Hydractive 3

[qprdude]

When I get in the car,(2.2 HDI C5 X7), it's always in economy mode so no suspension pump.
As soon as I start the engine the front of the car rises. Probably about 30 mm+.
As soon as I switch the engine off, the front drops by the same amount, but not slowly and gently. It just drops as if onto a bump stop.
It doesn't really concern me, but if my suspension isn't as it should be, maybe I'm not getting the full benefit. I've noticed that if I go over a "sleeping policeman" a bit rapidly, there is a bang from the front, but never from the rear.
Any experts out there who can give me advice?

[mooseshaver]

It will drop when you get out and shut the door or maybe lock it. If it wasn't for economy mode you would hear it rising when you unlock it the next morning.

[qprdude]

I'm hoping it's normal then. It's just that it rises gently when the engine is switched on, but it drops like a stone with the engine off. I must keep an eye on it on the rare occasion when it doesn't go into economy mode immediately.

[mooseshaver]

I'm not sure dropping like a stone is right.

[vborovic]

I don't have the hydractive suspension in my car, but I too am sometimes surprised with the fast entry into economy mode. I can be driving for 2 hours, turn the car off, turn it on, work on the car for 5-10 minutes (the only things that will be on is the interior lighting), and it will go into economy mode. The battery isn't new, but it can hold it's charge quite well (tested and confirmed) ... the Citroen Service says this is normal, and that they too are aware of the shorter time before entering the economy mode, than being said in the user manual (some 30 minutes). Go figure.

[qprdude]

I understand that economy mode is preset (depending on battery condition) , to allow the same amount of time as the engine has been running, before becoming active, up to a maximum of 30 minutes.
IE, if you start the car and drive for 10 minutes you should have 10 minutes with all systems operating. If you run the car for 45 minutes, you should have 30 minutes before economy kicks in. It has never happened with my car, but it is erratic. Sometimes I think if I drive in daylight, without DRL or A/C , Radio, Sat Nav etc, I get a few minutes of "economy free" parking, but it's difficult to judge, as after 300 motorway miles, economy kicks in immediately I stop.

PS, whatever Citroen say, by their own parameters, it isn't normal.

[vborovic]

Fully agree that it shouldn't be normal ... it was driving me crazy while I was fitting the USB box, I had to start the engine every other time, instead of just being able to use it with only the ignition on, because the economy mode was limiting my experimentation with the radio ...

[qprdude]

I think someone said the economy mode feature could be turned off with a Digibox/Lexia

[vborovic]

Good thing I'm not that desperate ... ... else I would have to install a backup solar panel roof charger to start the car ... the economy mode is good to protect the vehicle that it has enough juice in the battery, but, 10-20 mins extra would sometimes come in handy ...