Picasso front coil spring snapped!

[Tam]

Hi,
Driving at 20 mph today and my O/S/F coil spring broke and ripped my tyre like a can opener opening a can. I shudder to think what would have happened had I been going any faster. Anyway, I have read that there was a recall about this some time ago to have a modification done. Is there anyway to find out if my car had been recalled and indeed, if the mod if applicable was done?
It's a Picasso Desire 2 1.6 on a 55 plate.

Thanks in advance for any help.

Tam

[NewcastleFalcon]

This link may help. just put a search in for Picasso and this list came up

https://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recall ... search.asp

And the detail from the coil springs bit

https://www.dft.gov.uk/vosa/apps/recall ... =Blank&tx=

Regards Neil

[Tam]

Thanks Neil, it appears my model wasn't recalled for this but it is a similar issue. Oh well there goes that idea! Might call Citroen anyway and see what they say.

Tam

[RichardW]

The mod was only a cup at the bottom of the strut; a 55 plate should have had it fitted from the factory. It won't stop a break a bit higher up spearing the tyre; as you have found.... Make sure you take note of where the bolts come out of at the top of the strut - they are not all the same length and if you don't put the short one (which might have white paint on it) back in the right place the longer one knocks on the spring!

[Tam]

Difficult job Richard?

[RichardW]

Haven't done one myself - I think you need to compress the spring on the car in order to free the strut from the hub, and getting the bolt out of the hub can be trying!

[Tam]

Thanks Richard, off to get compressors and the spring and a socket as mine are all too small, I think I need a 35mm socket.

[RichardW]

Don't think you'll need anything as big as a 35 - only thing that size is the hub nut and you don't need to undo that. You'll probably find you can't undo the drop link, and will have to cut it off...

[mickeymoon]

Pretty sure it's the same as the Berlingo. Think the pinch bolt on the strut is a 17mm. Wasn't particularly difficult to remove the strut, I used a long breaker bar to lever the wishbone down and it came out.



Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

[mickeymoon]

Hint - replace the top mount and bearing at the same time, because as sure as eggs is eggs, they'll rattle when you reassemble it again if you don't.

Sent from my SM-G925F using Tapatalk

[wheeler]

Make sure you change both springs at the same time, they will have had the same amount of wear, more often than not the other side breaks a month or two after the first one. You might just save yourself another tyre.
As said the recall cups don't stop the springs breaking they are meant to stop the springs going through the the tyres but they don't actually work that well anyway.

[Tam]

Job done, thanks for all the input! I only did one side to get me back on the road, will do the other side next weekend.

Thanks guys.

Tam