Broken Spring

[The Pielander]

Driving home from work last night the car (53 plate TDI Sport 130PD) was making all sorts of banging, crashing and twanging noises from the front end. I took it to the garage this morning and they tell me one of the front springs has snapped. They are going to replace both fronts as the other is likely to go too. Has anyone else had the same thing? I guess its the fact I drive over 30 speed bumps a day (counted them!) and the rock hard suspension

 

[bald_eagle]

yep,i own a 2002 130 tdi sport, took it into the garage and discovered both front springs had been broken for a few months!!!!!

i do remember hearing a couple of big clunks from underneath the car a while back which i never identified so it must have been the bottom coil dissapearing down the road!!

suspension is that firm i never even noticed

 

[JR_130]

I had the same problem a couple of months ago, didn't actually notice it breaking, but began hearing a rattle going over bumpy roads. it was driving me nuts, and after a few hours investigating i found it was a broken spring. got a replacement from the local dealer, (about £65 (fitted it at home)) but when i asked if i needed to replace the other side at the same time, they said there was no need.

I think mine was the same fault, driving over about 10 speedbumps in and out of work every day, needless to say, i'm a bit more careful going over them now!

 

[RUM4MO]

My wife's Polo 1.4SE does not see many speed bumps, but the O/S front spring broke while reversing out of the garage - it broke at mid height and the top half was forced inside the lower half - and still is two years later as it hides in the garage, I could not reverse up a steep gravel driveway as it was scooping up the gravel - completely undrivable it was! Maybe make sure they replace the top bearings at the same time. I think all these broken springs in these Fabias, Polos and Ibizas are down to one thing - namely cheap and nasty CZ Skoda sourced parts!

 

[Neo]

Another one!

Had my 60k service done last month and they found half a coil snapped off the n/s front.

I did`nt notice anything!

 

[The Pielander]

Thanks for all the replies. I had the other unbroken spring replaced yesterday as they are best done in pairs apparently. This spring was clearly bent in that if you stood it on the floor it was lopsided at the top. To be fair on SEAT the mechanic did say that he has changed loads of springs recently and he has broken ones from Mercedes, Peugeot and Audi in his skip.

I had noticed that the car was very understeery for a while and it was just getting irritating when the springs went. Now the handling is fine again and the car feels very darty and direct.

 

[seremotors]

If its any consolation, even standard cars break springs. Top mount doesnt always need replaced but I suppose its a case of 'while its apart . . . '
Odd how Ibizas break front springs but Clios are notorious for breaking rears????

 

[Rory101]

If its any consolation, even standard cars break springs. Top mount doesnt always need replaced but I suppose its a case of 'while its apart . . . '
Odd how Ibizas break front springs but Clios are notorious for breaking rears????

It's a few years ago now, but we had a 1998 Clio II from new and at it's 4yr MOT they discovered both rear springs had broken. Dealer had several in stock so must have been a common problem even then.
This was in the days of 1yr warranty, yet a quick call to Renault Customer Services and they agreed with no hassle to replace FOC.

Contrast that to SEAT where our Ibiza (owned from new and dealer serviced) failed MOT at 4yrs/34K miles on several points and SEAT basically say "hard luck" and the dealer just sees a chance to scam money from us.

Oh and, deep joy, it broke down due to coil pack failure for the *4th* time last week. Grrrr.

 

[the_fbi]

Both my fronts were broken (52 plate TDI Sport 130) which was part of the reason I changed to coilovers.

Sounded like somebody had left a spanner in the scuttle area, which then fell out on a corner one night. Turned out to be part of the spring.

I guess its a very heavy front end with an underspecced diameter spring.

 

[Guinness]

one of the spings on my tdi had broken as well only partially fracturing at the very bottom and disappearing, didnt realise till I come to fit coilovers.

 

[RUM4MO]

Both my fronts were broken (52 plate TDI Sport 130) which was part of the reason I changed to coilovers.

Sounded like somebody had left a spanner in the scuttle area, which then fell out on a corner one night. Turned out to be part of the spring.

I guess its a very heavy front end with an underspecced diameter spring.

I'd still stick with "cheap and nasty CZ Skoda parts" as being the main reason that so much of the "under carriage" of these Polos and Ibizas tends to fail early on. BTW, back in January 2007, my local large VW dealer did not hold front springs in stock, now either that means that there are too many different road springs across the VW car range - or there is not much call for them! There was signs of surface rusting at the point where the "tear" started on the spring material - and my one split into two at half height. Also this Polo was the nice light but gutless 1.4 1.6V petrol one.

 

[MadFaz]

im a victim of this today, 53 TDI Sport, knew straightaway it was a broken spring cause I remembered reading this thread a week ago, took it to the garage, passenger side spring was broken, replaced, driving fine now...

Roads round here are really bad but I guess I'll have to drive it like its been slammed from now on to avoid any more broken springs