Experiencing issues with your town car’s air suspension? It’s a common concern, and understanding how the system operates is the first step to effective diagnosis. This guide will walk you through the process of identifying potential problems, focusing on air leaks, the most frequent culprit behind suspension malfunctions.
One important aspect to understand is how your town car’s air suspension module behaves. When you’re driving, the system is designed to be somewhat delayed. Specifically, if a height sensor detects a low or high condition while driving, the module waits for 45 seconds before activating the compressor and adjusting the air springs. This delay is intentional, preventing constant adjustments due to normal road variations and ensuring a smoother ride. However, when your town car is stationary, the air suspension system should react almost immediately to height changes detected by the sensors.
The most prevalent reason for a town car air suspension to lose height is an air leak, most often within the air springs themselves. You’ll typically notice this issue when the vehicle has been parked for an extended period, such as overnight. While it’s normal for the system to vent a small amount of air after about an hour of being parked (potentially causing a minor height adjustment), significant overnight drops indicate a likely leak. If you consistently observe that your rear suspension is lower in the morning, suspect an air spring or solenoid leak.
To confirm if you have a leak, a simple test can be performed. When you arrive home and park your town car with the suspension at its normal ride height (trim height), turn off the suspension system. Then, measure the distance from the ground to the rear fender lip. For reference, this measurement should typically be around 19 inches. In the morning, re-measure this distance. If the measurement remains the same, or only decreases slightly (perhaps a quarter of an inch due to minor settling), your system is likely holding air well. However, if you find that the suspension has dropped an inch or more, an air leak is highly probable.
To pinpoint the leak, you can perform a soapy water test. With the suspension still switched off, carefully jack up the rear of your town car. Thoroughly spray a soapy water solution over the rubber bladder of the air springs. Pay particular attention to the lower portions of the springs, as these areas are often prone to cracks that can cause leaks. Bubbles forming in the soapy water will indicate the location of an air leak.
If you don’t find any leaks in the air springs themselves, the next components to inspect are the spring solenoids. These are typically mounted at the top of the air springs, angled towards the back seat. Spray these solenoids with soapy water as well, checking for any telltale bubbles that signal a leak.
By following these diagnostic steps, you can effectively identify whether your town car’s air suspension issues are caused by a leak in the air springs or solenoids. This information will be crucial for proceeding with the necessary repairs.
