Bit of advice needed ...

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 03 Feb 2009, 18:51

Hi Mike,

When you place the switch in "sport" mode, all you are doing is changing the thresholds at which the ECU switches the suspension from soft to hard and how early it brings the stiff roll correction into play. You will notice very little outright difference; just an almost imperceptable "tightening" of the feel of the car. Even in sport it'll spend most of it's time soft (or what passes for soft in an Activa).

You'll not hear any clicks or anything as the electrovalves switch whilst driving. They do it very quickly with no drama whatsoever... You'll only hear a faint click and hum from them when you are testing them with the engine stopped and your ear cocked very close...

We have noticed many times how the presence of stored faults in the Hydractive ECU makes the suspension feel a bit "flat" and this seems to be when some sensor information is disregareded and the ECU uses defaults. Both Gareth and I have noticed a marked difference in feel after a Lexia session has cleared down the stored faults. It is possible maybe that the presence of faults disables the function of the switch.

I'd give your whole suspension a good testing and a good guide to how to do that can be found in the Activa Buyers Guide in this forum. Especially check the function of the hydractive electrovalves. You may find you need to do the "Diode Mod"

Correct any problems found and then you really should get a Lexia session carried out. If you can, get the Lexia to go mobile and you can watch the suspension working in real-time and you'll see it switch and also a Lexia can test all the sensors.

The whirr-click is a mystery. The fuel pressure regulator can make that sort of noise a few moments after the engine is switched off, as can the hydraulic pressure regulator but on reconnectrion of the battery, all i can think of is the heater flaps or the alarm...

One this is for sure, it was not the suspension electrovalves...

Hope that helps Mike and if you want, you're more than welcome to come and have a Lexia session at my place.

DickieG · Unread post by **DickieG** » 03 Feb 2009, 20:10

Just to add to Jim's comments, when the battery is reconnected you'll often hear the front electrovalve whirr-click-clunk which is a healthy indicator to suggest that the system is working correctly.

For simple checks to find out if the Hydractive system is 'live' simply open a door and listen to the valves whirring-clicking-clunking, then for when you're driving tune the radio to 171LW and listen very carefully for a change in the interference (it should reduce) as you 'flick' your foot on the accelerator.

As quiet as an Activa/V6 can be the only Xantia I've ever heard the electrovalves audibly (not through the radio) clunk shut on is my VSX TD where they close with a significant "CLUNK" but that could be something to do with its low mileage.