In a different thread I complained about a clicking noise near the right front wheel, which I thought was the wheel trim. But a mechanic removed the wheel and found out that the plastic part that protects the shock absorber is cracked, broken. That causes the clicking sound. According to the mechanic.

Now one strange thing is that ever since he found the problem, the clicking sound does not occur any more. Maybe he moved the thing a bit and now it won't cause any clicking?

I hoped I would not have to pay for a new protection kit and the service plus wheel alignment, which altogether would cost an equivalent of about 70 pounds.
But it seems the protection kit is very important and if broken it will not protect the shock absorber - dust, water, etc...

Now why did the thing break after two years only? It was KYB so it should be good quality. Any thoughts? The part is cheap, but the whole job plus alignment is not so cheap.

The dust cover is just a push fit into the bump stop, the mechanic did one of two things - cut it off, or pushed it back up. They do come loose from time to time - VAG cars are common for the rear ones coming adrift. If the noise has gone, have a quick visual check to make sure it's still there, if it is keep driving and see how long it lasts again!

he said it was broken, he said it was plastic

so now I am confused - if it is broken, you cannot fix it by manipulating it

if he cut it off, there would be no dust cover, which would be bad for the shock absorber, right?

and he can't have fixed the crack

but maybe it is broken in a way that is possible to push it back

would it mean the shock absorber is now protected again?

I wish an independent mechanic would have a look at it to tell me the truth, I can actually ask somebody and tell I have already arranged the job in a different garage, if they confirm it has to be fixed

If you can jack it up (carefully!) then get a picture, you should be able to see it with th car on the floor, but jacking it gives a better view. You will see inside the spring, there should be a corrugated plastic cover, give it a wiggle and if it's secure its ok. It shouldn't freely move up and down. Like I said, most of them only secure by pushing over the bumpstop, the rubber/foam bit that stops the shocker bottoming out. So check the bumpstop as well, if that's mashed up it won't hold it secure

Asa James said:

If you can jack it up (carefully!) then get a picture, you should be able to see it with th car on the floor, but jacking it gives a better view. You will see inside the spring, there should be a corrugated plastic cover, give it a wiggle and if it's secure its ok. It shouldn't freely move up and down. Like I said, most of them only secure by pushing over the bumpstop, the rubber/foam bit that stops the shocker bottoming out. So check the bumpstop as well, if that's mashed up it won't hold it secure

Click to expand...

Thank you, Asa James, I did something you recommended. I did not jack up the car, but I can reach the bumpstop and the plastic cover with my hand. The bumpstop seems perfectly OK, but as I wiggled the plastic cover, it came loose and as I was moving it, it made the sounds that started this whole threat. I tried moving it until it seemed fixed again. Then I drove a bit, no noise, but later that day the noise started again. So again I got to reach the plastic cover and it was loose again, so I somehow gently pushed it back and today all day no noise. Now it seems clear that as long as it somehow gets stuck there in place, it seems it is working fine and no noise is made, but if I move it with my hand or it gets loose for some reason, it starts to jump freely up and down, making the noise. I think I can always fix it just by moving it a bit with my hand, if it gets loose, but the question is, as long as it is not moving there, is the damper protected fine and once it gets lose, I am damaging the damper as dust or dirt can get inside? So the big question is, can I just continue like this without getting the plastic cover replaced? The part is cheap, but the whole job is not so cheap so I wonder whether it is necessary to get it replaced and pay for the whole job. Even if I damage the damper a bit with dust or dirt, I am going to get a new pair in two or three years anyway.

I wish somebody here could help me solve my dilemma, leave it or have it fixed....

wait a minute, Asa said this:

The dust cover is just a push fit into the bump stop, the mechanic did one of two things - cut it off, or pushed it back up. They do come loose from time to time - VAG cars are common for the rear ones coming adrift. If the noise has gone, have a quick visual check to make sure it's still there, if it is keep driving and see how long it lasts again!


Do I understand it correctly that if there is no noise and the cover is fixed in its place I am not doing any harm to the damper?