Just had MOT and advisory for Shock absorber light misting on the NSR  so how long can I leave it and do I need to do both rears?

 

 

Yes and no. Slight misting is often inspector code for " We need to put something down on the form or VOSA think we're skiving."

If the dampers were leaking they would fail. The inspection, while making no promises should root out anything dangerous that will be expected to break in the next year.

If the car sticks, steers and stops properly then check them for leaks every three months or so. If they start to leak, change them both.

I'm a little surprised and just a touch doubting that the shock absorber is already on it's way out on a 2018 car, unless of course it has had a hard life.

How long can you leave it ? That's very much up to you. It will need replaced sometime in next 364 days ready for it's next MOT.

Do you need to replace both ? I'd always replace any suspension items on both sides at the same time, but many are happy to replace just the minimum.

Advisories are monitor and repair if necessary. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Thanks for the comments

It's very low mileage and I always try to avoid roads with "humps" where I can

I will keep an eye on it.

As mentioned, leave it until they fail (The MOT) or until they actually fail and you can feel the car bumping around. Change both together when you renew

Anyone give a ballpark figure on the cost for rear shocks - been quoted £130 for just the one when I had the service/MOT - and no I'm not doing it myself!

Pop into Ford and ask them, they're really easy to change on the rear

I've just had exactly the same advisory on my MoT for my 2017 Red Edition. They told me "not to worry about it as it may be fine for years". That was the Ford Main dealer.

 

2 hours ago, Matt Alsop said:

I've just had exactly the same advisory on my MoT for my 2017 Red Edition. They told me "not to worry about it as it may be fine for years". That was the Ford Main dealer.

 

They shouldn't advise if may be fine for years. 

9 hours ago, unofix said:

I'm a little surprised and just a touch doubting that the shock absorber is already on it's way out on a 2018 car, unless of course it has had a hard life.

How long can you leave it ? That's very much up to you. It will need replaced sometime in next 364 days ready for it's next MOT.

Do you need to replace both ? I'd always replace any suspension items on both sides at the same time, but many are happy to replace just the minimum.

I've seen quite a few fiestas with misting/leaking shocks less than 2 years old 

 

1 hour ago, iantt said:

I've seen quite a few fiestas with misting/leaking shocks less than 2 years old 

 

I'm surprised and shocked about that. I would have thought and hope Dampers would last at least 10 years or more until they need replacing.

Where was the MOT done? Was it a 'Fast-fit' type of place (Kwik-fit, Halfords etc)? I have heard stories of them deliberately looking for work, even spaying shock with oil (or wd40) to look like they are leaking.

3 minutes ago, Jim H said:

I'm surprised and shocked about that. I would have thought and hope Dampers would last at least 10 years or more until they need replacing.

Where was the MOT done? Was it a 'Fast-fit' type of place (Kwik-fit, Halfords etc)? I have hear stories of them deliberately looking for work, even spaying shock with oil (or wd40) to look like they are leaking.

That's an old storey about Halfords spraying oil on shocks. And it's true. Our local Halfords got caught doing exactly that. Was about 20 years ago. 

Ford won't replace shocks under warranty unless the oil is dripping off the bottom of shock. Misting is acceptable and normal on newish cars. 

49 minutes ago, Jim H said:

I'm surprised and shocked about that. I would have thought and hope Dampers would last at least 10 years or more until they need replacing.

Where was the MOT done? Was it a 'Fast-fit' type of place (Kwik-fit, Halfords etc)? I have heard stories of them deliberately looking for work, even spaying shock with oil (or wd40) to look like they are leaking.

MOT and service was Ford main dealer they quoted £130 for 1 new shock

23 hours ago, Tiexen said:

 

Just had MOT and advisory for Shock absorber light misting on the NSR  so how long can I leave it and do I need to do both rears?

 

 

They might have flagged "slight misting" but it might be worth having a look, or having it checked out, just to make sure it is fluid from the shock absorber rather than e.g. something sprayed onto it from the tyre! (spilt diesle or some such off the roadway). Also if you have a look, see if its still there - or maybe wipe it off with your finger and rub/smell it to make sure it isn't just a bit of damp sticking to some salt spray! (been there etc ...)

