W211 Suspension Collapse - AGAIN!

[Uncle Buck]

Can you believe this has happened again?

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=75695

Yes. Again. The wife and I sleeping in bed, with me dreaming of happy motoring, trying not to think of an early morning flight for work, when there was an almightly noise what sounded like a tree hitting our house and followed by a car alarm going off.

Anyone want to buy a used 320? After I fix it that is...

I have a good mind to phone up MB and ask them exactly how many times this has been reported. Can you imagine if this happened at speed?

 

[Naraic]

The first time was the struts breaking...this time the springs I presume?

 

[Alex M Grieve]

Can you believe this has happened again?

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=75695

Yes. Again. The wife and I sleeping in bed, with me dreaming of happy motoring, trying not to think of an early morning flight for work, when there was an Almighty noise what sounded like a tree hitting our house and followed by a car alarm going off.

Anyone want to buy a used 320? After I fix it that is...

I have a good mind to phone up MB and ask them exactly how many times this has been reported. Can you imagine if this happened at speed?

I suppose it depends how fast the couple in the bed were going at the time?

 

[jberks]

Your post on 23/11 says you fitted used struts and springs. If so then i'm not that surprised and i think it's a bit unfair to blame the car or MB that an unrelated fault 'reoccurred'. It shouldn't be a surprise when 2nd hand parts fail to last as long as new.
Springs don't last forever anymore, on any car this side of a 4x4 anyway. Something to do with them being thinner, made from different steel, more prone to hairline cracks and corrosion etc. As springs now have a limited time lifespan, used ones are well into theirs before they've been installed - As you've discovered. Used may have seemed a good idea at the time, but with hindsight, perhaps a false economy?

My springs were replaced with new around 3 years ago. So far no problem with them though whether I'll need another set in another 2-3 years remains to be seen.

 

[Uncle Benz]

Springs don't last forever anymore, on any car this side of a 4x4 anyway.
My springs were replaced with new around 3 years ago. So far no problem with them though whether I'll need another set in another 2-3 years remains to be seen.

Replaced two on a Landrover Discovery 3 this week. 40,000 mile car. Even 4x4's aren't immune.

 

[Uncle Buck]

Hello again, apologies for the delay - I was away with work. Yes indeed, the springs were the issue this time, and certainly were a false economy by replacing with used. Both springs corroded, and I take the point that I should have previously replaced with new. However, from doing a bit of research it seems to be a fairly common issue. Thankfully my wife and child were not driving it at the time...

 

[Naraic]

It does seem to happen when these cars are parked.

 

[jberks]

Yes, I've not heard of them going whilst driving though I guess it must happen.
To be fair, I doubt your wife would have noticed. I drove mine back down the M62 at 70-80mph with a broken spring. I really couldn't tell there was anything up. Only when it was still cock-eyed when I got home I realised there was more going on that just being parked on a slope and so checked the strut.
I met up with a friend last week and he was telling me his had gone. He reckoned he could tell it wasn't 100% when he took his kids to school but it was still perfectly driveable.

 

[fozzymandeus]

A coil spring once broke on an old Golf I had at the precise moment I got into it to start driving it.

It made me feel fat.

 

[chris1200]

A coil spring once broke on an old Golf I had at the precise moment I got into it to start driving it.

It made me feel fat.

:lol: LOL :lol:

That made me laugh!

 

[Naraic]

:lol: LOL :lol:

That made me laugh!

Hey...no football jerseys.

What part of NI do you live in?

 

[dursleyman]

About 2:00 am this morning I heard a loud bang and our car alarm went off, sounded like someone had driven into it.
I couldn't see anything obvious in the dark but checking this morning it looks like the drivers side front spring has broken.

Hoping its safe enough to drive to our local specialst about 15 miles away?

 

[Blobcat]

About 2:00 am this morning I heard a loud bang and our car alarm went off, sounded like someone had driven into it.
I couldn't see anything obvious in the dark but checking this morning it looks like the drivers side front spring has broken.

Hoping its safe enough to drive to our local specialst about 15 miles away?

Doubtful... depends where it’s broken as it could be so low that you can’t turn the wheel without it hitting the wing.
My W211 was trailered away when front spring failed.

 

[NEIL SPOONER]

This happens on any car, not just MB.

 

[EmilysDad]

When a single rear spring broke on EmilysMum's Citroen the back of the car was sitting on its bump stops. Fortunately it was only around 100 yards from home so I drove it back ..... I'd have not wanted to drive it much further, least of all 15 miles.

 

[pgh13]

Doubtful... depends where it’s broken as it could be so low that you can’t turn the wheel without it hitting the wing.
My W211 was trailered away when front spring failed.

When mine broke it was low but drivable, albeit with restricted steering movement. Better than previous Pug 406s where the main part of the spring is larger than the spring seat, so the spring drops down onto brake disk.

 

[dursleyman]

Decided to get on with it myself and have just taken the broken spring off. It had broken right at the bottom end so about 3/4 of the last small coil came off just where it sits on the damper platform.
I will order a coule tomorrow from our local specialist.
For reference both sides are the same colour code with two pale grey and one blue stripe.