Air ride ghost

[keVIIIn]

So this morning I got home from work after it rained and I decided to wash my car after I parked it in the driveway..well it started raining again so I pulled it into the garage and proceeded to dry it off and wax it. Well in the middle of waxing it all of a sudden the air ride compressor turned on and ran for approx. 3-4 seconds, then shut off. Mind you the engine was off and the key was out of the ignition..

Has anyone had this problem where your compressor runs even with the vehicle off?? The woman I bought the car from let the car sit for weeks at a time sometimes and said there was a problem with the battery draining from the air ride system turning on and off when it was just sitting in the garage..so she had her mechanic rig up a battery tender under the hood and always had it plugged in. I figured this "mechanic" just didn't know what he was talking about with the air ride issue, and ever since buying it I've never witnessed the compressor come on with the car off until today.

I have suspected from day one of owning the car that there is probably a slow leak in one of the bags since it always leans to one side and is lower on the passenger side at all times. So I assume this is why the compressor turned on if it sensed it wasn't level. Now on the flip side since owning it the car has sat for 3+ days before, and it has never layed itself out front or back, and always held air and stayed level for the most part.

I'm not sure if it makes a difference if the doors are locked or not (which they weren't) because when I exit my car and lock the doors, this is usually when I hear the system vent down to the parked position..so anyone with a good knowledge of the mark viii air ride system please chime in here..Thanks in advance.

and by the way I already did a search on this and the only thing I could find on this issue had to do with a lincoln navigator..

 

[My Great 8]

My 98 does that sometimes. I believe it is normal. As far as your car leaning to one side, perhaps one of the front ride height sensors need to be adjusted.

 

[NoLimit95]

The air ride is still in function, up to an hour after the car has been shut off. Usually, the front will raise a little bit and then it shuts off. It might vent back down right then and it might not vent at all. It's normal.

And what Rich said about adjusting your sensors in the front. Pick a height you like when vented and make the other side the same. Turn air off before adjusting sensor and no need to remove the wheel. Just turn the wheel and you can access the bolt. Up to lower and down to raise.

 

[brentalan]

+1 mine does it too.

 

[UltimateSVT]

Damn... That's the only thing i miss... Watching my car suspension vent.

 

[keVIIIn]

The air ride is still in function, up to an hour after the car has been shut off. Usually, the front will raise a little bit and then it shuts off. It might vent back down right then and it might not vent at all. It's normal.

And what Rich said about adjusting your sensors in the front. Pick a height you like when vented and make the other side the same. Turn air off before adjusting sensor and no need to remove the wheel. Just turn the wheel and you can access the bolt. Up to lower and down to raise.

Hmm I'm wondering if maybe my one sensor on the drivers side front is bad, because I've looked in there before and both fronts are at the exact same spot. How much movement of the sensors is required to lower the car say one inch? Because there is pretty much no room for movement on both fronts, they are about as high up as they can go..maybe they can go up another 1/8" MAYBE. I thought I've read somewhere that you have to open up the slot more to get the sensor to move higher up..is this true? Can someone post a pic of what their sensor looks like after sensor lowering it? Also the rear sensor is the opposite correct? It needs to be moved down to lower it instead of moved up like the fronts?

 

[NoLimit95]

Hmm I'm wondering if maybe my one sensor on the drivers side front is bad, because I've looked in there before and both fronts are at the exact same spot. How much movement of the sensors is required to lower the car say one inch? Because there is pretty much no room for movement on both fronts, they are about as high up as they can go..maybe they can go up another 1/8" MAYBE. I thought I've read somewhere that you have to open up the slot more to get the sensor to move higher up..is this true? Can someone post a pic of what their sensor looks like after sensor lowering it? Also the rear sensor is the opposite correct? It needs to be moved down to lower it instead of moved up like the fronts?

Yes, they're opposite and if you really wanna drop it in the front, you will need to drill additional holes to move them up higher. If you just want to level it out, I would lower the drivers side sensor about a 1/4" and then turn the air ride back on. Air the car up, shut the car off and let it vent. Measure both sides and you should be seeing 27 1/2 to 27 1/4" from ground to bottom of the fender well. That's if you don't drill any holes to raise the sensors any higher.