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Suspension problems |
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cruiserphil |
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Member No: #38
Location: Celbridge |
Adam, Did you not check out my reply to your original post? Regards, Phil C. |
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smihaialex |
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Joined: Sep 18 2012
Member No: #1031
Location: Bucharest |
Hey guys, @Dave, I think the guy over on eBay just copied off the code on the pump, which is the bar code serial number, not the part reference number. i don't thing that the parte reference number is going to be present on the pump itself, but the real question is: is there way to cross reference the serial numbers and the part numbers? If there is, I'm sure Citroen know about it, so I wrote them... Hopefully they'll answer soon @speedfix, I've been asking ppl around, both here, as well as at the service and no one seems to be sure that such a mechanism exists - a mechanism that shuts off the pump when a hidraulic failure occurs... Do you know of such a mechanism - strut or sphere failure shuts down the pump?!? I ask because indeed, to me it seemed like the failure of the front left hand side strut or sphere (or both) - hypothesis which would also explain the LDS fluid spill on the front left tyre and wheel arch lining. But so far no one has confirmed the existence of such a mechanism and people over at the service shop say that regardless of the failure of the strut or sphere (or both), the pump should run. Any comments, ideas & suggestions are more than welcome Thanks, Sam PS: further more, because the pump does not run and the car sits flat on its nose, they can't lift it up on an elevator to further investigate, so until the pump is replaced, I won't know the entire magnitude of the damage... It's close to £2,000 so far, but if I have to also replace the spheres, it might get as high as just over £3,000... God forbid I also have to replace the front struts |
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speedfix |
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Joined: Sep 28 2012
Member No: #1043
Location: south west |
Just a thought, could you first get a test on the n/s sphere for nitrogen pressure as I suspect a catastrophic failure of the diaphram, this could send a pressure wave, the first of the effect IMO would be the strut.Then----------!? Maybe Gmerry could confirm. |
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gmerry |
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Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland |
Seems to me that the front of the car needs to be raised, the pressure bled off via the bleed screws and spheres removed and checked, hydraulic module/pump replaced and Lexia hooked up - generally in that order. Failure of a sphere and subsequent loss of volume of LDS (385ml of LDS will flood the sphere volume) and release of nitrogen gas/bubbles into the system is somethat that the hydraulics should cope with. I have seen this as gush of dirty brown fluid at the tank filler (LDS full of nitrogen bubbles). The spheres have spikes purposely placed to rupture a [flat] sphere so presumably the hydraulic system was designed for all of this??????. Like all of us, I would like to know what was the underlying root cause of the hydraulic module/pump failure. Generally ECUs don't die unless stressed in some way or subject to extreme environment (corrosive fluid, leaks etc) Regards G PS, from a safety perspective it seems a bit worrying to me that the service shop is proposing to first replace the hydraulics and then raise the car - without any mention of confirming that all pressure has been bled off. If this can't be done via Lexia, there are bleed screws on the front and rear ride stiffness regulators. The +front |
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smihaialex |
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Joined: Sep 18 2012
Member No: #1031
Location: Bucharest |
Thanks G! So, let me get this straight, your approach would be to first bleed the circuit, then remove the spheres, and check the struts, and only then replace the pump... The only problem here is that they can't reach underneath the car, to bleed the circuit, because the car is too low and can't be taken up on an elevator, and my service shop doesn't feature one of those trench type holes in the pavement allowing you to work under the car without it being raised... Thanks, Sam |
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smihaialex |
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Joined: Sep 18 2012
Member No: #1031
Location: Bucharest |
@Rog & @Steve, Hey guys, one question - when your pump maxi fuse blew out, what happened to the car and its suspension - did it drop at the front? Did it drop at the back? Did it drop alltogether, or did it remain as it was when the fuse blew?!? Also, if you hit the suspension buttons (up/down) what happened?!? I imagine there's no way for it to get higher, but what about lower? And what did it display on screen - was the suspension faulty error message brought up?!? Did it display Command dissallowed when fiddling with the control buttons?!? Thank you soo much, Sam |
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Trainman |
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Member No: #86
Location: Penwortham |
