 2.1 SD Manual (formerly Citroenxm's)

[djg]

Did you use diagnostic equipment to force hard mode or just waited for the timer to switch off?

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[CitroJim]

Did you use diagnostic equipment to force hard mode or just waited for the timer to switch off?

Just waited for it to time out and go hard and then opened a door to re-invoke soft mode. Sadly the Lexia/ELIT has no way of forcing hard mode which seems a terrible oversight.

[Vince]

Hi Charles,

On the battery light issue....was it not just the engine stalling for some reason which put the battery light on? Most of the time your battery light comes on if your car stalls.....

If the battery and alternator work fine and it didn't stall, then it sounds like an electrical gremlin/connection issue...

That shouldn't be a surprise to any of us xm owners To instil some faith, I had a xantia once where the dash started smoking out of the radio slot for a couple of seconds whilst driving....I panicked, the car carried on as normal and everything continued to work in perfect fashion for the following year or so until I sold it

Also the xm windows packed up on a dry day for no reason...then a couple of hours later sprang back into life...the problem has never returned in the last year or so

Sporadic problems are so annoying yes, but with older citroens they seem to fix themselves

[Charles M]

I have decided Vince that I should be more worried by a light being off than on. Anyway, Lucifer is getting the full machine polish treatment which is working well, despite a large number of scratches and swirls that make a curly wurly look straight. I've just ordered a woolpad and Meguiars bodyshop #9 to make more efficient progress.

Looking at my diary I doubt it will be much before April before I get the SM back. I'll be in touch!

[Charles M]

So takes Black XM into indy to have the other abs sensor done so I can sell it with that advertised, and also to replace centre sphere which I said I'd provide.

Go in, explain again what I want to do, say I have the centre sphere, and am asked three times why I want to do the other abs sensor now the other is working and also says he can't clear the fault code with his Lexia (which isn't needed if the ABS is working anyway as I have found out from experience).

Then get a grilling on the centre sphere which he tells me has nothing to do with the soft ride, in which time he calls it the anti-sink sphere, then I get a lecture on not knowing anything (which I freely admit).

Thinks to self, life is too short to deal with this, so say nicely but with gritted teeth - indulge me, I'm the customer.

Then he says he'll have difficulty getting hold of a centre sphere today....

Grrrrr. Drive a clapped out Ford Ka back - now that handles like a roller skate! Cheers up.

[djg]

And wonder if it will be the correct sphere at all...

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[Charles M]

If it isn't that would be my and AEP's fault as it is sitting in the car on the front passenger seat - which is where I told him, twice, it was!

[russ92xmsed]

Oh dear Charles. What ever happened to customer is always right.

Clearly he doesn't know his stuff. That's quite an obvious thing to get wrong. Even I know the centre sphere is for soft mode and not the anti sink which is tucked up by the rear subframe. Hope it gets sorted.

Older ford KA's are great fun. I had a luxury one, loved it. Horrid on motorways, but they are like a roller skate round the twisty bits.

Let me know anytime about your engine bay stickers for the Mk1.

[Charles M]

I think he was checking that I knew what I was doing, he's quite old fashioned in trying to avoid customers wasting money, as invariably they'll moan if it doesn't!

Anyway, the sphere took a real chiselling to remove, and the reason became obvious, he reckoned it was the original one given its condition.

Ride home was a lot better, he would like to check the struts as he does see bad ones more than occasionally, so I'll pop over some other time, but it is much much improved and the ABS is now fully renewed at the front.

The KA had horrid brakes and lousy ride, but a gutsy torquey little engine in a light car with very sharp steering is always fun, and who needs brakes anyway!

I'll be in touch on stickers Russ soon, been too busy machine polishing the 190 Cosworth today - Vince, that Menzerna 4000 super finish is the bees knees indeeds - absolutely mirror finish with a medium Sonus pad.

[russ92xmsed]

Any time Charles. Just let me know. I know you have been a bit preoccupied with naughty conspiring XM's
I have them safe for you. Great news about the ride improving.

KA brakes are next to useless. Quite scary at times, especially hopping from a Citroen to that.
They just don't exist! The ride isn't brilliant, I had alloys on mine, so it was that bit harder. And in the end the seats gave me chronic backache. I am only 5"7, and I didn't find it comfortable to drive on long journeys. But round town, so much fun.