C5 2008 - After the fusebox, its now suspension

[Fedupofc5]

Hi All,
After fusebox issue which seems to have sorted(so far) the random error messages, this time its the "suspension faulty" issue, car not going up or down. I had this a year and half ago and it was a leaking power steering pipe which was replaced. But the fault has come up again, although this time i'm seeing no visible leaks under the drivers side as it did last time.
So is there any way i can check the lds fluid level, as it says that the lds tank needs to be opened only by the dealer. Even if there is a sequence procedure, since the car is not going up or down i'm guessing even the dealer would just open the reservoir.

Any help/thoughts appreciated.

Thanks.

[osx]

Don't worry about opening the reservoir. What position is the suspension at the moment? Normal or low? Does the pump make a sound as soon as you unlock and open the door?

[Fedupofc5]

Thanks osx
I think its in the normal position, definitely not high,since there is a some gap between the tyres and wheel arches i can't say its low.

No, i don't hear the motor when i open or close the door.

[myglaren]

You may not hear the motor every time the door is opened but almost always after the car has stood unused for a few hours, locked.
Upon unlocking it will generally run for a few seconds and you may even see one end of the car rise a little.

[Fedupofc5]

Hi myglaren, nope absolutely no movement at all. usually when i get in the car in the morning i can notice the car raising and then settling, but none now.
When i try to raise and lower the car manually i could see the display saying opening and closing etc, but no movement at all.

[addo]

Check maxi fuse 8 under the bonnet - it may be blown. If not, the motor/pump bloc is probably faulty. If the fuse is blown, you may get a few more days or weeks out of replacing it, until the motor is serviced or replaced.

[Stickyfinger]

Just like mine has just done, indicates the level but no movement.....it is being changed as we type.

I have no reason why it has failed but would expect the standard reasons.....moisture and debris from the bushes in a constantly used electric motor.........

[Fedupofc5]

Hey sticky,
Was yours a blown fuse or faulty motor? How much is it costing you?

Thanks,

[Fedupofc5]

Addo,
The dealer just replaced the underbonnet fusebox for a different issue, is the maxi fuse located in this if so i may be covered by the parts warranty.

[Stickyfinger]

pants

[Stickyfinger]

Hey sticky,
Was yours a blown fuse or faulty motor? How much is it costing you?

Thanks,

Stuffed motor, being changed under warranty thank goodness....about £1500-£1700 fitted I think...eg...HALF the worth of the car.
EBAY a recovered one if you have to pay, CHECK all other things first as guided by the others.

[myglaren]

I have no idea if I am doing the right thing here - I'm fully aware that the need for Citroebics is redundant in the C5 as it is a closed circuit but I regularly raise it to full height then drop it to the lowest a few times,* also leave it at the lowest overnight or for long periods throughout the day.

Partly to lubricate the otherwise unused or rarely used parts of the struts and partly to 'exercise' the pump motor as under normal use it will run for a couple of seconds at a time but the Citroebics runs it for much longer and hopefully dissipates and moisture in it.
Been lucky with it so far. It will probably break now I've said that.

*amuses me at traffic lights to see the expressions of disbelief on the faces of the posher cars in the queues

[Stickyfinger]

heheheh....me too to lube the struts and have fun, at MacDonald Drive thru with a Poxall with Kwik-fit-fitters in it and a 3inch pipe behind you ....raise the car to get your food easy ...
or
in a Waitrose, just drive Between a Mega cost Audi and BMW, then park up with it 2inches lower than them ....

[oldsmithy]

Hi

Not sure if this is relevent for your suspension failure. I've got a C5 2.0 hdi tourer 09 plate and january this year had the serious suspension fault message. The suspension motor wasnt running, so after much searching came across a blown 40 amp maxi fuse in the red fuse box next to the battery. This is a green flat midi fuse held in place with a couple of nylock nuts. I wasnt able to source a fuse locally so found a source on ebay and in the meantime drained the fluid reservoir and removed the motor assembly. Removing the end plate I found the brushes were in a poor state and riding over the end of the commutator so the unit would need replaced. I tried ebay etc but thinking the units out there would be worn to death probably i also tried looking for reconditioned units. The big problem would be the serial number and the bsi matching but I'd read that someone had swapped the control box on top of the assembly. I came across a specialist citroen dealer in holland and sent my vin number and was offered a replacement motor pump assembly minus the electronics box for I think it was £350 or thereabouts. Placed the order on the wednesday and it arrived on friday in Glasgow. Fitted it on the Saturday in about two hours and its been working fine since. The local dealers had quoted £1300.00 for the job.

[addo]

That supplementary fuse came in with the red extra fuse box on X7 series. Prior to that it was one of the maxi fuses under the main control panel in the engine bay.

It's getting to be such a common failure, surprising there's not a Chinese source of "bare" motors to put in there.