Russ's 2.1 SED Auto now in Mandarin

[CitroJim]

I find intermittent faults on XMs do have a good habit of often fixing themselves Russ so fingers crossed. I do find that XMs hate being unused though...

[Eddie nuff]

That's my worry. It's a thought that has been running around my head a while that for the sake of £100 extra she could be taxed for the full year and I could use her, if only for half a dozen dry days during the winter.

[russ92xmsed]

Well Jim! you are quite right. It's fixed itself! .....the brake light works fine.

And no condensation on the rear windscreen either.......but just now, driving back from some friends, the evening dew decided it wanted to be inside the car rather than out. So some more aircon and heater on full blow finally solved that little issue. Took some moping up though. Very annoying, hasn't done that in ages and ages....hmmmmm

XM's really do need to be driven regularly.

[captainhaddock]

Take it on a holiday, be brave,(or an idiot like me! !!!
No AA, no nothing and hoping for the best.
Brake light switches do perish, especially with auto's. I do carry a spare in the boot.

[russ92xmsed]

That did cross my mind Jaap, good idea having a spare switch in the boot.

However, I'll never be without my RAC cover.....ever!

[russ92xmsed]

This is entirely self inflicted, but I have been playing about with LED's to replace the window switch bulbs. All but one had blown, that's not including the one touch which requires a different solution.....but although fiddly, I fitted 4x white 3 mm LEDs with a resistor to each switch. All tested and work a treat. BUT and this is where I am a little perplexed, the rear door switches do not work anymore. They did before, but dead as a dodo now. I swapped the front switches with the rear and it isn't the switches. It's a power supply issue.
So what to do next.....obvious next step is checking wiring. Maybe a fuse of course... Any suggestions, if this is a common problem for example, would be brilliant!


My LHD brake defective light message popped up again yesterday, but went away eventually. I did notice quite a bit of water dribbling out from under the lights, so will have to check the seal and earth and contact points. If not then it's a brake pedal switch, but as it is only one light that is out, I think it's the light end.

Apart from that... Through all this horrid stormy weather, it's been leak free as far as I know. No obvious damp patches like before.

[captainhaddock]

Good show, did you check for corrosion in the plugs leading into the door, this can be causing your problem. Did you change the bulb, don't know what you mean with a light end.

[russ92xmsed]

Good show, did you check for corrosion in the plugs leading into the door, this can be causing your problem. Did you change the bulb, don't know what you mean with a light end.

Sorry Jaap, I mean the rear light itself. It isn't the pedal switch I don't think.


I cleaned the contacts on the window switches, but it is a power issue. I bet a fuse. I put a working front switch on the back and nothing. So either I have pressed the isolater switch by accident ...or it's a fuse. The fact that both have lost power suggests a common problem. I ran out of time and light to go fiddling anymore today.

[russ92xmsed]

So it was the fuse that blew. And turns out it is the rear right hand switch causing it to blow. So a simple re wire is needed. I popped a front working switch in the rear, all works with no fuse popping. So will try again.....

[russ92xmsed]

Success...and I replaced the seat switch bulbs too. Nice to have full illumination of every button...well apart from the one touch switch. Scared of that one!!!