REAR DOWN IN THE MORNING

So you walked out this morning and your car is sitting down in the rear. Don't worry, believe it or not, this is usually an easy fix.

This happening one night, but not the next, or maybe even only one or two nights a week is TEXTBOOK AIR SUSPENSION. It happens all the time....in the early stages anyway. In time, it will leak every night and as it gets worse, will even leak down in a shorter timeframe like while you were in the grocery store.

The Ford/Lincoln air suspension systems are good in one way, but bad in another. For years the system has automatically raised and lowered the rear of the car automatically with no problems. The bad part is, if the system has a leak somewhere, it will work its tail off to keep the rearend where it should be, that is, as long as the system can pump it up within 90 seconds. When the module gives a command to raise the car, it gives the rest of the system 90 seconds to accomplish that goal. If it doesn't make it, even if its close, it will "time-out", turn the check suspension" message on and shut down the system. It won't even try to make ANY adjustments after this, until the ignition is turned off, then back on. After which it'll give it another 90 seconds....and so on.

Normally, when someone realizes they have a leak, its been leaking for 6 months at least and because the system was automatic, it just kept pumping until either a part failed, or the leak got bad enough that it was leaking more air out than the compressor could put back in.

The module or "brain" will go to sleep and not make any adjustments an hour after the ignition is turned off and the door is closed. With this in mind, if the car went down after this hour had passed, most likely, the air springs are leaking.