2000 Taurus broken strut and spring

taurusffv · 07-06-2010, 01:03 PM

Sears tells me I have a broken strut and a spring that needs replaced before it causes a tire to blowout. Are the two related?

I was driving up a big hill on an unfamiliar street at 25-35 mph, not knowing the crest brings you into a freefall with two graduated sets of railroad track humps as you fall down the hill. It was just like the cop chases on TV in San Francisco! I screamed as I went over the crest. It felt like the car cracked in half. I assume that was the strut breaking? Since then the left side of the car has been bouncy squeaky and from the back of the car occasionally a growling sound like bowels gurgling :-)

I have been driving the car for a year since then. Is this a big risk? Is this an expensive repair? They said they need the car for half a day.

shorod · 07-06-2010, 03:29 PM

You've been driving the car for a year with a broken strut and spring!?!

The spring in mounted to the strut. The strut assembly will consist of the strut, the spring, and upper strut mount. The upper strut mount holds the spring to the strut and also is one of the attachment points holding the strut to the car's unibody. If the strut is also broken I would expect the car to make all kinds of banging and clanking noises and also be nearly impossible to drive. Where is the strut supposedly broken?

Ford issued a recall for the springs for cars in the rust belt, which we here in Iowa are part of. If the strut isn't actually broken, you might pursue getting the springs replaced under recall. The reason the springs have a recall is because the salt used on the roads in the winter can rust the springs, weakening them, and if they break, the jagged broken edge of the spring can puncture the tire, just like Sears warned you about. I don't recall what years of Taurus were covered under the recall but you should be able to find that information out pretty easily.

-Rod

taurusffv · 07-06-2010, 06:00 PM

Hey there, Rod. It's all your fault just kidding. Wilson Ave SW in CR, trying to cut over to the mall going from east to west. OMG they should put a stop sign at the top of that hill! I am wondering whether trains still travel those tracks because you would not get stopped in time going the speed limit over the hill. Motorcycles beware!

I haven't noticed loud noises, more like squeaking buggy noises, lots of bounciness on the left side of car, and that growling sound which is actually quite attractive sounds like a foreign sports car. At the time it felt like my car dash was knocked akilter.

I remember getting a recall letter about a spring couple yrs ago and I took the car to the Ford dealer. The fix was so quick I assumed it was a tiny little spring somewhere and I figured it was a gimmick to get me there and then sell me more service. Same recall do you think?

Bought the car $6000 4-5yrs ago at 54,000 miles and have driven 50,000 miles with one brakes job and one serpentine belt replaced since. I am guessing this one will be costly.

rhandwor · 07-06-2010, 06:49 PM

Do a Google search for a set of loaded struts, they are fairly easy to replace if you want to do the work yourself. This way you won't need a spring compressor.

shorod · 07-07-2010, 01:17 PM

I know exactly which set of tracks you are referring to. There have been stories of cars launching off those, landing crooked, and rolling into the house just at the bottom of the group of tracks. Usually they were kids who apparently were trying to see just how much air they could catch. Trains actually still use those tracks quite a bit, but there is one set of lights for all three sets of tracks and you can see the lights long before the tracks.

Anyway, I suspect that recall was for the same thing and you probably already have the revised parts installed if they actually did the work. I'm not sure how the recall is worded to know if it was a mandatory exchange or if they were to inspect for rust and replace only if rust was evident.

It doesn't sound like the strut is broken, and I'm not sure your description would even cause me to think a spring is broken, but maybe more like the strut is bad and you have a dry ball joint or outer tie rod end. Does the car sit lower on one side than the other? If not then you probably either have two broken springs or no broken springs.

