Tonight I saw the strangest sight in Tesco's car park, a parked up (and empty) Citroen C5 estate nodding! I did stop and stare to check that my eyes were not deceiving me but it was definitely moving up and down on the front suspension. The back seemed to be staying put. Why would it do this?
Slightly stunned DB!
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Are you sure it was empty??!!
Now that the obligatory joke is out of the way, don't these things have funny hydro-thingy suspension that loses pressure over time?
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The exact same happened to the C5 next to me in the car park and I posted the same.
I've since been told that the key can be used to make it bounce but I've no idea if that's true.
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DH - Ha, ha yes I had thought of that too but it was DEFINATELY empty! Surely if the pressure was falling it would not be able to rise again as it did.
Adam - I did a quick search to see whether anyone had noticed this before but failed to come across your post, sorry.
DB
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I wasn't having a go DB - I was just saying how the same happened to me. I probably used some obscure title which is why you can't find it in the forum search!
I was in disbelief. I was right next to it, window open, and it was completely silent bouncing up and down.
It was empty. First thing I checked. (Sainsburys carpark at 6pm wouldn't be the best place anyway ;-))
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I had a Citroen BX diesel which constantly (and amusingly) raised and lowered itself while you sat in traffic. Dacka-dacka-dacka-ping-ping-hiss-hiss-click-click-dacka-dacka-dacka it went, raising and lowering itself.
It was like something Noddy & Big Ears might drive; I certainly got wry looks from my passengers! Fortunately it fell to pieces less than 9 months after I got it, so went back to Cavaliers!
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C5's use an electric pump rather than a mechanically driven one as used in previous Citroens and therefore self-level and adjust height with the engine off. I believe the system is supposed to shut down so long after the engine is turned off the save the battery.
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If you leave a C5 in gear, IIRC with the ignition off and handbrake off, it will do this if its not on absolutely level ground, as it strives to self level. Its a glitch - if the handbrake is on it doesn't do this!
Neil
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"Nothing moves like a Citroen"!!
Would a Mondeo TDCi entertain you by dancing in a supermarket car park??
Phil
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If you parked a pink C5 facing a blue one, would they both nod at each other? Or would the blue one nod while the pink one just smiled coyly?
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You buy the pink one, I'll get a blue one and we'll try it!! Hard to think of a more ugly combination than a pink C5 though, so the blue one might forgo the nodding!!
Phil
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Makes me think of the over enthusiastic canine Scenic ad, rather than leave it in the car park I wonder if you could send it off for a run in the park while in Tescos!
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You buy the pink one, I'll get a blue one and we'll try it!! Hard to think of a more ugly combination than a pink C5 though, so the blue one might forgo the nodding!! Phil
I've one in lilac. Nice colour. Doesn't look at all pink unless parked next to a very light silver car when clean in summer!
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Tonight I saw the strangest sight in Tesco's car park, a parked up (and empty) Citroen C5 estate nodding! I did stop and stare to check that my eyes were not deceiving me but it was definitely moving up and down on the front suspension. The back seemed to be staying put. Why would it do this?
Some people pay vast sums of money to get their cars to do this. Perhaps Citroen should start selling cars in California!
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My one has never done ths (to my knowledge!)- but here are some theories -
The suspension pump is electric and under control of sensors and computers and it also works with the ignition off. Try opening the boot of a C5 and sitting on the bumper - car goes down with you weight - car senses it's off kilter - pump cuts in - car lifts you back up taking your feet off the ground! (super fun!)In the same way, the car 'primes' the suspension as you get in of a morning.)
The car goes into economy mode after about 30 minutes. Inside you might see the speedometer needle twitch and some relays click - however - it remains sensitive to rain coming on (eg) if the windows are left open, so a drop of rain might trigger a re-energising of the electrics to close the windows with a consequent re-alignment of the ride height.
Similarly, if a door isn't completely closed, any slight movement of the door itself might be interpreted by the car as someone getting in and out of the vehicle - hence a succession of 'prime ups' of the suspension.
Then it could be movement below the car (a cat perhaps??) or certainly something like a dog moving INSIDE the car.
