Well my ride went very firm again. This all started once I changed out the rear upper and lower control arms, rear stabilizer links and rear toe links. It could be the roads I'm driving that give the impression it's working sometimes but It was a chattering ride on the freeway and doesn't seem much different with fuse 14 pulled. There is not a CATS FAULT warning on the gauge cluster.

I connected SDD and ran it, no codes.
Then I ran IDS and under 204 suspension heading it said 00 DTC's. But when I expanded it, there were some 16 or so codes that stated "not tested". Then there is some incomplete explanation about how those can usually be resolved by running the engine for awhile, which isn't accurate as I've been driving the car. Nevertheless I ran the engine, re-ran the codes, then it showed only two that weren't tested. Ran the engine again, then the DTC's and they all were back as not tested.

Since the codes don't display an error, I can't get to the pinpoint tests in IDS like usual. I can't find them in the manual as it just tells me to execute the pinpoint tests. I know some DTC codes are in the service manual but I can't find any of these these. Incomplete list:

C110A12 Front vertical acceleration sensor • Front vertical acceleration sensor circuit - short to power
C110A14 Front vertical acceleration sensor • Front vertical acceleration sensor circuit - short to ground, open circuit
C110A29 Front vertical acceleration sensor. • Signal not changing or out of range
C110B12 Rear vertical acceleration sensor. • Rear vertical acceleration sensor circuit - short to power
C110B14Rear vertical acceleration sensor • Rear vertical acceleration sensor circuit - short to ground, open circuit
C110B29 Rear vertical acceleration sensor • Signal not changing or out of range
C110C12 Left front damper solenoid • Left front damper solenoid circuit - short to power
C110C14 Left front damper solenoid Left front damper solenoid circuit - short to ground, open circuit. Left front damper failure
C110C1D Left front damper solenoid Left front damper solenoid circuit - short to ground/power, open circuit. Left front damper failure
​​​​​​​C110F14 Right rear damper solenoid. Right rear damper solenoid circuit - short to ground, open circuit Right rear damper failure
C110F1D Right rear damper solenoid. Right rear damper solenoid Right rear damper solenoid circuit -short to ground/power, open circuit Right rear damper failure
C110F14 Right rear damper solenoid. Right rear damper solenoid circuit - short to ground, open circuit. Right rear damper failure
C110F12 Right rear damper solenoid. Right rear damper solenoid circuit - short to power
C110E1D Right rear damper solenoid. Right rear damper solenoid circuit - short to ground, open circuit. Right rear damper failure​​​​​​​
C1A391C Sensor supply voltage • Circuit voltage out of range
And the list goes on. Since the codes aren't being tested as I said, no directional pinpoint tests are available to guide me.

I'm not a believer in coincidences but I only disconnected the rear dampers at the bottom to install the arms and then lifted the rear control arms to ride height to tighten final torque.

So a few questions?

1) Random thoughts?
2) I can't imagine torquing the lower shock mount while the control arm is at ride height could have screwed something up, but could it? I know the arms need to be at ride height but nothing is said about the shocks.
3) Is there anyone who has a Topix subscription who would be willing to print these up or at least confirm the pinpoint tests are in there?
4) would one bad shock firm up the entire ride?

I guess I'm asking for help on how to test. I know the leads are sensitive on the shocks but have no idea what the reading should be and power on/off, etc.

 

Hello Sean W,

SDD: Diagnosis: Chassis: Suspension system: Vehicle dynamic suspension: Extremely Firm (alt: Too harsh): continue...
Service Functions:
Active damping control module - calibration learn?
Active damping control module - Height sensor - calibration (a bit complicated)
Active damping control module - Build mode?

I'm with you. Replaced the rear control arms and ride seems a bit stiffer.
Still working air out of the ABS due to an avoidable error, so haven't yet worked out the suspension completely.
However, Calibration learn or Build mode should get us there.

Keep us posted on your progress.

PS: You can also view various parameters (volts, current, etc.) for active suspension parts in SDD Measurements. Compare right and left but they would, no doubt set an error code if out of range.

best regards,
Bill

 

Thank you Bill, this helps.
I did perform THE SDD: Diagnosis: Chassis: Suspension system: Vehicle dynamic suspension: Extremely Firm (alt: Too harsh): continue...
It had no recommendations or extras. This is where is indicated none of the codes I listed above were tested and I guess I don't know how to force it to test them.

I will give the other tests a go. Much appreciated.

 

I don't see these in service functions @Bill400:
Active damping control module - calibration learn?
Active damping control module - Height sensor - calibration (a bit complicated)
Active damping control module - Build mode?

