Suspension Raising - Different Problem

[djash1000]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, I've searched but not found this particular problem.

 

C5 2.0 HDi Estate 2003.

 

My suspension isn't raising whilst the engine is running, when I pick people up. (I use it as a taxi).

 

As soon as turn the engine off, it then raises up.

 

This of course wouldn't be too much of a problem if it was for private use, because restarting it wouldn't be too much bother. But it's completely impractical for my use as a taxi. (not to mention hard on the battery)

 

 

Thanks in advance.

 

ash :rolleyes:

[Johndouglas]

It should level up as soon as the doors are unlocked. When the engine starts it's already at 'normal' height.

 

That's how it is with mine.

[coastline taxis]

Hi, I'm new to the forum, I've searched but not found this particular problem.

 

C5 2.0 HDi Estate 2003.

 

My suspension isn't raising whilst the engine is running, when I pick people up. (I use it as a taxi).

 

As soon as turn the engine off, it then raises up.

 

This of course wouldn't be too much of a problem if it was for private use, because restarting it wouldn't be too much bother. But it's completely impractical for my use as a taxi. (not to mention hard on the battery)

Thanks in advance.

 

ash :rolleyes:

Hi anychance you could explain a bit more. you say that when you turn engine of it raises up . when you restart the engine does it lower itself again or stay raised. also when car is idleing can it raise and lower itself via the ride level buttons. also when you lock the vehicle does it lower itself then when you unlock it does it raise itself. have you been raising and lowering the suspension via the switches in th car weekly or have you left it in one setting for months on end

[djash1000]

Hi john, and coast. Thanks for the responses. I did write it rather quickly, and perhaps not clear enough.

 

 

Ok when I start the day, I get in (and you can hear the suspension change with my weight), start engine etc and off I go..

 

I get to my first pick up point, and 3 people get in the back. Obviously the back susp sinks with the weight. It normally raises itself back to ride height within seconds. But it isn't raising at all. So obviously it's not able to drive in that state. However... if I turn the engine off, and remove the key.. it then raises back to normal ride height (with the added weight).

 

 

So basically everytime I pick people up, I have to stop the engine, remove key, then restart.

 

Hope that makes it a bit clearer. And you have the answer. : )

[coastline taxis]

Hi john, and coast. Thanks for the responses. I did write it rather quickly, and perhaps not clear enough.

Ok when I start the day, I get in (and you can hear the suspension change with my weight), start engine etc and off I go..

 

I get to my first pick up point, and 3 people get in the back. Obviously the back susp sinks with the weight. It normally raises itself back to ride height within seconds. But it isn't raising at all. So obviously it's not able to drive in that state. However... if I turn the engine off, and remove the key.. it then raises back to normal ride height (with the added weight).

So basically everytime I pick people up, I have to stop the engine, remove key, then restart.

 

Hope that makes it a bit clearer. And you have the answer. : )

There is a load sensing valve on the rear axle.when punters get in and car goes down it activates the valve wich in turn tells the ecu/pump to level the car out to a preset position. get the vehicle on a ramp (if your doing it yourself with a jack make sure that you put hieght to full and use axle stand on the sills or the car will come down on you)and check the lsv to make sure its moving freelyif not try wire brushing then loads of wd 40also may sound daft but you have got suspension fluid in to right level. let me know if any better cheers steve

 

p.s what bourgh are you working in and are you as quiete as us in south shields as only shift worth working at moment is a saturday

[coastline taxis]

Hi just read my posting and i should of said rear anti roll bar for the load sensing valve instead of rear axle.sorry for any mix up

[djash1000]

Hi just read my posting and i should of said rear anti roll bar for the load sensing valve instead of rear axle.sorry for any mix up

 

Thanks for the responses coast, (would have responded earlier, but not quite up to speed on this site and my settings just yet).

 

I'm going to the garage next week, so I'll look for this valve. And check it out.