Some people say it's just suspension fluid settling in the system (might be temperature related)
Then there is the possibility of unused diesel / petrol returning to the tank and causing a small imbalance. If you have a 2.2 the EOLYS pump cuts in for about 2 minutes the first time you switch off the engine after a refill of diesel. This injects the fluid into the diesel as required. It's unlikely this small amount would alter balance much, but the vibration of the pump might affect the sensors.
There again, it could just be that the driver has pulled on the handbrake (operates on fron wheels!) a little before coming to a halt and this has resulted in a bit of 'wind up' in the suspension which the car is now trying to iron out.
Then there is a software glitch - causing some sort of erroneous signal in the multiplexed system.....
Some C5s (usually non - xenons) have headlights that dim and brighten noticeably as the suspension pump cuts out and in at night, so voltage surges are common too.
Fascinating beasties!
Graeme
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Hi Graeme and the guys on this thread,
I know it's an old thread but I would like to put some life back into it.
My C5 HDI LX 2002 has this nodding problem with the engine off.
I took it to a Citroen garage who found it is a known issue.
The cause is incorrect calibration of suspension ECU.
If the ECU has a version number 1 or more there is a download to fix it.
But if the ECU is version 0 then it is necessary to replace the Hydro-electronic Interface assembly.
Mine is version 0 so I am waiting for them to tell me how much a replacement assembly will be... gulp
I find that sometimes in the morning the battery is flat and I suspect that the nodding it happening overnight continuously. So the nodding is a real issue for me.
Graeme.. your post was very enlightening. I get the ECO mode thing that you describe. I will take a closer look at my C5 armed with some of your comments. Maybe I can find a way of living with the nodding (if the ECU replacement is expensive).
Regards,
Peter
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Have you tried leaving the suspension set to either minimum or maximum setting before switching off.
It should stay at that height & hopefully avoid a flat battery.
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I have had this in My Car, whilst engine running, but usually when it is or has been raining. Believe this may cause problem if water in sensors. Also rear axle suspension aligner (small link in middle of axle) has been known to have problems when wet. Currently have fault with suspension making Car lean to left, any ideas??
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Hi Graeme and the guys on this thread, I know it's an old thread but I would like to put some life back into it. My C5 HDI LX 2002 has this nodding problem with the engine off. I took it to a Citroen garage who found it is a known issue. The cause is incorrect calibration of suspension ECU. If the ECU has a version number 1 or more there is a download to fix it. But if the ECU is version 0 then it is necessary to replace the Hydro-electronic Interface assembly. Mine is version 0 so I am waiting for them to tell me how much a replacement assembly will be... gulp I find that sometimes in the morning the battery is flat and I suspect that the nodding it happening overnight continuously. So the nodding is a real issue for me. Graeme.. your post was very enlightening. I get the ECO mode thing that you describe. I will take a closer look at my C5 armed with some of your comments. Maybe I can find a way of living with the nodding (if the ECU replacement is expensive). Regards, Peter
Hi, sorry to wake this from the dead, but I was wondering what dealer you took the car to as my C5R is doing the nodding dog routine intermittently! Took it to my local Citroen dealer but all I got were blank stares?
Edited by Smarty2 on 12/05/2015 at 22:28
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Nothing wromg with resurrecting an old thread, but it's unlikely that you'll hear anything from (in this case) Honest Pete, who last posted on here four years ago.
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C5 suspensions of that era used to do their own thing when we transported them, so it's a well known thing in Citroen circles.
They would always have the parking brake applied and left in gear too, parking brake operated on front wheels.
We never trusted that model not to do it's own thing during a journey, which made tie down procedures er interesting.
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We never trusted that model not to do it's own thing during a journey, which made tie down procedures er interesting.
Maybe Citroen supply a straight jacket for that purpose.
You can't be too careful.
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Worth a try though, wonder if a direct e-mail to Citroen themselves may help?
Problem I have with Citroen dealers (and I have a lot of experience with em) is that if it isn't on their puter screen they are rodgered! Can't think outside of that. Very annoying, the " it isn't showing any fault codes sir" isn't particularly helpful!
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Well according to Citroen whom I took my car back to last week, advised me that the car already has that particular update!!? Now that's bonkers! What next?
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