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(2006 2.7) Suspension stuck beyond low setting
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Dardan   
Tue Sep 20 2022, 11:05pm
Joined: Sep 20 2022
Member No: #5104
Location: Albania
 Heyo good people of the forum. My dad bought the car about a year ago, and as it always seems to be the case the car worked perfectly for just about 3-4 months and then began with random faults and errors popping up. I believe he got it at around 150 or 160k km.

One constant issue we've always had is the SUSPENSION FAULTY message that comes up, but the suspension never acted out, no problems with steering either. Fast forward to 3 months ago. The car drove fine, was parked in the garage, and we woke up to it having sunk all the way down on its own. Lower than the low setting on the height. My dad took it to a "Citroen" service and apparently the guy just changed out the top plate of fuses near the engine and charged him 150 euros for it (lol). Either way, according to my dad when he woke up the next morning the car had raised itself up again on its own. It drove good the past 2 months, occasionally dropping quite low like that (always only the rear of the car! the front would stay normal) but making the suspension higher via the command made things level out again. Would also go to the highest setting, everything,

Now last week it dropped again. Front and rear, and it hasn't gone up since. I've read the threads on here, watched what few videos I could find, but can't seem to find something that helps. I really wanna try everything I can before we take it to a (different) service center since those are definitely last resort for anything that isn't VW or Mercedes around here.

When trying to play around with the height, it says that it's already on the highest setting, so it won't go higher. And my dad apparently tried to tell it to go lower, which made some LDS fluid gush out of the LDS tank.

Things I've already done/tried out based on previous threads on here:
+ Checked the fuses : The G33 10A driverside compartment is fine, and so is the orange hidden maxifuse in the engine compartment.
+ Cleaned and dried the wiring and everything under the LDS tank, admittedly a bit late.
+ Unplugged the battery for an ECU restart.

I do believe the pump can be heard working (or trying to work) but I'm not at all certain. This is the first car I've ever tried to troubleshoot, just got my license a month ago actually.

Only thing left on my checklist is maybe trying to fiddle around with the height sensors or something? I've read on the forums that that could've been knocked around somehow and is messed up.

I appreciate any info at all. Thank you!! Feel free to ask for pics as well.
Jas16   
Wed Sep 21 2022, 05:25pm
Joined: Feb 07 2017
Member No: #2994
Location: West London
 not 100%, but would the ride height settings nee to be checked and adjusted via Lexia/Diagbox?

or the ride height control brackets get bent out of shape quite easily.
Dardan   
Wed Sep 21 2022, 08:27pm
Joined: Sep 20 2022
Member No: #5104
Location: Albania
Jas16 wrote ...

not 100%, but would the ride height settings nee to be checked and adjusted via Lexia/Diagbox?

or the ride height control brackets get bent out of shape quite easily.


Sadly we don't have a Lexia or Diagbox yet, we're aware how crucial it is since we own a C6 now, but still haven't gotten it. If nothing can be done at home we'll take it to a citroen service center as a last resort.

Are there any pictures of what the control brackets/sensors look like? Or where can they be found? I'll check if any of them look strange.
Fraunie   
Thu Sep 22 2022, 10:56am
Joined: Dec 09 2018
Member No: #3763
Location: Stockdorf
 Did you replace the 40A-Fuse of the hydraulic pump?
It is located inside the black fuse box in the engine compartment.
Do you hear the pump working? It's located underneath the reservoir.
Your Pump is probably out of order...
Dardan   
Thu Sep 22 2022, 03:49pm
Joined: Sep 20 2022
Member No: #5104
Location: Albania
Fraunie wrote ...

Did you replace the 40A-Fuse of the hydraulic pump?
It is located inside the black fuse box in the engine compartment.
Do you hear the pump working? It's located underneath the reservoir.
Your Pump is probably out of order...

My dad went through all the engine compartment fuses (top fuses and the hidden ones underneath) with a test light and they were all alright and working (lighting up on both ends of each fuse).

Is it possible that the pump went out without blowing the fuse? I've seen that in most cases of the pump going out it also blew the fuse beforehand.

We do hear a few clicks when the ignition is on, and after that a constant noise coming from the side where the LDS reservoir/pump is, but I'm not 100% sure if the pump is making that sound.
cit-rotti   
Thu Sep 22 2022, 05:27pm
Joined: Dec 03 2018
Member No: #3753
Location: Bayern
 Of course, a pump or even the hydraulic block can break down - the control unit (HPI) can also fail. This is very expensive if a Citroen workshop is commissioned for this - it is then better to look for a used part.
There are some good instructions on YouTube.

The pump does not normally run all the time, but only when required, e.g. when opening the door or adjusting the height, etc.
The switching on and off can be heard well - perhaps place a hand on it.
If the pump does not switch off, it may be that the pump does not prime although the LDS level is correct (hopefully).

