Just as I was getting that eerie feeling that I had come across a big Cit on which everything worked consistently and predictably, the XM decided that it was time for some fun & games. In true Citroën fashion, it developed a minor, but slightly irritating, fault. Yesterday, the cruise control stopped working.

At one point during the ride, I did remember that, if you would just lightly brush the bottom of the brake pedal with your foot, the cruise control would disengage... so I thought, maybe that's it. And sure enough, if I lift the brake pedal a bit, I can sort of consistently get the cruise control to engage again. So it must be the switch in the brake pedal.

I haven't had time to explore this yet, as we have a visitor from England over, who we need to entertain (and drive around in the XM of course)... so I don't know where the switch is, and if it can be adjusted (with or without elbow grease).

Ideas, anyone?

thanks,
peter

It's almost always the brake switch. Not cheap to replace either. You could just do the relay by-pass on the ECU side of the engine bay behind the headlights or the fuse wire in the Cruise ECU connector as a cheap fix.

WTF ??? Replacement ??? Just pull it apart and clean the contacts. 5minutes work, and simple

seeya,
Shane L.

I too have a problem with non-functioning cruise control and thought it might be one of the switches. The brake switch has been suggested as a common fault, but presumably there would then be no brake lights either, as there appears to be only one switch on the pedal. Please elighten us further. Regards, Matthew T.

There are 2 switches in the brake pedal,

Normally open which does the brake lights and cruise. This one switches a significant(ish) current so will tend to work.

Normally closed which does the cruise, this is the one which goes duff. This one only switches a light signal current so will tend to get dirty and not work.

So the brake lights still work but the cruise doesn't.

John

Very many thanks for the further advice. I have just changed the switch for one I had on another car and hey presto the cruise control now works! All being well I can now refurbish the original switch, although so far it has not been possible to open it up!! Thanks again for the help. Regards, Matthew T.

Matthew,
Once you got it from the car with the single 10mm nut, it then levers apart with small lips - a clip together type pedal, with a spring in it...

Theres not much in there, but if you clean up all obvious contacts, it will sort it...

The contacts just get a bit black with LOW current arc ing ... Its quite understandable once you got the switch open...


Rgds
Paul

Many thanks Paul. I had got the switch off and worked out what to do, but did not want to force anything!! It has now been possible to open up the body and I have identified the dual pole arangement and contacts to be cleaned. All best regards, Matthew T.

Same here - thanks guys!

Something comes to mind. It's so typical of Citroën to engineer this in a way in which it is quite easy to go wrong over time - and surprisingly easy to fix at the same time!

peter

Hi all, while we are on the cruise subject, i have 2 brand new brake pedal switches for a MANUAL car,been sitting in the garage for 3 years now, genuine cit parts, free to first 2 addesses e-mailed to me.Will be in the uk for the weekend only, but will be off-line from thursday 11 dec. Will post them over weekend if any replies.