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What is this spring thing???

59K views 90 replies 39 participants last post by  Vtskier 
#1 ·
:dunno:This is strange and I am wondering if any one else has seen this or knows about it. I was installing a trailer hitch on my 2004 x3 last weekend and noticed something strange inside the right rear spring. Laying there inside the spring at the bottom was what appeared to be a broken piece of spring. I “fished” it out and yes it was a piece of spring. A small piece about 2.5 “ in diameter, about one coil. One end was square cut and the other was a sharp point as if it had broken. It was loosely laying there. I examined the entire spring and noticed nothing broken or missing, so I checked the left spring. There was the same thing but this one is not loose and appears to be anchored to the cone shaped lower spring pad. ??? I’ve never seen anything like this? Anybody?
 
#3 ·
What is the build date of your X3? We can look at the parts lists.

Maybe it is a noise suppression ground??? :dunno:
 
#5 ·
Can you post a pic of it? If it would be the pigtail of the spring, the spring itself would still look normal from what you can see. The pigtail is just a sharp bend at the end of the spring that basically sits inside (where a shock would sit). It just seats the spring on the mount more securely and/or gives the spring a little more progressive rate.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Forget my earlier comment. Photo changes everything. That looks like the end of a spring. Most likely that come off the spring installed in your car.


If you are still under 50,000 miles you should be able to get new springs under warranty. CPO might cover it too. Not sure.


If you are just over 50,000 miles BMW NA might pay for part of the repair if you ask.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Thanks for your input..I am waiting for my SA to call back. I don't disagree that is the end of a spring. However, the weird part is that it must be the broken off end of another spring(s) not the ones installed on my car. I checked the springs installed on my car and they are intact, in fact the ends of the pigtails of those springs are square cut and not snapped off in a jagged point like the pieces laying inside my springs. I'll update after its been in for service. 35,000 mi CPO with extended maintenance, good till 2010 or 100K!
 
#11 ·
Possibly those are left from a spring that broke during assembly.

Spring broke so they got a new one from the bin and didn't clean up the bits before your suspension moved on down the line.

Maybe an angry worker put it there on purpose. Years ago a neighbor found a screwdriver inside their car door with a note attached. It read something like "So you finally found the rattle you rich xxxxx"



Magna Steyr isn't known for sloppy work, but anything can happen.


Keep us posted. This is interesting.
 
#16 ·
Service record shows no spring replacement. Its going into the shop Monday am. I'm pulling the wheels this weekend to look at the springs again. I must admit I concentrated on the bottom half of the springs when I checked them. Perhaps it is the top pigtail that broke off and fell down. But....to have that happen to both sides and one side the broken bit was loose and the otherside is was jammed into place at the lower spring pad?????

I do enjoy a good mystery and this is a good one. Thanks all for your possible explanations. I will report on my findings after re examining the springs.
 
#17 ·
Mystery Solved

OK I'm a little embarrassed....Pulled both wheels to look at the springs again and contrary to what I posted earlier I found that both springs broke, on the bottom, in almost exactly the same place. The shape of the break is the same as well.
Just as MJS referenced:
http://bimmer.roadfly.com/bmw/forums/e46m3/8836350-2.html
Thanks all for taking part in this mystery....
Scheduled Monday for replacement under original warranty 35K, 2004...
 

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#18 ·
Glad it is getting taken care of. There is absolutely no reason that a normally driven vehicle should have this happen. Do you drive over any severely rough roads?
On a lighter note, did you have any annoying rattles you couldn't pinpoint? If so, this may be it. LOL.
 
#19 ·
This x3 has been driven on normal roads....since I have owned it...... I bought it in October 2007. I suspect this happened before I owned it. No noises or other symptoms. Only noticed it when I was installing a hitch last weekend!!!!
 
#20 ·
So I was changing over to my snow wheels/tires this weekend, and found the exact same problem on my 2004 X3! Both rear springs are cracked at the end in the same way and I found one piece of spring on the left lower perch (the right one was missing). Best of all my truck is out of warranty and the dealer wants $230 per spring - plus labour!!! F*&$.

Looks like I'll be searching online and then doing some DYI spring installing... just as it's getting colder/darker out. Fun times.
 
#23 ·
...Looks like I'll be searching online and then doing some DYI spring installing... just as it's getting colder/darker out. Fun times.
I'm all for DIY repairs, but not involving coil springs. :thumbdwn: You heed a high-quality spring compressor and experience. It can be a dangerous job for the inexperienced. (Don't ask how I know this.) If you don't want to pay BMW dealer shop rates, any good indie shop or frame specialist will have the right tools.
 
#21 ·
Not good....was the suspension doing some noise or behaving abnormal?
 
#36 · (Edited)
OKay, now it's officially confirmed. My X3's spring has broken down too. Just driving back from office, I heard a loud metallic cling like something has fallen from car on road, immediately pulled off road and the driver behind me pointed to the fallen off spring. The part looks exactly same as pic posted by OP. Called dealership, they advised to get car flat bedded to them. Called BMW assistance and they are sending a tow truck in. Fortunately it happened when I was close to home on a low speed road, could have happened on highway and I would have never known what fell off. Checked the CPO document and coil spring is covered under it. Let's see. Another thing to watch for other X3 owners.
 
#24 ·
X3-terrestrial, enamoured: my X3 makes no weird sounds and drives just fine. The springs seem to have been broken for a long time as the tips are rusty (not a recent break). The pieces that broke off are very short and it seems like the springs broke right at the contact point with the lower spring perch - just the pic posted above.

b-y: I've assembled and installed struts in my Subaru Impreza. This looks like a fairly straightforward compress old -> pull out -> compress new -> install job, but I will do some research before I do it.

Does anyone know a good source for OEM springs?
 
#26 ·
I just took my X in for inspection on Friday (12/11), and I was informed that both of my rear coil springs are broken as well. Dealer wants $760 to replace. I'm not happy about this/can't figure out what type of impact would be needed to break this, and I usually avoid harsh roads and potholes like it's my job!
 
#29 ·
I just checked my Wife's 2004 X-3 and the rear passanger side spring is broken in the exact same place as Jupitor2. I have 93,000 miles so I can understand if the springs have lost some of their effectiveness, but I don't think they should break.

Still under an extended 100k warranty so I'm gonna take it in and see what they say. It just seems like a defect...
 
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