Coil springs How many have you broke. started as a warning for Citroen C3 owners

the culture of deference · 12-01-2013 06:10PM #1

Hi guys, I have a diesel 2002 C3 mostly motorway miles.

I had a front right coil spring shatter over christmas. Not sure how they can be tested but I mentioned it to a citroen garage and they said it wasn't that uncommon.

This was my 2nd, 2 years ago my R75 also had a front right coil spring shatter over christmas while parked.

Pottler · 12-01-2013 06:15PM

the culture of deference wrote: »

Hi guys, I have a diesel 2002 C3 mostly motorway miles.

I had a front right coil spring shatter over christmas. Not sure how they can be tested but I mentioned it to a citroen garage and they said it wasn't that umcommon.

Cool story dude, but you left out the "warning to C3 owners" bit. Coil springs break on almost every make and model, it's common as muck these days.

Mycroft H · 12-01-2013 06:17PM

I don't think it's just common to the C3. We had a Accord that did the same thing. More to do with the state of the Irish roads.

EDIT: Pottler bet me to it

ba_barabus · 12-01-2013 06:18PM

Pottler wrote: »

Cool story dude, but you left out the "warning to C3 owners" bit. Coil springs break on almost every make and model, it's common as muck these days.

I've an E46 sitting outside with two broken rear coils

galwaytt · 12-01-2013 06:25PM

ba_barabus wrote: »

I've an E46 sitting outside with two broken rear coils

Add Focus and Fiesta to that list.....

Pottler · 12-01-2013 06:51PM

It's not an Irish roads issue either, it happens across the world, huge problem in the UK and madly enough, not an MOT fail there if it's the top or bottom coil that's snapped(mad but true). Seems the issue is heavier cars and poorer quality springs. One company has actualy launched a plastic composite spring this week to combat the issue.

burke027 · 12-01-2013 10:40PM

ba_barabus wrote: »

I've an E46 sitting outside with two broken rear coils

Ha ha il about 5 bms in the yard with broken springs also 2 cls mercs with front left hand broken springs its more common in winter

the culture of deference · 12-01-2013 11:11PM

Didn't realise it was that common.

Whats the recommened change time, my car has dealer FSH from new and it was never brought up. Is there a test.

Has anyone had it happen while they were driving?

burke027 · 12-01-2013 11:25PM

the culture of deference wrote: »

Didn't realise it was that common.

Whats the recommened change time, my car has dealer FSH from new and it was never brought up. Is there a test.

Has anyone had it happen while they were driving?

I've seen plenty of customers drive into the yard with a broken spring and it then causes more problems some times maybe bursting the shock or making crap out of the top mount. 90 percent if not 99.9 percent of springs go when driving. There is no replacement time as such only when then spring goes does it require changing

the culture of deference · 13-01-2013 11:47AM

burke027 wrote: »

I've seen plenty of customers drive into the yard with a broken spring and it then causes more problems some times maybe bursting the shock or making crap out of the top mount. 90 percent if not 99.9 percent of springs go when driving. There is no replacement time as such only when then spring goes does it require changing

Mine punctured the tyre immediately. But it was parked. I can't imagine driving it at 80kmh and have your front right tyre burst and a suspension collapse. How many accidents does it cause?

The Pontiac · 13-01-2013 12:59PM

Add the Saab 9-3 to the list also.

dgt · 13-01-2013 01:22PM

Add a 406 and Ducato to the list

Armadillo · 13-01-2013 01:50PM

Add to list:
00 Ford Mondeo. Both front springs. 1 Spring went BADOIIINNNGGGGG when car was sitting in driveway.
04 Renault Laguna
08 Mitsubishi Outlander

Sofiztikated · 13-01-2013 02:14PM

And a focus owner.

I also had a Starlet that put the top shock mounting through the boot.

the culture of deference · 13-01-2013 04:18PM

burke027 wrote: »

I've seen plenty of customers drive into the yard with a broken spring and it then causes more problems some times maybe bursting the shock or making crap out of the top mount.

How can you drive. The R75 had the spring hooked into the tyre. Wasn't able to move it at all. The C3 was able to move at baby crawling speed and high revs.

burke027 wrote: »

90 percent if not 99.9 percent of springs go when driving.

I must be lucky to have 2 go while parked up.

skyhighflyer · 13-01-2013 05:44PM

the culture of deference wrote: »

Hi guys, I have a diesel 2002 C3 mostly motorway miles.

I had a front right coil spring shatter over christmas. Not sure how they can be tested but I mentioned it to a citroen garage and they said it wasn't that uncommon.

This was my 2nd, 2 years ago my R75 also had a front right coil spring shatter over christmas while parked.

