YEti MOT Fail

[grahamar]

Hi,

Just got my Monster back after failing it's first MOT last week @ 32K miles.

Rear near side spring broken - most likely got done-in driving over our fabulous Aberdoomshire roads.

( Our roads appear to be worse than the Martian surface if the NASA images are anything to go by)

Rear discs also badly scoured - not an MOT failure - but got them replaced + pads while it was in the garage.

Excellent Service from Victoria Garage at Maud - as always - a highly recommended Skoda garage.

Monster should be fit and ready for the weekend supply of snow thats due.

graham

[shrub]

I have often read that springs in European cars are prone to breaking whereas those in Eastern cars are far more resilient. Something to do with the way the ends (pigtailed) are finished.

[BossFox]

Presumably covered under warranty or goodwill?

[Hairball]

I have often read that springs in European cars are prone to breaking whereas those in Eastern cars are far more resilient. Something to do with the way the ends (pigtailed) are finished.

I have read similar reports. It's not just the VAG cars either, Beemers and others are also prone to spring failures when the steel for the springs is sourced within Europe. Not sure if it's down to design or material that is the cause of the failure. One to watch methinks.

[TeflonTom]

It's all that recycled steel they use that makes them so weak.

[James I]

Did you notice any difference when you were driving?

[fordfan]

I've never seen a broken coil spring on a Jaguar, even the Ford based X type.

[grahamar]

HI James I

re: "did you notice any difference when you were driving ?"

When only in hindsight! After I had the news that it had failed I went through the - ah that might be why the back near side tends to wander a bit, especially so around bends .

Since the repair it's noticeably more solid on the road. I had first put this wayward wandering down to worn tyres, and was a little surprised when the winters went on the the car handled in a similar way.

Then I just blamed slippery/naff roads! So I suppose its hats off for the MOT as I would have carried on driving it like that.!

I've got the broken spring in the boot - so I can recycle it again. It's broken at the top where its secured in - normally!

graham

[James I]

Graham, my Yeti is wandering a bit on the road, I find I have to correct it regularly, I put this down to ruts on the motorway, also when I apply the brakes at the traffic lights, no hands on the steering wheel, the steering wheel it turns 1/4 lock to the left!

I will be getting it checked I think.

[grahamar]

James I

good idea to get it checked. Mine wasn't like that with the spring gone. Only when that side of the car was loaded/unloaded did it not feel right.

One of those things that now I know what to look for I would notice it again ( I dont wish that to happen!) .

The sort of symptoms you describe I have seen to be with tyre pressures being inconsistent and/or the tracking not being aligned ( easliy done if you bump a kerb or hit a pot-hole perhaps )

This is just my personal view - I'm not a mechanic or car specialist.

Either way - best to get it in for a check up I would say.

graham

Edited 18 January, 2013 by grahamar

[The Plumber]

Hi Graham,

hope your keeping well, not seen you post for a while and how time flies can remember you getting your Monster like yesterday

Only spring failures I've encountered have been on Vauxhall light vans, rear on an Astra (no noticeable effect) and front on a Corsa. With the latter it proved very difficult to get to the local garage as the spring spiralled round the lower support cup and down the shock :S The chap next door is also a regular Vauxhall owner and he's also had a couple of springs go as well.

Anyway glad you got her sorted,

Tim.

[Expatman]

Sister-in-law had a front spring fail on 2005 Fiesta - she drives like the proverbial slow-coach so it certainly wasn't abuse!

[speedsport]

Sister-in-law had a front spring fail on 2005 Fiesta - she drives like the proverbial slow-coach so it certainly wasn't abuse!

Ditto on my sister's 2005 Fiesta. The broken spring shredded the inner sidewall of the tyre, so it was a good job it happened at slow speed close to her home.

I'm told it's partially to do with inferior steel & poor tempering of the springs, but also that whilst the end of the spring used to be chamfered so that it sat flat in the cup on the strut (top & bottom), these days a depression is merely pressed into the cup to match a spring cut at 90degrees, so that once subjected to road grime, the spring suffers corrosion & uneven forces (so i'm told).

Of course speed humps & pot holes are far more common than they ever were too, resulting in even more road shocks. I was going to say that given its off road credentials, you'd think the Yeti would be more resilient, but I guess that the springs are probably just from other vehicles in the VAG range.

[The Plumber]

Springs as far as I'm aware are Golf V part numbered.

TP

[speedsport]

Springs as far as I'm aware are Golf V part numbered.

TP

I rest my case m'lud :(

[shrub]

This puts it in a nutshell...

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/askhj/answer/15748/coilus-interruptus

[nickguzzi]

The overwhelming majority of steel produced in the world is done on modern variations of the openhearth process. This works most effectively by incorporating a percentage of scrap, which is of course much higher quality than iron ore, which even high grade stuff is mostly dirt and is often less than 30% iron.

You can have whatever quality steel you are prepared to pay for, any problems with materials quality is generally down to an inadequate specification (ie penny pinching) not the methods of modern steel production.

[ejstubbs]

Thanks for posting that, Nick.

I reckon: "The springs are not made of the best pure carbon steel and instead contain an element of scrap," must be one of the most misleading statements ever foisted upon Honest John's devoted readership.

HJ is by no means the infallible guru that some people seem to think.

Edited 20 January, 2013 by ejstubbs

[Kiwibacon]

Honest John has no idea about metallurgy or spring design.

[JCP]

He also wears a very silly hat -presumably to help conceal the bees in his bonnet.

[nickguzzi]

Bit of what he professes not to be really.

He indoctrinates his believerership with half truths or no truths.

[grahamar]

Hi Tim,

Indeed it seems like yesterday that the Yeti was a babe monster and here we are at 3 years.

Re the Coil Spring and Golf V part numbers. The garage fitted the following part:

1K0511115DK - Coil Spring, along with some packing and spring support bits ( these begin 1K too)

I dont know if that's helpful or not :think:

Meantime the monster iis confined to barracks. Snowed in today. Drifts waist high for 300 metres along the road.

Hopefully we'll get back on the road tomorrow now that the tractors/ploughs have been to work.

Regards

graham

[marmac]

I had a spring break on my bmw x3 that was picked up at the mot but only as an advisory and not a fail as apparently it was still seated whatever that means.

[Silverline]

The overwhelming majority of steel produced in the world is done on modern variations of the openhearth process. This works most effectively by incorporating a percentage of scrap, which is of course much higher quality than iron ore, which even high grade stuff is mostly dirt and is often less than 30% iron.

You can have whatever quality steel you are prepared to pay for, any problems with materials quality is generally down to an inadequate specification (ie penny pinching) not the methods of modern steel production.

I totally agree,

The steel and foundry industry have always used scrap steel in its various processes, so I really do not see what using scap steel has to do with anything, providing the steel has the correct chemical composition and has been heat treated to specification then there should be absolutely no problem, I feel the comments about the way these springs are seated in their cups ect may well be the problem.

Edited 24 January, 2013 by Silverline

[kenfowler3966]

My previous car, a Superb had both front springs broken when checked for its last MOT whilst I had it. That explained the strange handling and clicking noises at the front. Had more ground clearance as well after repair. Personally I blame it on all the speed bumps on the roads in my area, as my wifes fabia also broke a spring with a bang. She spotted a piece of metal flying off and brought it home to show me so I immediately new what it was.

Springs seem to be of lighter construction than they used to be, hence they seem to get brittle and break easier now?

Edited 26 January, 2013 by kenfowler3966