Broken Front Suspension Coil just days after MOT and lower arm replacement

pollypetee · 27th June 2011, 20:30

Rover 75 KV6 2.0 Petrol, 2001

Sadly I am being here more and more often asking questions – What’s wrong with my Rover

??? I am beginning to lose faith in this brand…

I will start in chronological order:

1. Last week my Rover 75 failed it’s MOT. Some of you might remember my post re; lower arm and excessive movement
2. On Friday I had the garage in question (Rover after sales specialist) replacing the nearside lower arm and bush. Upon completion the mot certificate has been issued and my debit card swiped. I’m lighter by £200.
3. We’ve done some mileage during the weekend (around 100 miles) – nothing unusual noticed with handling the car.
4. Today my wife took the car, like usually, to work 35 miles away – Journey between M1 Junction 11-15. All motorway driving.
She called whilst leaving the work that she can’t drive the car – car won’t go forward and gives terrible noise when trying.

The AA guy arrived and determined that the nearside spring coil snapped. Car has been towed away to local MG/Rover specialist in Northampton (I hope they are) and the initial diagnosis seem to be correct. I actually had to go all the way to Northampton to pick my missus up and the left front was down

.

Questions I’ve got and they’re very important to me –

1. Should the mot tester notice problem with spring? By reading various posts it seems to be serious issue. What if the spring snapped whilst driving 70/80 mph??? Serious accident could occur…

2. Is there direct correlation between changing the arm and broken spring – Any chance that the fitter was negligent or incompetent?

I would appreciate your thoughts – Whilst I am happy that no serious accident took place the whole point of MOT and consequential repairs is to be safe. I will be seriously considering / requesting partial refund or covering the expense of fitting new spring if the fault lies within the MOT inspection / repairs.

What do you all think – Please advise

ROBBIE G · 27th June 2011, 20:37

Guy over the road from me had the same kind of thing happen to his car last week whilst it was stationery on his drive he heard a large bang outside the house and he thought someone had threw a brick at his caravan it wasnt till he tried pulling off the drive next morning he realised his spring had snapped whilst stationery on the drive

Kai Herb · 27th June 2011, 20:40

How could the Mot tester know that in a 100 miles the spring would fail ?

stocktake · 27th June 2011, 20:41

It's not a thing that is unique to the rover marque, it is also almost impossible to predict, sorry

ROBBIE G · 27th June 2011, 20:49

guys car across the road from me was an 05 plate fiesta st

spyder · 27th June 2011, 20:55

My Ford Mondeo had snapped, I knew the handling was "out". Mot did pick it up. It would have more to do with snow/rain/salt rather than the marque. In over 25yrs of working on cars in South Africa I had never seen a broken spring, including all my British cars.

fifty pence · 27th June 2011, 21:13

Sorry but you've just been unlucky!
The MOT test would have not highlighted a problem with the suspension spring as it wasn't broken on the day and also the lower arm work would not effect the spring.

Mike Noc · 27th June 2011, 21:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by pollypetee

Rover 75 KV6 2.0 Petrol, 2001

Sadly I am being here more and more often asking questions – What’s wrong with my Rover

??? I am beginning to lose faith in this brand…

Questions I’ve got and they’re very important to me –

1. Should the mot tester notice problem with spring? By reading various posts it seems to be serious issue. What if the spring snapped whilst driving 70/80 mph??? Serious accident could occur…

2. Is there direct correlation between changing the arm and broken spring – Any chance that the fitter was negligent or incompetent?

What do you all think – Please advise

Agree with the previous posts.

1. No, from a visual inspection you can't tell when a spring will snap. Some testers will advise on corrosion of the surface but springs can still last even if they look corroded, and they can snap when they don't.

2. The spring isn't disturbed when changing the lower arm so difficult to see how any negligence or incompetence could have an impact on the break.

Sorry but it seems you have been unlucky and the timing is coincidental. Would add that I have never worked in the car trade. Come to think of it though I've changed all 4 springs on my car but haven't lost faith in the brand yet!

Mike

Mike Noc · 27th June 2011, 21:15

fifty pence you beat me to it - but not by much!

Mike

fifty pence · 27th June 2011, 21:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikeseignot

fifty pence you beat me to it - but not by much!

