c5 suspension woes

This is the Forum for all your Citroen Technical Questions, Problems or Advice.

Moderator: RichardW

User avatar
Stickyfinger
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 10411
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
Location: Somset my lovleee
My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally
x 1280
Contact:

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by Stickyfinger »

cannot see the box "clunking a bit" being connected.

I really do still think (as I found out myself) that the car needs a good check over after being "serviced" by a main dealer.

They just replace things when they go wrong, on my experience they NEVER showed any interest in anything unless it broke. ZERO assessment or preventative maintenance recommendation.
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
aeroboy64
Posts: 66
Joined: 26 Feb 2016, 10:10
Location: n.e.lincs
My Cars: renault 19 16v cabriolet
Saab 95 hot aero

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by aeroboy64 »

Stickyfinger wrote:cannot see the box "clunking a bit" being connected.

I really do still think (as I found out myself) that the car needs a good check over after being "serviced" by a main dealer.

They just replace things when they go wrong, on my experience they NEVER showed any interest in anything unless it broke. ZERO assessment or preventative maintenance recommendation.
The chap at PLEIADES said if your exhaust was dragging on the floor but the computer said it was o.k. then there's not really a problem (i got the feeling he was'nt too impressed with main dealers)
User avatar
Stickyfinger
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 10411
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
Location: Somset my lovleee
My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally
x 1280
Contact:

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by Stickyfinger »

I had littary NEVER sworn at any "customer service" person before I experienced Hatwells Abingdon and Hartwells Bath

They liked this....NOT
Image
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
aeroboy64
Posts: 66
Joined: 26 Feb 2016, 10:10
Location: n.e.lincs
My Cars: renault 19 16v cabriolet
Saab 95 hot aero

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by aeroboy64 »

Stickyfinger wrote:I had littary NEVER sworn at any "customer service" person before I experienced Hatwells Abingdon and Hartwells Bath

They liked this....NOT
Image
Remind me not to p**s you off :shock:
User avatar
Stickyfinger
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 10411
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
Location: Somset my lovleee
My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally
x 1280
Contact:

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by Stickyfinger »

It made a point....I do not often loose it to that extent but these people are a pathetic waste of space and damage the Citroen name :)
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
aeroboy64
Posts: 66
Joined: 26 Feb 2016, 10:10
Location: n.e.lincs
My Cars: renault 19 16v cabriolet
Saab 95 hot aero

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by aeroboy64 »

Stickyfinger wrote:It made a point....I do not often loose it to that extent but these people are a pathetic waste of space and damage the Citroen name :)
I wished i'd pulled up at the dealers who disconnected my pump because it was faulty and showed them the car rising and lowering and would say a competent mechanic fixed it for me?Mr Stevie Wonder & Ray Charles.
User avatar
Stickyfinger
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 10411
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
Location: Somset my lovleee
My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally
x 1280
Contact:

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by Stickyfinger »

LOL

Facebook....their page had this up for ages before they realised, they delete it ?.....you just put it up again after 6pm :)
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
cachaciero
Posts: 1407
Joined: 13 Apr 2009, 07:24
Location: West Sussex U.K
My Cars:
x 9

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by cachaciero »

aeroboy64 wrote:
Stickyfinger wrote:Main Dealer would not of changed the G-Box oil......it is "sealed for life" and is not on the service schedule for these boxes for any manufacturer who use them.

(I stand to be corrected on that).
The numerous problems all seem to started when i first got the "suspension fault 55mph" on the dash.
If this is at all similar to earlier C5's with H3+ which I suspect it is then this would indicate a problem either within the SuSpension Pump, or a stiff / binding suspension unit (assuming the basic heights are correct). At round about 55mph the suspension changes it's height, (lower) this suggests that the suspension is not achieving it's commanded heights either because an electrovalve is not working correctly or because the suspension is being physically impeded from dropping within the allotted time. A usefull test would be to select the intermediate high position check the car goes there then drive it at around about 25mph it should automagically drop to the correct height, it will do this quite quickly.
Something else to try select full low when it gets there switch the ignition off lock the car using the plip wait a few minutes then unlock the car, the pump should run and the car rise to normal height.

The suspension takes data from both the gearbox and the steering wheel position sensor / ESP system.so lack of or erroneous data from these systems may produce suspension faults
2006 Toyota Prius T Spirit
2001 2.2 C5 Exclusive SE
1996 XM 2.1 TD Auto VSX
1995 XM 2.1 TD Auto SX died @ 140K
1987 CX 2.5 Gti Turbo II dead
1984 Ford Scorpio
1981 CX 2.4 Pallas Auto
Renault 21
1220 GS Club
Rover P6 2000TC
cachaciero
Posts: 1407
Joined: 13 Apr 2009, 07:24
Location: West Sussex U.K
My Cars:
x 9

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by cachaciero »

aeroboy64 wrote:
Stickyfinger wrote:Maybe give BL Auto a ring then, time for a discussion....I cannot see that they would NOT have a Lexia....at the bottom of the A1

http://www.blautos.co.uk/

(he says sticking his neck out for another specialist)
Have spoken to friend who suggested these people as they are nearer to me http://petersgarage.co.uk/ and spoke to them and they have got the updated lexia and charge £20.00 for diagnosis/fault codes,He's not a citroen specialist but knows his way around c5 ecu's apperantly.
When i drove the car this morning it was low and lumpy but wife has just driven it and says its now higher but still lumpy so the pump MUST be working but the cars ecu/bsi can't send the right signals to it due to sensors/height sensors misaligned or something similar?
's are closed

