Electrovlaves, Being activated when parked

[Assich]

I have just noticed that my electrovalves keep being activated every so often despite not opening a door or boot or bonnet. Has anyone had a similar problem? Likely candidate is a door switch but how do I check if it's an intermittent fault as it were and equally the internal light isn't coming on. If not them then what else could do it? I now think this is will be why my alarm is acting up and the unit may be okay with this fixed.

This post has been edited by Assich on June 20, 2007 08:45 pm

[steelcityuk]

I'd have a look at the tailgate switch. On my XM it's under the plastic trim that covers the steel latch hoop. A simple contact affair. With mine being an hatchback I wouldn't know if the light was on, not sure about estates.

Steve.

[noz]

Hi Assich,

Presumably this is when you are stationary with the engine running? In which case I think you've got it back to front. The electrovalve should be on all the time. You should be thinking why it keeps turning off!

If you are stationary with the ignition off then it should only energise when it detects a door opening. Poor door contacts can cause the ecu to think that a door's open when its not. After switching the engine off and closing all the doors the electrovalves should stay energised for a minute or so then go off. If a door remains open then the electrovalves stay energised for much longer but do eventually go off so they don't flatten the battery.

Cheers

noz

[Assich]

This is happening with the engine off and doors closed. Also happens with the doors locked although I haven't checked for with them deadlocked yet. I came back from walking the dog last night about an hour after leaving the house (on foot) and heard them buzzing. It's not quite so easy to determine a likely cause straight off the wiring diagram because there are at least two switches at the lock in each door (possibly a third on the deadlock) plus the contact switch on the door pillar. Because these go into control units you don't necessarily know everything the control units do. Lock switches go to the plip control unit which goes to the alarm. The pillar switch goes to a timer delay unit for the interioir lights but does it do anything else. The alarm unit is not attached to the car at the moment because it kept going off whether set or not. The paasanger door lock doesn't work the central locking using the key but I think this is correct as it was the same on my last xm. The drivers door doesn't always work the central locking with the key but as far as I know if the switches weren't working as should then the door would auto unlock on locking or lock on unlocking because the control unit would detect so and react accordingly.

[Assich]

Just to close this off.

I found water in the screw-on connector to the drivers door. Blasted it with DW40 and this seems to have cured my electrovalve problem. I also checked the lock on the drivers door and am recieving all the lock/unlock signals I should and motors are running as they should. So all is now well with the drivers door. Passenger door had a similar type of problem as it was making the alarm unit and alarm relay click from time to time and presumably was why the alarm was going off. I checked the lock signals at the screw-on connector and I am not recieving the latched (door shut) signal or the unlocked signal but do recieve the locked signal. Looks like a replacement lock is required to get my alarm functioning correctly (I hope).

Now this is the typical WHY DID CITROEN DO THIS part of the investigation.
The screw-on connector to the door is pin to pin and not pin to socket. This seems utter madness. Why, why, why, why , why.

[xmexclusive]

Hi Assich

If you have not already done so it might be worth unplugging and cleaning the 3 connectors to the lock block on the suspect door. Even if you cannot get the plugs out of the door far enough to examine/clean them the act of unplugging/refitting may well clean up a poor contact. As the alarm is interlinked with the door controls sorting the door contacts may even cure the alarm problems.

Regards

XMexc