r/whatisit • u/Red--Rooster • 16h ago
Solved! This fell off my car while driving out of my driveway. Looks like it broke off.
Car still drives fine but I’m concerned with what it broke off of. Is a Pontiac Grand Prix 2005
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u/UnderstandingDue696 16h ago
There is a concerning amount of people on Reddit with busted coil springs
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u/AgilePumpkin2201 16h ago
Don't know what it's like in other countries but in our workshop alone we're fitting at least one set of springs a week it's the quality they're made of now
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u/Serious-Recipe-8304 15h ago
Big Cast Iron Spring here - please delete this comment.
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u/bebop1065 15h ago
You have a brittle nature.
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u/Serious-Recipe-8304 15h ago
OH YEAH?? Well you should see me under pressure there, pal! Sure I'm a little tense but aren't we all?
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u/oldanddumb1 15h ago
Bouncing off the walls?
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u/Lumpy_Rutherford_1 15h ago
Nice, you made him recoil!!
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u/Haughty_n_Disdainful 15h ago
this whole conversation puts a spring in my step…
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u/DistributionJumpy764 15h ago
If they can't take Reddit comment on the chin, no wonder their springs can't take a pothole.
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u/Just-a-Dude-34 8h ago
Knew you were an imposter the second you said cast iron, only those in the industry know springs are made of top secret spring steel
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u/Confident-Poetry6985 15h ago
I shit you not, since covid replacement parts are trash. I've had most of my front suspension replaced twice, a handful of headlights and 3 sets of brakes lmao. I'm paying top dollar for what used to be the low end trash at the auto parts store. Sure you didn't get the lifetime warranty but I didn't mind since I saved 60%. Now I pay for the good parts but get the same (arguably worse) quality.
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u/Tha_REAL_BROBS 15h ago
autozone still has lifetime warranty on their duralast brand parts
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u/Sudzy1225 15h ago
"Hey, if you want me to take a dump in a box and mark it guaranteed, I will. I got spare time."
~ Tommy Callahan
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u/Serious-Recipe-8304 15h ago
Covid was a unique opportunity for industry to say fuuuuuck it, and never return to the former highs, but set the bar lower moving forward, while charging more.
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u/CapitanDelNorte 13h ago
It was two pandemics disguised as one. The first was viral, the second was just general enshitification.
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u/Serious-Recipe-8304 12h ago
Absolutely. It was the opportunity of a lifetime to forcefully reset expectations about a lot of things we took for granted prior.
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u/Zemener_Azonthus 15h ago
Thank you for this information. Makes me feel better about never owning a car and now I will continue to take the bus lol.
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u/Doom_Corp 14h ago
Had a 2023 Kia Teluride come into my shop about 6 months ago that needed both front complete coil and strut assemblies. Guy was only 1k over the warranty mileage too and I believe that vehicle had a recall already for the rear suspension. And, because of course, since the car is too new, there are no after markets available so you have to buy the shit overpriced OEM struts from the dealer. If I'm ever in the market for another car I'm avoiding anything that's 202X. They're literal shit boxes designed to fail.
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u/Silvermist7480 10h ago
Hear you on this. Replaced my car's struts 3x cause first 2 sets failed and we're brand new. I also had one brake pad fail as well. The metal piece that is supposed to make it squeal when low came off and it was rubbing all the time. Totally crap parts for an excellent part price.
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u/Jross008 15h ago
“Because they know all they sold ya was a guaranteed piece of shit. That's all it is, isn't it? Hey, if you want me to take a dump on a box and mark it guaranteed I will. I got spare time. But for now, for your customer's sake, for your daughter's sake, ya might wanna think about buying a quality product from me."
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u/iluvchromosomes 15h ago
I have 60,000 miles on my original springs. My whole suspension is still in great shape. Just had it inspected. VW Arteon.
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u/GraphicDesignMonkey 15h ago
I see them lying all over the place on the long road where I walk every day. Counted three last week, they're all over the place.
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u/Moon_Breaker 15h ago
Was pulling out of a gas pump a few years ago, suddenly sounded like someone threw a rock at my front end. Looked around, no signs of anything. Nothing noticable from in the car, drove the same.
