Stuck In Sport Mode

[Bald Jim]

Just got me an XM and it appears to be stuck in sports mode,OK,not a major disadvantage,or is it ?,the ride seems fine,the apprpriate light is lit on the dash,any help appreciated.

[Ciaran]

If the light is permanently on I would be looking at the switch. If you unplug it, does the light go off?

You didn't mention what car it was, but I am suspecting S2 because you say the ride is still comfortable, which it would not be if the car was in hard mode. S1 cars, when the sport switch is used, change to permanently be in hard mode, where as on an S2, the car stays soft, but the the criteria for switching it to hard become more aggressive, meaning it would be triggered into hard sooner with the switch in sport mode, than in normal.
If the car was an S1 stuck in hard, you would certainly know about it as the ride would be pretty unbearable (though nothing worse than your average BMW or other nazi sleigh).

I've never seen one with the the light stuck on, if its not a faulty switch I'm guessing it could be a wiring / ECU problem, though I would be very surprised if it isn't the switch.


Ciarán

This post has been edited by Ciaran on August 11, 2008 08:44 am

[Bald Jim]

Cheers dude,it's an S2 2.5td estate,I'll try your suggestions,many thanks.

[Assich]

The switch connects a wire from the suspension ecu to earth to engage auto suspension. If this earth is poor you are likely to find it stays in sport mode. Try removing the switch and earthing both wires on the connector. If sport light goes off then a poor earth is the problem.

[John Malkovich]

Absence of switch or unplugging the connector to it actually turns on sport/hard mode.

[Assich]

Yes but unplugging the switch gets you to the contacts for the wires running to the switch. One running to earth the other coming from the suspension ecu. Hence earth both and sport light should go out. Earthing both means you don't need to determine which wire is which and also whether the earth is good or not. If light goes out you then know to check the earth and indeed the switch itself.

[Bald Jim]

Quick update,worked the switch back and forth a few times with a little lube and it appears to now switch between both modes and I get the message on the dash.