Suspension and steering · Dealers fix it
Jaecoo 7 front struts leaking or wearing early
Owners of the Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, Tiggo 7 Pro Max and Omoda C5, built on the same platform as the Jaecoo 7, report front dampers that start leaking oil and strut top bearings that wear out. Dampers or top bearings were replaced, under warranty in one case; no Jaecoo J7 owner has reported it, so this is platform-level evidence.
- Affected versions
- 1.6 TGDI petrol, SHS hybrids (SHS-P, SHS-H) · 7-speed dual-clutch, hybrid DHT · 2025, 2026
- Owner reports
- 8 owners: Chery Tiggo 7 Pro 4, Omoda C5 2, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Max 2
- Typical mileage
- 40,000 km median (about 24,900 miles); range 30,000 km–55,000 km, from 3 reports that gave a mileage
- Most common fix
- Strut, damper or top-bearing fault reported with no repair described (5 of 8 reports)
- Covered by a recall?
- No UK recall found
- Last updated
- November 2026
Platform-level evidence. No report comes from the Jaecoo 7 itself; all come from sister cars on the same platform with the same part.
What owners report
- A Tiggo 7 Pro owner found the front left damper leaking after a winter, about two years and 40,000 km into ownership, and had both front dampers replaced with genuine parts; the car felt better afterwards. [1]
- A Tiggo 7 Pro Max 1.6T needed new strut top bearings at 30,000 km. [6]
- An Omoda C5 owner reports the front right strut top bearing failed at 40,000 km. [8]
- On another Tiggo 7 Pro the front struts had started leaking by the time the owner wrote the review, at 55,000 km. [4]
- An early Tiggo 7 Pro had its dampers replaced under warranty. [2]
Evidence comes from: Chery Tiggo 7 Pro (4), Omoda C5 (2), Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Max (2). Platform-level evidence only: all reports are from sister models built on the same platform (several of them 1.5T CVT cars) and none from the Jaecoo J7. The Omoda C5 and the 2020-22 Tiggo 7 Pro have different bodies, and we did not check whether their struts, damper tuning or part numbers match the UK Jaecoo 7.
One damper leak was first noticed after a Russian winter. UK winters are much milder, so that trigger may matter less in the UK.
Known causes
How dealers have fixed it
| What was done | Reports | Outcome reported |
|---|---|---|
| Both front dampers replaced with genuine parts after one leaked | 1 of 8 | Fixed |
| Dampers replaced under warranty | 1 of 8 | Not stated |
| Strut top bearings replaced | 1 of 8 | Not stated |
| Strut, damper or top-bearing fault reported with no repair described | 5 of 8 | Not stated |
Reports that did not say what was done are left out of this table, so the rows need not add up to 8.
What to ask your dealer
- “Please check both front dampers for oil leaks and the strut top bearings for wear or knocking when the steering is turned.”
- “If one damper is leaking, will both front dampers be replaced as a pair?”
- “Is this covered by the warranty? Dampers are not named in the August 2026 extension, so which cover applies to my car's age and mileage?”
- “Are the replacement parts the same part numbers as the originals?”
Is it safe to keep driving?
A leaking damper or worn top bearing does not usually stop the car, but a damper that has lost its oil controls the body and tyre contact less well, especially when braking and on rough roads, and a failing top bearing can affect the steering. Have the car checked by a dealer soon. If a knock appears, the steering feels notchy or the car bounces after bumps, stop driving and contact the dealer. This page gives no DIY repair advice for suspension parts.
Questions
- Are front dampers covered by the extended UK warranty?
- The August 2026 extension names bushes, rubber components and ball joints. A warranty specialist quoted by Motoring Research counted suspension dampers among parts that had only three-year/40,000-mile cover before, and the article does not say dampers were extended. Ask the dealer which cover applies.
- Do the struts knock?
- None of the counted owners describes a knock; they report leaking dampers, worn top bearings or just list the struts as replaced. Owners on this platform who describe a front knock report it as an anti-roll bar link, track rod end or steering rack fault.
Related faults
- Jaecoo 7 anti-roll bar link knock (19 owners)
- Jaecoo 7 suspension arm bushes wearing early (9 owners)
- Jaecoo 7 steering rack knock (12 owners)
- Jaecoo 7 track rod ends wearing early (17 owners)
All 24 known Jaecoo 7 faults, ranked by owner reports
Sources
Facts are restated in our own words; nothing is translated word for word. Follow the links for the originals.
- Owner review, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, 2020, 1.5T CVT (drom.ru, in Russian)
- Short owner review, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, 2020, 1.5T CVT (drom.ru, in Russian)
- Short owner review, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, 2021, 1.5T CVT (drom.ru, in Russian)
- Short owner review, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro, 2021, 1.5T, 55,000 km (drom.ru, in Russian)
- Short owner review, Omoda C5, 2022, CVT (drom.ru, in Russian)
- Short owner review, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Max, 2024, 1.6T, 30,000 km (drom.ru, in Russian)
- Short owner review, Chery Tiggo 7 Pro Max, 2023, 1.6T DCT (drom.ru, in Russian)
- Short owner review, Omoda C5, 2024, 1.5T CVT, 40,000 km (drom.ru, in Russian)
- Motoring Research, 20 Aug 2026: Jaecoo and Omoda boost 7-year warranty (bushes and ball joints to 7 years / 60,000 miles; dampers previously 3 years / 40,000 miles) (motoringresearch.com, in English)
Last updated 12 November 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us; we correct errors within 72 hours.