Looking for advice on a sad c5 story

Hi everyone. Good news, Mark at Scullin worked out the suspension pump wasn’t getting any power, replaced the fuse, and all is seemingly fixed. Probably means the $1,000 for the steering pump replacement was unnecessary by the dealer’s mechanic. Lesson learned.

Again, thanks for the replies and advice.

Alex

That's really good news.

Cheers

Alec
 
Hi everyone. Good news, Mark at Scullin worked out the suspension pump wasn’t getting any power, replaced the fuse, and all is seemingly fixed. Probably means the $1,000 for the steering pump replacement was unnecessary by the dealer’s mechanic. Lesson learned.

Again, thanks for the replies and advice.

Alex
Great news, and once again confirmation the X7 is an excellent reliable car, equipped with that in mind, when faults arise, it's always wise to look for the simple things first.
Also I need to say that not all dealers are necessarily the same. Example: for under $1000, I got the big 80K service with all fluids changed, PLUS full AM6 gearbox flush and refill, PLUS an overnight loan vehicle. The car now drives a dream, the gearbox whilst it hadn't caused any problems before is now incredibly smooth and impossible to fault as to its behaviour. So I think that was a good investment.
 
Hi everyone, follow up question - c5 has been great and getting to know the car a bit better. When I parked at work this morning I noticed the suspension dropped a bit when I turned the engine off, not much but was noticeable. It doesn’t look too different. Is this normal? Hoping yes. Thanks
 
Because the car suspension is so soft, when you or other passengers hop out, the car will rise up. Then the suspension height sensor realises that the car is high and releases some fluid back to the reservoir to lower the car to the correct height.

Conversely, when you hop in the car, close the door or sit in the car, you will hear the pump run to pump the suspension back to the normal ride height

Cheers Ken
 
I noticed the suspension dropped a bit when I turned the engine off, not much but was noticeable. Is this normal?

As one dealer said "Oh, they all do that sir"

As Ken W points out, it'll rise back to normal height next time you get in the car or start the engine.

Sometimes one of ours gets depressed sitting at too long at traffic lights and the nose droops. Touch the throttle and its instantly back to normal ride height. I think it just feels sad sitting pointlessly at traffic lights.

Oddly, our other one never gets depressed and keeps its nose at normal height no matter how long it sits. Maybe something they put in the fuel is keeping it high.
 
As Ken states, my old C5 will sometimes park itself in a slightly high position when locked and when it is remotely UNlocked it then adjusts lower to the correct height....just so it can readjust UP when the load of the passenger weight is added.
This delayed ability to adjust height until the drivers door is closed and the pump has had enough time to do its job has resulted in a couple of tyre dealers trying to drive the car off before it has readjusted to proper height...scraped plastic sill covers and a under engine splash trays can result. Get used to the car and know the sound of the pump grumbling .. you can make it do its stuff by sitting on a bumper and getting off after it has readjusted. That is a great party trick. It can do that self levelling at both ends. Occasionally a hard fast stop at traffic lights can have the height adjust too.
C5s are very well controlled compared with previous generations. A really soft DS is a spectacle for the uninitiated. The C5s have an electric pump .. the older stuff had an engine driven pump so the engine had to be running for self levelling to occur.
 
I dunno if they *all* drop a cm or so when turned off, but mine does, do I consider it normal.

But, this has considerations that you don't find in a normal car. As stated, unlocking it, or if already unlocked, just opening the driver's door, will 'wake it up' and you can hear the electric motor whirring for a good few seconds.

This use of the battery will add to its power drain over time, that you would not find in inferior vehicles.

Another one that caught me out, I had parked with the front over a kerb. Unbeknownst to me, it had dropped just enought for the front to be resting on the ground. When the 4 of us jumped back in, I thought that I left it enough seconds to pump back up, evidently not enough.

It scaped so loudly that everyone within earshot turned around, kids fell of their bikes, and the whole nose cone dislodged.

I figured that if it came off so easily then it would go back on just as easily. Had to raise it and investigate the alignment, but in general it did.
 
Glad you mentioned that. I always park short of kerbs. It's easier than getting out and measuring them.

Other coil spring makes with low clearance have this problem.
 
Glad you mentioned that. I always park short of kerbs. It's easier than getting out and measuring them.

Other coil spring makes with low clearance have this problem.
Hi seasink :)
I would rephrase that to "all cars with stupid undertrays and chin spoilers have this problem " . Even my Captur has this problem and I do need to remove and refit the "front bumper bar" to get it back hanging correctly. Silly ideas cars have now. The people on both side of me scrape the under trays coming into their drives. Nothing sporty and the street is virtually flat ???
Bah Humbug o_O
Jaahn
 
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