1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC 4.6L .... Check Air Ride System

Car Information : 1997 Lincoln Mark VIII LSC 4.6L
Error Message : Check Air Ride System
Tool Using : Snap-on Verus, FRD-1B Adapter (MT2500-20B)

Hi Everybody!

Need some help regarding air suspension self Test. First time trying to use this test but can't figure it out.

Sorry you haven't gotten any replies yet!

I'm surprised you need the ford adapter for that one. 97 should have a standard OBD 2 port.
As far as how to use the test, it's pretty straight forward. At least on all lincolns I've played with.

You can actuate the pump, the solenoids and rewrite ride height.

What exactly are you having a hard time doing?

Can you do me a favor and give me the steps for the auto check for air ride system for snap-on verus.

i used the FRD-1B adapter because verus ask me plug it into the Diagnostic Port in the engine compartment. Over the Right side wheel well.
weather i use FRD-1B adapter or OBD-II same result. i don't know what to do next. Pictures attached.

Thank You

Ooohhh, yours is different. Where your car asks for the ford adapter, mine would just load the available tests. I figured my 99 would be the same as your 97, guess not.
I can check Mitchell and Alldata when I get to the shop, but I have a feeling that test isn't supported on that car.

That's what i think this model is not supported in that test mode.
When i check signal voltage from height sensors on completely deflated suspension. Both front is around 1v but the rear is like 4v.
one thing more when i turn the suspension switch off in the trunk nothing happen car don't go down like within few hours.

I tried to get height sensor spec like resistance and voltage but no luck.

Thank you for your time and all the help.

I think it's a good thing that it doesn't deflate when you turn the compressor switch off, right?

What is the trouble with the car? Just the check suspension light?

It lowers from the rear when you drive it and also the error Message " Check Air Ride System".

Did you try out Super Star Mode? I have no idea how to use it...
I was hoping it had some kind of self diagnostic trick where it would flash codes, but it appears not.
Without knowing what code it's setting, it's hard to know how to cure the light.

From my experience with Lincolns and Fords (Navigators, Expeditions and Town Cars mostly), I have seen instances of the solid state relay that drives the compressor fail when hot. (or when heated up by a pump that's pulling too much current). Generally the symptom is a sagging rear when driving. It keeps opening the valves to let compressed air in the bags, but the compressor isn't running, so the bags drop instead.
You say it stays up parked, so the vent solenoids must be sealing well.
Here's a link to a page I found while researching this that explains the whole system very well, as well as some schematics. www.markviii.org/LOD2/airsuspension1.htm

If it lowers while driving, and does not raise back when stopped (engine running, doors closed), and the pump is not running like it should be to correct the ride height, check for ground side control on the DB/Y wire. If the light is on, it may disable the system, so the control module may not be grounding the relay...

Checking the relay is pretty straight forward, I like to use a power probe, but a volt meter and jumper will do.

I would check when the car is too low, and the compressor is not lifting it since we know the system is capable of lifting and maintaining ride height when parked, checking the relay when the system is not working is crucial.

The Black and Yellow wire is the power feed (fuse 13 underhood. Hot all times)
The Pink and Orange wire goes to the pump, and should indicate ground with the relay off if the pump windings are not open, and the pump ground is good.
The black wire is ground for the relay, which ultimately shares the same grounding point as the pump itself.
The DB/Y wire (dark blue/ yellow?) wire is the ground side control from the suspension module to energize the relay.
If ALL the above conditions are true, and you ground the DB/Y wire, the compressor should engage. If not, the relay is malfunctioning.
Well... I take that back. There could be a circuit breaker on the pump, in which case pump could potentially still not run.
If you ground the relay at the DB/Y wire and the pump doesn't run, you should check for power at the pink and orange wire while still supplying ground to DB/Y.
Hope this helps!

I checked all the wiring every thing checked out fine. When i short dB/Y on the module compressor runs but the thing is air shock solenoid not opening. Suspension all the way down front height sensor voltage is around 1v but the rear height sensor voltage is around 4v. I think rear height sensor is faulty but i have no spec as the benchmark to compare those readings.

Super star mode is not working I am lost.

ONLYZAHID wrote: Suspension all the way down front height sensor voltage is around 1v but the rear height sensor voltage is around 4v. I think rear height sensor is faulty but i have no spec as the benchmark to compare those readings.

The voltage should change with position. Can you bounce the rear up and down? Disconnect the linkage and manually operate the sensor's range? Does the voltage remain a fixed 4 volts in all positions?

Pole71 has got the right idea.
Removing the height sensor and manipulating it while monitoring output voltage will let you know if the sensor is working.

I had a look in Alldata and couldn't determine if high voltage corresponds to raised or lowered ride height in the Mark 8.
I drive a 99 Navigator with air ride, and at the lowest position, voltage is high.
That appears to be opposite of what you measured at the front sensor of the Mark.
Sorry if you said so and I missed it, but are you measuring voltage directly at the sensors, or are you going by the data pids?

No i am measuring voltage at EVO module and i checked all the sensors by disconnecting from car and changing position, by changing position voltage changes fronts and rear are around 2.45v when i manually rise them to facotry default ride height that is 24 1/4 inches. But all the way down fronts are around 1v and rear is around 4v.
I even checked with another used EVO module, same thing

Any revelations on this one?
I've been thinking about this car off and on all week. Just been stupid busy at work and home.

It seems like the height sensors are reporting just fine (although one appears to work the opposite), it's just hard to narrow down the problem without knowing what the computer is flagging as a fault.
I was thinking that you could energise the vent solenoids right from the computer where you've been testing anyway and measure current draw on each one. You might find one failing intermittently.
I watched a seminar where the instructor did this from a PCM with a Power Probe and an amp clamp to try to find a shorted output before replacing a PCM.
Sometimes repeated activation will help reveal a failing solenoid.
This still could all be for naught if the code is totally unrelated...