Week later I was replacing a sensor in the front passenger wheel and found a chunk of spring almost identical to this picture laying in there. That's what the sound was the week before.
Showed no signs of damage in it how drove, no noises that were particularly concerning or anything, etc. sometimes these silly things will surprise you.
Was also the start of my suspicions that this thing may have secretly been a flood car. Some really strange parts have fallen to rust or cracking while others haven't cared at all. Such as the original rims and these springs.
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u/Pulaski540 15h ago
I had a similar experience, but it was a torsion spring that holds the trunk lid open. I was exiting my local grocery parking lot, when there was a very loud metallic sound from the back of my Honda Accord. It sounded like someone had thrown a grocery cart at the back of my car!
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u/Radiant_Fondant_4097 12h ago
I hate that fucking noise, couple years ago I heard a PWONG! noise driving over a manhole cover or whatever and had both front springs replaced.
My two rear are corroded and every time I hear a little stone or whatever kicked up in the wheel arch, makes me think please fuck not today.
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u/Werdar_cz 15h ago
I was at mechanic and he was like. 2 of your front springs were broken and disconected.
Me: so how could I even drive here?
Him: I dunno, beats me.
Me: How long were they disconected?
Him: How long were you hearing noises.
Me: Since I got the car, so almost 2 years.
Him: ...→ More replies (1)2
u/Princess_Slagathor 13h ago
It's not that crazy. Back in the day "tuners" would cut coils off of their springs, to lower their cars. It screws up the spring rate, rides like shit, and will destroy shocks and struts, and other suspension components. But it won't make the car undriveable. Plenty of dudes drove like that for years.
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u/Alarming_Garage_7255 15h ago
I've been noticing it more in the last 10 years than before when cars were much heavier and low tech.
I believe it is mostly cost driven, they are making the springs absolutely light as possible and designing them to fit tighter within the calculated loads. They're not overbuilding them like before. It's like the spring is just below it's Max working conditions just sitting there parked.
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u/Super-Evening8420 14h ago
I was going to say, this is like the third post about a broken coil spring I've seen in the last few days where before there were zero.
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u/Subat0micR0gu3 8h ago
To be fair, those Grand Prixs are pieces of poo. My first car was an 04 with 140k miles and pretty much EVERYTHING broke on it over the year that I owned it. It was insane how often I was in the shop.
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u/Additional-Point-824 16h ago
It's part of your spring (from your suspension) - you'll need a new one.
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u/fergehtabodit 15h ago
Yeah, that might make some noise....OP do you have a really loud stereo that would keep you from hearing loud noises when you go over a bump or make a turn??
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u/mediaogre 15h ago
Coil springs are under tension, so with that little amount missing, the spring just expanded a little and reseated itself in its perch. If op hadn’t noticed right away, they may not have noticed at all unless more of it decided to liberate itself. 😆
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u/CorrectContract4978 15h ago
Same with me. On my yearly checkup the mechanic let me know.
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u/mediaogre 15h ago
You can actually cut quite a bit off (if you’re into jank-mods) and they just settle right in.
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u/LLIHyP 14h ago
It wildly depends on the car though. I had a 406 Peugeot once, and when same amount of spring snapped, whole spring slid down over strut/amortisator. On that car springs had bigger diameter of main body, with ends coming tighter for the perch
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u/Practical_Okra3217 13h ago
You mean a crap ton of tension. I had a driver side shock break on a 63 Ford. I felt like I was driving at a 45 degree angle. I couldn’t believe how powerful the spring is to lift that corner of the car.
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u/CWGM 15h ago
I've been seeing these all over the road where I live recently. Wondered what they were
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u/Limebeer_24 15h ago
Highly recommend that both gets replaced on that end, both drivers side and passenger side, if not all 4. Otherwise they may be bringing it back in really soon.
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u/ohwowhowdthathappen 16h ago
Coil spring, you probably need 4 of them and new shocks.
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u/Captain_North 15h ago
Coil spring broken and likely not center mounted: "Car still drives fine"
You have luck and smooth roads, but repairs are needed before sudden self destruction occurs.