 

I'm driving in Sheffield. Yeah, work is drying up also here also, coast. I don't know if same up your end of the country, but we're having so many new apartment blocks and student blocks built in the town, that we're not required like before. Saturday night is really the only night where you can make anything.

 

Thanks again steve. I'll post after I've been to the garage.

[Randombloke]

I had an ESP/ASR warning which arose during a drive into the Long Mynd area but disappeared after the car was stopped.

 

I have checked and squirted the height sensors/correctors. The rear one is easy to get to with the suspension at the highest setting, it's next to the middle sphere and easy to squirt.

 

The front is harder to find as the front anti roll bar is behind the drive shafts, the best clue again is that it is next to the middle sphere.

 

I'll be getting the fault code tomorrow.

[Randombloke]

I'll be getting the fault code tomorrow.

 

Merde! There was no fault code! Ghost ESP/ASR fault!

 

Shows the value of a reboot before worrying about faults.

[djash1000]

Hi just read my posting and i should of said rear anti roll bar for the load sensing valve instead of rear axle.sorry for any mix up

 

I've just had a look underneath (and taken a shot of it), is it the thing that I've circled on this picture?

 

 

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/djash1000_photo/c5under0608circled.jpg

[Randombloke]

I've just had a look underneath (and taken a shot of it), is it the thing that I've circled on this picture?

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o6/djash1000_photo/c5under0608circled.jpg

 

Yes, that's the Canute!

 

I would squirt it with some WD40, but I would also check with a Citroen Tech first!

 

I squirted mine though.

[coastline taxis]

Yes, that's the Canute!

 

I would squirt it with some WD40, but I would also check with a Citroen Tech first!

 

I squirted mine though.

Hi start by raising the vehicle of the ground and put axle stand under the sills with the w

heels clear. go under and try and move the arm and see if the rear wheels adjust . If arm wont move then wire brush it and use wd40 use the straw that comes with it to get as far into it as you can slowly working the lever. Then do yourself a favour and go wild with the wd while your under there do bushes, pipes, cables,nuts,bolts everything in sight (apart from the rear brake pads) you cant harm anything. you might have to use the wd over a couple of days to allow it to penatrate

[djash1000]

Excellent, nice one coast and random. :D

 

I'm almost certain it's that now. It's been chucking it down with rain tonight, and it's actually worked. I shall de-gunk it on Thursday.

[coastline taxis]

Excellent, nice one coast and random. :D

 

I'm almost certain it's that now. It's been chucking it down with rain tonight, and it's actually worked. I shall de-gunk it on Thursday.

Hmmm rain =busy (hopefully)

[djash1000]

Excellent. Works a treat now.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

:D

[techbod]

at least something is the same as the xantia :D I always keep those things well greased and keep the underside of the car in good condition as part of my six monthly servicing

[sifaan]

Hi john, and coast. Thanks for the responses. I did write it rather quickly, and perhaps not clear enough.

 

 

Ok when I start the day, I get in (and you can hear the suspension change with my weight), start engine etc and off I go..

 

I get to my first pick up point, and 3 people get in the back. Obviously the back susp sinks with the weight. It normally raises itself back to ride height within seconds. But it isn't raising at all. So obviously it's not able to drive in that state. However... if I turn the engine off, and remove the key.. it then raises back to normal ride height (with the added weight).

 

 

So basically everytime I pick people up, I have to stop the engine, remove key, then restart.

 

Hope that makes it a bit clearer. And you have the answer. : )

 

I have exactly the same problem (rear levelling doesn't happen when engine is running), before I get busy with WD40 just wanted to clarify how come the sensor works when the engine is off?

 

Thanks!

[Johndouglas]

how come the sensor works when the engine is off?

 

 

The C5 differs from previous Xantia, BX etc. The hydraulic pump is electric on the C5 and it springs to life as soon as the doors are unlocked, so by the time the engine starts, it's already at the "OK" height.

[sifaan]

The C5 differs from previous Xantia, BX etc. The hydraulic pump is electric on the C5 and it springs to life as soon as the doors are unlocked, so by the time the engine starts, it's already at the "OK" height.

