I noticed today that the compressor for the load leveling isn't kicking on lilke it used to when I turn the ignition over. Checked the fuse, swapped relays, but to no avail. I found the unit, but I can't see up there well enough to find the connector to check voltage. The car is out of commision until tomorrow due to a bad alternator, so I can't really pull it up on the ramps to check it out. Anyone have some experience with these? Am I missing something that I need to check?

its not supposed to turn on every time you start the car, only when the ride height is low, if you do hear it every time you start the car, generally you have a problem, not when you dont hear it...

It used to turn on everytime I started the car, since I have a couple hundred pounds of tools in the trunk, but now it won't turn on at all. Even if I load the car down and sit on the trunk, it won't kick on. The compressor doesn't work when I push the AIR button either, with the ignition on.

Oats I disagree it is suppose to go on whenever you turn the car on. Mine always does. Now that he has weight in trunk I am 100% sure it should go on. Something is wrong.

This is part of the system description...

Air Replenishment Cycle
The sensor actuating arm position is checked when the ignition is turned on. If the sensor indicates that no height adjustment is needed, an internal timer circuit is activated. After about 35 to 55 seconds, the compressor is turned on for 3 to 5 seconds. This ensures that the struts are filled with the proper residual pressure. If weight is added to or removed from the vehicle during the time delay, the air replenishment cycle is overridden, and the vehicle rises or lowers after the normal delay.

So, it should run from 3 to 5 seconds each time the ignition is turned on. Others who have had problems found it to be the leveling sensor was bad.

you have just officially OWNED a gearhead

Just to add from my experience:

I had a broken wire where the bundle came out of the trunk behind the wheel and went to the pump and valve unit under the trunk on 98 LeSabre. Apparently from being moved in the airstream behind the rear wheel it broke.

Put in a parallel wire with connectors on the ends to match and all set. Troubleshot the thing from underhood relay center all the way through to the rear before I found what was wrong.

Oats... Poor guy someone out smarted him.

Nevermind...today it'* working.

Oops....wasn't trying to create a problem. If it helps, I may not be officially a "gearhead", but I've been a "shade tree mechanic" for almost 40 years...so, I have some "sperience".