front going up and down without human input.

falling-out-with-my-car · 04 Jul 2010, 16:08

Hi,

I did my usual once a week citroen aerobics the other day and didnt drive the car until later on in the day.

it had been a very hot day temps got up to about 27 degrees C.

I drove my 1998 Mk2 citroen xantia 1.9TD estate about five miles to a local supermarket car park, when I pulled up into the parking bay the front of the car decided it was going to lift and lower itself continuosly without any input from myself.

so I reversed out of the bay and drove to the bottom of the car park out of the way of prying eyes and did the embarrasing citroen aerobics again, the front settled down and stopped lifting and lowering.

I drove back to the exact same spot where I was parked before, in a disabled bay. and the front started acting up again.

The front end hasn't misbehaved again since and I am now starting to wonder wether it was the heat or some interfearence caused by the radio link parking monitors burried in the ground in disabled bays.

maybe its a mechanical fault something sticking perhaps.
whatever it is it's worrying me a bit Ive got to drive to wolverhampton soon.

thank you in advance Nigel.

Unread post by **Peter.N.** » 04 Jul 2010, 16:40

The only thing I can suggest is a sticky height control valve, but don't know why its only doing it in one spot.

Peter

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 04 Jul 2010, 19:54

I would agree with you Peter, just a little stiction in the height corrector can do this, also if the main hydraulic pressure is wavering a bout a bit due to a poor accumulator and or dodgy pressure regulator although this is most unlikely. If it does it again listen carefully at the regulator tick rate and see if it changes from what is normal for your car.

Another contributory factor can be very dry strut pistons. It's worth pulling down their gaiters and giving them a lube.

Don't forget Nigel that if the car is parked up at or near full lock you can observe a similar phenomenon.

Certainly nothing very serious.

falling-out-with-my-car · 04 Jul 2010, 21:11

Ahhha Jim,

I was at full lock because I had just turned into the parking space, when I moved to the distant space I straightened the steering, I probably returned to full lock when I drove back to the original parking space.

that's it then. is it worth lubricating the struts like I used to on the Bx with a little lhm trickled down from under the bonnet with a piece of pipe in the hole beneath the spheres.

thanks Jim.

I shall toy around with this full lock theory later.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 04 Jul 2010, 23:26

Full lock's fun for showing off

red_dwarfers · Unread post by **red_dwarfers** » 05 Jul 2010, 07:13

You know, I would have never thought of that!
Its one of those things I'd spend ages and ages looking into at completely the wrong direction

addo · Unread post by **addo** » 05 Jul 2010, 07:24

I think a good number of the UK members here would be too young for the Dee era, but they used to rise up appealingly at the front when you turned hard.

First time I saw a Xantia do it, I was both pleased and amused. As an aside, the Xantia also echoes the Dee's bonnet in both the centre crease and tapering swage lines.

vince · Unread post by **vince** » 05 Jul 2010, 22:57

Its funny you mention this, mine did this a short while back...the front was up and downing on full lock whilst stationary and the engine running.

Never worried though, just figured....A HA another Citroen hydraulic quirk discovered....awesome

That way i look at hydraulics is simple....if your not losing fluid and no lights are on then your good to go