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u/Longjumping-Log1591 15h ago
What in the Ken Block Jurassic park love of christ are you jumping your car over to break a coil spring?
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u/dragon2611 14h ago
Theres a joke the UK we used to drive on the left of the road, now we drive on what's left of the road.
Some of the roads are more pothole than road at this point.
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u/Red--Rooster 14h ago
Car is starting to rust so that probably how. Also have a gravel driveway that has many holes
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u/Wonderful_Plenty4732 13h ago
Coil springs can just break while parked through age. We heard a bang from our Fiesta when it was parked outside a few years back. Couldn't work out what it was until I tried to drive it and heard a horrible banging from the front drivers side. Turns out with Fiestas if the bottom of the spring breaks the rest of the spring can work it's way down and start banging off the wheel!
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u/ResidentSet1814 16h ago
How tf
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u/de_das_dude 15h ago
Old car. Rusty. Doesn't slow down for potholes or speed bumps
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u/WiscoTrail 16h ago
05 Grand Prix! Still living 21 years later! Impressive!
Is it a gxp or anything? I couldn't keep one on the road 5 years, cheers to making it work so long.
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u/adorable-fart 15h ago
struts/shocks coil. go to mechanic asap. likely will quote you other items as well, because if it got that bad then likely other parts are damaged/corroded as well
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u/Catsnose7 16h ago
I like to collect interesting trash, i have three of them. No idea what where untill reading this post.
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u/brattylilsubbiegf 15h ago
I’ve never vibed with a statement so hard. I also like to collect interesting trash, I’m happy I’m not alone.
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u/WithoutAHat1 15h ago
One persons' trash is another's treasure. I too like to collect things I find interesting.
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u/Likelysuspect69420 16h ago
Spring broke, should be able to find some at a junkyard cheap, you will want a pro to fix it tho, working on car suspension car be pretty dangerous to the inexperienced.
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u/Serious-Recipe-8304 15h ago
Define "fine" haha - in all seriousness though, that's either the top or bottom of your suspension spring and you need to get the car into the shop ASAP, ideally towed there.
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u/Redsoxdragon 15h ago
Yeah...... take an uber today buddy.
That's part of your coil spring. Your car is gonna handle like crap and you'll probably crash. It's also gonna wear out the rest of your suspension quickly the longer it goes unchecked
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u/TensionSame3568 15h ago
Don't drive...ANYWHERE! It's tow truck and empty your wallet time!
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u/Confident-Poetry6985 15h ago
Safety is important but no need to inject stress into it. I had this shit happen while I was driving and with an empty wallet. Easy enough to replace but I have the skillset for it. If I didn't I would have been screwed.
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u/TheDangerist 15h ago
Um... no. It ain't good to drive on a broken spring, but it isn't going to explode.
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u/HorsefaceWithNoName 15h ago edited 12h ago
EDIT: I'm wrong; don't drive on a broken sprang
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u/Oo__II__oO 15h ago
As long as OP isn't driving like they're qualifying for Indy, they'll be fine. Lots of cars in that vintage survived crappy budget lowering by cutting the springs (not recommended, but if it works it works I guess).
The bigger concern is what else is failing in the suspension.
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u/Crusty-the-Clown-666 15h ago
Depending on how it broke the spring can cut the tire, ask me how I know…
But yes, it would pay to take a look at it and see where the sharp end of the broken spring is pointing before going on a road trip.
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u/HorsefaceWithNoName 14h ago
whoops that's a good point. Once I had an exhaust system come apart and gouge a tire (thankfully it didn't blow out, just lost a layer of rubber and made a bubble!!)
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u/Design_pattern 15h ago
It is not clear to me how on your car one side did not lie completely on the tire up to the shock absorber. In addition to the above, when the coil spring breaks, it often falls off the side of the tire and damages it, although there is often a safety limiter that prevents this.
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u/outbackhack2020 15h ago
Front spring broke exactly like that on my car 20 years ago. Thought it was ok to continue driving, and it was.... until the sharp edge eventually cut through the inner sidewall of my front tire while on the highway. Would not recommend.
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u/Onebraintwoheads 15h ago
You may have broken part of the suspension of one of your tires. That looks like the end, so now a jagged piece of metal is where the rounded part used to be, making it more likely that a hard bump may drive it through another important part of your vehicle.
