Spring faults found on GT

[ashtons99]

We took the GT for a warranty repair today, the heater divert flap motor had gone faulty, also it was due an oil service. Our local dealer did the work and a safety check at the same time. They did the usual video record of the check and highlighted that both rear coil springs had become unseated from the lower cups with the left side Spring end partly protruding through the hole in the lower suspension arm.
To their credit the dealer (Haysledon Doncaster) carried out the work to fix FOC but I am confounded by why the problem should occur on an 18 month old car of only 10k miles.

Has anyone any similar experience

[RUM4MO]

Weird, has that car ever been lifted up on a dealers car lift prior to this - ie had it already been in for a service etc at a dealership?

[joe6]

Weird, has that car ever been lifted up on a dealers car lift prior to this - ie had it already been in for a service etc at a dealership?

Or had tyre/wheel changes with the axles unsupported?

[RUM4MO]

Maybe I should check wife's car, though that being a GT it should be okay as its springs will be longer. Actually, when I changed to and from winter wheels, I jacked it up one side at a time using two trolley jacks, so no problems there, though it has had its first service!

[ashtons99]

I suppose that could be one solution. Most garages use the pad type body lifts. Good service from the dealer though

[RUM4MO]

I'd still be expecting that someone had been swinging from the rear beam to give these springs the space to move - that should not be possible under normal conditions as it is unsafe, but I'm sure that you know that already.

[RUM4MO]

I checked my wife's 1.2TSI 110 SEL, which will have longer springs, and it is okay, remember that the rear beam is pivoted on rubber bonded bushes/bearings, these bearings will allow normal movement but they should limit abnormal movement, that is unless someone swings themselves from the beam on a car that has been lifted up off the ground.

Edit:- the shock absorber will limit the travel of the beam even if it is swung on, with the shorter springs and probably the same length of travel on the sport chassis shock absorbers, the sports springs will be easier to compromise wrt staying in the correct location, but if my memory serves me well, even with the shock absorbers bottom bolts out, the beam needs to be forced down against the stiction of the bonded bushes/bearings and levers used to get the non-sport springs out.