Koni shock failure on my S2 ABY Coupe

[orsum]

In 2019 I fitted Koni sports shocks, Boge top mounts and mount savers. 2025 the left rear shock failed. total km done during that time was about 6000km

The defective shock had about 2" of free play up and down. I sent both to our local Koni dealer for service or repair or replacement. The they serviced/repaired both shocks.

After the repair when I started to fit them in the struts I pulled the shaft out and thats when I started to worry.

One shock rebound was very very hard to pull out. the other was relatively easy to pull the shaft out. To me they should be almost the same if not identical.

The rebound is set to -2 turns from full hard (180 deg per turn) on both shocks.

I have shipped them back to the dealer complete with the struts for them to resolve my concerns.

waiting for feedback.

[Davi123]

Thats not good. I recently fitted bilsteins, hope they do better!

[Tractor Dave]

Are you sure you set them up right? It's very easy to miss the notch when you push the piston down and rotate it when setting up. I've fitted a few sets of Koni shocks and never had an issue.

[orsum]

Hi Dave

Yep I am 100% sure they were correctly adjusted. I have this type if shock on my S4 B7 twice and once on my S2. before the failure of left rear, they performed great.

Just for info the failure I had on the S4 Koni's was the rebound was basically locked solid. I did not bother servicing them I replaced all four with new.

My present concern was after servicing both of the S2 shocks the rebound felt different between the two shocks. They were both set by the Koni service company. I did check the setting. I had requested them to set them at (-360 deg from full hard = negative two half turns) they had set them correctly.

When I spoke to them about the issue they mentioned a Teflon seal at the bottom as a possible cause. That worries me even more why should it fail after servicing. I never even got to putting them back on the car.

[orsum]

Update

I requested the shocks rebound to be tested after the second repair. I was concerned hand testing was not going to reveal any issues.

The test revealed there was a big difference between the shocks, to get them balanced one was set to fully hard the other to fully soft.

Koni said they will take them back and strip and strip, measure and service them again.

I asked for them to be replaced under the lifetime warranty. They said they only have a 2 year warranty 6000km done since fitting in 2019.

The question I have now is which Koni shock is faulty. should I replace both of them. Should I move away from Koni and get Bilstein, if so does anybody have a part number for the front and rear inserts. 1996 ABY S2 Coupe.

Still waiting for further feedback from Koni SA

[david1980]

I much preferred koni to bilstein, my back was aching after a short journey in a s2 coupe with bilstein and hnr suspension, yet koni felt fine.

[Tractor Dave]

Same here.