Headlights

[Guest gaztank]

hi gang, my c5 estate lx 2002 has a strange problem. when i drive in well lit areas and at a normal speed 30mph my head lights are fine. when i speed up a little 33mph my headlights auto adjust and point closer to the ground. when i go faster they go closer just like the fog lights and when driving on country roads i am limited to 50mph as i cannot see ahead i cant wait to get on to main beam, but that is limited too. its like normal headlights. i have been back to the dealer and they said there is no problem and the sensors are working ok. i have manual turned the adjusters to get them higher but i dazzle every body at 30 mph. please help me. gary

[coastline taxis]

Hi

Have you recently had a flat battery or changed/disconected the battery or given anyone a jump start or tried to install anything electric.

is the hydraulic side of the car working fine

[techbod]

sounds like a suspension issue check the fluid level,

the term ive heard here is caravanning especially with hydro suspension which means the rear suspension is higher than it should be ( air lock ) and the car thinks its towing a caravan hence the self leveling headlights playing up,

 

i don't think it would show to Citroen as a fault because its doing what it should apart from your not towing anything,

 

check the ride height sensors are not sticking.

[paul.h]

gaztank,

have you got the xenon headlights fitted ?

If not then as far as I can tell (from my car 2004 2.2 hdi VTR hatchback and the Haynes manual) the headlight height is only adjustable manually at the light itself, there is no auto adjustment or dash mounted switch as with other cars. This makes sense since the car should always be level (parallel to the ground) due to the suspension, no matter what load is put in the car. This is one of the things I like about the car when towing, it stays level.

 

Both cases could be a suspension problem/height sensor problem as techbod/coastline have suggested. Worth taking the car up and down on the suspension whilst stationary to see if this has an effect on the lights. I would not go under the car though unless on a ramp to save getting squashed. There are known problems with the sensors sticking reported on this forum.

[techbod]

from my car 2004 2.2 hdi VTR hatchback and the Haynes

 

hi gang, my c5 estate lx 2002 .

 

i agree with you paul some cars don't have the self leveling system or the rotary button to electronically alter the beam height but im sure on the estate the lights are altered by the rear ride height automatically or it will have a rotary button to adjust for towing reasons

[Randombloke]

i agree with you paul some cars don't have the self leveling system or the rotary button to electronically alter the beam height but im sure on the estate the lights are altered by the rear ride height automatically or it will have a rotary button to adjust for towing reasons

 

All Citroen cars with hydraulic suspension self level AFAIK, unless they are broken.

 

The only C5s without hydraulic are some of the base to middle models on the latest shape.

 

If you car has H3+ then the lights will need to readjust when the suspension goes into sport mode. Has your car got a sport mode button? If not, it's H3. If it has, then it's H3+.

 

I'd go for the WD40 squirts on the height sensors. Then let it soak and put the car through the full range of heights whilst stationary, but if the height correctors are sticky be warned that the car could then stick in a high or low suspension position. I would also consider disconnecting the auto adjusters for the headlights if it's H3+, but I would be very wary of fiddling around near the back of a Xenon headlight.

 

HTH.

[Guest gaztank]

I still have the head light problem, I have tried the wd40 trick, which no change. However I think it is the front sensor sticking, When I stop the car the front suspension goes down. You get a strange movement from the handling when driving at speed. I think the car pumps itself up to max height the back is trying to keep the car level.Sometimes when I am parked with the engine running the front lifts up and then goes down several times as if looking to get level. Its going in for a service soon, I will ask if they could check the sensor and the run height. I will let you know what happens. gary.