Shock actuator fault after KW coilover conversion

If one of your actuators have failed you can rebuild them for much, much less than the Ferrari tax of $6k.

Here's some valuable information:
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/technical-q/209629-shock-actuators.html

 

When I had my 550, we had to replace the crown wheel on top of the right rear shock. As a result, we kept throwing codes. Dan MacKay at Bradan figured it out after a considerable amount of investigation. You might want to contact him to save time/money.

 

Just a thought as I have my own suspension apart. When removed, my actuators on startup spin much further than the shocks would allow when the actuators are installed. Meaning, it seems like the suspension ECU learns the stop point at each startup. Perhaps your new shocks have a different travel limit and the ECU thinks it's a failure?

 

A possible cause for the suspension warning light when everything else checks out OK is that one of the Hall effect wires has a cold solder joint failure. The actuator motor will still turn both ways on the bench but will not communicate properly with the suspension ECU.

A comparative resistance test with an Ohm meter between actuators might help determine
which one has an open circuit.

See this post :
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/139904900-post27.html

Other causes are mentioned in this thread:
http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/technical-q/209629-shock-actuators.html

I have repaired many actuators and seen this cold solder joint failure several times, it is not particularly rare.

NB: I don't repair these this any more so please don't ask.

Worst case cutting the green/yellow wire at the lower yellow connection at the shock ECU will turn off the light. It will come on as a bulb test for about ten seconds on startup then go out.

 

Wait a minute...Isn't this co conversion shock and spring? If yes then you can't use the ferrari oem actuators system. The oem system is only bilstein or sachs on the maranello versions. If I'm right then you need the simple and proven modification of the suspension ecu from our resident genius "ferraridriver" dave.

 

This is for the part number you mentioned
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It's giving the fault because your KW coilovers are not adjustable electronically. Your car is searching for electronic shocks but there are none. The connector are not hooked up to anything, hence the fault. You need a fault canceller or have the dealer reprogram the car to disable electronic dampening control.

 

Hi Guys,
Struggling to find the details on what to do to get rid of the suspension warning light on a 550 when you've changed out the electronic dampers for aftermarket coilovers. I understand the suspension ecu needs to get unplugged, then a couple of wires on the connector get bridged? Can anyone share the details of the relevant pin numbers that need bridged?

 

Wiring schematic from WSM for reference. So which pins need shorting?

View attachment 148191

 

Apologies - this diagram relates to the ABS ecu. Ignore then! Does anyone have the right pinout diagram for the suspension ecu?

 

In what way is the car better with this new shocks and springs? I thought the whole point with the computer controlled original system was to adjust each shock individually for every imaginable situation. By reading the manual, it shows that the system firm up the outer shocks in a turn, front when braking and rear when accellerating etc. I thought that was an ideal way to give more stability to the car?

 

The kits usually include a bridge to fool the actuator controls and suspension logic. Contact the manufacturer or his retailer. There are many things that can give a suspension fault, and you want all of them bypassed.

 

Higher quality components with more adjustability, greater dynamic range for tuning, greater fluid volume to cope with heat better...

Basically a variety of reasons. Not saying the OEM stuff is bad, but it’s pretty old tech now.


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We have a wiring diagram, but no clue regarding the pins to short out. Two wires go to the motor in each actuator and the other four going to each actuator are unknown.

 

Able to post the wiring diagram?

I've gone through loads of old posts, and there are numerous references to a "well established " means of bypassing the suspension ecu for aftermarket coil-overs. It may be obvious form example if there is a pin for "fault condition" that feeds into another ecu that can be bonded to earth or 12v to send a confirmation that no errors are present. I honestly don't know, but the wiring schematic would certainly help.

 

I’ve been thinking about trying KW coilovers on my 550 and would appreciate any further review of the differences from stock suspension. Thank you

 

That might be a clue... The suspension fault wire goes into the instrument panel (labelled 300 in the diagram) on pin 10 of plug "B" on a green wire (with yellow stripe). i.e. colour code VG.

This green/yellow wire comes out of the Bilstein suspension unit on plug A pin 10. I can't remember if plug A or B is the yellow plug. From memory, however, the wires are not visible at this end of the harness. You have to pull the plugs apart to access the wires. It may or may not be easier to add your earth(?) at the instrument end.

https://www.dropbox.com/t/b3XhvnacahpluuNf

Link expires in 6 days...

The 456M shares a lot of the wiring with the 550. The plug at the instrument panel will be similar to plug "37F/11F" in this screenshot from the 456M workshop manual.

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The 456M pinouts show a wire colour change at this plug from green/yellow to yellow/green. The 550 may or may not have this colour change (the diagrams are in a different format and don't have this data).

 

For easier location of the wire on that plug, the green/yellow wire is between a grey/blue (HL) wire on pin 9 and a grey/white (HB) wire on pin 11 (i.e. on the car side of the plug, not the instrument panel side of the plug)

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You know Ferrari 456/550 10x better than the average Ferrari tech!! What a contribution. Thanks for sharing.

 

Many thanks Ian!

 

From March, 2017
Worst case cutting the green/yellow wire at the lower yellow connection at the shock ECU will turn off the light. It will come on as a bulb test for about ten seconds on startup then go out.

 

Many thanks! I thought this might work. You know if this can result in any limp mode behaviour? Or does the bilstein ecu operate independently?


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As far as I know it only breaks the connection to the light

As I understand it you no longer have the OEM shock actuators, if so the Bilstein ECU can not do anything but power the suspension warning light. With that wire cut it's redundant.

This would give you the freedom to replace the Sport switch with something more usable since it's also redundant