C5 X7 - A loud bang and the right side fell

[n0stra]

Yesterday I finally replaced the right side driveshaft and then today, after just 3 km drive, I heard a sudden bang (like driving into a deep pothole) and saw the car tilt a bit to the right.

I drove to the side and parked the car, checked underneath. No errors no leakage, nothing broken (as I could see). The car is 100 % as normal on the left side but on the right both the front and the rear (but mostly the front) is way lower than normal. The whole car reacts when adjusting hight, but the front right goes from lowest (touching the tire with the inner arch) to highest (2 cm clearence between tire and arch). The rear wheel is somewhat higher but not as high as the ones on the left side of the car.

Is this something that might fix it self eventually by letting it have some rest and then raising and lowering it several times? Any other suggestions that I might check (as I mentioned above, no alarms or warnings what so ever in display).

In case this has something to do with this:
I managed to drive the car back home and checked the LDS-reservoir. A few months ago one of the hydraulic pipes in the rear end was replaced and new fluid (Total LDS red/orange) was added and then after filled and level checked on lowest position). When I now took a look the reservoir was empty. I thus filled the 2 dl I had left but still not enough to have it show. I cat get more from the local Citroen dealership in my neighbourhood.

[kantica]

You should check LDS level only with hydraulic system depressurized. This can be done using diagnostic tool - DiagBox. You should not see any LDS in the reservoir if you set the car to lowest position using the commands from cockpit. Have you installed the correct driveshaft ? Did you check if anything broke and if there are any oil leaks ? Which engine / gearbox does your car have ?

[n0stra]

You should check LDS level only with hydraulic system depressurized. This can be done using diagnostic tool - DiagBox. You should not see any LDS in the reservoir if you set the car to lowest position using the commands from cockpit. Have you installed the correct driveshaft ? Did you check if anything broke and if there are any oil leaks ? Which engine / gearbox does your car have ?

Yes it is correct, it was ordered on the basis of the cars registration details/VIN.

If you run a garage the correct procedure would be to do it the way you described but it works perfectly well to do it just by lowering the car also on a plain flat surface.

I cant see any LDS-fluid appearing when on lowest position.

As mentioned 2 times in my post; yes there are no leaks what so ever. Not yesterday when i did the driveshaft, not to night while the car was standing outside (dry weather and nothing on the road/parking) and nothing when this happened today, nor when i drove to the side of the road to check what happened.

Its a 09 C5 X7 2.0HDI Exclusive (6 speed automatic)

[Kees]

Sometimes the advice about checking the LDS fluid Nivea is not complete.
The procedure with the diagbox is correct.
But you can check just by lower the car, then you should see the LDS fluid just at the bottom of the fill opening.
Greetings,
Kees.

[n0stra]

Added pictures showing each side raised and lowered. Notice the right side and especially the front right.

[aerodynamica]

That is strange behavior, can you rotate the steering to allow you to look under the wheel arch? I wonder what condition the anti roll bar drop link is in. It is the only structural aspect I can think of that might allow one front side to be lower. Possibly also the anti roll bar bush at either end of the sub frame. Can these be viewed? Just to eliminate them from the investigation. Make sure the car is solidly supported before reaching in the wheel arch in case there is a serious structural failure.

[n0stra]

That is strange behavior, can you rotate the steering to allow you to look under the wheel arch? I wonder what condition the anti roll bar drop link is in. It is the only structural aspect I can think of that might allow one front side to be lower. Possibly also the anti roll bar bush at either end of the sub frame. Can these be viewed? Just to eliminate them from the investigation. Make sure the car is solidly supported before reaching in the wheel arch in case there is a serious structural failure.

They were replaced just 1,5 years ago and look fine. I checked underneath earlier today when this happened. See attached picture.

[Kees]

You didn't tell, if the car is raised, how does the suspension feel at the front.

[n0stra]

You didn't tell, if the car is raised, how does the suspension feel at the front.

On the left siden everything feels as it should. The right rear also feels ok although lower than it should be. The front right is stiff.

[kantica]

I think that your heights are all wrong. Car should not be that low on lowest setting. And highest setting should be higher than those in pictures. On normal setting around 73cm front and rear from wing center to the ground.

[n0stra]

I think that your heights are all wrong. Car should not be that low on lowest setting. And highest setting should be higher than those in pictures. On normal setting around 73cm front and rear from wing center to the ground.

Had 3 C5 hydraulics and everyone of them have had a max hight of this. If your talking about the right side, I've already stated that this one is way too low. The hight was also measured this summer when it had a hydraulics pipe changed in the rear.

This is also besides the point.

[Kees]

It seems to me, that your right sphere is blown.
This could be explain the loud bang you hear, and also why you missing the lds fluid.
Greetings,
Kees.

[n0stra]

It seems to me, that your right sphere is blown.
This could be explain the loud bang you hear, and also why you missing the lds fluid.
Greetings,
Kees.

Så the fluid might have gone into the sphere without anything leakig out ?

[n0stra]

Update: tried to drive the car slowly around the neighborhood to see how it behaves. Finally forced an error message: faulty suspension, max 90 km/h

[Stickyfinger]

This "guessing game" is silly......the car needs to put on a ramp and inspected....