Hydroactive

Sorry for the delay but update on this topic is that I never managed to resolve the issue and now sadly no longer own the car

I have checked all the things suggested to try to establish the issue but still no joy, everything seems to check out and in working order, the thing I can’t get my head around is the fact that my suspension issue and steering problems are happening simultaneously though the systems are independent with the exception of the shared fluid resevoiur, today upon fairly brisk acceleration the steering went so stiff you would think it was on the high setting and the steering you could barley move side to side softened off a little but was still harsh, put the suspension into sport mode softened off which is weird, drove a further few miles put back into comfort mode and it went hard again, I have had days where suspension and steering is close to normal though I am now coming up to a year since this all started , many trips to dealers nothing found but there has to be some explanation, computer or mechanical, as the car is a 2012 model and has covered 47,000 miles is there any mainlanders needed ? does the LDS fluid need replaced? I just don’t know. Been reading about what controls the suspension so could be anything height sensors, steering wheel angle sensor, speed sensor, pressure regulator and so on an so on, so complicated , feeling sad

Seems that you can't have it to be controlled by one knob, nothing in manual or any of the menus, at least it is stuck on 21.5 degrees and not hi or lo, might look at seeing if I can source a salvaged unit to replace it :/

I have an issue with my climate control system :( the passenger side temperature control dial has stopped working and is stuck at 21degrees The driver-side is working correctly and all of the other buttons are working normally, not sure why this has happened unless it has genuinely just packed in :/ have performed a BSI reset using the correct process just in case it was a technical gremlin but it has not solved the problem, is 2012 C5 exclusive tourer. Anyone experience similar fault to solution ? Cheers

We'll have checked the pump, is belt driven from the engine, but I am thinking it definitely has to be something to do with the power steering, Could it be that air is getting into the steering system somehow and is causing heavy steering the air is then traveling to the reservoir and being pumped into the suspension system causing poor ride quality? Have visually checked the system and can't see any fluid leaks on power steering pump, resevouir or the steering rack its self has definitely got me stumped :/ just seems strange both issues are happening together last few days steering now intermittently extremely stiff when pulling off from traffic lights ...... :,(

Have had a look not too sure about the wiring but , beginning to think it could be down to the power steering pump, I fitted a new battery a couple of moths ago and have tested it showing 12.6v and 14.7v when engine running, now voltage does not change much whilst engine running so windows, rear screen, even suspension cycle it drops to 14.5-14.6v but turning steering lock to lock it dips to 13.2v and the steering seems to be getting heavy and notchey when turning. Could explain the suspension issues if it is heavy on power and is drawing too much power, anyone had to replace the pump? Would probably have to be a dealer job for me, anyone have a rough idea on the cost to replace it?

Return of the suspension issues, so after a few months of normal service, my suspension has decided to misbehave once again, this is a lumpy ride which is firm to soft back to firm bouncy, this coupled with intermittent stiff power steering, I know that the power steering only shares the fluid resivour with the suspension but seems too much of a coincidence that the two issues happen simultaneously I'm totally at a blank, been on diagnostic no faults, no leaks, cycles through all heights, fluid level correct, height corrector fine and lubricated, have fitted new tyres and has just passed its MOT and the steering rack has been checked and is fine, the fact the car goes in and out between normal ride quality and this lumpy harsh ride quaility has me confused is this some thing simple that if anyone has any ideas what could cause stiff steering coupled with stiff suspension intermittently this happens at various speeds regardless of road surface, I would welcome any ideas, deal can't find fault but agree its there :/

Slight delay on an update.... So I have changed battery and checked track rods and steering rack, all check out. This suspension fault is hard to diagnose, right now I'd fine when start engine and fine for first couple of hundred yards then boom hard right it's like something just switches off can be hard or soft intermittently at motorway speeds this is a very confusing 😖 as was intermittent but has now become almost 90% of the time is becoming a real head ache, I have also noticed a crackling coming from engine bay roughly from where suspension pump is, sounds like a rattling / clicking relay / sparking? Air in the fluid? Only starts above 50mph gets faster as speed goes up from there? Not massively loud but only started when the suspension began to play up? Could be totally unrelated but I donkey know.

okay, so have checked the battery and is showing 12.3 volts before starting the car alternator is fine as showing 14.6 volts when engine is running maybes the battery is out on its way out, will check track rods and steering rack tomorrow and see if there are any issues there.

Thanks for advice, I have have checked sensors look pretty good, no muck or grime build up, I have lubricated anyways whilst was under car, this suspension issue is really got me stumped, raised car to full height turned steering lock to lock then to low steering lock to lock and back to normal, been out in the car and suspension almost felt normal not 100% then after a couple of mile back to feeling like every lump in the road feels like hitting a stationary object, I also forgot to mention that as I know that the power steering and suspension is on separate systems only sharing the fluid reservoir the power steering is sometimes very heavy when pulling away. The pony work I have ever had done was balancing, wheel alignment and tracking and had the steering wheel adjusted as was not sitting straight when in a straight line. The hunt for a solution continues

Hi Paul, Thanks for the link to the thread,I have had a look and by the sounds of it it looks like it may indeed be spheres, front and back are fine but is no give on either side as I can tell, as there are seven spheres on Hydroactive 3+ and since front and back is fine I'm guessing it's one of the the other three spheres. I know one is anti dive but thought the other two were involved with change from comfort to sport but both suspension modes ride terrible. Hoping it's not something more serious :/

Hoping someone could give a little advice, I have a 2012 C5 Tourer 2.0 HDI exclusive with Hydroactive 3+ have had no problems until recently where the suspension seems to have no dampening when hits a bump in the road, it is quite harsh when driving on anything other than a smooth road. Bounce test when stationary is fine, suspension cycles though all positions fine and fluid level is correct, at a lost end dealer put on a diagnostic and said it was fine :/ anyone had any similar problems or ideas?