Third Broken Spring!

[jaberoo]

I've been driving for over 60 years with more cars than I can remember, and over 200K miles in some, and I had never had a broken spring until my 2010 TDI JSW which has now broken it's 3rd spring, just weeks before my buyback date. The first two were rear springs, this one is the left strut.
Surely this should be a recall matter.
What do members think?

 

[oilhammer]

Yep, it happens. See it on a LOT of Ford products, too. A few on some ChryCo products. Also quite a few MB products. I wonder if the supplier is the same.

If every car manufacturer recalled every last thing that has a pattern failure, then there would not be many cars left on the road.

 

[meerschm]

recall is for a reason, not just because it will fail and need repair.

if the spring failure made the wheel fall off, or the tire rub on the fender, it would be a different matter.

for the most part, seems there are more subtle effects from the failed springs.

when my rear snapped, the only hint was a creak when I went over a shallow dip at the end of my driveway.

how did you know the front spring broke?

 

[redbarron55]

I had an Isuzu Trooper that broke left rear spring several times.
When I fixed the driveway entrance so there was not a bump at the entrance the springs quit breaking

 

[jaberoo]

when my rear snapped, the only hint was a creak when I went over a shallow dip at the end of my driveway.

how did you know the front spring broke?

I didn't know I had two broken rear springs until the dealer service told me and charged me $500.

But when the front spring went, there was a loud clang when turning hard left or hard right. The mechanic (not the dealer) immediately suspected a strut and sure enough when he put it up on the hoist, it was there plain to see.

The bummer is, it effectively decreases my buyback

 

[meerschm]

You probably could drive it to the buy back as-is.

 

[redbarron55]

^^^^^
yes

 

[2011tdiproject]

I'd sure be curious to see a couple pictures of those broken springs. I've never seen a coil spring break, only leafs on pickups, & those were overloaded & abused.

 

[gmcjetpilot]

I didn't know I had two broken rear springs until the dealer service told me and charged me $500.

But when the front spring went, there was a loud clang when turning hard left or hard right. The mechanic (not the dealer) immediately suspected a strut and sure enough when he put it up on the hoist, it was there plain to see.

The bummer is, it effectively decreases my buyback

Three things:

1) Yep so many springs does seem excessive, but it's not uncommon
for VW springs to fail apparently, although I never had broke springs
in other cars (or my VW for that matter) in over 38 years.

2) Snow, salt doesn't help. You get corrosion, pitting, then fatigue crack.

3) Don't fix it, sell it back as is. Just be careful and drive conservatively.
It could (will likely) affect handling and stopping to some extent.

I recently replaced my shocks and struts myself. I did not buy new springs,
and did not want aftermarket lower springs. I was nervous taking it apart,
I'd find broken springs and have a show stopper. Springs near perfect, with
the factory finish is excellent shape. There was a little rust at the bottom
of rear springs where they sit in lower control arm cup. Typically they crack
down there in the first loop from what I have seen online.

Cost to replace rear springs should not be $500. It is about an hour of labor,
total both sides. The cost for a pair of springs is $120. $250 should have done
it, $300 even, but $500 is a little steep.

Struts are going to be closer to $500 to replace springs. However if a strut spring
breaks change the spring and struts out both sides as well (for a car you are keeping).

 

[meerschm]

I'd sure be curious to see a couple pictures of those broken springs. I've never seen a coil spring break, only leafs on pickups, & those were overloaded & abused.

This is the rear broken spring from my 2009.

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/data/photos/l/1/1306-1429911470-7f28fa3fc31bcdf5ea51835214b40121.jpg

 

[calimustang]

Holy rust! Im still on original springs as of 240k miles and residing in florida.

 

[jaberoo]

You probably could drive it to the buy back as-is.

I could have. If my buyback was this week, I might have. But, since it's in February, I grimaced and had it fixed.

 

[meerschm]

Much safer on the road.

good decision

 

[redbarron55]

Look to see if the coil was rusty at the break.
I understand that they hang the coils on a hook for painting or powder coat and where the coil hangs it misses getting paint and the rust starts there and it causes stress risers that begin the failure mode.
I think I can see a rusty spot right at the break.
Personally I think that this is a workmanship failure and should be covered if within warranty on the replacement.
If anyone replaces springs look for this and prime and paint the area f you find gaps in paint.

