Holly fcuk - my suspension failed on Fri !

Lazydonkey · Post by **Lazydonkey** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 8:19 pm

Apologies to Ed and Lee as I have cross posted this from VX220.org.uk

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Went up to see ma and pa for the weekend, 180 mile drive into the highlands. As a special treat as Iâ€™ve been so p*ssed off with the car due to the water ingress problems my GF relaxed her normal "hate that car" stance and we took the VX.

It was pissing down on the way up but I was having a nice time blasting past slower cars and just generally enjoying the car. About 20 miles from home I hit a bit of a ridge / bump that makes a racket from the rear of the car- but you know these cars they make a noise all the time.

However after that the car just didn't seem right. Just seemed to be a bit squirmy (sp ?) However it had been a long day, I was tired and I just put it down to me imagining it. The fact Snoopstah (one of the VX forum members) had had a suspension collapse did go through my head but I just tried to dismiss it. However I knew something was wrong, and I just hoped it was a slow puncture.

Stopped the car, gave all the wheels a good tug and everything seemed ok. Just thought it must be imagination / slippy roads / high winds. At this point I was only 10 miles from my mum and dads place so I carried on.

This morning, I got up to go and take the car for a blast to check all was well, thought Iâ€™d prob check the tyre pressures too. Reversed the car and felt a lot of resistance. Got out and the rear passenger wheel was at 45 degrees almost

I'm guessing the part was on the way out last night and itâ€™s popped this morning with the loads of me reversing and cornering at the same time.

The car is 3 years old in March and has done 23k

To say I'm shocked is an understatement, I'm shaking as I type this and I just can't bear to think what would have happened if it had failed on the way up the road. The thought of a failure in my car hurting me or my gf just brings me to tears and right now I canâ€™t see how I can trust it again.

Worst bit is, itâ€™s been in the Vaux dealership twice this month and they didn't notice anything. Would it have been obvious? SHOULD they have noticed?

Right now this has rocked my (already shaky) faith in Vauxhall and I'm not convinced I can trust them or the car again.

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That was written on Sat afternoon, and its probably pretty obvious how shaken i was. I'm now back home with my pride and joy sitting up in the Inverness Vauxhall, and I'm kicking about in a f*cking 1.2 corsa.

I'll find out what component failed tomorrow morning, but in the meantime if any highlands see a blue VX with a LOUD zaust and the numberplate T* ORN being driven at warp speed around the highlands, let me know eh !

Post by ed » Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:18 pm

Scarey stuff!

Hope they sort it for you soon!

alicrozier · Post by **alicrozier** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 9:39 pm

Toe-link?

The_Rossatron · Post by **The_Rossatron** » Sun Oct 23, 2005 11:47 pm

Read about this on vx220.org.uk glad it didn't happen at worse time and you weren't hurt, surprised by the unsupporting responses on VX forum. Hardly your fault the suspension decided to give way!

Lazydonkey · Post by **Lazydonkey** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:30 am

alicrozier wrote:Toe-link?

I know NOTHING about anything mechanical

but another VX NA has their tie rod arm fail the other week. Clearly this means nothing to me, but it sounds serious! Same as a toe-linke ?!?!? Apparently there is now an uprated part available...............which does lead one to question why they aren't fitting them as a matter of course ?!?!

VX forum seems to be a rich hunting ground for trolls at the momment Rossatron, which accounts for most of the less than supportive comments. Anyway I'd be interested to know if there are any "tell tale" signs before this part goes....as my car was with Vauxhall on Monday and no-one noticed. Do these arm things fail on lizzys a lot ?

EDITED to make a bit more sense! Mechanical idiot in the building!

ninja · Post by **ninja** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:44 am

don't think there's a sign that the toe link is about to go. under constrant stress it will basically just yield and fail without warning. however given that there's an uprated part available i'm actually pretty shocked that someone didn't at least tell you about it and give you the option to have it fitted at your last service - or dare i say it fitted it FOC for customer safety if nothing else!!

ninja

Lazydonkey · Post by **Lazydonkey** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 8:48 am

Totally agree Ninja. I'll find out exactly what failed this morning, and then I'll decide whether I'm going to get angry or not !

BTW - 1.2 Corsas are great on the A9

ninja · Post by **ninja** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:27 am

i think i'd be inclined to get angry and would very likely be writing to vauxhall's head office complaining and asking then to not that they're getting slatted on internet forums!!

ninja

Lazydonkey · Post by **Lazydonkey** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:50 am

UPDATE :

Just spoke to the service manager, who seems a top bloke
He says that tie rod adjustment lock nut has obviously been loose for some time, and over a period it has stripped the thread and finally given way when I reversed.

