Check Air Ride System after an alignment

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I installed new front air struts in our 94 Mark VIII and everything was working great...until we took the car into Firestone for an alignment. As my wife was driving home from Firestone, the message center displayed "Check Air Ride System". The message had never come on before, even when the bags were bad! Firestone hooked it up to their diagnostic computer and said that their computer could not diagnose it, we needed to take it to a dealer. Does anyone have an idea of what they may have done to it? Maybe a sensor?

It seems to be sitting higher than normal when it is parked now.
 
RE: Check Air Ride System after an alignment

did they turn off the air ride switch in the trunk.Or check the ride height sensors and make sure they didnt smoke one of them.
 
RE: Check Air Ride System after an alignment

Probaly a loose front sensor, since it is riding high. Check out this page for pictures and effects of the sensors movement.

http://www.lincolnmarkviii.org/suspension/sensorlowering.htm

A loose front will expand, giving a false "My side of the car is waayyy up in the air" signal. The other two are rising up to match it, and level the car. When you go over 55 or turn off and close the door, the car is suppose to lower 3/4 inch; not being attached, the sensor says" I haven't moved a bit", then computer goes into "Houston, we have a problem" mode.

Note: Rear sensor works opposite, would be riding low.
 
RE: Check Air Ride System after an alignment

1. I agree that the most likely culprit(s) is one or more of the front ride height sensors. After replacing the front struts/bags the proper procedure requires that each bag is inflated separately with the use of the New Gen Star tester.

2. Not doing so may cause the ride height sensors to lose the proper calibration and send the wrong information to the air ride system controler. If one or more of the front ride height sensors is out of calibration, the system will probobly dsiplay an error message on the dash.

3. Check the obvious first such as a sensor not connected correctly. If everything is conected corectly, you will have to pull the memory codes with a star tester or equivilent.

4. However, I suspect that the alignment guy may have messed with one or more of the front sensors while performing the alignment.
 
RE: Check Air Ride System after an alignment

I am about to get an alignment. Should I turn off the air system before I bring it in?

BILL
 
RE: Check Air Ride System after an alignment

Not necessarily, but the shop should know that the alignment should be done in the 'parked' or 'lowered' position.

If the air ride system is working properly, when it is pulled into the bay and parked, upon turning off the ignition and exiting the vehicle and closing the door, it should lower itself. This should be verified prior to alignment.

Now you could aleviate the possible confusion by turning off the air-ride yourself after verifying it has lowered after parking.
 
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