OT - Continental Air Suspension

[JimmyZ]

!995 Lincoln Conti. OBD II. Yes. II. I jacked the side of the car up without disabling the suspension. I now get the "Check Ride Control" message upon start up. There surely has to be an easy reset. Does anybody have any experience with this animal? What code reader can I buy to get the codes and reset? Thanks.......

[Jim_Lou]

Save your coin. Most of the chain parts stores have a code reader you can borrow for use in the parking lot.

[JimmyZ]

One that will read the suspension codes and not just the engine codes?

[Caver Dave]

According to this article...

You may have blown the pneumatic system by jacking it up from a single side as opposed to center of rear axle. The is a complete diagnostics chart posted there (bottom of page)...

[jeepnut_nh]

didja already try disconnecting power(battery (or ecm memory fuse if it has one)) for a couple minutes?

[JimmyZ]

Car is on the bags, up and level. Rear bags were recently replaced by PO and I replaced the fronts. All holding air. I let her sit overnite with battery disconnected. No change. Check Ride Control message comes up right after engine start and it started after I rotated the tires. ?????????

[Jim_Lou]

Can't say about the engine versus chassis codes, but I would think that any decent reader could read everything in the computer. Maybe not, though.

[TeamRush]

I know a lot of people here get cranky when I post up,
But would you like some help from someone that does Air Ride Suspensions for show and race cars as a day job?

When you let the suspension droop out on most of the Lincoln factory air systems you will break the ride height sensor.
You are supposed to lift from the 'A' arms or the axle when you lift,
And if you don't, you will find out very quickly what those 'Level Ride' sensors cost!

As for clearing codes,
Since Lincoln factory radios and such have back up batteries to keep the radio presets when the battery is run down or disconnected,
You will probably have to clear the codes with a code reader.

If it is indeed OBD II (didn't think OBD II was up and running in '95), about any of the 'Discount Parts' places will have code readers/clearing capability...

Besides the very real possibility for sensor damage,
What has happened is you lifted the car, and the sensor read that as the rear end being WAY too far up,
And kept trying to let the air out of the bags...

Normally when you let the car down, the bags cut them selves.
(only Firestone bags won't cut themselves when the are fully deflated and bottomed out)
When you jack the back end up with the system running,
The computer 'Sees' the axle as being WAY too high,
So it lets all the air out trying to get the axle back down...

When you let the car down, the bags are EMPTY, and you normally cut a bag or wipe out the sensor when it's Topped out or Bottomed out.
......................

I can't tell you WHY your particular application isn't working without getting it on a lift,
But I can tell you your system is proprietary to Ford and won't work with anything but the properly designed parts...

Might be the linkage to the sensor (problematic at best),
The sensor it's self (BIG problems when you bottom TOP them out),
Or your computer is just waiting for the 'Tech' to check and clear the trouble code so it can go back to normal operation....

[JimmyZ]

Thanks to all. I'll post a fix when I get there.

[JimmyZ]

Got it. First the vehicle is OBDII compliant. Apparently there were a handful of cars manufactured in 1995 that were. Google it. The owners manual says the same. I have used an Actron scanner to pull O2 fault codes from the DLC under the dash. It is this connector that the dealers use a NEW Generation Star scanner to hook up to and get the "C" codes - chassis faults. I didn't feel like paying the dealer the $100 plus fee. I had purchased a cd with the maintenance manual and electrical schematics. I went through the MM and recorded the pin numbers for the computers connector and what resistances were acceptable for all of the systems components. I got into the trunk, the air ride computer is located under the rear deck shelf, and started goung throught the 60 pin connector. I narrowed it down to a broken wire in one of the front air spring solenoid valve's connector harness. The Continental actually has air struts in the front. The top of the strut has a large horizontal bearing that attaches to the body. The strut actually rotates slightly as is goes through it's compression/extension cycle. There was not enough wire in the harness to allow for this slight movement and the copper work hardened and eventually broke, in the process causing some squirrelly symptoms. I extended the wire, packed the connector's boot with silicone grease, and wrapped the whole mess in electrical tape. Started the engine, the compressor came on, drove aroud for two days - no problems. I love it when a plan comes together.