C5 X7 suspension problem

[Ceenine]

My friend's car has this weird rear end shift whenever the car hits undulations. It is not just annoying, but slightly dangerous as you need to correct all the time. Suggestion here in Aussie is that it needs a rear wheel alignment. Any suggestions from "May land". It is an Exclusive petrol, not that this specification is relevant (probably).

Thanks in advance.
Don

[Hell Razor5543]

That would suggest it has the Hydractive suspension (as opposed to steel springs). I wonder if the suspension is at the correct height.

[GiveMeABreak]

Can you be a bit more specific - is it lifting off the gound, is the rear suspension stiff and not absorbing bumps, can you push down on the rear and does it lower and return, does the system raise and lower when commanded? What is it you are correcting all the time?

There are many possibilities, you may be riding on the centre spheres only if the 2 rear ones are shot , or the rear hight corrector may need some lubricant (don't take it off the bracket though) as these can seize up.

[myglaren]

Didn't John (JGRA1) have a similar rear end shimmy in his C5?

[jgra1]

I did lads.. I did nothing about it and the car sits unused outside at moment (not because of suspension though)

[ekjdm14]

If it's steel sprung this sounds very similar to the symptoms of a duff rear shock absorber.

[myglaren]

That was a quick answer John - I have been trawling your blog trying to find a reference. \No joy so far

[Stickyfinger]

Wheel Alignment is not possible on an X7 c5 rear suspension, it is not an adjustable setup.

More information is needed describing the problem....

[jgra1]

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=55110 maybe steve ?

[myglaren]

Yep - wasn't in the blog at all was it?

Sneaky!

[jgra1]

lol

looking at my last post there.. if my car never engages (or rarely) normal road as against poor, it will never achieve sport mode.?

don, could be wroth hooking a lexia to car while driving.. ?

[Paul-R]

Do we know whether the car is wet or dry suspension yet? That information is surely needed first of all.

[Ceenine]

It is hydraulic not steel springs

[Ceenine]

More information:
Today I made contact with a lady with a C5 parked outside my office. The car was a 2011 C5 X7 Exclusive petrol. So I asked her how she liked the car. "Great except for the side movement of the car through road surface irregularities". So I offered to take the car (with her in the passenger seat) for a test run. So off we went and soon entered the Bass Highway on the outskirts of Devonport. Within 100 metres down the road the problem was very apparent. The backside of the car makes a left hand shift whenever the car travels over undulations. At say 100 km/hr the problem is very apparent. It is quite an unsettling movement not just an irritation.

The car has travelled merely 28.000 km and like brand new except for this problem. So I guess her solution for rectification is to take it back to the used car seller in Hobart and ask them to follow up under their guarantee as a used car trader or to follow up individually using the assistance of this forum.

Any suggestions as to the rectification would be appreciated. By the way, I own a 2011 C5 X7 Tourer diesel, so I have the experience of how well these vehicles travel. My friend has had a 2010 C5 X7 and a C5 mark l before her latest vehicle, so she knows what to expect.

[Ceenine]

I have been informed that there is adjustment for the wheel alignment at the rear. I need to get under the car and have a look.

My first reaction was that it was one sphere being stuffed. If it was the height corrector then there wouldn't be a jiggle to one side but a total lack of undulation absorption.Worth a look as the car was sitting in a sales yard for a while.