No! if it's low then the chances are the pump is not running. The leakages in this system are low, when the ECU detects the system is low the "Raise" EV's open the pump will run to achieve height, at that point the pump shuts off and the "raise" EV's shut thus isolating the oil in the suspension, and statically it can take quite a while for there to be a significant drop in the suspension levels (days).However when driving the suspension height changes dynamically depending on speed, This change in height is actually to lower so the "lower" EV's open to bleed oil back to the reservoir so achieving the lower ride height, as the car speed drops the suspension changes height again to run higher, the pump runs the raise EV's open and the suspension rises. Of course if the pump does not run then the suspension remains at it's lower setting, this process can repeat and each time the suspension goes lower until.the bump stops are reached, definitely lumpy :) In my experience pump motor failure is gradual, sometimes it runs sometimes it doesn't, in my case worn brushes in the motor explained all this at circa 95K.
2006 Toyota Prius T Spirit
2001 2.2 C5 Exclusive SE
1996 XM 2.1 TD Auto VSX
1995 XM 2.1 TD Auto SX died @ 140K
1987 CX 2.5 Gti Turbo II dead
1984 Ford Scorpio
1981 CX 2.4 Pallas Auto
Renault 21
1220 GS Club
Rover P6 2000TC
aeroboy64
Posts: 66
Joined: 26 Feb 2016, 10:10
Location: n.e.lincs
My Cars: renault 19 16v cabriolet
Saab 95 hot aero

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by aeroboy64 »

Stickyfinger wrote:Easy to test.

Park it, turn it off and leave the key in the ignition....then open the boot. Sit on the lip and bounce about 10/15 times....it should be soft.
Leave for a few secs then open/close the drivers door. The pump should run and the car should level up.
I did as above last night and the suspension was super soft and bouncy but then the car raised up again a bit too high imho,the dash display say's
Comfort and is one above the lowest setting?
This morning when i used the remote to open the doors the pump kicked in so it seems to me that the car thinks its at the correct height either because the sensors are not set correct or giving a false reading?
Will know more later.
User avatar
Stickyfinger
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 10411
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
Location: Somset my lovleee
My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally
x 1280
Contact:

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by Stickyfinger »

Don't forget the pictures side on...........

Good that that is all working correctly by the sound of it.
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
aeroboy64
Posts: 66
Joined: 26 Feb 2016, 10:10
Location: n.e.lincs
My Cars: renault 19 16v cabriolet
Saab 95 hot aero

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by aeroboy64 »

Stickyfinger wrote:Don't forget the pictures side on...........

Good that that is all working correctly by the sound of it.
Good new,my local mechanic adjusted the hieght senor manually and picked me up at work.He approached a speed bump (the 12 foot long version) without slowing and it glided over but after the 3rd one less so.Still needs a bit of fine tuning but nearly there.Will run it for a week as is and see how it goes.
User avatar
Stickyfinger
(Donor 2016)
Posts: 10411
Joined: 28 Mar 2013, 21:05
Location: Somset my lovleee
My Cars: Xantia V6 ACTIVA 3ltr 24v Manual p1
Xm 2.1TD Ph2 Exclusive
AX, little Daffodil
SAXO White Mk1. Sally
x 1280
Contact:

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by Stickyfinger »

[-o< Getting there.....
Alasdair
Activa, the Moose Rider
3x C5x7 Steering racks and counting
aeroboy64
Posts: 66
Joined: 26 Feb 2016, 10:10
Location: n.e.lincs
My Cars: renault 19 16v cabriolet
Saab 95 hot aero

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by aeroboy64 »

Stickyfinger wrote:[-o< Getting there.....
It handles like a completely different car and even seemed quieter,waftiness here i come :-D
User avatar
GiveMeABreak
Forum Admin Team
Posts: 36990
Joined: 15 Sep 2015, 19:38
Location: West Wales
My Cars: C3 Aircross SUV HDi Flair Peperoncino Red (The Chili Hornet)
C5 X7 2.0 HDi Exclusive Mativoire Beige (The Golden Hornet)
C3 1.6 HDi Exclusive Aluminium Grey (The Silver Hornet)
C5 MK II 2.0 HDi Exclusive Obsidian Black
C5 MK I 2.0 HDi SX Wicked Red
Xantia S2 2.0 HDi SX Hermes Red
C15 Romahome White
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Emerald Green Pearlescent
XM 2.0 Turbo Prestige Polar White
XM 2.0 SX Polar White
CX 20 Polar White
GS 1220 Geranium Red
CX 2.4 Prestige C-Matic Nevada Beige
GS 1000 Cedreat Yellow
x 5644

Re: c5 suspension woes

Post by GiveMeABreak »

I've located all the X7 suspension measuring Docs now - but as you seem to have it working to your delight, I won't bother transferring these now unless anybody else wants them. Glad you're happy - it would be interesting for you to post back what the measurements were that he programmed into your car if you get time.
Please Don't PM Me For Technical Help

Marc
Post Reply