With years of use your struts may need to be replaced. A sure sign they have failed, is they no longer will hold your trunk open or your trunk tends to slam. A more catastrophic failure involves the struts failing all at once. In this event the trunk will suddenly become very heavy. You will also notice excess hydraulic fluid leaking from the back of the strut.

To remove the struts, start with the trunk open. Using a set of pliers remove the retaining clips circled above in red. With the retaining clips out of the way, you will be able to slide the strut off its mount. If the strut does not come readily, you may need to lift the trunk slightly to relieve some pressure. The back of the strut is held on with a "claw hook". Simply push up on the back of the strut and it will pop free. Reinstall the new struts in reverse order. Note: Silicone or a similar lubricant can be applied to the friction surfaces to maintain a smooth silent range of motion.