Engineering has discovered that a front suspension strut oil leak can result if the strut center (rod) nut is used as a connection for the ground cable when jump starting a vehicle.
The investigation was conducted on damaged struts from VUE, Equinox and Torrent vehicles.
An electric spark between the rod guide and rod can damage the chrome plating (fig. 13), which in turn damages the oil seal (fig. 14), contributing to oil leakage.
The remote positive terminal, prominently identified with red, is located at the UBEC, on the left side of the vehicle. The center nut of the nearby strut is a tempting and convenient place to connect the ground cable.
DO NOT use the strut as a ground when jump starting a vehicle. In the case of the VUE, Equinox and Torrent, a remote (unmarked) negative terminal is located in the front of the engine compartment near the engine oil dipstick (fig. 15). This location is shown in the owner's manual.
- Thanks to Angelo Girolamo, Jay Gersabeck, Ravi Balusu, Ron LeBourdais and
Chul Won Jeong
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