Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro

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Wed 19 Apr 2006 22:09
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Barry John
I have a 2001 model which I believe has self levelling suspension? I purchased the car from a Ford dealer in Belgium. I used to tow a caravan with no problems. Last yaer a mechanic carrying out a pre mot sevice told me he had to replace a rear shock so replaced both but not with Ford parts. Since then my rear suspension is much softer, the car sits about 3 inches lower and the self levelling suspension is not working. When I told him about this he told me the car never had self levelling suspension. I noticed the problem when I drove over road ramps with two people in the rear and the flaps caught the ramp. Can anyone tell me what may be causing the problem and the best course of action to remedy this?
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 00:23
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Quinny100
It sounds like your mechanic has fitted the wrong shock absorbers, although I wouldn't have thought that would cause the ride height to drop by 3" unless the springs had been messed with - maybe the have been refitted incorrectly. In any case for whatever reason it's riding too low at the back.

For the self levelling suspension to work you'll need the proper Ford parts. I would take it to a Ford dealer and get them to have a look at it. It won't be cheap, but at least they should know what they're doing.
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Thu 20 Apr 2006 21:06
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - kithmo
AFAIK (I may be wrong) all mondeos have gas shockers, if not self levelling, they may have been replaced with cheaper hydraulic ones, the wrong ones !
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Fri 21 Apr 2006 09:57
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Manatee
IIRC from my Scorpio days, cars with self levelling suspension did not have headlamp beam adjusters. If your car has the headlamp adjuster on the dash it might not have self levelling suspension - otherwise it probably does.

The self levelling dampers for the Scorpio were about £500 a pair.
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Fri 21 Apr 2006 12:13
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - cheddar
AFAIK all Mondeos without Xenon headlights have a headlamp adjuster and all Mondeos with Xenons dont have an adjuster, I dont think there is any link with self levelling though I STBC.
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Fri 21 Apr 2006 14:53
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - NARU
IIRC from my Scorpio days, cars with self levelling suspension did
not have headlamp beam adjusters. If your car has the
headlamp adjuster on the dash it might not have self levelling
suspension - otherwise it probably does.


My mondeo has self-levelling, but still has headlight adjusters.
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Fri 21 Apr 2006 15:16
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Chad.R
IIRC from my Scorpio days, cars with self levelling
suspension did not have headlamp beam adjusters.


Not strictly true; My Omega Elite has self levelling dampers but also had an internal headlamp adjuster too.
The self levelling dampers for the Scorpio were about £500 a pair.


The ones for the Omega which I replaced were only around £150 for the pair (original GM parts but sourced outside the VX dealer network).
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Sat 22 Apr 2006 00:23
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - van man
the only way to find out if your vehicle should have self levelling suspension is to take the vehicle to your main ford dealers and by inputting your details into computer will be able to tell you what suspension you should have?ford parts are not to dear you get what you pay for and theres the gaurantee,also i would rather buy a car with genuine parts on than cheap copies hope it helps....................
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Sat 22 Apr 2006 01:32
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Manatee
Happy to be corrected on the levelling switch red herring - I obviously don't know my Mondeos!
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Mon 4 Aug 2014 17:19
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Wolverine20

I have 53plate mondeo ghia diesel estate-it has headlamp adjusters and self levelling suspension.

Now since I had bought the vehicle the back end always seemed low and just around over a inch showing between the side body and wheel. Approx 3 inchecs inside between wheel and roof of wheel arch.

Last year my self leveling suspension was faulty on one side. A really good local mechanic said i had to replace both so I did. However the ford parts to do the job were not instock at them time and as i needed the car for work the local ford garage said they could fit the equivalent OEM parts the next day.

The parts were fitted the next day and I cant help b wondering if theyut wonder if it is lower or if this model always looks low at the back end.

It glides over speed bumps as normal, however the height between wheel and out side panel is minimal.

