Few niggly problems... electrics and suspension

[eskimoigloo]

Hi guys, stil new to this Xantia lark, hence the need for help again!

1) outside temp sensor not working (screen reads - - -)
2) passenger side lecy miror not working
3) heated mirrors not working (do I have them?)

4) I am getting intermitent soft/hard suspension. I don't appear to have the soft/hard selector switch whch gets mentioned a lot as being at fault. The only way i can get it to go soft is to switch it to low or high riding and then back to normal, it then stays soft for a few miles and then stiffens up again, a quick wiggle of the height selector and it gets better temporarily again??? When it feels soft the back drops when cornering hard and rises again when back on the straight, but nothing seems to happen on the front. when stiff, nothing happens when cornering (i think?).

It's a 2001 Xantia HDI (possibly one of the last made?) at 50k miles.

Any help appreciated, as the speed bumps outside my house are starting to get daunting!
Chris.

[eskimoigloo]

After reading many posts on here, i saw one which mentioned the LHM level indicator, and that the orange cone shaped thingy should be in-between the 2 red lines at "normal" ride height. Mine is way above! There is a 2nd gold disc in there that is between the red lines at this position. when dropping the car the orange thing touches the top, when raising the car it sits just below the red lines..... what does this indicate? Could this be the problem? Normal ride height looks about right, with the rear wheel arch and top of tyre being about level.
Chris.

[jeremy]

The LHM level should be checked with the suspension fully raised. Overfilling just makes a mess and doesn't cause any other problems.

[eskimoigloo]

So does that mean my fluid level is low if the orange cone drops below the red lines at full height? Could this give me my problems?

Chris.

[Clogzz]

does that mean my fluid level is low if the orange cone drops below the red lines at full height?

Yes, the orange cone must be between the two red rings at full height, and parked on the flat.

[wrinklet1]

Check the connections to the mirror switch on the drivers door. It's comon ofr them to work loose and not work.
Paul

[eskimoigloo]

Ok, the STOP sign is coming on for a few seconds when starting up, and the power steering is starting to make strange whooshing noises, so I guess i am short of LHM... could this be causing my intermitent stiff ride? If so, how do i change the fluid? (which i guess is better than just topping it up). Or is it more likely to be spheres on the way out?

As for the electric niggles.... there appears to be a hole in the bottom of the mirror where the temp sensor should be, so this could be a replaced badly fitted one, but should the drivers side mirror be heated?

Chris.

[Clogzz]

how do i change the fluid?

Before changing the fluid, take some out of the tank to see what colour it is.
If it's bright green, no urgent need to change it.
If it's gone orange or brown, then yes.
The tank must look about half-full when looking into it at normal ride height and parked on the flat.
If you put a finger into it, and it comes out dry, then the level is low.

[eskimoigloo]

Ok, sorted the suspension... this was sticking height adjuster and low fluid! I have just been having a firkle around my mirrors trying to sort out my other probs to find to my annoyance that the passenger side mirror has obviously been replaced at some point by simply chopping through all of the wires!!!!!!!! would this also account for my drivers side heated mirror not working? i.e. are they in series from one side to the other?

Chris.