While happily installing my RSB last weekend, what did I spy but a leaking right rear shock at only 39K miles. My dealer said they would schedule a visit to 'evaluate' the condition, but I confirmed their parts dept. does not even carry the stock Y2K shocks and would order them only after the 'evaluation.' That's two trips to fix a (now) unsafe vehicle! How do you 'evaluate' a leaking shock?
Leaking Oil = Bad Shock -- Simple!
I gave up on the dealer and ordered a set of Tokicos and a spring compressor today -- half the price of the dealer's stock replacements at Shox.Com with a lifetime guarantee to boot.

 

what do u mean 'only' 39K miles?...

that's how the dealers act on 99% of the time...no surprises here...

 

Sorry to hear about that I just had to do the same thing with my ride. Of course they didn't have the part in stock which I have to say I didn't completely understand. I mean I live in dallas, there are no less than 8 nissian shops within a 25 mile radius, you mean to tell me there isn't a shock in town? I picked up my car on friday afternoon. I get a call 1st thing saturday morning telling me the part is in. Inconveinent for the customer but what do they care.

 

A good example of "planned obscelesence"(sp). Do you think that's why Nissan has only a 36,000 mile warantee?

A decent dealer (oxymoron) would replace the shock even if just barely outside the warantee period.

Hopefully, you just got a bad one. Is your car an SE or GXE/GLE? I'm thinking the SE's might have stouter shocks
but who knows.

 

The car is a Y2K SE. A leaking shock so soon on a quality product is a real surprise - I've had five GM cars over 20 years and the only leakers encountered were on air-ride shocks in one vehicle -- I replace shocks at 60K miles.

 

What is the best way of spotting the leak? Is it a real big one? If I lift the boot a bit I should see it? Or is it only visible on the inside part of the shock?

 

Leaking shocks are very easy to spot -- Visually inspecting your shocks is a standard inspection at every oil change. The oil is thin, so the shock or strut appears obviously wet -- usually a streak from under the boot down the body of the shock.

 

I once caught a repair shop faking a leaking shock. A quick squirt of oil is all it takes to convince someone they need to pay for a new set of shocks. Find a reputable shop and have them check things out - I would expect a leaking shock to exhibit excessive bounce.