Broken spring

[Forkie dave]

Hi I would appreciate any advice if possible, driving home tonight car started slight knocking then something fell off car I walked back up road a few feet and there was a small piece of spring on the road it’s about about 4inches long does anybody know if this is still drivable or dangerous as it is it seems to drive ok at the minute no guessing please I can do that myself many thanks 

[Forkie dave]

Update to this post 

car drives fine suspension does feel a bit soft but able to use it for short journeys until both springs replaced in a weeks time

[Roy124]

It's DANGEROUS. 

I assisted a car driver with a puncture outside my house.  I had a trolley jack so it was the easy thing to offer. 

Jacked the car up, it wasn't a puncture as such. The spring had broken, come out of the seat and the broken end had cut the sidewall completely all round. 

Get it picked up and repaired. 

 

 

[Rosgoe]

I had a 1998 rav 4 that had a broken spring was the the very top of the coil about 80 mm had broken off only noticed it while doing a service needless to say I did order two new springs ASAP but the car drove ok how long it had been broken I don’t know.

what I would say is be careful that the spring does not come apart and dig into the tyre as I have seen this happen.

[TonyHSD]

When I walk around I alway see peaces of broken springs near the kerb, especially on roads with many speed bumps. I think many cars has broken springs and drivers not aware of, I won’t recommend driving car with it though , replace ASAP 👍 

[FROSTYBALLS]

Best to replace in pairs.

[Jon 47]

On 3/19/2021 at 6:43 PM, Forkie dave said:

Update to this post 

car drives fine suspension does feel a bit soft but able to use it for short journeys until both springs replaced in a weeks time

Just replaced my broken rear springs 2.2 Estate +discs /pads.Mark top and bottom alignment before removal 

[Konrad C]

On 3/19/2021 at 6:56 PM, Roy124 said:

It's DANGEROUS. 

I assisted a car driver with a puncture outside my house.  I had a trolley jack so it was the easy thing to offer. 

Jacked the car up, it wasn't a puncture as such. The spring had broken, come out of the seat and the broken end had cut the sidewall completely all round. 

Get it picked up and repaired. 

 

 

I agree it is dangerous, but it's most dangerous when the spring brakes when the car is moving at speed, and the spring pierces the tyre. A few years back, my brother was about to go on a long journey, when the spring broke on his Renault Grand Scenic, and shot straight into the front tyre. This happened when driving slowly on the access road right outside his house! Could have been worse. Then on the same car, he had a rear broken spring, missed by Renault service and MOT a couple times. He even mentioned the knocking noise to them! I told him to save money and get it serviced and MOT elsewhere. Failed MOT on said broken spring missed by Renault. I replaced the spring for him. But some springs break without comprising the car, just like putting on cut spring!

On 3/19/2021 at 7:14 PM, TonyHSD said:

When I walk around I alway see peaces of broken springs near the kerb, especially on roads with many speed bumps. I think many cars has broken springs and drivers not aware of, I won’t recommend driving car with it though , replace ASAP 👍 

Same here, lots of broken bits of spring and drivers probably unaware!

On 3/19/2021 at 6:57 PM, Rosgoe said:

I had a 1998 rav 4 that had a broken spring was the the very top of the coil about 80 mm had broken off only noticed it while doing a service needless to say I did order two new springs ASAP but the car drove ok how long it had been broken I don’t know.

what I would say is be careful that the spring does not come apart and dig into the tyre as I have seen this happen.

Same here for my brothers' Grand Scenic, as mentioned above. I remember doing my friends Prius rear brakes when I spotted a broke spring! So we knew the next job. 

[Forkie dave]

I was driving car for a couple of days about 2 miles to work (should have cycled instead but was frosty) anyway car didn’t kill me and garage replaced both springs, but I’m kicking myself that I didn’t think to replace both struts at the same time for the sake of £80-£100 anyway car back to normal now thanks for advice