A hydraulic damper (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d) for a motor vehicle comprising: a tube extending along an axis and defining a chamber for holding a fluid; said tube having a main section having a first diameter and a narrowed section having a second diameter being smaller than said first diameter; a main piston assembly disposed in said main section of said tube and axially slideable within said main section of said tube to generate a damping force; a piston rod attached to said main piston assembly and extending axially outside of said tube; a resisting mechanism disposed about and fixed to said piston rod; a secondary piston disposed about said piston rod on the axially opposite side of said resisting mechanism as said main piston assembly and having an external diameter substantially corresponding to said second diameter of said narrowed section of said tube and axially displaceable with said main piston assembly and moveable into said narrowed section of said tube to generate an additional damping force; characterized in that said secondary piston defines a radially inner surface engaging said piston rod and a radially outer surface opposite said radially inner surface; said radially inner surface defines at least one radially internal channel extending axially; said piston rod defines an annular recess at least partially in axial alignment with said secondary piston; and said secondary piston includes at least one locking mechanism positioned in said annular recess of said piston rod and axially slideable within said annular recess; wherein said secondary piston is axially moveable between a hydraulic stop engagement stroke and a hydraulic stop disengagement stroke, wherein said secondary piston axially engages said resisting mechanism and restricts the flow of working fluid through said at least one radially internal channel during said hydraulic stop engagement stroke, and wherein said secondary piston is axially spaced from said resisting mechanism and defines an annular channel between said piston rod and said secondary piston opening flow of working fluid through said at least one internal channel during said hydraulic stop disengagement stroke, wherein said radially outer surface of said secondary piston defines a plurality of radially external channels each extending axially. a tube extending along an axis and defining a chamber for holding a fluid; said tube having a main section having a first diameter and a narrowed section having a second diameter being smaller than said first diameter; a main piston assembly disposed in said main section of said tube and axially slideable within said main section of said tube to generate a damping force; a piston rod attached to said main piston assembly and extending axially outside of said tube; a resisting mechanism disposed about and fixed to said piston rod; a secondary piston disposed about said piston rod on the axially opposite side of said resisting mechanism as said main piston assembly and having an external diameter substantially corresponding to said second diameter of said narrowed section of said tube and axially displaceable with said main piston assembly and moveable into said narrowed section of said tube to generate an additional damping force; characterized in that said secondary piston defines a radially inner surface engaging said piston rod and a radially outer surface opposite said radially inner surface; said radially inner surface defines at least one radially internal channel extending axially; said piston rod defines an annular recess at least partially in axial alignment with said secondary piston; and said secondary piston includes at least one locking mechanism positioned in said annular recess of said piston rod and axially slideable within said annular recess; wherein said secondary piston is axially moveable between a hydraulic stop engagement stroke and a hydraulic stop disengagement stroke, wherein said secondary piston axially engages said resisting mechanism and restricts the flow of working fluid through said at least one radially internal channel during said hydraulic stop engagement stroke, and wherein said secondary piston is axially spaced from said resisting mechanism and defines an annular channel between said piston rod and said secondary piston opening flow of working fluid through said at least one internal channel during said hydraulic stop disengagement stroke, wherein said radially outer surface of said secondary piston defines a plurality of radially external channels each extending axially.