AIR SPRINGS & COMPRESSOR
The Town Car’s air compressor pump was designed to keep the rear level, so if your vehicle sags more than a couple of inches, or the ride quality becomes bouncy, you can be sure you have some sort of air suspension issue. The normal troubleshooting begins with checking the rear air springs for leaks, but make sure you flip off that air suspension switch in the trunk. Jacking up the rear of the vehicle with this switch still on could cause damage to the air springs and give you the dreaded check suspension warning light.

Soapy water sprayed on the folds in the bellows and at the solenoid will tell you if there is a leak present, as cracks or dry rotting can develop on the rubber and the O-rings of the solenoids. A good compressor should level the Town Car in just a matter of seconds, so if it’s running for almost a minute, running often or running louder than normal, you’ll probably need to replace it. A prolonged leak in the air suspension will burn out the compressor pump quickly and cost you more time and money.

FUSES Checking the under hood fuses A (or C for 95-97 model years) and U is a good idea, if fuse U is blown constantly, you can be sure your compressor is overworked. While under the hood, you should also test the air suspension relay by plugging it into the horn relay slot and honking the horn. The interior panel fuses 1, 4 or 8 (or fuse 7 in 95-97 model years) needs to be checked as well, as they also control aspects of the air suspension.

LEVEL SENSORS If your vehicle leans to one side and you cannot find a leak present, you may have trouble with the ride height sensor which located above the rear axle housing on the driver’s side. It is common for this sensor to get folded over or the mounting brackets and ball joints to corrode; leaving you with an unlevel vehicle. You may also have a stuck solenoid valve, and you will need to inspect your air springs to find the culprit. If either air springs do not inflate, or keep air for long after the vehicle has been turned off, one of the solenoids may be stuck open or closed. It is recommended to change out the solenoids when replacing air springs and to always use new O-rings with dielectric grease.