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suspension faulty!
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Andimac101   
Wed Jan 20 2016, 11:18am
Joined: Oct 23 2015
Member No: #2380
Location: Windsor
 Recently had /having some suspension issues...

The front o/s lower arm assembly recently failed (nut/bolt assembly 'came undone' apparantly) so had this replaced at my local citroen specialist.

When I drove the car away 'suspension Faulty' appeared (having never appeared before) and the suspension became stiff. This came and went often resetting itself at standstill before appearing seconds later.

Its now been back twice to have both suspension level sensors replaced as these are apparently attached to the lower arm and may have been 'knocked' on its replacement.

drove away yesterday and for 2 minutes everything was quiet until.. suspension faulty appeared again.

What would the next course of action be??
gmerry   
Wed Jan 20 2016, 01:51pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Hi Andymac, you may just be unlucky, but I suspect slipshod work by your "local citroen specialist". However, who knows what the full story was...

What I would say is that nut/bolt assemblies on this suspension don't just come undone by themselves... previous-to-you poor maintenance perhaps?

Anyway, you need a competent repairer, someone who knows C6s/C5s, who has the ability to fix the mechanical stuff, then with the aid of diagnostic equipment check out software/calibrate the suspension heights. With the cars getting into middle age, you may have needed to replace (on condition) the height sensors but it reads from your post that these were just installed as a bolt in part without any calibration. Search this forum for "suspension height setting" and you will be at least an informed purchaser.

Seems that this is a very common problem with 2nd/3rd hand buyers coming in having bought a "cheap" car and not understanding what they are getting into. Presumably you have come across BL Autos from reading this forum?

Regards
G
Andimac101   
Wed Jan 20 2016, 04:34pm
Joined: Oct 23 2015
Member No: #2380
Location: Windsor
 Thanks Gerry.

The guys I'm using apparently do know C6's although not as well as BL I'm sure. I have been over to BL to have my EGR valves replaced 4 weeks ago, but despite having a check over the car they didn't spot this 'loose bolt'. Its previous life was maintained by Citroen main dealers, say no more.

The diagnostics didnt show up anything with the sensors yesterday but came up with new faults relating to brake lights and steering wheel angle (or something) they were closing and I didn't take notes of the fault codes

I'll query how they've set up the new sensors on the Lexia tomorrow .Failing that it may be a trip to BL although it's a little way from me and involves a bit of a day out!
gmerry   
Wed Jan 20 2016, 05:52pm
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Hi Andymac, I agree that dealers can be hit or miss, although in theory they have factory backup.

For an independent, they really need to communicate effectively I they are not able to finish all the checks in the agreed time: its better if they have provided a courtesy car in case the job runs over.

Probably best to ask them to demonstrate the global scan via Lexia, You may then have a better idea of any faults, but be aware that the steering angle error may just be a Lexia software issue.

Regards
G
drummond   
Sat Jan 23 2016, 10:48am
Joined: Sep 20 2010
Member No: #238
Location: Aldeburgh
 Forge of Cookham were good with my C6, and those around me. Ray Williams of Slough is reputed to be OK, although I haven't been to him. Otherwise, it's BL, and say hello to my D, please!
Andimac101   
Wed Jan 27 2016, 07:43pm
Joined: Oct 23 2015
Member No: #2380
Location: Windsor
 Update-

after reading previous posts ive had new brackets securing the sensors installed. Its made a difference but I'm still getting the suspension fault message.

On attempting to calibrate the ride height we hit a brick wall. Using diagbox, we set up all of the heights to be confronted with the message- can't set ride height, check sensor installation, ensure colours are correct and linkages are on the inside.

They are all installed correctly etc. With no other faults logged, both are brand new, any ideas?
cruiserphil   
Wed Jan 27 2016, 09:21pm

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

You may have to persevere and try the height programming several times. I know it was a movie with Lexia which I posted on, but when I set levels with Diagbox I remember it being more straightforward but took several attempts. Unfortunately its a while since I did it and can't recall the detail. If height programming fails, the message you quote comes up as standard, but it doesn't mean your sensors are faulty.

Is your suspension still hard?

Best regards,

Phil C.
Andimac101   
Wed Jan 27 2016, 09:37pm
Joined: Oct 23 2015
Member No: #2380
Location: Windsor
 Actually since the new bracket was installed today the suspension has remained soft even after the suspension faulty message has come up, it didn't do that before the bracket was installed.

We couldn't get the lexia to program at all, will go back and try again with diagbox. In fact I think I'll buy my own lexia/diagbox from ebay, it's costing a fortune visiting the garage every time to use theirs!
cruiserphil   
Thu Jan 28 2016, 08:21am

Joined: Jan 24 2010
Member No: #38
Location: Celbridge
 Andimac,
That would be a good move on the Lexia/Diagbox. You'll find it extremely useful and reassuring to have at hand!
Best regards,
Phil C.
Andimac101   
Wed Feb 03 2016, 10:21am
Joined: Oct 23 2015
Member No: #2380
Location: Windsor
 update on the update.

After chatting with BL auto's (shame I couldn't get there in the first place really as it would have saved days of time and approx 7 visits to the garage) the first question they asked was 'what was the make of the lower arm?' to which I replied that it was the Euro parts one, 'ah' he said, 'we've had a few of those in like that', turns out it is only suitable for the C5 (even though it states for the C6)and it lifts the suspension a few mm too high on the C6.

My Indy ordered and fitted the citroen OEM one (which also came with the brackets for the sensor) and....- No message, suspension fixed.

My Indy learned a few lessons on this as they've had to pay for a number of parts and I've learned one- there only seems to be BL auto's who know and have the experience with C6's! I wonder how many other garages would have that sort of knowledge unless they'd seen several come through them?
gmerry   
Wed Feb 03 2016, 10:37am
Joined: Dec 11 2009
Member No: #21
Location: Scotland
 Hi Andymac, really sorry to hear that you have gone through the mill and it must have cost you heeps in time alone. Unfortunately it is all documented on this forum what works (wishbones, bush, brackets), what doesn't so in a perfect world the information and intelligence is here and no one need go through the relearning experience. So if anyone has any ideas on how the knowledge on the forum can be better used (or accessed or consolidated) lets have a discussion on that. Also Andy, as a user of the Forum what was your experience?

Many thanks
G
Andimac101   
Thu Feb 04 2016, 08:51am
Joined: Oct 23 2015
Member No: #2380
Location: Windsor
 As a user of the forum it's great to get advice on things from lot's of 'experts' and individuals who've experienced the same thing- I've now posted several times since owning the C6 over the past 3 months (Not sure what that says about the reliability of my car?!) and received some great pointers. As time goes on and problems appear I'm reading and searching through previous threads and building up my own knowledge.

However, I've found it difficult to locate relevant posts and then the advice and learning which has previously been discussed. On this issue as an e.g searching for 'Suspension faulty' and 'suspension problem' and 'suspension collapse'(which was the first symptom of the problem) didn't bring up the advice which was relevant and in the history of the forum. A search for 'lower wishbone' did bring up the advice you talk of which tracks the progress of the use of after market lower wishbones. However I've only got that far after the after market lower wish bone was diagnosed by the indy and subsequently fitted. As the 'story' developed adding to my original post didn't get me to the answer on this occasion.

Unfortunately for me it took 7 visits to the Indy to get to the same point that one phone call to BL auto's got to. Essentially at BL autos they have a flow chart (all be it inside their heads) which they've followed to get to the right conclusion. If that idea could be utilised somehow it may make diagnosis for us all to be quicker and simpler and less prone to error and misdiagnosis.
 

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