This is often in fact a Citroen C3 problem. Google 'Citroen C3 front suspension collapse' for details. A lot of posters in this thread talking about individual coil springs failing but that's not the issue here. The front suspension was a flawed design on early cars and Citroen issued a recall in 2004 IIRC to have updated mounts fitted. While normally in most cars one spring would go, while the car is driving, in the case of the C3, owners report both springs failing simultaneously (usually accompanied by an almighty bang) and unusually it happens when the car is parked up. In the case of a C3 we used to have it happened parked up one night at 2am and woke the house! Anecdotal evidence of Citroen UK covering the cost, especially if the car has FSH. At 10 years old you'd have an uphill battle, but worth checking if the recall was done on yours.

shedweller · 13-01-2013 05:54PM

Add an 02 diesel almera van to that list. It was where the cut end of the spring met the first turn of the coil and chafed a little mark into the coil. which then broke from fatigue at the mark.
I'd hate to have it happen at speed. :eek:

13-01-2013 06:21PM

Never had an issue with a shock or spring.

nct tester · 13-01-2013 11:45PM

rear 3 series bmw's , rear focus 98 - 04, opel astra g rears, common as muck for coil springs to break but very rarely shows up anything obvious on the shock tester.

Tropheus · 13-01-2013 11:48PM

03 Audi A2, both fronts broke and replaced. It's a common problem on the A2.

RidleyRider · 13-01-2013 11:51PM

I've discreetly trying to kill our 03 C3 for the past 6 months or so forcing a new buy. Resilient little bugger. NCT's next month so I think I'll drive around with the handbrake on and use the clutch a little less

Then, when thats done I'll get to work on the 11 C3!

Armadillo · 13-01-2013 11:52PM

nct tester wrote: »

rear 3 series bmw's , rear focus 98 - 04, opel astra g rears, common as muck for coil springs to break but very rarely shows up anything obvious on the shock tester.

Is a broken spring always a fail and if yes, is the retest just a free visual if it already passed the computer test?

nct tester · 14-01-2013 12:01AM

yes always a fail, and retest suspension test (€28). its not so much the actual suspension test thats important but the act of putting the car on the lift and checking that it has been fitted and reassembled the way it should be. cars come back sometimes with top or bottom shock mount bolts loose which may not affect the readings with the weight of the car on it but nevertheless, its a saftety issue and another €28 retest. same with cv boots, it would be easy to check they have been replaced out in the yard but to check if they have been replaced and reassembled correctly requires the use of a lift.

Thatnastyboy · 14-01-2013 12:24AM

02 Berlingo
02 Almera van - i see another too

e34 5 series
00 pug 406
08 pug 207 :eek:

visual · 14-01-2013 03:09AM

Laguna Diesels both front springs its more common with the 17" wheel as it transfers more road shock into the springs that obviously aren't suitable

sebastianlieken · 14-01-2013 08:55AM

Add Golf mk5 to that list. (both fronts just replaced)

FYI, the cause of it being common here is down to two common factors.

Salt on roads in winter: All you need is a tiny dent on the thin protective plasic sheeting and salt water will begin to corrode the Springs. Well, corrode isn't exactly the correct word: Hydrogen embrittlement is what occurs. This process reduces the ductility of the spring steel, making it brittle, making it snap under load.

Speed Bumps: People take speed bumps way too fast. I see it everyday coming into work, coupled with hydrogen embrittlement you can kiss those spring coils bye bye

deandean · 14-01-2013 09:03AM

sebastianlieken wrote: »

Add Golf mk5 to that list. (both fronts just replaced)

FYI, the cause of it being common here is down to two common factors.

Salt on roads in winter: All you need is a tiny dent on the thin protective plasic sheeting and salt water will begin to corrode the Springs. Well, corrode isn't exactly the correct word: Hydrogen embrittlement is what occurs. This process reduces the ductility of the spring steel, making it brittle, making it snap under load.

Speed Bumps: People take speed bumps way too fast. I see it everyday coming into work, coupled with hydrogen embrittlement those you can kiss those spring coils bye bye

I'd add to that list: low profile tyres. Lo-pro's mean the springs & shocks are doing much more work.

BrensBenz · 14-01-2013 09:15AM

Add Merc E-Class. NCT failure on two front coils. Car was driving fine and I honestly didn't believe the NCT guy. He was kind enough to show me both upper "tangs" (the tapered ends) broken. Well, 153k miles on the clock at the time so the springs didn't owe me anything.

the culture of deference · 15-04-2013 12:15PM

skyhighflyer wrote: »

Citroen issued a recall in 2004 IIRC to have updated mounts fitted. While normally in most cars one spring would go, while the car is driving, in the case of the C3, owners report both springs failing simultaneously (usually accompanied by an almighty bang) and unusually it happens when the car is parked up.

Thanks found this elsewhere, trying to see if Citroen will cough up.

CITROEN C3 Recall

Suspension springs may break

CITROEN announced a problem with the C3 affecting a total of 56,604 vehicles.

In the exceptional event of a spring breaking there could be a risk of the spring making contact with the vehicle tyre. Vehicles built from 11/01/2001 to 11/30/2003 are at risk.

The following remedial action is necessary to address this problem. Recall the vehicles that are likely to be affected and fit a suspension cup to each side of the front suspension.

Vehicles with the following identification numbers are affected:

VF7******26853555 to VF7******28000180

TGi666 · 15-04-2013 12:23PM

03 mondeo 2 rear coils
apparently common enough for them to go

cpoh1 · 15-04-2013 01:29PM

Every single car mentioned here is european (bar one chap with an old almera van). Is this a co-incidence?

Ive never had a spring fail on me in the years ove driven virtually all jap cars.

Coil springs How many have you broke. started as a warning for Citroen C3 owners

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