Vauxhall Vectra Suspension Failiure

[mickey11]

Hi, I own a 54 reg. Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTi Elite . I have owned the vehicle since it was 6 months old with no probs. My vehicle has covered just 26000 miles from new and has been serviced properly, only used as family car.
On 6th January 2007 I got into the vehicle which was parked on my driveway. I was with my wife and young family aged 6 and 3. As I started to move off, I heard a crunching noise. I immediately stopped and examined the vehicle. I noticed the suspension on both sides had collapsed. The nearside front wheel was now resting on the wheel arch and the offside tyre was flat.

I live 200 yards from an independent garage and therefore asked for them to recover the vehicle and diagnose the problem. Both front springs had collapsed, the offside also puncturing through the tyre. They recovered the vehicle. This & the repair was £332. I've kept the failed springs.
I am concerned had this happened on a usual family motorway run, the results could have been catastrophic.
I have asked Vauxhall HQ for some money towards the repair and to highlight the probelem.
I am informed by the garage that such a double spring failure is unknown normally, particularly bearing in mind the age and mileage.
I wondered if anyone else had experienced similar issues with a vectra, or likewise any info. about similar experiences with other manufactureres. It has certainly knocked my confidence in the car.

[maroondevo52]

Hello and Welcome, mickey11.


The best Forum to ask your question is here.........

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk...rage-services/


You should get all the help you need.

Regards.

Scott.

[mickey11]

Many thanks - sorry I'm new to this and have posted in the wrong place. Thanks for your help.
Best wishes

[maroondevo52]

No problem, if I had a skooby about Suspension failure on Vauxhall Vectra's, I would have helped you even more. .

[Sidewinder]

My Vectra isn't as new as yours, but I had exactly the same problem last year. Both front springs snapped, although fortunately only about 3-4 inches from the bottom of each spring. My mechanic said that he sees quite a few cases like this, mainly caused by speed humps (although that is only supposition as there have been more since they put down quite a lot in this area). £332 sounds a bit tough - mine were £26 each and were fitted for around an extra £80, but then as I say, mine is older and a different model - didn't affect the tyre either.

Best of luck in getting something out of Vauxhall, and thank God as you say it didn't happen at speed.

[gwc1000]

This is a relatively common occurrence. I have heard of approx 5 cases in the last nine months or so. Recently at auction a colleague of mine purchased a 54plate Vectra and as we were watching it drive out of the ring it actually collapsed as it went out of the doors. A nice big pop as the broken springs took out both front tyres.

[LancerQRL]

years ago you may remember all the advertising about how dangerous worn shock absorbers were, nowadays i sell probably 2-3 shocks a year -and they are usually for commercial vehicles, compared to 2-3 coil springs per week, maybe speed humps do have something to do with it.

[mickey11]

Thanks all - no reply yet from vauxhall but I'll post when I get one. at 26k I still think i have a good argument for them to cough up some cash.

[hairivore]

Hi,i have just had the wifes vectra back from the garage and he has had to replace the front spring[drivers side].Milage roughly 550000.The joke is my car 2.2 vectra had the same problem only 5 or 6 months ago and had to have the same spring replaced.There is obviously a major problem with them and i would like to take the matter further.
Cheers Barry.