Thanks, but I think we're not quite seeing eye-to-eye on this...

 

If the car is unlocked, engine off (actually key not even in ignition) and people get in at the back, the car levels itself just fine (i.e. car sinks for the weight, after a couple of seconds rises up smoothly). i.e. load sensor is detecting load and corrective action is being taken.

 

If the engine is running, and people get in at the back, it sinks and stays down. Switch ignition off and it levels itself.

 

I'm quite happy to squirt some WD40 to solve the problem but I'm curios as to how the load sensor reacts fine when the engine is not running... ??

[coastline taxis]

When you lock the car after a short while the ecu goes to sleep and lowers the car to help ease the pressure on the hydraulic system. As soon as you open the door and wake the ecu up it put the suspension into a preset hieght after that it then relies on the ride hieght adjuster to give it the information as to what height it needs to be at.

[coastline taxis]

When you lock the car after a short while the ecu goes to sleep and lowers the car to help ease the pressure on the hydraulic system. As soon as you open the door and wake the ecu up it put the suspension into a preset hieght after that it then relies on the ride hieght adjuster to give it the information as to what height it needs to be at.

[sifaan]

When you lock the car after a short while the ecu goes to sleep and lowers the car to help ease the pressure on the hydraulic system. As soon as you open the door and wake the ecu up it put the suspension into a preset hieght after that it then relies on the ride hieght adjuster to give it the information as to what height it needs to be at.

sorry if I'm being dense but I still don't get it :(

 

the fact that the ECU uses input from the sensor to adjust the ride height I understand. what I don't understand is how a dirty sensor can do the job when the engine is off, but not when it is on ? :blink:

[coastline taxis]

It dosant use the sensor when the engine is off. When the ignition is first switched on the ecu performs checks to make sure everything is ok. one of them checks is the hieght of the vehicle the ecu knows that it has depresurised the systemwhen it went to sleep. it also knows by info put in the ecu that to get the car to the preset hieght it must let the pump run for 5 seconds and once it has done that then that part of the ecu switches of and then waits for info from the ride hieght adjusters to tell it weather to increase or decrease the hieght. obviosly this isnt to the letter of what happens its just a basic guide

[Guest birksy]

On unlocking the car the height goes up or down due to temperature variation I understand.

 

The car is idle and therefore 'asleep' nothing should be working one the ecu is off(unless you've got water in the sensor and the car nods up and down, thats a fault.)

 

If the ambient temperature changes from the time the car was locked then unlocked this causes the suspension to go up or down.

 

The cold seemed to bear this out as when it was -5 or so there was little or no movement.

 

The higher the temp variation the higher/lower the car goes.

 

Is that the answer?

[sifaan]

It dosant use the sensor when the engine is off. When the ignition is first switched on the ecu performs checks to make sure everything is ok. one of them checks is the hieght of the vehicle the ecu knows that it has depresurised the systemwhen it went to sleep. it also knows by info put in the ecu that to get the car to the preset hieght it must let the pump run for 5 seconds and once it has done that then that part of the ecu switches of and then waits for info from the ride hieght adjusters to tell it weather to increase or decrease the hieght. obviosly this isnt to the letter of what happens its just a basic guide

 

are you sure? if so it means my car is behaving really wierd :S

 

here's how it works for me:

unlock car from remote

someone opens the back door and get in

car sinks for the weight

after few seconds, can hear the pump whirring and car levels itself (comes up)

get out of the car

car rises

after few seconds, whirring again and car levels itself (comes down)

 

(is the above not supposed to happen?)

 

on the other hand:

unlock car and start engine

someone opens the back door and get in

car sinks for the weight and stays there

with 2 people in the back the car is too low to be driven (can hear clunking noises)

at this point if I switch off the engine and wait, the car will level itself (can't remember if I have to take the key out of ignition or not

 

I'm sure the above is not how it's supposed to work, or all taxi drivers would be cursing C5s

 

BTW for the front (driver/passenger) the levelling happens regardless of whether the engine is running.