C5 SUSPENTION MAINTENENCE

odednovo · Post by **odednovo** » 11 Apr 2008, 07:50

I read that each five years the C5 suspensions needs routine maintenance
Do I have to bleed the hydraulic fluid? How to do it?
What else do I have to do in this routine maintenance and how to do it?

mark_l · Post by **mark_l** » 11 Apr 2008, 15:00

Clean fresh oil-the first condition of reliability of any hydraulic system. So you have to replace it. I do it once in 3-4 years instead 5 (or 60KKm) as per manufacturer recommendations. No faults.

Generally you have to dismount and empty LHM tank, clean it and filters, fill up fresh LHM and bleed brakes.
Check if C5's procedure is different.

bencowell · Post by **bencowell** » 12 Apr 2008, 00:07

REMEMBER!!! The C5 uses LDS suspension fluid. It is orange coloured.

odednovo · Post by **odednovo** » 12 Apr 2008, 21:08

What about the spheres?
how you bleed the LDS there?

reblack68 · Post by **reblack68** » 13 Apr 2008, 08:24

The C5's system is completely different from previous Citroen models. The brakes and, I think, the steering are conventional. The suspension is pumped electrically whether the engine is running or not.

Don't try and work on the suspension until you have clear C5-specific information available.

odednovo · Post by **odednovo** » 13 Apr 2008, 18:45

You right. The steering and the brakes are conventional.
That’s why I am looking for the information how to do this suspension maintenance.
I believe it is not a difficult job if you know what to do because the C5 hydraulic system is much simple in the mechanical point of view, all the calculations and the control are made by the computer which control the electric pomp and the valves unit.
I hope someone will help me.

reblack68 · Post by **reblack68** » 13 Apr 2008, 21:32

I found a bleed nipple in a small block mounted towards the back of the driver's side inner wing when I was looking for something else. I don't know if it's the only one or how you would use it though.

wheeler · Post by **wheeler** » 13 Apr 2008, 22:55

That nipple is for de-pressurising the front suspension, theres one at the rear aswell.

reblack68 · Post by **reblack68** » 14 Apr 2008, 07:31

It looks like there's a Haynes BOL on the way at the end of August if you can wait that long.

bencowell · Post by **bencowell** » 14 Apr 2008, 23:20

The power steering is not (completely) conventional. It uses LDS and shares with the suspension reservoir.

jmd · Post by **jmd** » 15 Apr 2008, 00:43

A Cit. machanic tells me there is no need to bleed the system or remove the exixting LDS. Lower the suspension completely and remove the cap from the tank, and top up the tank to the marked point with new LDS. (The marking is difficult to see) My son's C5 toook over 2 Ltrs of LDS. It appears LDS is Bio-degradable so it does not deteriorate during use. Ensure that you have LDS in your tank & that no machanic has previousely used LHM instead of LDS. Steering and suspension are on the same circuit. The brakes are completely separate and use DOT4.

odednovo · Post by **odednovo** » 16 Apr 2008, 13:17

It sounds good

It seems that the C5 hydraulic system is "maintenance free"

Post by **elma** » 16 Apr 2008, 13:47

jmd wrote:A Cit. machanic tells me there is no need to bleed the system or remove the exixting LDS.

Mechanics talk a lot of rubbish sometimes,
If citroen say every 5 yrs then go with that.

I just bought a Y reg 103k full service history at Renault car.
Never had the brakes bled in its life and they are spongy, fluid is an unpleasant colour.
Also not had coolant in it, just plain old water, weird as renault just replaced the water pump a few months before I bought it.

Dealer mechanics are not to be trusted, they might know what should be done but often prefer what can be done as a bare minimum without leaving the vicinity of the ramp to get a bottle of stuff.

End of the day that fluid holds all the crud in the system, if not replaced at around its intervals it will not perform correctly

I'd ring citroen and find the proper interval (assumng 5 yrs is not for the C5)
Then go with 2/3 of it for peace of mind.

Post by **myglaren** » 16 Apr 2008, 13:55

elma is right. It is probably just his personal opinion with nothing to back it up.

If it were maintenance free, Citroen would no doubt make a big thing about it.

JohnD · Post by **JohnD** » 16 Apr 2008, 19:51

According to Revue Technique the LDS should be replaced every 125K miles.