automatic suspension, problems

[Villads Bønding]

what is the most comon problem with the automatic suspension? Is it problems with the sensors, eletronic box or with the shock absorbers or something else. My dashboard suspension control lamp is red and the suspension is on sport (auto can not be activatet). Does anyone know a specialist on this problem? I have a Thema Turbo LX 1994. Any help or comments wouldt be fine.
Thanks!
Villads

Please dont write that "it will be wery wery expensive to fix" as i already know. I just have to cry and pay the bill.

[kassus]

HI,

In www.devoted.to/lanciathema you will find a complete reparation guide and some info about the suspension system, maybe you can find the problem.

bye

[Villads Bønding]

Thanks kassus
I like your site, but i can only find 3 pages in your mechanical guide and it´s in French?!? Also i can se that most of your text has been taken from other thema sites. I dont think they like that maybe so you shuld rewrite the text or quote the original sites. Your initiative is wery good thoug and it´s nice to know that there are other lovers of this stunnning car. Keep up the good work. I hope that people will contribute to your site because we need a site like that. Maybe someone will lend you a mechanical guide in English? Good luck.
Villads

[Pol]

Before spending money, you could check the hydraulic oil level (under the bonnet, near the windscreen, right side of the car).
Very small chance this might be the problem, but it's for free.

greetings

Pol

[Pol]

Excuse me, should be left side of the car, right side if you stand in face of it.


Pol

[Villads Bønding]

Thanks Pol. Do you have automatic suspension, automatic leveling or both? What are your experince with the system? Sorry, the oli level for the servo and automatic leveling was not the problem.

[Pol]

Hi Villads,

I had a \'92 turbo16v with automatic suspension and hydraulic levelling. Unfortionatelly i lost it about 2 months ago when someone drove it\'s peugeot in my trunk.
I have a \'94 turbo16v whitout auto suspension/levelling since then and i can say i don\'t regret it : in my experience, with the suspension in auto mode it was like driving a boat (had a citroën once and it felt like that) and in sport mode it was too hard for passengers, and it didn\'t increase the handling (wich it should).
The automatic levelling was a nice feature when heavy loaded, but one time, the hydraulic tube of the left rear shock-absorber broke while driving : i lost all my hydraulic oil and by the time i got home, the servo-steering was gone and the rear-end off the car almost hung on the ground.
I hab a tube made in an hydraulic shop for 20€ and fixed it, but my point is : the complexity of the system compared with an everyday suspension isn\'t worth it for me.
Also i\'m told these shock absorbers are very( x4) expensive.
If these would had to be replaced, I\'d gone for regular ones, but except from that broken tube I never had any suspension problems.

Anyway, i hope you can fix your problem (in an inexpensive way) and enjoy your car, wich I\'m sure you\'ll do.

Let us know!

Greeting,

Pol

[Pol]

By the way, in your case I would just keep on driving it that way, if the handling is good.

Pol

[Villads Bønding]

Dear Pol
Sorry to hear that you lost your 92 Thema but i guess you found a nice "new" one. I had a 92 thema Turbo without automatic suspension. It was a nice car but it was "floding" way to much. It was leaning when cornering fast and unstabel when going over a bump. It gave a wery smooth and ride when going straigth and was wery silent. But i found it to soft. It had the standard 15 inch wheels. My new Turbo LX 94 has a better build quality and a wery nice cabin. The handeling is wery good in the sport mode (the auto mode is broke and i havent tryed it when working) but i might be a bit to hard when driving with "mom" on the back seat (it´s ok for me). One thing i dont like is that it has more road noise than the 92 turbo witch was wery quiet. I dont know if its because of the 16 inch oz wheels or if its because the car is in sport mode. Did you find the car more quiet in the auto than in the sport mode? Is your new 94 turbo as silent as your 92 turbo?
Another reason for fixing the original automatic suspension is to keep the car as original as posible. I would like to preserve this nice car as long as possible.
kind regards
Villads Bønding

[Peter Tyndale]

Hi Villads,
yes, my car came with automatic suspension (not self leveling).
About a year ago I needed to renew the shock absorbers, and thought I'd
fit standard units - until I saw the prices. It so happened that I had bought
a scrapped series 1 832, and so temporarily fitted the non-adjustable shocks
from that, which kept the car off the bumpstops while I gave it more thought.
The handling and ride were quite acceptable, so when I bought new units, I
went for nonadjustable ones from Barry Waterhouse at Evocars. These were
very reasonably priced, and have proved perfectly acceptable for me.
I realize that this doesn't help you from the point of keeping the car standard.
Regards
Peter
Note. This post is meant for Villads 16v LS. An 832 rear shock is different.!!!
If any 832 owners are interested in my experiences with them, they can email
me direct.