A401770 2018194-

40 Shock absorber leaks: assessment aid
40 17 70 2018194/8 July 12, 2017. Supersedes Technical Service Bulletin Group 40 number 15-49 dated
December 18, 2015 for reasons listed below.
Model(s)
Year
VIN Range
Vehicle-Specific Equipment
All
2006 - 2018
All
Not Applicable
Condition
REVISION HISTORY
Revision
Date
Purpose
8
-
Revised header data (Added model year)
7
01/06/2016
Revised header data (Added model years)
6
07/02/2014
Revised header data (Added model year)
Oil appears on one or several shock absorbers.
Technical Background
Oil may appear on a shock absorber for one of the following reasons:
 As a result of a leak because the shock absorber is damaged.
 As a result of residue from when the shock was filled during production, or as a result of slight condensation in
the seal area. This small amount of oil is for lubrication and it reduces wear on the seal.
Production Solution
Not applicable.
Page 1 of 3
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.
Service
Determine if the shock absorber is leaking, or if the oil is only from residue or condensation:
Leaking shock absorbers
A leaking shock absorber is characterized by a wet film
of oil running down the pipe (Figure 1 and Figure 2).
Leaking shock absorbers need to be replaced.
Figure 1. A leaking shock absorber.
Figure 2. A leaking shock absorber.
Shock absorbers with oil marks
Page 2 of 3
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.
A light film of dried oil or oil marks on the pipe beneath
the dust guard are not a clear indicator of a leaking
shock. These marks are a result of residue from when
the shock was filled during production, or of slight
condensation in the seal area. This small amount of oil
is for lubrication and it reduces wear on the seal
(Figure 3 and Figure 4).
This condition does not affect the shock absorber. No
repair is necessary.
Figure 3. A shock absorber that is not leaking.
Figure 4. A shock absorber that is not leaking.
Tip: For additional information, see “Shock absorbers, checking” in the Elsa Repair Manual.
Warranty
This TSB is informational only and not applicable to any Audi Warranty.
Additional Information
All parts and service references provided in this TSB (2018194) are subject to change and/or removal. Always
check with your Parts Department and service manuals for the latest information.
©2017 Audi of America, Inc. All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest
information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of
Audi of America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any
time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these
materials be modified or reposted to other sites without the prior expressed written permission of the publisher.
Page 3 of 3
© 2017 Audi of America, Inc.
All rights reserved. Information contained in this document is based on the latest information available at the time of printing and is subject to the copyright and other intellectual property rights of Audi of
America, Inc., its affiliated companies and its licensors. All rights are reserved to make changes at any time without notice. No part of this document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted
in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these materials be modified or reposted to other sites, without the prior expressed written permission of the
publisher.