Symptoms of a failure is the bonnet or tailgate needs assistance to lift or support itself..and to check which one of the struts has failed the struts will need to be individually removed unless an obvious oil leak is present..

This is a link for a company where you can get them.. fiat parts are a lot more expensive..

Fiat Replacement Gas Struts for Boot/Tailgate, Bonnet, Hoods

And a view of what we are looking at..



First off lift the bonnet and support it ..A friendly helper comes in handy here if the bonnet wont support itself..but if help is not available then a simple length of 2x1 timber cut to length can do the trick..

Looking at the strut you will see it fixes on in a specific way to operate in direction of ram hydraulically..please make a note of this before fitting back into place..

To hold the strut into place there are pesky little clips fitted at the top and bottom..how do I get those off you are thinking well nothing could be easier and by using a thin bladed screw driver inserted into a grove at the back of the clip and from the underneath the clip can be prised of with an upward motion..these can ping off so be aware of this so you don't loose it..remove the two clips one at the top and one at the bottom leaving the strut in place now this is where your extra pair of hands will come in handy or the length of 2x1 you have cut ..the gas strut can now be simply pulled off with a sideways pull.if your lucky and have removed the faulty one first time you will find the other strut does support the bonnet some what but propping the bonnet is still recommended..

Now you have to refit the strut back in place and looking at the clips you have removed you will find them hard to refit and really need some spreading open to get them back around the fixing points top and bottom of the strut..

Here is my little tip and the easiest way I have found to get them back in place..its using one of these..

Circlip pliers..




You simply put the clip on a flat surface and insert the pliers into the clip and spread the clip open by opening the pliers now fit the clip in place on the strut still held open with the pliers from the top.. feed down over and into place locking it into place..the strut then simply pushes over the little nipples top and bottom and locks in place..job done..