C5 X7 Suspension.

[qprdude]

The front of my C5 drops when I switch the ignition off.
It rises immediately I switch the ignition on again.
I think it might take a bit of time to drop, but rises as soon as the ignition is turned on. Can't feel anything else wrong when driving and I didn't really notice it until I started the car up with the DRL reflecting on the garage door.
I'm not overly concerned as everything seems to work OK, but wondered if any other X7 owners had noticed this.

[Gibbo2286]

[qprdude]

Forgive my ignorance, but would that tank be on the left of the engine bay (looking from the front) and is it easily accessible?. Can I see the level without stripping anything down? Cheers for the diagram and the help.

It's chucking down rain and pitch black outside, I have a hospital appointment tomorrow, son's car to drop off for pre- MOT on Wednesday (18 miles away) and to pick up on Thursday again from the testing station so it will be Friday before I get a look at the fluid level .
My car was serviced at a main dealer a couple of months ago, and I'm surprised they didn't check.

[Robert12]

My x7 estate is the same drops a bit but soon as the, ignition is turned on it comes up again

[Gibbo2286]

Yes it's on the left looking from the front, the plastic cover can be lifted off by pulling out the plastic pegs that hold it down if you need to but if it's set on the bottom suspension setting the LDS should be at the bottom of the filler neck.

[qprdude]

OK cheers, I'll get on to it as soon as I get a minute. Can I top up the LDS myself? I know it say's something about "Citroen service only" on a sticker somewhere near there.

[myglaren]

Yes you can but clean around the filler meticulously before removing it and be sure not to allow any dirt get into the reservoir.

[qprdude]

OK, I'm familiar with hydraulic fluid handling and the need to prevent the slightest contamination, but totally unfamiliar with the Citroen system.
Am I right in thinking that there is no pressure in the header tank? Would low fluid level cause the front to drop with the ignition off?

[mooseshaver]

I don't think its wrong. It's probably self levelling as you open/close doors.
My older C5s were far more noticeable than my X7. They always went up once unlocked. My X7 not as often although it has been going into economy mode a lot until I changed battery.

Somewhere there is a post about how or when the suspension level is checked, I think it's on every door opening, and every 10 secs when engine running.

If I remember correctly I could get out the old cars and quickly lock the door it would not sink until I unlocked it again. Except over night when it always rose up a bit on unlock, bit like a happy hound seeing its master.

[qprdude]

I don't really notice it when I stop the engine , mostly because I'm looking elsewhere, or already getting out. I notice it when I switch the ignition on because I'm looking at the warnings "oil level correct" etc, and it's obvious that the car is rising.
My car usually drops into economy mode immediately on stopping, but there have been a couple of times recently when I've been able to get the radio on for about 3 or 4 minutes after stopping the engine.

[mooseshaver]

Have you had the battery tested? Mine would go in economy mode after a few uses of tailgate or sometimes one use and left overnight.
Now after a new battery it's fine.

[qprdude]

Not had it tested, but it's taking a bit longer to turn the engine over now, and with winter coming, I suspect I'll have to get the wallet out.

[Stickyfinger]

Not had it tested, but it's taking a bit longer to turn the engine over now, and with winter coming, I suspect I'll have to get the wallet out.

Get one On-Line, I fell out of my tree with "Shop" prices....saved £40 + ..

[qprdude]

I'll probably give it until after our November trip to Surrey, then I'll be looking for recommendations. I've seen one for £65 with a 4 year warranty, but don't know if it's man enough for the car.

[qprdude]

Managed to get a spare minute today.
Firstly, expecting to be able to see a fluid level through the tank, I was gazing at the water header.
The LDS tank is black, so no way to check levels from the outside.

The suspension has 4 levels so after checking that the highest level worked, I set it on the lowest level .
Then I found I couldn't get out of the car .

At the side of my short drive, I have a low, 2 spar wooden fence, which I had already lowered by a few inches,to allow the car doors to be opened. I did this when I swapped my Saab 9-3 for the C5 as it sits a bit nearer the ground. OK, back up with the suspension and shift the car away from said fence.
Drop the suspension and switch off. Wait until I hear the motor stop. (it had a fairly high pitched whine) The tank top was pretty clean but I gave it a good wipe down to be on the safe side.
I opened the filler cap and had a butchers inside. . Nothing!.

I could see a sort of cross hatched plastic filter, part of the tank as it was moulded in by the look of it. No sign of fluid but there was movement just below the plastic filter when I shook the car.

Closed the filler top and worked the suspension a couple of times and all the heights seemed to work .

When I put the suspension to "high", the back of the car rose to the top before the front started moving. I thought there was a fault, but as the motor was still whining, I waited. The front end then rose to the top quite quickly, and the motor ran for about 20 seconds before shutting off.

Would everything seem normal to all you Citroen H3 guys.?
Tell you what though, the car doesn't half look odd with the 19" wheels and the suspension at the top.

It looks even crazier with it down though, as a good portion of the tyres are up under the wheel arches.