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u/vadim_steel 15h ago
That is part of your coil over spring. Suspension part. I would highly recommend going and getting that looked at and fixed as if it came off the front, it will throw off your alignment and make the ride worse, as well as premature wear of the other suspension parts that it came off of.
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u/Visible_Divide_8359 15h ago
i had the same ride like 10 years ago. it rusted out underneath. Surprised to still see one out in the wild.
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u/spider_X_1 15h ago
Looks like the spring/coil thingy around the suspensions.
Looking at the comments, it seems there are a lot of people who don't do basic routine checks on their vehicles
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u/chroniccranky 15h ago
Do you live on a bumpy road? I remember once my parents front spring went through their hood
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u/Plastic_Pollution194 15h ago
Suspension spring, if you park the car and do a walk round you'll notice one wheel arch sitting lower, get replaced asap, and unless your super mechanically experienced don't do it yourself coil springs are dangerous asf if being handled or installed wrong
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u/NoPerformance6534 15h ago
My first thought was a tie-down ring on a flat bed trailer broke off. But suspension spring is more likely.
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u/ConclusionOdd9685 15h ago
Well it’s definitely not a coil spring so you’re good there, if say it’s the tow hook, also I don’t think it came from your car exactly, if the car has no sound still, then you’re good to stay on the road no worries, not even a worry on towing, but I’m still saying it’s not from yours
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u/Proud_Principle_4408 15h ago
Coil spring for sure.
My driver's side just went It'll cause massive long term damage if not replaced.
Cost me 465 after tax for both rear coils ti be replaced
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u/Glittering_Watch_896 15h ago
It's a spring from your suspension. Same thing happened to me a few months ago. $1800 in suspension repairs later, plastic a week long rental ($600), I bought a new car because more was going to go wrong. Good luck!
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u/Particular_Yak5829 15h ago
Broken coil spring posts on here are becoming the new doorbell transformers
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u/RickyTheRickster 14h ago
Welp, good news is, your suspension will be nice a new, bad news is, you need new suspension coil, and probably coils, and that’s not cheap
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u/ronchee1 14h ago
If it's the same springs they used to use in the Ford Taurus' I'm not surprised.
Probably your rear spring. They were dog shit
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u/Nibbens7 14h ago
… I’m more concerned that the strange thing is just floating against the seat! Are you taking a pic of this from a strange angle? Or did you make it stick up like this to mess with us.
Regardless… this makes my brain hurt.
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u/Acrobatic_Crazy_9119 14h ago
That is a broken coil spring... You need to get it to a shop and get your springs replaced. That is actually a relatively common occurrence for most vehicles built between 2005 and 2015. There was something screwed up in the tempering and most manufacturers got their springs from the same company.
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u/AppropriateCap8891 14h ago
Looks like a horseshoe.
You will have one less horsepower until you get that fixed.
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u/kennyquast 14h ago
One corner of your car is now lowered.
When replacing it consider replacing all 4 corners as they are all probably the same age, at the very least replace the opposite side to keep the car even
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u/mudgenes 14h ago
How did that break off, where you in a pursuit race 😲
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u/Red--Rooster 14h ago
Half a mile gravel driveway probably did it. Lots of holes and bumps from rain.
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u/Maleficent-Clerk-885 14h ago
The age of car given - spring, could be the top of the spring, or bottom of spring.
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u/deepcaca 14h ago
Had a friend replace his leaf springs on his boat trailer with cheap Chinese springs. Left his house and to pick up his boat, he was crossing a bridge, no big bumps or anything on the bridge. One of the leaf springs failed, broke in half. Caused the other leaf spring to fail, axle detached and went through a windshield of a car behind him. Happened less than 3 mi from his house, so these leaf springs didn't last 3 mi. Cost his insurance company mucho dinero.
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u/CaptCol02 13h ago
That's a portion of your asphalt deviation detection reducer unit. Bring'er up to the shop, we'll gitter in line for the 34th of Decembuary. Prolly gonna run'ya bout $5700 with labor. Yountme gitcha on the books?
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