 

12 hours ago, RMurphy195 said:

They might have flagged "slight misting" but it might be worth having a look, or having it checked out, just to make sure it is fluid from the shock absorber rather than e.g. something sprayed onto it from the tyre! (spilt diesle or some such off the roadway). Also if you have a look, see if its still there - or maybe wipe it off with your finger and rub/smell it to make sure it isn't just a bit of damp sticking to some salt spray! (been there etc ...)

 

I'll certainly have it checked over before doing anything.

On 2/1/2023 at 1:20 PM, Tiexen said:

Anyone give a ballpark figure on the cost for rear shocks - been quoted £130 for just the one when I had the service/MOT - and no I'm not doing it myself!

Why won't you do it yourself? They are really easy to do. 

If it was a front shock I'd definitely recommend leaving the work to someone else if you're unsure but the rears are easy to do. 

Slight misting?? Get on your knees, wipe the shock (s) down with a rag (relatively easy to get to), check again in a month and see for yourself if they are deteriorating...

10 hours ago, BP2411 said:

Why won't you do it yourself? They are really easy to do. 

I've just watched a how-to video and it all looks very easy when you have all the tools and a nice space to work in.

 

I cannot imagine an O.E Fiesta damper lasting a decade. Particularly if it’s a rear damper. How quickly and frequently the dampers failed was remarkable.

I was looking for an upgrade right after I got the price sticker off the window.

I was surprised that the aftermarket industry had not sooner exploited the weakness of the original components to offer improved parts.

I don’t see much discussion about this issue here. You enjoy much higher speed limits than we do in America. The first month I was driving my 2011 Fiesta was an eye opening experience. If driven briskly, the dampers effectiveness faded very quickly. The only positive thing that I could honestly say about them was that they were tightly bolted into the chassis.

I upgraded to Koni Sport, single adjustables on my ST and the newer Koni STRT non adjustable dampers on my basic Fiesta hatchback. 

that Ford installed such a piece of ***** for dampers is almost criminal. 
 

My apologies for the odd image insertions I am trying to learn the ropes of working on an Apple phone.

 

31 minutes ago, Scottman said:

I was looking for an upgrade right after I got the price sticker off the window.

I think that tells us all we need to know about how you drive your car 😉 🏎️

Maybe that's why there's not much discussion about the issue from all the other owners who drive it like it's a small family hatchback.

Sounds as though you've done an upgrade that suits you, though, so that's good 👍

On 2/1/2023 at 8:10 PM, iantt said:

I've seen quite a few fiestas with misting/leaking shocks less than 2 years old 

 

Our 2020 <15k miles Fiesta just failed the MoT due to 1 x leaking rear shock and 1 x misting rear shock. It's either a Ford / Fiesta weakness or a money making scheme by Ford! (I had it MoT'd and serviced by our local Ford franchise). It's not cheap - about £370 (for two) incl labour & VAT. It was £105 + VAT per shock plus labour. (And yes, I realise that a franchised dealer is not the cheapest option ! 🙂 )

Leaving them and getting an advisory on your MOT is down to individual choice. I replaced both of my rear shocks not long ago due to one misting and being an advisory on the MOT. Cheap and easy to do. I have a 2014 Fiesta, and in the seven MOTs I have had done, only one advisory for pads wearing thin. I think if you have a good MOT history it helps when selling the car. When browsing the market I have looked at previous MOT history on cars and the history is shocking to say the least. 

KYB has recently released their Excel G strut to go along with the rear dampers that have been available for several years. These are a twin tube design that are not adjustable, but I think that they are an excellent upgrade from the much less than stellar original equipment dampers. 
I have installed a full set of KYB dampers on a 2011 Fiesta hatchback that I am in the process of converting into a “Jolly” type resort/ beach car.

KYB dampers have always felt like a more expensive component than they are. I like how they feel in quick transitions compared to the original ones that are definitely built to a price”.