98 LX470 AHC Suspension-->Cold Weather

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alpendubber

alpendubber

Joined
Jun 13, 2006
Threads
133
Messages
792
Location
Idaho
I left early this morning from Pinedale, WY to drive back to CO from a ski trip at Targhee. My AHC indicated Low on the gauge cluster and was physically in the Low position in the front. According to the manual it may freeze up for a bit until the engine conpartment warms up. We drove in the Low position for 400 miles in cold temps with no change to the Normal mode. I tried multiple times on the way back to raise it back up, using the up button, restarting, all doors closed and up with the button...The OFF flashed the entire time. It was becoming a real problem because of the road conditions and the ice build-up in the wheel wells. Every little roll in the road would cause it to bottom out on the bump stops, which wasn't much..maybe 1/2" of travel. When we got back home the temp was 36 and sunny, I started it after being parked and thawing for 20 minutes in the sun and the AHC went back to Normal and everything is fine.

Is this normal with AHC?

I did stop a few times to kick the ice out.
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one more............
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Tried when stopped, all doors closed, in Park.
 
Actually tried both.
 
Probably, but this is our cush highway cruisin machine. I love the AHC when it works. Slee's chip keeps it in High mode all the time...I think.

With -20 wind chill all night in stupid WY, and all the way home I bet it just got pissed and refused to work.

If I'm actually having other issues, it's all coming out and will be replaced with a lift.

On a side note.......why the F are you selling your 80??
 
I believe you need the E-Brake pulled up to manually change it, however it seems it should have auto-leveled enroute; did you check your fluid level?
 
E-Brake doesn't need to be up, just not moving and all doors shut.

Was the car in low when you turned it off the last time it was normal or did it sink down to low over night?

Possible the ahc sensor froze into place? Possible water in the AHC lines/pump that froze? When was the last time you flushed the AHC?
 
It has been working fine down to minus 20 C. Just a bit slower when cold.

If there is an "error condition" preventing it from moving, you have to turn the ignition off and on again to give it another try.
 
When was the last time the AHC fluid was changed out? Could be contaminated or have moisture in it which would definitely rear its ugly head at those temps OP.
 
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