Hi,

 

Sitting idly in the car with the engine on and there was a really loud bang. The youngest was playing with the air cond vent at the back possibly. I checked the light bulbs and they look fine. It felt like a brick had hit the car but hadn't. There's no warning signs come up but now I'm nervous. Advice appreciated?

 

Thanks

 

Matt

Open the bonnet to see if anything is obviously out of place?

Hi,

 

Just had a look and it looks normal. Well, not that I am an expert but everything looks secured.

 

Matt

 I was once dozing in the wife’s car waiting for her to finish her weekly retail therapy sessions and there was a loud bang from the front of the car turned out to be a broken front coil spring.

Yep, had the same, sat still, massive bang, couldn't work out where it was from. Broken spring.

You weren't parked up under a conker tree by chance?

 

Or just partially up on a kerb so a tyre slipped off and onto the road?

Edited 28 September, 20196 yr by BigEjit

Not near a kerb but i was parked under an oak tree but I didn't see any branches on my return on the floor plus it was a massive bang not something like a branch or conker falling on the roof........... Nothing still feels strange though. What would a broken spring feel like? Wouldn't the car give me a message or feel weird to drive? A friend has suggested fuel in the catalytic converter perhaps?

An end coil of a spring can brake and feels like nothing unless maybe reversing on lock if a front one or driving off a kerb.

On the rear you might never be aware and the car needs jacked up then inspected closely at either end of both springs.

 

Worth getting that done.

I had a spring explode outside once on an offroad truck that has sat all winter and the piece that was fired off damaged another car.

 

They were big springs....

Edited 29 September, 20196 yr by Roottootemoot

5 minutes ago, Roottootemoot said:

An end coil of a spring can brake and feels like nothing unless maybe reversing on lock if a front one or driving off a kerb.

On the rear you might never be aware and the car needs jacked up then inspected closely at either end of both springs.

 

Worth getting that done.

I had a spring explode outside once on an offroad truck that has sat all winter and the piece that was fired off damaged another car.

Absolutely  I checked the springs when the wife’s one broke and all looked fine and car drove as normal wasn’t until the garage had it on the ramp that they spotted the broken spring right at the very top

Mine drove fine but got it looked at and broken at the top. Sure a local garage would have a quick look for you, don't want to mess about with such things in case it "develops" at motorway speed, could be exciting!

Why would the coil spring break if I'm not moving? But I'm going to pop it in the garage I think. Wont be more than an hour's labour will it?

Edited 1 October, 20196 yr by Matthew48

Twice I've had an MOT failure with my MK1, just the bottom 3 inches has broken and has been sat there in the cup without me being aware. Have never had the bang when stationery. Sure it's something to do with the manufacture.

The spring will have a hairline crack in it and when it’s finally had enough it just breaks and because it’s under tension all the time it can happen when the cars not moving and 

Arh I see. Can I test this anyway by bouncing the car up and down at each corner like you did in the old days or is it just not that simplistic anymore? Anyway, I'll see what the garage says today.

Not to teach grannies or grandad to suck eggs, but!

 

You were bouncing the car to see the te dampers (shock absorbers were shot) the car might have had leaf springs.

Or hydrolastic suspension.

How quick or slow was the bounce.

 

The coil springs need examined because you might not hear the crunching that sometimes can be heard.

The weight is on the springs, they are holding the car up and extend as needed for lean or articulation.