I own a 2016 Ford Mondeo wagon, (petrol MD). The rear passenger-side shock was found to be leaking after only 55,000km. Unfortunately the car was out of warranty by just under a year. I contacted Ford to see if they would repair it anyway as my mechanic stated a shock should not be that bad after such low kilometres. Ford, of course, refused. I tried going through Fair Trading running the argument the shock wasn't fit for purpose. Ford again refused stating the shock wouldn't be covered under warranty anyway as it is a fair wear and tear item.
Obviously I don't have the time or money to take on Ford through the tribunal so I'm left having to deal with it. As far as I can tell, no one makes aftermarket parts. The only place I can get replacement shocks in Australia is through Ford. And they want $2400 before fitting! My mechanic says it's just not worth it. He tried to get a trade price and they gave him the same quote. I've managed to find out there are shocks listed on UK web sites as being suitable for a 2016 MD Mondeo. But these would be normal shocks rather than the self-leveling shocks fitted by Ford, so I would have to replace the springs as well. I have a few questions. Is it worth trying to take on Ford in the tribunal over something like this? Are self-leveling shocks worth it? Are they needed? Do many cars have them? Do you have any knowledge of someone in my situation ordering shocks and springs from the UK? And if so, which parts did they order and did it all work out?
This has been an ongoing problem for car owners for decades now. Car-makers often decide to fit self-levelling rear suspension in cars like station-wagons as it ensures the car doesn’t sit nose-up when it’s carrying a big load. But as you’ve discovered, replacing those adjustable shock absorbers can be a huge pain in the wallet. And, like tyres and brake pads, shock absorbers are often regarded as wear-and-tear items and therefore aren’t covered by a factory warranty. Certainly not a year out from the expiration of that warranty. That said, I agree with you that 55,000km is not the expected lifespan of a modern damper.
In the past, the solution has been to fit conventional dampers in place of the adjustable ones and live with the loss of the self-levelling function (which most owners manage to cope with). The Mondeo is a much more popular model in Europe than it ever was in Australia, so shopping online in, say, the UK might turn up a set of replacement shocks for a lot less than the extortionate figure you’ve been quoted. Provided you deal with established, reputable online companies, you should have no problems. But if conventional (non-adjustable) dampers are available from a Mondeo without the self-levelling suspension, that would probably be the smart way to go to avoid being in the same boat in another 55,000km.
I’m not sure why you’d need to change the rear springs as well as moving to conventional dampers (not that I’m doubting your research) but even if that was the case, a set of springs is a one-off purchase and shouldn’t cost much. The best bet would be to visit a suspension specialist and have the car measured up to see what dampers will fit and do the job. There’s bound to be something out there from another make or model that will physically fit and provide the damping performance the car requires. Self-levelling suspension is a nice touch, but it’s not an absolute necessity on a car like a Mondeo wagon.
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