2004 C5 Rear Suspension Problem

[Dodger]

I took my C5 for a puncture repair today and forgot to raise the suspension before the fitter jacked it up.

 

A short while after driving off I noticed that the back end was solid and bouncing about. Got out and checked and found the rear suspension was right up, so I tried to adjust it using the height adjustment buttons inside the car without success. The front went up and down but the rear stayed right up.

 

Drove home with care and phoned Pleiades for advice. They suggested that the height corrector link rod had probably come off at one end when the car was jacked up by the tyre fitter, which it had. Placed axle stands under the body so the car didn't drop on top of me and reconnected the link rod. Started the engine, nothing happened.

 

Disconnected link rod again, sprayed switch liberally with WD40 and moved switch back and forth a few times, which was very easy to do, no resistance to movement at all. Reconnected link rod and started the engine again, nothing happened, rear suspension still sky high.

 

Tried disconnecting the battery for 5 minutes but it made no difference.

 

Now when I try to use the height adjustment buttons inside the car a big cross appears on the display screen and neither the front suspension (which is at the correct height) nor the rear suspension move.

 

It feels like I've been locked out because I've tried to adjust the height too many times.

 

Also, when I turn on the ignition the display screen says SERIOUS SUSPENSION FAULT.

 

Any suggestions and advice would be much appreciated.

 

 

[Dodger]

Hi Everyone,

 

Just a bit of extra info re the above.

 

Normally the electric hydraulic pump cuts in to level the car up when I unlock the doors with the remote key fob but this has stopped happening since this problem arose. 

 

I also thought I'd disconnect the battery overnight to see if draining the electrics completely would reset the ECU or BCM or whatever has locked me out andsolve the problem but it didn't.

 

I've spoken to Pleiades again and they are of the opinion that the car's electronic systems need to be told that everything is ok so they can unlock the suspension system control systems, but I would need to take it to someone with Lexia diagnostic software, or something similar that 'talks' to Citroen electronics.

 

My Citroen local main dealer says they can do it in about 5 minutes, but it will cost me 60 quid.

 

I'd rather buy a diagnostic piece of kit and do it myself so I've got the equipment to deal with any future problems if I could find one that will definitely talk to my C5 and fix the problem!

 

Any suggestions for a cheaper or easier alternative would be much appreciated. 

 

Many thanks,

[paul.h]

maybe the height sensor is in the wrong position so it thinks the suspension is at or above the max height. It could be you are trying to put the sensor arm back in the wrong position, if that is at all possible. Maybe with the battery disconnected, remove the sensor arm and then set the switch to the minimum or mid position, then see what happens before putting the arm back. Do this using axle stands but set at a height so the wheels are on the ground but leaving enough room under the body so you can not get squashed - it would be better if the rear wheels were on blocks to give you enough room under the car and a ramp would be ideal.

 

With the battery disconnected, you could also bleed a bit of lds fluid out of the rear bleed screw so the suspension lowers itself - do this with the body on axle stands set at a height so you will not get squashed but with the wheels on the ground (or blocks under the wheels). Then fit the sensor arm back, connect the battery (there is a procedure in the Technical section pinned common problems topic that I have found does not lead to odd electrical problems) and see how you get on. The bleed screw is about the middle of the rear axle, put a container under it and then slacken the screw a bit to let out some fluid.

[Dodger]

Hi Guys,

 

I forgot to come back with the final episode of this tale of woe.

 

I bit the bullet and booked my car into the main dealer for them to connect it up to their Lexia and tell the ECU that the suspension was fine. The first appointment they could give me was a week away so i used the car as little as possible for a week with the back end almost touching the road then took it to the dealer a week later.

 

When i parked up and got out of the car in the dealers car park I heard the LDS pump cut in for a couple of seconds, something that it hadn't been doing sine the 'lock out' occurred.

 

I looked at the rear wheel arch and it was at the correct height rather than right down covering half the wheel. I checked again and sure enough the rear suspension was no longer right down, it was where it should be.

 

With extreme trepidation i got back in the car, re-started it, pressed the height control button and hey presto, it worked. The pump cut in and lifted the car, no big cross appeared on the digital display and no SERIOUS SUSPENSION FAULT message came up either. I then pressed the down button and the car returned to normal ride height, I was amazed and not a little delighted as you can imagine.

 

So for reasons best known to itself, after weeks of defying all attempts to rectify it, as I bounced into the dealer's car park the system suddenly decided to correct itself, half an hour before it was due to be fixed by the main dealer. I'm not sure what the moral to this story is, maybe 'All good things come to those who wait' would be appropriate or 'Citroens move in mysterious ways their wonders to perform', either way I was a happy bunny and my C5's suspension has been fine ever since.

 

Happy Days!!!!!!!!!!

[paul.h]

I hope you did not have to pay the dealer. Maybe your car going to the dealer was like a visit to the dentist or doctors where you suddenly get better in the waiting room. I would check the lds level just in case it is low - with the car on minimum height the level in the tank should be at the bottom of the filler neck strainer. You could also check the electrical connector on the pump is on properly, I read on here that they can come loose but have not seen it on our C5.

[MikeLane]

White Coat Syndrome (in reverse!)