This fell out of my car

TheDriver

I was backing the car out of the drive and this came out of the front. Anyone know what it's from? Car is driving grand. Car is a citroen picasso
PS it's metal and covered in black coating.

XsApollo

Looks like a pack of Johnson’s baby wipes.

Possibly a spring?
Put your hand under the wheel arch. Into where the spring is and see if you can feel the edge of the spring., if it is, the spring will be sitting in the cup.
If you look at the car it might be sitting lower on one side also.

dar_cool

I'd say you have a broken spring. Probably best to get it looked at as soon as you can. It will fail NCT if nothing else

sundodger5

definitely the spring. right hand side has the exposed steel where it broke

greasepalm

Agreed part of a coil spring which could make its way out to damage your tyre and could be unsafe to drive.

TheDriver

Thanks, was thinking that. Will get it fixed tomorrow. Is it expensive and do I do both sides?

delly

About €100 for a spring including fitting, give or take. It is recommended to get both done together, but depends on your finances etc.

MAJJ

Also, when going to get it fixed drive slowish and take it easy over bumps (potholes/ramps) if possible.

greasepalm

We only replace broken spring but shocks would need both done as nct loves imbalance.

TheDriver

I got the torch out and on my knees but can't see or feel a broken spring at all. Strange. Will get it on a ramp tomorrow and report back.

CJhaughey

Its only half a coil so you won't really see it. The broken end will be the giveaway if you can feel it, but looking at that the end is kind of square so may be hard to feel if the flat part has pushed into the spring seat.

greasepalm

Yes the flat bit can sit up against a plate/stop or recess in the strut,if rusty could be strut end as metal to metal contact.Upper mount might be rubber so broken bit would have little rust in contact.

TheDriver

As suspected, it's the spring. Thanks for all the help.

Stallingrad

No need to replace both.

CiniO

Stallingrad wrote: »

No need to replace both.

I would.

Otherwise handling will be affected.

Stallingrad

CiniO wrote: »

I would.

Otherwise handling will be affected.

It's a Picasso. :-)

Replacing both would be best practice, the remaining spring may be subject to the same metal fatigue as the broken one, or it may not. The spring rates of old V new may be different due to aging.

But it is still not essential, unlike shocks, disk, pads which have to be done in pairs.

grogi

CiniO wrote: »

I would.

Otherwise handling will be affected.

C'mon - if it's sufficient to change one tyre only, one spring will not make any difference.

Spook_ie

Stallingrad wrote: »

It's a Picasso. :-)

Replacing both would be best practice, the remaining spring may be subject to the same metal fatigue as the broken one, or it may not. The spring rates of old V new may be different due to aging.

But it is still not essential, unlike shocks, disk, pads which have to be done in pairs.

This...
On a Friday, had o/s spring in car go "boing", took to the mechanic who replaced it no problem, lost a weekends work but hey that's life.

Three days after getting the car back, on the Thursday "boing" goes the n/s. So I lost another 2 days off work.

Get them both done

Miscreant

Is this a regular thing? I have had 7 cars in 15 years and not one of them has ever broken a spring. I had to get a shock absorber replaced once so I did both sides at the same time but never came across a spring breaking.

Zubeneschamali

Miscreant wrote: »

Is this a regular thing?

No, I have been driving my own cars for 30+ years and have never broken a spring.

Stallingrad

Not unheard of, F10 BMWs like breaking there's as do some Skoda's.

CoBo55

Never broke a spring either, the last 15 years have been in Skoda's. The aul fella broke a back spring in the Hunter but they were notorious for breaking springs.

greasepalm

Yes its a regular thing,vws,volvo,ford,mercs and many others + the odd time top shock mount if the bearing falls asunder.