Last Saturday morning I took the vRS in to have it's MOT done on it's fourth birthday. It failed for a leaky rear shock absorber. This struck me as odd as the car felt fine and the shock absorbers fitted (Koni FSDs) have a lifetime guarantee and are claimed to outlast the car they are fitted to in Koni's advertising.

Anyway - I decided to try and return them under warranty and that process is still ongoing.

As I knew there was no problem fitting Eibachs with standard springs I told the garage to replace the shock absorbers with all standard ones on the basis that I could either replace them when the FSDs came back from warranty or not if they didn't.

The garage didn't have any shock absorbers in stock, so SWMBO took the car up again today to have them fitted. The car obviously couldn't be used in the meanwhile. Tonight I got a text from SWMBO saying the car had passed it's MOT but that the garange had only fitted the back ones and they had refused to fit the fronts because of issues with the non-standard springs. Now, I only have what was said second-hand from SWMBO, and I will contact the garage tomorrow, but my first reaction is that the car is probably less safe now than when it failed it's MOT as apparently the leak on the shock was very small indeed, but still a failure.

Would anyone like to comment? For clarity, the car is currently running with 4 Eibach springs, two Koni FSDs on the front and two OEM shock absorbers on the back. Is it safe?

As far as im aware you cant actually fail a leaky shock absorber if its not effecting the performance of the shock itself (i.e a bounce test).

Its not ideal to have different dampers front and rear but wont be dangerous compared to side to side.

Hi Ross - good to have you back!

Thanks for that. I can see a chat with the service manager coming on.

they are a failure if leaking

Edited 12 August, 201015 yr by westallc

they are a failure if leaking

Yes, I don't really have an issue with it failing, it's more the fact that they refused to fit matching shock absorbers front and rear for some 'issues' that concerned me.

It will be just fine until you can get new Koni dampers as they have been replaced as a pair.

A slight leak or misting of oil is permissable, if the leak is serious enough to indicate a failed shock absorber seal, then it's a fail. I can't see a problem with replacing the rear shock absorbers and not the fronts, does the car drive any differently?

Mine got a advisory on "misting of oil on shock"

Matt

is it dangerous to only change 1 shock on the back?

i had to have my rear axle replaced after a accident and they only replace the side that was hit, is it safe to do just the one or will it unblance the rear?