Then apply an overpressure of 0.5 bar via the filler neck of the LDS tank. If no suitable adapter with a corresponding pump is available, then you have to tinker a bit.
A bicycle hose with a valve can help - cut it off to the right/left of the valve and put one open end over the LDS filler neck and seal the other end airtight with a cable tie - then generate moderate pressure with the bicycle pump via the valve and wait and hope.
Perhaps there is a forum member in your area with some experience and a DIAGBOX who can help you.
Why not start a call for help?
Dardan   
Thu Sep 22 2022, 05:57pm
Joined: Sep 20 2022
Member No: #5104
Location: Albania
cit-rotti wrote ...

Of course, a pump or even the hydraulic block can break down - the control unit (HPI) can also fail. This is very expensive if a Citroen workshop is commissioned for this - it is then better to look for a used part.
There are some good instructions on YouTube.

The pump does not normally run all the time, but only when required, e.g. when opening the door or adjusting the height, etc.
The switching on and off can be heard well - perhaps place a hand on it.
If the pump does not switch off, it may be that the pump does not prime although the LDS level is correct (hopefully).

Then apply an overpressure of 0.5 bar via the filler neck of the LDS tank. If no suitable adapter with a corresponding pump is available, then you have to tinker a bit.
A bicycle hose with a valve can help - cut it off to the right/left of the valve and put one open end over the LDS filler neck and seal the other end airtight with a cable tie - then generate moderate pressure with the bicycle pump via the valve and wait and hope.
Perhaps there is a forum member in your area with some experience and a DIAGBOX who can help you.
Why not start a call for help?



I'll definitely look around, I've heard that the C5 and C6 pumps are pretty much the same and are interchangeable, is that true? I might find a C5 pump for cheaper at the very least if that's the case. I also wanna try cleaning the pump but can only find C5 videos on youtube, hoping that the C6 one is constructed similar too for easier instruction following.
Tjensen   
Fri Sep 23 2022, 08:05am
Joined: Jul 17 2012
Member No: #954
Location: Bergen
 The part list of "different" pump units on C6/C5 is confusing. But basically the same, and the often failing motor is the same. Many reports of just changing with another unit, or just changing the motor But: your report of failing at the rear end, and not consistent (varying) does not sound like the pump to me, more like a valve or sensor. Usually, the pump motor is not suddenly failing, but gradually draws more current until the fuse blows. Changing to 50A fuse might help for a while. I got a new refurberished unit from Poland at 210.000 km
Dardan   
Fri Sep 23 2022, 09:49am
Joined: Sep 20 2022
Member No: #5104
Location: Albania
Tjensen wrote ...

The part list of "different" pump units on C6/C5 is confusing. But basically the same, and the often failing motor is the same. Many reports of just changing with another unit, or just changing the motor But: your report of failing at the rear end, and not consistent (varying) does not sound like the pump to me, more like a valve or sensor. Usually, the pump motor is not suddenly failing, but gradually draws more current until the fuse blows. Changing to 50A fuse might help for a while. I got a new refurberished unit from Poland at 210.000 km

Yeah the rear used to fall down when driving and then stopping, for example we'd drive to the mall, and once we came back to the parked car we'd find out that the rear has sunk but not the front. It would usually fix itself while driving back home after.

Just to clarify, right now the entire car is sunk, not just the rear, and it's showing that the car is in the High position (max speed 90kmh), which it never did whenever just the rear would sink like that in the past.

Would changing the fuse to a 50A fix the problem temporarily even if the 40A fuse isn't blown?
Tjensen   
Fri Sep 23 2022, 08:36pm
Joined: Jul 17 2012
Member No: #954
Location: Bergen
 No, the fuse is only a problem if it blows (more than once). A garage with Lexia would be my next step.... Probably not the pump (if it is whirring)
Dardan   
Fri Sep 23 2022, 08:59pm
Joined: Sep 20 2022
Member No: #5104
Location: Albania
Tjensen wrote ...

No, the fuse is only a problem if it blows (more than once). A garage with Lexia would be my next step.... Probably not the pump (if it is whirring)

I jacked the car up with my dad today at home to check the sensors just in case. We jacked the front right side first, then the left, and found the sensors right behind the wheels but I couldn't see anything out of shape. I did however try lowering/raising the car via the command in the car when the car was jacked, and we could see stuff shifting in the empty wheelbase. It was inconsistent, but I believe that means that the pump should be working, right?

I'm thinking it's either something to do with the sensors, the LDS not being properly pressurized maybe? I also have a very faint worry of there being an incorrect amount of LDS fluid in the reservoir, but somehow I doubt that the entire system would be blocked like this for a tiny amount of extra fluid.
cruiserphil   
Tue Oct 04 2022, 11:34am

Joined: Jan 24 2010
Member No: #38
Location: Celbridge
 Hello Dardan,

Did you see this? - Click Here -

Best regards,

Phil C.
 

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