I asked if there was any way I / the garage could have seen this and he confirmed that there would have been suspension noise (clonking) and that any competant mechanic would have seen the loose nut if they'd looked.

Guess what my car was in the garage for in July ? Thats right noise from the rear suspension. I was told they'd stripped everything down and checked it and everything was fine. It was also in the garage on Monday of last week and for two days a couple of weeks previously for the water ingress problem.

Doesn't appear to be any damage other than that and a scraped rear wheel.

As previously stated I'm annoyed as its not like I've scrimpted on servicing and I'm annoyed that no-one noticed the fault. I'm also thinking that if a bolt is on properly it shouldn't loosen to such an extent in 3 months and 3k ?? Am i being unreasonable ?

ninja · Post by **ninja** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 9:57 am

nope i don't think you're being unreasonable and i'd be interested to hear what vauxhall are doing to make you a happy customer again?

ninja

alicrozier · Post by **alicrozier** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 11:46 am

Sounds like the lock nut wasn't made up properly. This would have been checked on a normal service. Have you had the geo done recently? it could have been left loose then...

I think you've been effing lucky that it went while low speed reversing. Had it been at speed you'd probably have spun/gone off etc. Frightening!

Ali

Post by **Shug** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 12:28 pm

Be sure and get it really well checked. If it was low-speed reversing, chances are you've got lucky and there won't be wishbone damage - but don't take it for granted.

If it really was a locknut left loose, the guy in question needs strung up by the bo**ocks. It really would be far more likely to fail at speed and load, you're a lucky puppy that it happened at walking pace.

I have nightmares about toe links failing on backroads - rear wheel steer you right into an early grave - could really be that serious.

Get the full story and take the garage to the 'uking cleaners...

Lazydonkey · Post by **Lazydonkey** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 1:29 pm

Car was serviced in April, geo was done by Willie at CLCM in June IIRC. I don't know Willie but from the little i do know of him (and his reputation) I'd trust him completely.

Vauxhall (Arnold Clark in Shawlands incidentially) "checked" the rear suspension on the 12th July as I felt it was overly noisy. They said they stripped it down, re-lubed everything and could find no fault.

Since then the car has done nothing but normal driving amounting to 3k or so, although i was at a Dreadnought night where i probably did 12 laps or so......but remember I drive like a complete girl and I was a mobile chicane all evening. I certainly wasn't hammering the kurbs and I didn't come close to coming off.

Vauxhall then had the car for two days at the start of the month to "fix" water getting into the coil pack, and then a further day on Monday to actually fix it.

So to me its obvious where the blame lies, its with Arnold Clark. Just complained to Vauxhall and they've advised me to put everything in writing to AC and Cc them in. Not at all happy though. You should have seen me on Sat morning when it happened, I was white as a sheet and shaking.

EDIT : Should say that Donald at Autovision in Inverness has been excellent so far, and have said that there is a bit of damage to the rear wheel and obv the link but other than that its fine. They've also checked the other side and all appears to be well. I got to speak directly to the service manager who has been on the phone three times already confirming and checking a few wee details. The way things are going I can see me going up there for my next service.

Further EDIT : For some reason I've just remebered Bruntys (of DJB Motorsport) comment when i was getting my oil changed. He said he couldn't believe how cheap the vauxhall servicing was and he wouldn't be surprised if all they did was change the oil with no further checks. How true this could be !

Post by **Shug** » Mon Oct 24, 2005 2:03 pm

Arnold Clark....

Say no more. I used to do a lot of work within the motor trade (promotions and events) The things I could tell you about AC "servicing"..

Don't EVER take it back to them - the WORST customer care in the business, by policy.....

jj · Post by jj » Mon Oct 24, 2005 2:13 pm

Unlucky matey.
Sounds like a case of Arnold Clarks sh*t staff, more used to wiping oil over the engine bay of a corsa to make it look worked on, not really knowing what they have been doing.

I had a balljoint fail on my last car and therefore know how scary it can be. I had my Girlfriend in the car, and had just come off a motorway run, and the "what-ifs" really go round in your head. Mercedes sorted it out, and after much hassle paid up my costs.

Another vote surely for the independent garages that know whats what.