 

When you go into recommendations - these three should appear.
Height sensor calibration requires some measurements - a bit tricky, indeed.

 

agreed, they aren't there. I'm in for the day but will post pics of SDD

 

I thought I'd post a video. This is cruising @ 65. Though I didn't keep the camera running, the ride smooths out @ 80> then gets firm again when I drop down to 65.

 

OK here's what I ran today - no recommendations for adaptive dampers

 

I wonder if it only appears for the 5 litre cars.

I can't see those options anywhere on the screen shots I took of SDD when I had my '07 but they are there for my '10:

 

And that's exactly what I see for my MY10 5.0sc

 

OK well, my boot is torn apart right now as I wanted to pull the rear CATS plug and see if I got a fault warning and I did. So what's apparently different with regard to the model years, I only have the choice of adding a new Damper module, so I said what the hell and selected it. SDD/IDS assumes you swap it out but what happened was it executed a calibration. I'm guessing that's the way it's done on the 07-09 models but I don't have any alternatives. It didn't execute any height adjustment. Tomorrow AM, I'll put the boot back together and give her a run.

 

Frankly - not sure that height adjustment will affect firmness. Struts and springs affect it. Height is more for traction control, headlights etc.

 

I concur. the firm setting is employed whilst power is not supplied to the struts, and as this is the default drive mode.
So, why would that be?
ADCM is not operating correctly? Possible. But you have no message stating a CATS fault.
As the accelerometers provide a signal to the ADCM; is that signal being sent? Again possible, but unlikely.
If being sent, why is the ADCM ignoring it? That is, what overrides are in place? OR. is it able to read? OR, is the signal sent and the dampers can’t activate…

Coupled with ADCM writes status data. And this data is read. The ADCM provides the signal as needed…
As the damper in an 2010 is a continuous dampening solution and the damper in a 2007 is a one stage solenoid, and as your ride only softens at the higher speed, It appears that in your situation the wrong dampers installed as its activating in the designed 2 stage manner… on a variable strut. This is peculiar.

 

Guy,
You may be on to something! Since the function appears inverted, it may be that Sean has mixed apples and oranges, parts wise.
Sean. can you observe a damper signal with an oscilloscope?

Bill

 

guy are you saying the car now thinks I have 2010 onward shocks? I still have the OEM shocks from when I purchased the car. The changes I made to the rear suspension were replacement of upper and lower arms, stabilizer links and toe links. The only thing I did to the rear shock was to unbolt it at the bottom to remove the control arm. Pardon but I'm a little lost on your post.

Anyway, the calibration only made the ride firmer, as if the fuse was pulled.

Bill, I don't have an oscilloscope.

 

Greetings.

I’m merely trying to understand the ‘why’. Why is it that only at a high speed the feel becomes soft.
The CATS system on an ‘07 is a simple hard/soft implementation. And yours seems acting in the reverse. And I cannot account for that.
This is complicated by the fact you do not show a CATS FAULT message…. implying it thinks it is working correctly.
Troubling….

 

Thanks guy. The only thing I can think of related to rear suspension part swap was the removal and install of the wheel speed sensor which apparently CATS uses to a degree. Yet those are just a 7mm nut, pull out and then reinstall. I assume if either the rear or front accelerometers were defective a CATS warning would display but nothing I touched doing my work. I hate to parts swap but am out of thoughts as to the cause.

 

Me too…. I’m not a parts swapper either.
But we have no empirical data to substantiate anything at this moment.
Are you certain you can rule out the dampers?
Have you tried a module reset on the ADCM?
Have you tried the full system reset, just for giggles?

 

My ODB tool shows live data for the suspension so I can watch it while driving but, if you don't have something similar, have you tried monitoring the current state of each shock using SDD. You may even be able to force them into hard mode while driving to see if there is any difference in ride.

 

Agreed - working on figuring out how to do that.
To date I've done two things. One is pull the connection and got confirmation of CATS Fault each time. Two I'll post pics below but I am slow with SDD. I ran a data logger with the engine running but car not moving and the dampers were reading .05 Amps as they should.
I don't know how to reset the module. Do you know the routine?
Yes, both through SDD and the old fashioned way.

For those of you SDD savvy, here is what I did today with the engine running. Is this the same thing I should do on a test run? (select road test in SDD)

Selected these

Don't know what NO means. Each damper performing as it should with engine at idle

I suspect I will need to try to capture live suspension data driving with the wife in the car to keep the laptop from going wonky. I can't drive for a while now. Rain, snow temps n the 30's and summer tires is not going to cut it. I should see a couple days in the 40's next week.