Suspension Failing To Reset?

[GooglyBear]

I've a 2006 1.6HDi estate which had a fluid leak from a power steering pipe. The pipe has been fixed, 3 litres of LDS into the reservoir, but the suspension won't right itself.

The rear is all the way down, if i were to go any distance it would likely foul the arch. Front looks as though it's at normal ride height. On the LCD display in the centre of the dash, the display seems to indicate that the car thinks it's at the top level, with the speed warning of 5mph. AIUI, driving above this speed should cause the suspension to raise to normal ride height, but when i tried going up and down the street at about 15 mph it still doesn't right itself.

I've tried disconnecting the battery to reset the electrics, but that doesn't improve things.

It's probably something simple i've not though of, but i'm scratching my head here, anyone got any ideas?

[paul.h]

Possibly the car has been jacked up without first raising the suspension to max height to cause the problem.  Maybe one of the height sensors has stuck in the high position.

 

What happens if you try to lower the suspension using the height switch, does the front go down ?

Can you hear the pump running although if it thinks it is at max height it should not run ?

When you remove the lds tank cap is there any pressure released ?

 

Sometimes these things can right themselves overnight but if not, you could try with the front of the car on axle stands but the wheels just on the ground (a ramp would be better), then slacken the front lds fluid drain nipple to let some fluid out into a can and let the suspension go down slightly so the body goes down to the axle stands without squashing the person doing the work. I would disconnect the battery first if you are going to do this so that the pump does not run. In the C5 technical section pinned Common Problems topic there is a procedure you can use for battery disconnection/reconnection that should not cause any odd problems.

[GooglyBear]

Many thanks... i'll try that tomorrow...

I perhaps should have said, I can hear the pump running, it runs for longer than is usual, perhaps inevitable if it's not moving. The switches don't seem to have any effect, indicator comes up on the screen suggesting it's at least trying to move.

Update since earlier... after a few more runs up and down the street the suspension has now raised, looking from outside i'd say it looks a little higher than usual but not as high as the top setting. A drive around the scheme feels normal, when it would feel high to the driver if it was on top setting. Switches again seem to have no effect except kick the pump into life and screen indicators that it's trying to go.

I'm with you, it might right itself overnight or need a little more air to come out, in which case it'll need a little more fluid...

[GooglyBear]

sorry, didn't get back to the car or to here because of poor health... it was about a week before i got back to it, the suspension had settled in its natural position ;-)