 

[yatzee]

they always break at the bottom on the rear on those cars. We had both break on while around 2000 kms from home which was a pain, but not an issue. That was at around 110k (70k miles). The right front spring went at around 95k (55k miles), but that was probably caused by jammed top bearing jamming.

Until this car, I'd never changed coil springs under 200k

 

[redbarron55]

Well here is one take on it.
A coil breaks and you just lowered your car.
Cut the others off the same amount.
The shorter springs will be stiffer, but til February?

 

[mag1]

Never had a spring break as well. But, I am wondering about my new to me 2014. normal sounding on most roads, but my daughter is taking Drivers Ed right now, and the road to the place is pretty rough. last night, my rear passenger side is making all kinds of noise when on the rough road. smooth road, no issues. I'm thinking I may need to put the back end up to check, I still have 2K/2months left before the used car warranty is up.

 

[distra45]

Rear driver side of my 2010 Sportwagen broke last winter. First really cold day I went to leave for work and clunk! Top coil was laying in the driveway. New springs and shocks in December.

 

[andykurz]

Mine broke too, I went to a junkyard and got another one for $20 bucks. Takes maybe 15 minutes to change. Jack car up, wheel off, i think 19mm bolts to drop the control arm, pop new spring in (old one probably fell out by now!) and reassemble.

I tow and load the car heavy but still, the springs are crap!! Hopefully i don't have to do it again until I turn the car back in to VW

 

[andykurz]

(I drove around for about a month on the broken spring - only one coil had come off. NOT GOOD FOR TIRE WEAR!!! )

 

[vincej]

I only ever broke one and it was on a 64 Rambler that was already around thirty years old. If springs are breaking routinely I think it has to be from defective materials or flaws in the heat treating process.

 

[jjec]

We own 2 2014 jetta wagon tdis and one 2015 tdi sportwagen. About a year after purchasing one 14 jetta tdi we found out that ALL four of the coil springs were broken. Then about 6 months later one of the rear coil springs broke on the 2015 sportwagens broke. Had to replace both. Now our 2nd 2014 tdi jetta has two front broken coil springs. The 2nd and 3rd breaks occurred after driving while sitting parked. These are not high mileage cars. We don't drive off road, in big potholes, just normal driving. The do not sit for long anywhere. We have owned VWs for many years, driven easily over 1 million miles in the many VWs we've had. We have NEVER had problems like this. This is ridiculous. We see that there are recalls on the coil springs but the recall does not include our cars. Seems to include gas vehicles and newer vehicles. VW does not want to do any more work with the traded in TDIs. Three vehicles having the same problem within a year certainly is NOT a coincidence. Has anyone had similar problems with these years VW TDIs? Any advice or thoughts appreciated.

 

[Swinging Steel]

Put quality replacements in once they break. Sounds like a trend, but I never had that problem with about the same miles driven. Had one broken spring on my alh at about 170k miles when I redid the shocks and struts...but I'd attribute that failure to the salt exposure over so many new england winters.

 

[Thunder Chicken]

I just changed all springs and shocks.... I knew about the one broken front spring (3-4 months) but didn’t know about the rear one till I took it out. It looked like it was that way for quite some time too. The front actually shed pieces about a month ago, lol. It drove fine enough.

 

[jjec]

With older higher mileage VWs we have owned, sure springs break, but this is ridiculous, much newer, lower mileage cars. And we always put in OEMs. Thanks.

 

[jjec]

Put quality replacements in once they break. Sounds like a trend, but I never had that problem with about the same miles driven. Had one broken spring on my alh at about 170k miles when I redid the shocks and struts...but I'd attribute that failure to the salt exposure over so many new england winters.

With older higher mileage VWs we have owned, sure springs break, but this is ridiculous, much newer, lower mileage cars. And we always put in OEMs. Thanks.

 

[Fogcat]

I have a 2011...now at 105K. In the last year, we have replaced all 4 springs. It seem to be a real problem. FYI, they were and still are OEM. I am not convinced that it is a serious complaint but our local expert claims to do a lot of them.

 

[murphyslaw]

The left rear spring broke a month ago. Parked the car and ordered the lift kit from IdParts. Installed the IdParts kit and found the right rear spring was broken too but not in the middle like the left side so it was not noticeable. Replaced them at 118k miles.