Mike

Cheers Mike, it doesn't happen very often!!!!!!
Chris

27th June 2011, 20:30	#1
pollypetee Newbie Rover 75 Saloon , MG ZT+ 190 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Dunstable Posts: 24 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Broken Front Suspension Coil just days after MOT and lower arm replacement Rover 75 KV6 2.0 Petrol, 2001 Sadly I am being here more and more often asking questions – What’s wrong with my Rover ??? I am beginning to lose faith in this brand… I will start in chronological order: 1. Last week my Rover 75 failed it’s MOT. Some of you might remember my post re; lower arm and excessive movement 2. On Friday I had the garage in question (Rover after sales specialist) replacing the nearside lower arm and bush. Upon completion the mot certificate has been issued and my debit card swiped. I’m lighter by £200. 3. We’ve done some mileage during the weekend (around 100 miles) – nothing unusual noticed with handling the car. 4. Today my wife took the car, like usually, to work 35 miles away – Journey between M1 Junction 11-15. All motorway driving. She called whilst leaving the work that she can’t drive the car – car won’t go forward and gives terrible noise when trying. The AA guy arrived and determined that the nearside spring coil snapped. Car has been towed away to local MG/Rover specialist in Northampton (I hope they are) and the initial diagnosis seem to be correct. I actually had to go all the way to Northampton to pick my missus up and the left front was down. Questions I’ve got and they’re very important to me – 1. Should the mot tester notice problem with spring? By reading various posts it seems to be serious issue. What if the spring snapped whilst driving 70/80 mph??? Serious accident could occur… 2. Is there direct correlation between changing the arm and broken spring – Any chance that the fitter was negligent or incompetent? I would appreciate your thoughts – Whilst I am happy that no serious accident took place the whole point of MOT and consequential repairs is to be safe. I will be seriously considering / requesting partial refund or covering the expense of fitting new spring if the fault lies within the MOT inspection / repairs. What do you all think – Please advise

27th June 2011, 20:41	#4
stocktake Vis Whiz Rover 75 2.5 auto Saloon Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: LEEDS Posts: 20,591 Thanks: 2,057 Thanked 3,056 Times in 1,621 Posts	It's not a thing that is unique to the rover marque, it is also almost impossible to predict, sorry __________________ Dave... Lost a few stones and a Gall Bladder and part of a bile duct and all of my dignity in the suppository incident

27th June 2011, 20:55	#6
spyder This is my second home 75 CDT Auto Tourer , Rover 45 , Astra, Zaffira, Chev Captiva Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Wilts Posts: 3,342 Thanks: 203 Thanked 436 Times in 360 Posts	My Ford Mondeo had snapped, I knew the handling was "out". Mot did pick it up. It would have more to do with snow/rain/salt rather than the marque. In over 25yrs of working on cars in South Africa I had never seen a broken spring, including all my British cars. __________________ Chrome skull caps, EGR cleaned (original housing), Mondeo lower mounting, 12V outlets in the armrest and tourer boot, cat fixed, working FBH, Lidl plenum covers, DD with reverse camera.New speakesr/Tweeters with MDF rings. wood dash, Memory leather seats, wooden finished steering and handbrake, Xenon headlights.

27th June 2011, 20:37	#2
ROBBIE G Posted a thing or two 75 saloon 1.8 classic Join Date: May 2011 Location: WOLVERHAMPTON Posts: 1,142 Thanks: 18 Thanked 106 Times in 77 Posts	Guy over the road from me had the same kind of thing happen to his car last week whilst it was stationery on his drive he heard a large bang outside the house and he thought someone had threw a brick at his caravan it wasnt till he tried pulling off the drive next morning he realised his spring had snapped whilst stationery on the drive

27th June 2011, 20:40	#3
Kai Herb Gets stuck in MG ZTT+ 2.5 160 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: North Devon ish Posts: 743 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	How could the Mot tester know that in a 100 miles the spring would fail ?

27th June 2011, 20:49	#5
ROBBIE G Posted a thing or two 75 saloon 1.8 classic Join Date: May 2011 Location: WOLVERHAMPTON Posts: 1,142 Thanks: 18 Thanked 106 Times in 77 Posts	guys car across the road from me was an 05 plate fiesta st

27th June 2011, 21:13	#7
fifty pence Newbie Rover 75 1.8T Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Warwick Posts: 29 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Sorry but you've just been unlucky! The MOT test would have not highlighted a problem with the suspension spring as it wasn't broken on the day and also the lower arm work would not effect the spring.

27th June 2011, 21:15	#9
Mike Noc This is my second home Rover 75 CDT Manual Connoisseur SE, Rover 75 CDT Automatic Connoisseur SE & a Freelander Td4. Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hampshire Posts: 11,550 Thanks: 3,470 Thanked 3,119 Times in 2,247 Posts	fifty pence you beat me to it - but not by much! Mike