Just bought it, C5 '05, few questions

[OlegR]

Few questions regarding the suspension ( I have Hydro 3, with 4 spheres):

1. After I'm going down to the normal position from the 3rd (which is up to 40km/h), the car is still slightly bouncy.
It's back to normal in terms of bouncing, if I select the lowest position, and back to the normal position.
It's a normal behavior, or it's a symptom of something wrong, or worn?

2. Couldn't find any info regarding Hydro 3, and how it works in cornering. Does it affect body rolling in cornering?
Asking because when turning tight to the right it's it is more stable than turning to the left, in terms of the body rolling, nothing critical, just slightly.

btw, all the pipes were checked, the fluid is clean etc.

[GiveMeABreak]

You won't have Hydractive 3+ on your C5, just hydractive, so there is not sport mode and the standard 4 corner spheres. This system will not firm up on cornering or sporty driving, but will lower the height by a few mm at cruising speeds and slightly raise by a few mm on rough surfaces.

Only the H3+ system had an additional 2 centre spheres on the MK I and MK II which controlled the rigidity of the vehicle for a more sporty drive. The Last MK III had 7 spheres (1 centre front and 2 centre rear). This system in sport mode made a huge difference in cornering stability. I used to occasionally throw mine around the Welsh country roads and it hugged the ground like glue.

You may have a height corrector starting to stick which is what may be causing the slight mis-calculation of the height.

Make sure the car is independently supported (never get under the car with only suspension supporting the car as if there is an issue, the system can drop suddenly and crush you without warning) then take some silicon oil spray and apply some to the suspension height corrector fixings which may be rusting.

Then raise the car up to the highest and lowest several times or more to allow the oil to work in. That may improve matters.

[aneesh84]

Agree, the only way is an aftermarket remote controller, which can be programmed more flexibly, as I did on my Pluriel.

Earlier I was asking about the clanking noise from the steering. Maybe somebody will need a solution, so I'll describe it here.

It's not about the noise from the rack, underneath the car. It's about the clanking noise from the interior, somewhere above the pedals. It sounds louder when driving on a gravel road or something similar, with small imperfections.

Anyway, the steering rack also can be rebuilt if you know how to do it. But it's a different noise.

What I was asking is about the noise that comes from this part:




It can be heard louder when the wheel is adjusted to be as close as possible to the driver and can change the loudness when you push the steering wheel further.
As you can see there are 2 metal tubes with different diameters.
They are made to make the installation easier, they do not affect the steering wheel adjustment or the safety.

Initially what can be done to be sure this is the issue, just insert something there, between the tubes, drive, and see if the noise is gone.

What can be done, to get rid of that clanking noise on bad roads ( solutions I found online)
1. can adjust the position, in my case it helped, I pushed the wheel from the extremely close to the driver position.
2. make some longitudinal cuts, and tighten with some straps
3. I sow that someone welded them (check closer my first image above)
4. on the thinner tube put a rubber tube/pipe so that both tubes have the same diameter. Put a long metal tube with the inner diameter=outer diameter of the thicker tube, so it covers a few cm of both tubes and tightens them with a few straps.

I just hammered a nail in the gap between the two tubes and that tightened the gap and made them tight.

[OlegR]

I mentioned that I have a few lines missing on my display.
It's the monochrome one.

Took it off, and found that the issues could be with these:

1. the contacts must be welded back carefully

2. these contacts must be cleaned from the old glue and glued back

[OlegR]

You won't have Hydractive 3+ on your C5, just hydractive, so there is no sport mode and the standard 4 corner spheres. This system will not firm up on cornering or sporty driving, but will lower the height by a few mm at cruising speeds and slightly raise by a few mm on rough surfaces.

Only the H3+ system had an additional 2 centre spheres on the MK I and MK II which controlled the rigidity of the vehicle for a more sporty drive. The Last MK III had 7 spheres (1 centre front and 2 centre rear). This system in sport mode made a huge difference in cornering stability. I used to occasionally throw mine around the Welsh country roads and it hugged the ground like glue.

Why I thought that the ecu will adjust the left/right height in cornering, is that from what I understood, the suspension could be linked in some way to the steering angle sensor.
Like a Xantia Activa

[Stickyfinger]

Why I thought that the ecu will adjust the left/right height in cornering, is that from what I understood, the suspension could be linked in some way to the steering angle sensor.
Like a Xantia Activa

Nothing is "like a ACTIVA"

[GiveMeABreak]

Why I thought that the ecu will adjust the left/right height in cornering, is that from what I understood, the suspension could be linked in some way to the steering angle sensor.
Like a Xantia Activa

No. The system used on the Xantia Activa has additional hydraulic rams. When the steering wheel angle sensor which is monitored for angle and speed of turn detects a curve it increases the roll stiffness, but if the curve continues and passenger cabin tilts to an angle of 0.3 degrees, then the hydraulic rams kick in to counter the roll and restore the level.

This is a very simplified explanation but it uses a computer to calculate all this using sensors and other mechanical components.

Although the C5 (and specifically only the Hydractive 3+ systems) can stiffen the corner spheres to help prevent some roll, it is not the same system as the Activa and does not have the same components.

[OlegR]

I just hammered a nail in the gap between the two tubes and that tightened the gap and made them tight.

Aneesh84, that's another workable solution.
I couldn't figure out how to take off quickly the knee airbag.
What I heard from people that used this one, is that over time the nails can come off their place, so they just zipped them if they are long enough or put a zip around the tube above those nails.

Another super- quick solution that I just did, just put some super-glue in the gap between two tubes over the night, made a dumping isolation between them.
Super efficient, all noises are gone, will see for how long

[aneesh84]

I just hammered a nail in the gap between the two tubes and that tightened the gap and made them tight.

Aneesh84, that's another workable solution.
I couldn't figure out how to take off quickly the knee airbag.
What I heard from people that used this one, is that over time the nails can come off their place, so they just zipped them if they are long enough or put a zip around the tube above those nails.

Another super- quick solution that I just did, just put some super-glue in the gap between two tubes over the night, made a dumping isolation between them.
Super efficient, all noises are gone, will see for how long

Yes alternatively a hose clamp over the nails should also keep it secure and tight.


You can try them if your glue wears off!

[OlegR]

Finally a sunny weekend, so took off the front bumper.
The previous owner had a light front accident so wanted to check everything.

Questions:
What are these connectors:
#1. is from the headlamp
#2 the small one/ black, with 3 pins, another one similar can be found on the other side as well ??? so it can be only related to headlamps or... ? see bellow
#3 the one in the right 4 pins bit different from xenon motor and the wires are short ???
#4 the hose, I found where it should be connected by the end.

#2, with 3 pins on both sides of the car

That hose goes to the fuse/ecu box for cooling

What are these for, I couldn't find what was there clipped?

I found a cheap pair of xenon headlamps, installed them (mine was halogen) and everything worked fine in terms of lightning, just plugged.
I didn't test the auto-leveling, and of cause it's not moving right-left.
The difference between the connectors, the xenon one has 3 more pins, not yet sure what are their for :

[Hell Razor5543]

Be aware that some of the connectors MAY be for optional extras that were not specified when your vehicle was made, so you may (if you are not careful) end up chasing a few red herrings.

[GiveMeABreak]

The clips in picture 4 are to remove the air filter cover. They need pushing in to remove once the other clips have been undone.

Don't expect the Lighting to work properly, you really need headlamp wash system to be legal, headlamp ECU, BSI configuration, and the correct loom (which are different for models with and without Xenons). etc.