CITROËN AUSTRALIA

The Citroën Xantia:
Safety & Security

The global safety approach for Citroën means doing everything to avert an accident under all circumstances, and then to provide occupants with maximum protection by means of a reinforced passenger compartment and a whole series of additional devices and equipment.

Global safety also means being able to leave your vehicle on the public highway with peace of mind thanks to effective anti-theft protection.

Dynamic safety

Following the traditions of the Marque, the running gear has been designed to give the Xantia improved steering, grip and drive as well as comfort due to the suspension design and the special attention to filtering axle-generated discomfort.

The hydraulic suspension guarantees coherent, homogeneous, and effective roadholding under all circumstances, adapted to the different types of engine. Right from the very first drive, the Xantia gives the impression of being easy to drive, efficient and safe.

The Xantia also has a rear self-steer axle to further improve the roadholding/

Comfort combination

The Xantia Exclusive offers computer controlled Hydractive suspension.

• All Xantia's have 4 disc brakes, ventilated at the front. ABS is standard throughout the whole of the range, from the SX level up.
• All new Xantia's have a door open warning that operates even when the ignition is turned off.
• The Citroën Xantia's rear view mirrors enable safe overtaking and the mirrors are electrically adjustable on the whole range.
• All Xantias have rain sensor front windscreen wipers. This device self-regulates the screen wipe frequency (variable intermittence, continuous slow or fast).
• All Xantias are also fitted with an exterior temperature indicator with a warning as soon as the temperature drops to 3· and under.

Passive safety

The structure of the Xantia is composed mainly of high yield strength body panels that provide the passenger compartment with rigidity without penalising vehicle weight.

The new Xantia is in advance of European side impact standards that are compulsory in the year 2003. Directive 96/27 imposes biomechanical criteria values for impacts against a deformable barrier, for a weight of 950 kg, at a speed of 50 km/h against the side of the vehicle.

The roof cross-member and centre pillars have been reinforced. This technique provides the vehicle with a roll bar.

This roll bar guarantees the optimum safety in case of side impact or rollover. It is completed by progressive distortion energy absorbing padding incorporated in the front door panels, and reinforming bars. In case of side impact, a large part of the energy is absorbed by the centre pillar/roof cross-member (roll bar). The padding at the occupants' hip-level gradually and gently transmits the residual energy.

All new Xantias are equipped standard with twin front air bags. The passenger's cone-shaped air bag deploys as far as possible into the passenger compartment in order to absorb the movement of the passenger as soon as possible. The front seat belts are height adjustable and are fitted with pyrotechnic pretensioners with belt locking devices or torsion bar load limiters. The load limiters, thanks to optimised settings, reduce pressure on the rib cage.

The one-touch electric window control (standard on driver's side) has a self-regulating antipinch system. Each time it is used, this new system "learns" the resistance due to the environment. Window glass movement resistance depends on the friction in the door frame (dust, ageing, ice, snow). The anti-pinch ECU continually measures the position and speed of the window glass, analyses it and compares it with the data recorded the previous times it was used. In case of anomaly, it reacts within a few milliseconds.

On the petrol engine versions, the Citroën Xantia has an inertia operated fuel supply cut-off system and a fire safety procedure governed by the engine electronic control unit, in order to limit leaks in case of an accident.

Vehicle Security

The new Xantia offers excellent protection against theft and break-ins. The whole of the range is fitted with central locking of the doors, hatch and fuel tank flap using a two button high frequency remote control (one button for opening, the other for closing). On opening, the hazard warning lights flash, on closing, they stay on for two seconds.

The remote control uses a rolling code in order to provide maximum security. Each transmission contains data that defines that the following transmissions are to be, preventing the reproduction of an "old" signal from unlocking the vehicle.

All Xantias are fitted standard with a transponder. A chip incorporated into the ignition key dialogues with the entire ECU that checks the code. The encrypted code guarantees system security: the ECU transmission contains variable parameters in a random signal; the chip uses these parameters to process the random signal and transmit the correct response.

The twin plug cylinder door locks are burglarproof. The number of combinations has been increased from 2,000 to 100,000. In addition, all lock barrels rotate freely if tampered with and the levers are protected from picking.

A buzzer sounds if a door is opened and the key is still in the ignition.