-Rod

rhandwor · 07-07-2010, 03:15 PM

To replace spring or strut you need a strut compressor. A loaded strut comes with a new spring installed and are much easier for a home mechanic to install. Normally two bolts on the strut and two studs and a bolt on the top.
Some may have 4 total. Some of the big bolts have a cam on the bottom punch this so it can be installed the same way get an alignment when done.
Otherwise check out the level and other guide lines in the previous post.
I assume the mechanic found some sort of problem.
I just installed two on my wife's Chevy it took approximately two hours.
Cost $276.00 shipped to the house. I also installed new ball joints and got an alignment. This was extra only strut cost is shown and extra time.
http://www.samsgarage.com/strutmasters.htm
Look at picture check prices elsewhere.

taurusffv · 10-07-2010, 07:38 PM

Well, I just left Sears upset. They told me rear strut was broken when last there for oil change. The noises are in the rear. I stopped yesterday to arrange to bring in car today. Told them I wanted new FRONT tires, and REAR struts replaced plus the rod if neccesary. They quoted $900 I gulped and said go ahead. When I got home I looked at estimate and it said front strut not rear. This morning when dropping off car I made them change the order. Front tires, rear struts. They kept the car for 6hrs. I was across the way watching from time to time the car was suspended for hours. When I went back to claim it after I saw them drive it out of the bay, the guy said they did nothing but the new tires because a spring in front was broken and they didnt know what I wanted to do?! Why would they not do the rear work-the front and back struts are not the same?! Why would they put the new tires on if they found the spring is broken? Frustrating, vacation day wasted and missed a seminar I was scheduled for at 530pm. To make matters worse, when I got home they had left ans mach msg saying "broken spring in trunk" I could swear my trunk is in the rear of the car! Now I don't know what to believe and have to find time and new mechanic! I've given Sears my business for rear tires and two oil changes so far before today. This guy I had today never makes eye contact and you just get that used car salesman feeling with him which I haven't experienced with their other employees.

rhandwor · 10-07-2010, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by taurusffv

Well, I just left Sears upset. They told me rear strut was broken when last there for oil change. The noises are in the rear. I stopped yesterday to arrange to bring in car today. Told them I wanted new FRONT tires, and REAR struts replaced plus the rod if neccesary. They quoted $900 I gulped and said go ahead. When I got home I looked at estimate and it said front strut not rear. This morning when dropping off car I made them change the order. Front tires, rear struts. They kept the car for 6hrs. I was across the way watching from time to time the car was suspended for hours. When I went back to claim it after I saw them drive it out of the bay, the guy said they did nothing but the new tires because a spring in front was broken and they didnt know what I wanted to do?! Why would they not do the rear work-the front and back struts are not the same?! Why would they put the new tires on if they found the spring is broken? Frustrating, vacation day wasted and missed a seminar I was scheduled for at 530pm. To make matters worse, when I got home they had left ans mach msg saying "broken spring in trunk" I could swear my trunk is in the rear of the car! Now I don't know what to believe and have to find time and new mechanic! I've given Sears my business for rear tires and two oil changes so far before today. This guy I had today never makes eye contact and you just get that used car salesman feeling with him which I haven't experienced with their other employees.

Go to an independent tire shop and have them check out the car get a written estimate. I definitely wouldn't trust this shop do do my work.

taurusffv · 10-09-2010, 08:13 AM

Lots of websites devoted to Sears Auto issues. I am curious about this strut and spring problem. I read many accounts of peoples tires blowing out due to springs/struts breaking. I am wondering if I dodged a bullet when my spring(s) broke and didn't destroy my tire at that moment. I am curious if the big danger is past once the spring/strut actually breaks and "goes boing" but doesnt get your tire, or if it can still "fly around" after breaking, while driving, and puncture/slash the tire? In other words, after the spring is already broken, can it cause any further damage to the tires?

shorod · 10-09-2010, 08:57 AM

There is a chance that the already broken spring could still puncture the tire. There's nothing holding the broken portions centered around the strut. When the suspension arm is compressed, the spring could push towards the tire where it's broken and since the arm is under compression, the spring may be held outwards with pretty good force, allowing the sharp edges to pierce the sidewall.

There was a recall on the springs for cars in the rust belt, which Iowa should qualify for. I don't recall the details of the recall, as far as model years covered and if there are any mileage limitations. You might search this forum for the recall details.

-Rod

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