mis3

I went to change the battery today and the guy pressed the red button of the hood support cylinder to raise the hood to the upright position. Afterward, the hood would not come down and it finally closed with some maneuvers of the red button.

Now when I open the hood, it would not stay up, not even the first position.

The left support cylinder is probably broken. I checked online parts store, the parts number is 2038800029. Is this the part number of the driver side, the side with the red button? How much work is it to replace this support cylinder?

Rudeney

Pressing the red button lets you raise the hood to the service position, which is pretty much a 90-degree open angle. To close it, you have to press the red button to release it and lower it back to the normal open angle, and then it will lower normally. If you try to close it without first pressing the red button to lower it back to the normal open position, you could have damaged the lift cylinders. Or, they do tend to wear out over time.

The struts are very easy to replace. They snap onto ball joints on the hood and fender. The remove them, use a small screwdriver to slightly release the metal band around the mount on the strut, then pull it off the ball. To replace, just snap it back onto the ball. The left strut does not snap onto a ball joint on the fender - it just slips into the plastic tube where the red button is located. You will first need to unscrew mount from it so it will fit in that tube. Both sides use the same strut. You may find them for much less on the aftermarket.

mis3

Ok. Thanks. By strut, did you mean support cylinder (2038800029)? Actually, the name strut makes more sense for this part.

I did not see any picture of the strut and thought the whole assembly had to be replaced. Is there a WIS for this strut replacement? Not sure how to fit in the red button.

I did find this procedure: "Reuse the sleeve and lower ball stud clip from the original shock.".

Rudeney

Yes strut=Lift-O-Mat cylinder. I didn't verify the part number but wherever you buy it, they should know. Years ago, there were two part numbers for left and right, but now they just use one, because as I said, the left just needs the ball socket removed. WIS will be no help - it "assumes" you know how to remove these ball joints. Just look for the metal band around the joint. There will be a place where you can pull out on it with small flathead screwdriver which release the spring clip that keep it on the ball. THis really could not be easier.

mis3

To order from online store, I will have to order the exact part numbers. Another choice is to buy from local Toronto dealership where, in your words, they should know. I checked a few US online stores and they are all around $60US. In oediscountparts, they do have separate part numbers for left and rigth strut.

When you said "look for the metal band around the joint", is this joint on the hood or on the fender?

Rudeney

Don't know about getting this in Canada, but here's a good price:

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pro...Lift%20Support

I know I am not communicating well in regards to the removal of the strut, but honestly, it's very easy. It's just a ball and socket joint on each end. The ***** are mounted on the car (one on the hood, the other on the fender). There is a socket on each end of the strut that snaps onto the ball. There is a strip of spring steel wrapped around the outside of the socket that snaps onto the ball. To release the socket from the ball, you insert a screwdriver behind this strip and gently pull it away from the socket. Don't pull it all the way off - just release tension and the socket can then pull off the ball.

Some places sell these as two separate parts for each side, where the left side includes the extender mechanism for the service position. unless the extender (red button) is broken, it's not necessary to replace it. You can use the same strut from the right side on the left, you just have to remove the socket from its end (it unscrews) so it will fit into the plastic tube of the extender.

mis3

Rudeney: I am sure your explanation was clear for other people in the fourm. I am not a DIY person so I have a hard time understanding.

I asked oediso****parts last night and they confirmed the parts number is 2038800429 (left, driver side and it has a red button on it). So, this looks like the whole assembly so probably more work to replace.

The one in your link is probably the strut alone.

insame1

I plan to buy some of these. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2Qty-Hood-Li...5Xs~n8&vxp=mtr

from what i understand you just unscrew the bottom part and install these.

mis3

I stand corrected. I clicked on the link of Autohausaz and with the bigger picture, I saw the red button!

I am surprised to read from the link that left and right struts are the same.
"Per supercession by the manufacturer, this hood strut now replaces either original left or right. 2 per car."
This does not make sense because the strut with the red button is on one side only. If the red button is on both struts, it will need 2 persons (one on each side) to raise the hood to the upright position.

Insame1: Not sure if I want to buy from an eBay selller again. I did once to buy the shifter trim, the quality was terrible and return policy was non-existent.'. You may have better luck if you know your parts and better sellers.

mis3

I also found this and costs $15US. This is the left side, i can see from the picture that it has the red button.

http://www.rmeuropean.com/Products/2...G24-V3672.aspx

tw2

I replaced mine. Got them from pelicanparts. The part with the red button is not actually part of the pressurized cylinder. It is part of the mount, you need to reuse this.

You need to remove the old cylinder and swap in the new cylinder to the original mount. For the actual cylinder- both sides of the car take the exact same part.

mis3

Actually, I learned this from earlier posts from Rudeney.
The one from Rmeuropean come with the red button for $15US. Most likely not but maybe the red button is broken as well.

tw2

Just reiterating why they are the same part for both sides. The red button is simply a release and lock system, I would be surprised if it was broken but if it is a good deal and OEM part....

Stabilus is the OEM supplier.

mis3

Damned. I ordered only the left side (with red button) last night from rmeuropean.

Seems like some of you guys did replace this strut already. Did you do both sides or just the defective side?

tw2

My experience is that the other one will follow very closely behind or is already blown since the hood sometimes stays up with only one working strut.

mis3

I noticed when I raised the hood, the inner sleeve of the strut on the left side (red button) would not come out. I had to pull it out and it would lock into place. On the other side, I saw the inner sleeve would extend and retract when I raised and lowered the hood.

I will see if I can change the order to add the left strut.

mis3

Yes, both struts are the same. Most online stores sells left and right hood shocks separately with different part numbers. The struts are the same but the left side comes with the red button sleeve. Surprised that the price difference is only $0.75US.

Autohausaz sells only the struts and this is why they say both sides are the same.

In Pelicanparts, they list both the Stabilus one ($15) and the MB one ($61) side by side. Wonder if anyone would choose the MB one.

mis3

Yes, both struts are the same. Most online stores sells left and right hood shocks separately with different part numbers. The struts are the same but the left side comes with the red button sleeve. Surprised that the price difference is only $0.75US.

Autohausaz sells only the struts and this is why they say both sides are the same.

In Pelicanparts, they list both the Stabilus one ($15) and the MB one ($61) side by side. Wonder if anyone would choose the MB one!

Nero Tenebre

Just bought new struts too as my passenger side was weakening. For the record, mileage is around 55k after ten years (MY2007).

mis3

Did you change both? For the left side, did you keep the sleeve of the red button or use the new one?

I assume you bought the Stabilus ones, how is the quality?



mis3

Just replaced both struts and it took maybe 20 minutes.

For the right side with the red button, just lossened the small clip and the strut would come right off.
For the left side, I was a bit confused because I did not know of the "holster" of the strut. I thought I ordered the wrong part when I saw the screw in the end of the strut.

tw2

Glad you got it sorted.