I have an 03 subaru forester and there is a weird noise coming from the rear strut area. On the hoist both look like fluid has leaked from them as dirt is wet and stuck to them. Is this proof they are bad? Also the parts guy asked me if they are self leveling, how can I tell if they are or not. Thanks
fluid is a bad sign, do a "bounce test" - push down on a rear corner of the car, push it down a couple times until the suspension is cycling well, let go, if the rear does not come back up to ride height and stop there (e.g. it keeps oscillating more than one cycle) then you need new struts. If that passes jack up the rear of the car and grab one of the struts and shake it, if the two pieces of the strut move noticeably relative to each other, you need new struts. If there are no hoses or electrical connections to the struts it's a fair bet you do not have self leveling.
nate
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