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Missing Strut Washer from Factory

new 9/23/02


Tim,

Just a note to let you know of a "slight" Ford Factory error.

A month or so ago, on a rainy evening my 99 SHO suddenly started banging and thunking in the trunk area. I stopped the car, thinking I was going to lose the exhaust system. I couldn't see or feel anything out of the ordinary, so drove the car home thunking and banging at every little bump in the road. Next morning the noise was reduced by 95 percent. Had a mechanic friend of mine do a driveway check, and nothing looked dangerous, so I kept driving the car until I could get it in the dealership.

The mechanic at the dealership checked the car, and couldn't find anything but some gizmo on the left rear axle area that he said served no purpose on the SHO. He removed it thinking that it was making the noise I was hearing. He didn't hear anything as he test drove the car. Of course it still made noise when I drove it, and it just didn't feel right.

Took the car back a week later, and told him I really thought there was a strut problem. He replaced the strut, and test drove the car. The noise was terrible. He got another mech to ride in the back seat and check for the noise. It was coming from the strut tower. When he got back he had to tear it down again and look at the parts. There was a washer missing from the strut assembly. There is a lower washer then the strut goes through the mount and is secured with an upper washer and nut. My car didn't have the lower washer in place, allowing the strut to slip through the mount and hit the top of the mount. He said it looked like it came from the factory like that. Luckily I have an ESP policy that is covering front or rear strut repairs. $300 in parts and labor because someone left out a washer. The question is why did it take so long for the strut to slip through the mount and start banging around.

Love my SHO (probably too much). Just can't explain to folks what a joy it is to drive. Glad you have a site for people like me.

Jay Henderson

Byesville OH


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