You hear a loud clang just before you pull in the driveway. You’re still able to park your car and upon inspection you see that you’ve got a broken coil spring.
Unfortunately, you can’t take it to the car shop early in the morning because of work. Are you thinking of driving with a broken coil spring? If you are, then you better think again!
That’s a dangerous, risky and wrong decision to make. The best thing to do here is to replace your coil spring or have someone come over to do it for you.
Let me tell you more about what could happen when you drive with a broken coil spring, but first let’s figure out what causes it to break.
Coil springs are made to be durable. They don’t usually break frequently but over time, they could also be worn down. The environmental hazards you drive your car into could increase the risk of breakage.If you tend to use the car in areas where there are rough roads, it is more likely to break.
Additionally, water and dirt could also wear them down. Moisture can cause the coil to rust, weakening the metal and causing it to break. Furthermore, frequently overloaded vehicles are more likely to have a broken coil spring.
There are many dangers that go with driving with a broken coil spring. In some cases, some broken car parts can still be driven safely. However, that isn’t true when we’re talking about coil springs. A broken one could lead your car to develop more costly and major problems.
Below are the dangers and disadvantages of driving a car with a broken coil spring:
One of the signs of a broken coil spring is the discomfort you feel during the ride. It isn’t just uncomfortable but is dangerous too. When you have a damaged coil spring, the car will bounce more during the ride.
The bounces are quite obvious and more felt when you go over speed bumps. This is because the car is already bouncing while driving on a flat surface. That would exaggerate when it is driven over a speed bump.
A bumpy ride is not only uncomfortable, it also gives you less control. Instead of being focused and doing what you have to do while driving, you still have to balance yourself and keep yourself in your seat.
Another danger to driving a car with a broken coil spring is having less control over the vehicle. Apart from the bounces, there would also be a worse vehicle sway. This would lead your suspension system to destabilize. An increased vehicle sway makes it more difficult to control the car especially when you need to make a sharp turn.
Due to a broken coil spring, the car will be noisy. Although you could ignore the noise, it’s other damaging effects can’t be ignored. The noise is produced because the suspension system cannot properly work well in equalizing the tension between the axles and wheels.
As we’ve mentioned above, other car parts such as the axle and wheels can already be affected by the broken coil spring. Due to not being able to balance the tension among the axles and wheels, it could put pressure on other areas of the car. That eventually causes you to be in need of more expensive repairs or replacements.
Furthermore, a broken coil spring could puncture the tires as well. The sharp cut could hit the tires.
Apart from that, the body of the car could also rest on the tires due to the broken coil spring. That pressure on the tires could be enough to break it. This is especially true when you’re driving at fast speeds.
If you ever find your coil spring broken, have it replaced immediately. If you can’t do it on your own, mobile mechanics can help you so you won’t need to drive your car just to get it replaced.
The front set is usually easier to work on than the rear and the front often needs replacement first.KYB or Monroe are usually used by OEMs, Monroe rides a little softer than KYB, depending on the original manufacturer.Labour wise, about 1 hr per side. Parts and labour from a shop can run quite high, I got a quote for $1400 (just front struts and alignment) from a local reputable general repair indie shop (not dedicated suspension shop) in Ottawa so I got it done in the US.I replaced the front struts in my 2007 Camry in 2016 when I found a broken coil spring while doing an oil change at 113K. Got KYB Strut-Plus set from Rock Auto for $200/each, 3 hrs labour total (including sway bar links and outer tie rod ends as preventative maintenance) and $100 alignment. I wasn't familiar with the work so got it done at a shop. KYB drives a little stiffer than the original OEM for me but I like it with better handling. My car is 206K now.When the left side started leaking oil 3 years later in 2019, got a replacement from Rock Auto and replaced it myself. I paid for the new one and shipping back ($40-$50) of the defective part and Rockauto reimbursed me for the full cost (including shipping) of the new one.Found the broken front springs on the 2008 Avalon last year at 108K and ordered both front KYB sets from RA for $400 and installed them myself along with sway bar links in about 3 hours. I did not get an alignment after this and have found no difference in driving or tire wear.If the coil springs did not break, I would not have replaced the struts because the shocks were still working fine. I found that the coil springs on Toyotas don't last long, with 3 broken ones on 2 cars not long after 100K. All of them have the same signature, about 3/4 of the turn at the bottom so they did not cause any other damage and allowing the car to continue driving. I wouldn't have known if I didn't find the broken piece hanging on a frame or during tire changeover inpsections.