> I have an 03 subaru forester and there is a weird noise coming from
> the rear strut area. On the hoist both look like fluid has leaked from
> them as dirt is wet and stuck to them. Is this proof they are bad?
> Also the parts guy asked me if they are self leveling, how can I tell
> if they are or not. Thanks
fluid is a bad sign, do a "bounce test" - push down on a rear corner
of the car, push it down a couple times until the suspension is
cycling well, let go, if the rear does not come back up to ride height
and stop there (e.g. it keeps oscillating more than one cycle) then
you need new struts. If that passes jack up the rear of the car and
grab one of the struts and shake it, if the two pieces of the strut
move noticeably relative to each other, you need new struts. If there
are no hoses or electrical connections to the struts it's a fair bet
you do not have self leveling.
nate