I am wondering if the previous owners actually had the self levelling suspension now done previously and possibly fitted the wrong coils.

To make matters a little more confusing the vehicle went to Ford in Dagenham for a engine and injectors recoding, and whilst there they checked the shockers and said they were good( being new ) ;).... though they also said they looked low from the side,.... working ok, but the back end seems low?

I work as a dog handler on some rough sites and sometimes the low ride at the back catches on uneven ground........ though on roads it seems fine.. if a little low.....

Now it cant be me being paranoid but every mondeo owner i bump into says it is low and the shockers have gone.... now when i point out it as new shockers and self levelling they look a little confused and bewildered.

as their vehicles arent self levelling they then trot off.... lol....

So could you please help me..... are OEM parts available and ok on this model mondeo....... and the previous ones were def Ford shockers and registered parts.

Could some half baked mechanic actually have fitted the right shiockers but had springs changed for ones from a different spec car to cut corners and costs....

And if it's been driven for 18months with new shockers and wrong coils/springs could it cause damage to the car

Also can new springs/coils be fitted to oem shockers and self levelling suspension.

I have pictures for viewing if some one needs them..... Also approximately how long should the coils be when fitted and loaded up.

I cacn see alot of rust on the coils and some flaking and the coils look quite close together..... I am wondering if some idiot actually fitted a fiesta or ford KA springs to it they looks so small and close....

Any help appreciated....

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Mon 4 Aug 2014 19:22
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Manatee

What I have been told is that if you put ordinary dampers on with self-levelling springs then the car will sit lower.

That's because part of the load of the car's mass is taken by the damper, which pumps itself up with the car's movement at the start of a journey. The springs have to be 'weaker' than normal ones to work with this.

A non-self-levelling damper, or presumably a knackered one, would just allow all the load to be taken by the spring and the car would run lower.

I have been storing this bit of trivia for a while now. I can't remember who told me or know for sure whether he knew what he was talking about, but it sounds feasible.

Maybe you have the wrong dampers - non-pumper-uppers, even the right length, would possibly account for the low ride height.

E&OE, don't rely on this without confirmation!

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Mon 4 Aug 2014 20:20
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - elekie&a/c doctor

I have had a few of these estates with s/l rear suspension.If you replace the rear dampers with standard units,then you will need to change the springs to cars without s/l system.The car will never sit 100% correct,but is the cheapest option as the correct dampers are over £200 each.

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Tue 5 Aug 2014 13:13
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Wolverine20

from what i understand and my current mechanic is more than trustworthy...

he said that the ford equivalent were out of stock so they advised to fit the equivalent oem shocker which was in my mind an equivalent self leveling shocker....

however looking at the springs i am wondering if the springs are short or just were always wrong prior to me getting the car... even with the ford shockers it always sat low and just with rear wheels in the arch :(......

i would post pics but being a new member I can not do that :(

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Tue 5 Aug 2014 13:19
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Wolverine20

I am also wondering if it is worth doing as I AM LOOKING AT SWAPPING FOR A VAN shortly..... but if I cant find the right van then sorting the low ride may be needed as I work in some rough ride locations.

I am thinking of removing the shockers and springs and seeing if its just as good fitting decent standard ones as I really need height at the back when working in the country, or even on site....

kind regards

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Tue 5 Aug 2014 13:22
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Manatee

i would post pics but being a new member I can not do that :(

No member can post pics. You can upload them somewhere and post a link here if you want.

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Tue 5 Aug 2014 13:23
Ford Mondeo Estate Ghia X Suspension Pro - Wolverine20

Worthwhile noting in the two years i have had the car even though it as self levelling I have never seen the rear ride high or even lift...

I remember the old citroens which used to raise but i didnt think these were like that...

I do know when the mechanic showed them to me they appeared to be the right type.

May be all the ford garages i have been too just don't know the system... lol...

I would probably do the job myself here in west yorkshire if i didnt have arthritis in my hands...

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