smihaialex wrote ... The only problem here is that they can't reach underneath the car, to bleed the circuit, because the car is too low and can't be taken up on an elevator, and my service shop doesn't feature one of those trench type holes in the pavement allowing you to work under the car without it being raised... Thanks, Sam I don't have access to a "pit" or Lift, Want I had to do my old C5 was to use a series of jacks, Scissor jack, small Hydraulic, Large Hydraulic and the put ramps underneath it get the right height and support, Its a pian to do but at least it's an option. |
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rogerandoutman |
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Joined: May 10 2011
Member No: #466
Location: London |
My c6 did not drop when suspension faulty message appeared, but driving on the motorway the car pitched up and down like a conventional car with failed shock absorbers. The car felt as if it had no damping. Don't want to speak to soon but my pump with the 50amp fuse appears to be behaving normally. The pump operates when the car is unlocked and the ride height adjusts either up or down |
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e3steve |
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Joined: Jan 21 2013
Member No: #1163
Location: Warsash, Hants & Palma de Mallorca, Spain |
Mine did pretty much the same as rog's. It happened, the first time, as I left east of Southampton for a drive to Poole -- a 47-mile (+/- 76km) trip, each way -- and the display warned as shown in the image herewith. It drove fine all the way there but was pretty uncomfortable for the return drive! Thankfully, the Hydractive systems differ from the oleo-pneumatics of my older GSX2, DS, CX & BXs; they would all have been impossible to continue being driven, having not only no suspension, but also no PAS (GS notwithstanding) or brakes!! |
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smihaialex |
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Joined: Sep 18 2012
Member No: #1031
Location: Bucharest |
Yes! That's the exact message that I was shown on my display (and coincidentally, we also use the same colour scheme) However, unlike your experiences, my car drove perfectly for the couple of miles between the error showing up and my parking - I couldn't notice any difference whatsoever at that time. However, things changed over night - the next day, the car was low and the suspension was crazy stiff... Cheers, Sam |
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smihaialex |
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Joined: Sep 18 2012
Member No: #1031
Location: Bucharest |
...and today I finally understood why... You see, when the pump stops working, it cannot presurize the suspension circuit any longer, but the existing pressure is not lost instantly. This is why, for the remaining couple of miles between where the pump died and my home, the car felt absolutely fine. However, during the night, the system depresurized completely, causing the car to lower and the suspension to feel hard as hell. Anyways, ordered the HP pump unit today, directly from Citroen (after what I have invested so far in their business, they were kind enough to give me a 10% discount on parts, and a 15% on labour) It should arrive on Friday, and get installed and set-up on Monday... Now, the only question that remains is: will there be any other collateral damage?!? Should I expect the spheres or struts to have been damaged by the loss of pressure (and me having to drive the car like that to the service shop)?!? Thank you, Sam PS: @Steve, it's funny that you keep your car's temperature in Celsius... I used to keep my Citroens' language set to French (you know cause it's a French car and everything), but I gave that up, because everything just sounds better in English However, I might just get back to it - maybe that will keep my car happier and it won't break down in the future |
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smihaialex |
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Joined: Sep 18 2012
Member No: #1031
Location: Bucharest |
Finally, tomorrow my brand new pump & connecting pipe will arrive and they'll start working on getting my car back on its wheels Keep you posted on the developments, Sam |
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verycleverman |
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Joined: Mar 08 2010
Member No: #65
Location: Northumberland |
smihaialex wrote ... PS: @Steve, it's funny that you keep your car's temperature in Celsius... What's funny about using Celsius? Only the occasional Weather Presenter, people who are firmly rooted in the past and feel unable to move on and US Citizens use Fahrenheit. Personally, I can only relate to Celsius - and I'm 61 years old! Pete. |
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gmerry |
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Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland |
My C6 is firmly in the Celcius reporting camp: warning for ice kicks in at 4 degrees and we all know water freezes at zero. Regards G |
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magicands |
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Joined: Sep 13 2012
Member No: #1021
Location: Coventry, Warwickshire |
Yep, I am in Celsius as well......thought it was the norm?? | ||
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