456 Suspension warning light question | FerrariChat

456 Suspension warning light question

Discussion in '456/550/575' started by spiderscott, Feb 6, 2018.

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  1. spiderscott

    spiderscott Formula 3
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    #1 spiderscott, Feb 6, 2018
    I’m working on the curing the dash warning light on my 456.

    Have tested all 4 actuators with a 12v battery and all appear working. Having read through every thread I could find here, it seems occasionally there is a problem with the board inside. Tomorrow I will switch over using my F355 actuators to try and rule them out 100%.

    One question, can faulty accumulator(s) cause the warning light to display. From Rifledrivers list it appears not but would just like confirmation please.

    Again I have these aftermarket version accumulators on order and will be changing as a precaution as they look to be the original 1997 ones on the car, but curious if it can flag up the light
     
  2. cls

    cls Formula 3

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    #2 cls, Feb 6, 2018
    No, I don't think the accumulators can cause a suspension fault light. The light is activated by the actuator, so it's actuator or shock fault only. I have taken apart the complete system (more than once unfortunately) and there are no other electrical connections.
     
  3. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #3 tazandjan, Feb 6, 2018
    The light can also be triggered by faulty indications from the steering position sensor, the brake system, and the vertical acceleration sensors.
     
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  4. cls

    cls Formula 3

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    #4 cls, Feb 7, 2018
    I stand amended.
     
  5. UKDavidB

    UKDavidB Rookie

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    #5 UKDavidB, Mar 9, 2019
    Hi Scott. Did you ever get to the bottom of the suspension warning light issue on your 456? I’m in a similar situation - all actuators seem ok; the gear wheel on one of the rear shocks was very stiff to turn but I’ve freed this up with some lubrication. Head-scratching at the moment... Thanks. DB.
     
  6. spiderscott

    spiderscott Formula 3
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    #6 spiderscott, Mar 9, 2019
    Hi David

    Yes I managed to resolve the issue. I discovered after rechecking one of the front suspension actuators it was damaged, but it was not at all obvious to see at first glance it all looked intact and seemed to behave correctly when I ran the battery test. Was only on closer inspection during a second test I noticed it was not exactly the same as the other three.

    Test I did was this....



    Even after I replaced it, I still had the light on until I finally reseated the connectors on the suspension conputer (behind fuse board) and then also the suspension switch (on Center console) I had to unplug and reset connector then a battery reset and finally the light went out and everything started to behave correctly.

    Hope it helps and you get it resolved.
     
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  7. UKDavidB

    UKDavidB Rookie

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    #7 UKDavidB, Mar 9, 2019
    Thanks, Scott - that’s really helpful. Out of interest, what did you eventually notice was different about the faulty actuator?

    When you reseated the connectors on the computer and centre console switch, was it simply a case of disconnecting and reconnecting them? Battery reset is switching off the battery switch and leaving for a period before powering back up?
     
  8. spiderscott

    spiderscott Formula 3
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    #8 spiderscott, Mar 9, 2019
    Yes exactly, shut off the battery reset the connectors leave fur a few mins and power back on.

    Regarding the faulty actuator, it all looked normal at first glance. Looking inside at the brown plastic ring gear, I then got a small slim screwdriver and manually moved it around and compared it to another, then noticed that at one end it was snapped. Hard to see unless you looked really closely as the break was under the red lip of the cover even removing the rubber grommet didn’t show enough. I think it’s a common issue and a weak part that often breaks from memory you can buy the upgraded part in metal from the company over in the US that can repair them. I was able to get s used one on eBay that worked out similar price wise with all the shipped.
    So just study them closely and compare them.
     
  9. UKDavidB

    UKDavidB Rookie

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    #9 UKDavidB, Mar 11, 2019
    Thanks, Scott - I’ll take a closer look.
     
  10. F456M

    F456M F1 Rookie

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    #10 F456M, Mar 12, 2019
    How do you know i what position it should be installed? By looking at your video (well done), it looks much like a wheel bearing inside with no wedge or pin to make it only fit in one place. I assume the thing it connects onto can turn freely 360 deg around? How does this work? I have never taken them apart on my car, but by looking at the front ones, it appears like they have twisted the cable... i dobn’t feel much difference in suspention actually. But the system seen to work and I never have the warning light except if the battery is almost empty.
     
  11. UKDavidB

    UKDavidB Rookie

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    #11 UKDavidB, Mar 12, 2019
    The position of the actuator on top of the strut doesn’t matter; when the ignition is turned on, each actuator will turn full scale in both directions to determine the position of the gear wheel, then settle at the appropriate point depending on the setting (comfort, sport, etc). The fault light tends to come on if this process doesn’t or can’t happen, for example a dodgy actuator or siezed gear shaft.
     
  12. spiderscott

    spiderscott Formula 3
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    #12 spiderscott, Mar 12, 2019
    Only difference being from memory a few people with 550's have commented that the actuators somehow seem to have turned and the cable gets twisted up over time. Erik if this has happened on your 456 then its the first one Ive heard do that, or it could just have been installed with a twisted cable. Very simple to rectify on the 456 and probably one of the easiest Ferrari models to access the front actuators.
     

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