When the ignition is turned on, each adjuster rotates fully in one direction and then the other to check that the adjusters are working and the shock absorbers themselves are able to turn and respond. If any of the 4 units refuse to comply then the error message appears.
What is happening is that one of the shock absorbers or (more likely) the adjusters is sticking and as you say when it is warm it is enough to free it up. A dealer or a good independant can plug into the diagnostics (OBD on later cars SD2 on earlier) and determine which corner is the culprit, even if the error isn't showing at the time because it remembers. I had something similar and bought some time by removing the adjusters and spraying the mechanisms in WD-40.
The 4200 units without skyhook might fit, but worst case scenario you can just drop $3k (USD) for a set of coilovers.Hello from Covid-free New Zealand. Hope someone can help me with my 2000 3200 GT rear shock issue. One is leaking and local shock service says it can't be rebuilt. Eurospares say the shock is obsolete (and offer no alternative. Let's assume it's non-electronic any ideas where a replacement might be found new or second hand? Also struggling to get access to the right 3-pin scanner for the ABS ECU which is in error code mode.
Hayden
Thanks for advice
David Askew already quoted me and I am pleasantly surprised.
I am not too daunted at the dismantling task it’s just another job I could do without
The 4200 units without skyhook might fit, but worst case scenario you can just drop $3k (USD) for a set of coilovers.
hiHello from Covid-free New Zealand. Hope someone can help me with my 2000 3200 GT rear shock issue. One is leaking and local shock service says it can't be rebuilt. Eurospares say the shock is obsolete (and offer no alternative. Let's assume it's non-electronic any ideas where a replacement might be found new or second hand? Also struggling to get access to the right 3-pin scanner for the ABS ECU which is in error code mode.
Hayden
Nice one Ian, thanks for putting that out..
Regarding the replacement of the left hand rear damper assembly on a 3200, its a absolute b.stard of a job, and trying to re fit the boot trim correctly takes forever!
Dave
I'm not sure there is a particular difficulty with the left side in my experience. Both sides are a pain, simply because of the lack of access, lack of visibility, and the need for small childlike hands and smaller sized spanners\wrenches due to the lack of space.Just reading this old thread with interest as I may need to remove my left rear shocker. What exactly is the difficulty on the left side of the 3200, is it to do with boot interior access to the top or something else? Any advice appreciated …
Please could you explain in regards your comments on 12 degree offset? I was under the impression the top Mount can only be orientated one of 2 ways?!
Never knew about the 12 degreesThis thread has been very helpful to me so I thought I'd enhance it with a few pictures. I completed this job today without too much difficulty. Access down the left hand side of the fuel tank wasn't too bad, I could at least see the actuator! The four nuts came off with the help of some penetrating oil and I didn't drop the wire clip. I did have to do all of that by feel as it is nearly impossible to get both hands down the side and do anything useful with both of them! A small ratchet with a short extension bar did the trick. The shocker needed a smack to get it off the lower joint.
I swapped over the old spring and all the top end gear onto another used shock absorber and at this point I noticed how badly twisted and damaged the lower joint was on the old shocker. Whoever did the last installation - in 2007 at a well known Maserati dealer - clearly didn't set up the upper assembly with the correct 12 degree SX offset. To get this right I decompressed the spring before installing the assembly back on the car, so I could easily rotate the top and get it correctly aligned in situ.
Took it out for a test drive and I'm amazed at the difference. Where the car was feeling a bit too light and slightly unpredictable on the back end it now feels really planted, particularly in Sport mode. Result!
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Never knew about the 12 degrees
But assuming the arrows are direction of travel have you got the flat side of the cap facing 90 degrees out?
Sorry but I don’t follow what should be oreintated at 12 degrees - my rear shocks are on the workbench in the garage ready to go on