2003-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis Rear Air Suspension Conversion Kit With 2 Struts 2 Shocks (FA3RF)

Replaced Components
The 2003-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis is built with the following suspension components: 2003-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis Air Springs (x2)- commonly referred to as air bags, a plastic and rubber bag that is fitted on top of the strut that uses pressurized air as a cushion instead of a metal coil spring to hold a vehicle off of the ground and off of its wheels. These are the number one cause of all air suspension leaks. All air springs all go bad at about the same rate. If one is leaking, the others will not be far behind. For a proper repair, all of them need to be replaced at the same time. 2003-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis Rear Gas Shocks (x2)- This vehicle is equipped with 2 rear gas shocks. These shocks are what absorb the impact of the rear tires hitting the road and make the vehicle ride smoothly. 2003-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis Solenoids (x4)- This vehicle is equipped with 4 solenoids. These plastic components connect the electrical connection and lines of suspension components to the suspension control module. The solenoids are responsible for regulating the air pressure in each air spring or air shock. Solenoids are a small piece of the suspension system but they play a big role in how well it functions. If a solenoid is not working properly, it will cause the vehicle to be unlevel and, in turn, cause the compressor to burn out. 2003-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis Compressor- This vehicle is equipped with one air suspension compressor. The compressor is responsible for pumping up the air springs and shocks. When the air suspension starts leaking, the compressor is forced to run continuously to try and keep the air springs inflated. After a couple of days of running non-stop, the compressor will burn itself out. Replacing the compressor is a timely and expensive project to undertake. 2003-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis Dryer Assembly- This vehicle is equipped with a dryer assembly. The dryer assembly is responsible for getting moisture out of the air lines. Once the air suspension parts start to leak, moisture will build up throughout the air system. Moisture damages the air suspension components from the inside out. The dryer must be replaced whenever the compressor is replaced to prevent further damage. 2003-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis Suspension Control Module- This vehicle is equipped with a suspension control module. This module is the brain of the suspension system and it reads all of the signals that are being sent by the height sensors and determines if the vehicle needs to be raised or lowered. 2003-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis O-rings- Although they are the least expensive parts of the air suspension, they are responsible for maintaining the seal where all of the air lines connect. Be sure to replace the O-rings when repairing any air suspension system.

Suspension Failure Signs
The 2003-2011 Mercury Grand Marquis was designed after the Lincoln Town Car. It came from the dealer with passive gas-charged hydraulic fluid struts in the front, gas-charged hydraulic fluid shocks and active air springs. Passive hydraulic struts and shocks usually begin to wear out anywhere from 50,000-80,000 miles. It is normal for them to require replacements from time to time, just like tires. The rear air springs were designed to require little maintenance, but eventually wear out too. These air suspension systems have almost a 100% failure rate! Some of the common failures in these systems come from either the compressor or the individual air springs dry rotting from age and millions of cycles of use. When the air suspension goes bad, normally you will begin to hear the compressor run louder and louder as it tries to inflate leaking air springs (or you will see the car slammed to the ground in a case of total failure).

OEM Replacement Cost
'+ Air Springs ($499/per spring) + Compressor and Dryer Assembly ($210) + Replacement Rear Shocks ($75 each) and Front Struts ($100 each) = TOTAL: Over $2,500with installation (and that doesnt even include replacing electronic components that are known to fail such as the height sensors).