Just because the Laguna is one of Renaults most famous cars doesn't mean its going to be reliable. Sure it has had plenty of PR thrown at it to make it a household name but that means that money has probably been diverted from designing the car to a quality standard.

Lags are always on this site with tech probs. You'll find one after another. Renault don't really care much when their design lets you down either. Once they've had their cash they want to wash their hands. I'll admit you were lucky to get that Turbo sorted. I'd never touch a car with a Turbo myself as when they go they tend to muck up everything throughout the engine - including bearings on the shafts.

Your best bet would be to try and get a 2nd hand suspension strut with spring still fitted and then try to get it fitted cheap. The parts can be picked up far cheaper than new.

I'm after a replacement strut for my car - I've had quotes ranging from £20 to £40. Not bad when you consider it would cost hundreds for new parts.

 

Broken suspension springs aren’t just a Renault problem nowadays and are seen by most manufacturers as a wear and tear item. Mileage isn't necessarily an issue either as some cars may be driven on poorer roads than others or have carried heavier loads. I totally sympathise with your situation but this seems to be an increasing problem in many makes of cars whether it’s down to poor manufacture, poor roads, etc - speed ramps seem to do the worst damage. But keep pushing Renault UK - if you don't ask you don't get.

Strange thing though in working with cars for over 40 years I have never heard of a spring fail at high speed - but having opened my mouth other members will no doubt correct me if they have found otherwise.

I had a spring fail on my 2001 Laguna II a few months back and was able to buy after-market ones for £30 each. My local friendly independent garage charges £30 per side for fitting (Max 1 hour per side).

 

Coil spring failure seems to be the norm on modern cars not just Renaults, I'm not sure if this is to do with materials used or the state of our roads.

Visit any car Forums other than a Renault Forums and you will find lots of owners complaining about their cars and respective manufacturers cars

You will find on most Forums Members only join when they are having problems with their cars.

I am a Member on a Honda site and some Members there say they will never have a Honda again.

I am in no way defending Renault or their after sales service but I have had extensive dealings with Renault Customer Services and have always found them to be very helpful.

 

Hi Ottoman - have you ever heard of a spring failing at speed - just curious

 

I have not Noel, Usually when someone stops for a break ( Excuse the pun ) or even car just sitting for a few days or moving off first thing in a morn.

Quite scary one going at speed tho I would imagine also depending where the break is .

 

My spring broke when I was navigating a speed ramp ever so carefully

 

If this happens, is it possible for other damage to your car to occur?

 

Actually thats a good question which I've been thinking about myself.

Does damage occur to other parts of the car if the suspension isn't up to scratch? - IE does the part of the shell where the strut is attached ever get broken?

 

yes, a spring breaking can take out a tyre and damage the wheel/brake line etc if your unlucky

At speed this alone could induce a spin/slide with complete lack of control on that corner if you wer VERY unlucky.

I doubt highly the re-enforced mounting points would ever get damaged of a direct result of a spring failing. The aftermath yes, But not the spring failing.

 

I've heard of springs going on quite a few cars - Yet another reason to buy a Citroen, I guess.

Perhaps I'm lucky to only have springs on the front, but I suspect my next car will be a very early (maybe 51 reg just so the tax is cheaper?) HDI Citroen C5 Estate since their reputation for scary technical complexity, combined with an utterly bland image and lack of design inspiration has sent second-hand values for what is essentially a comfy, incredibly generously equipped and massive car through the floor.

And from what I've read, there are complicated electrical problems, but they don't seem to be as hellish as the Lag IIs, and any fears over the suspenson are likely vastly overstated, since like the Xantia beore it it's actually a very reliable hydraulic system that given decent maintenance should cost less to keep in decent nick than anything with sprung suspension!

 

I'd head japanesse or german if I could.

Although If I came into money, The S-MAx is soooooooooo lush!

Loads of faults on it though!

 

On the question of damage occurring I guess its possible that a collapsed spring could cause tyre to wheelarch contact maybe damaging the wheelarch or wing? Just a gues though, and it would have to happen at speed or over a big bump I suppose!

 

Thats why we have "bump stops" in susensions mate

A loud bang and a shreaded tyre most likely!

 

Ah of course. Excuse - I've had a couple of tins of :beer:

 

:beer: I'm on no 4 of 4 lol :beer:

But then I done a 45 miles round trip tonight, My heaters work, as do ALL the electrics (but the cd changer) and the suspension all in one piece and performed great!

So I'm a happy tigger!

 

Glad to hear mate I'm on 5 of 6, baby asleep. Mrs Bob asleep and I've got the day off tomorrow. Life is good! :d

 

im the only one up in the house lol have been for the last hour or so!

Last of the birthday beers for me, 500ml cans though!

Then snoore o'clock lololol

 

With certain designs of springs(the Lag 2 front spring is one of them) if the lower pigtail breaks on the spring that corner will collapse and instantly shred the tyre.If that happened at speed it would more than likely end in a very nasty accident.

I've only ever seen one spring snap at a reasonable speed(on a 406 front spring) and the damage wasn't pretty!.I've never known one fail at high speed though,and I hope I never do.

The design of the Lag 2 front strut and spring is crazy,but they are definately not the only manufacturer that has this design.Citroen recalled a lot of it's cars as there was a possibility of a spring breaking and going through a tyre,but all they did is to fit guards around the lower spring pan to stop the corner collapsing....

I see broken springs all the time,and it certaintly isn't manufacturer specific,and a lot of the time people don't realise it's happened as in most cases the spring stays in it's mountings.It's only when you have pigtail springs which have a small lower pan that allows the larger diameter part of the spring to travel past it when the pigtail snaps that it causes big problems.....as in the Lag 2 front suspension arrangement(and 406/C3/Picasso etc).

 

I had an advisory last year on the Meganes MOT for "corrosion to n/s/f coil spring" I guess it was a matter of time before it failed in this way? It frightened me TBH but not enough for me to do anything about it it seems Still maybe it is someone elses problem now.

 

I never felt the front or rear ones break on the espace, Never felt the car drive better after neither!

 

Front suspension coil spring Espace

Interested to read this thread. Just had a front coil spring go on an 03 Espace when reversing out of the garage (with hindsight). Unfortunately not noticed by wife until the remainder of the spring had dropped down over the suspension leg, abraided the tyre inner sidewall and caused a blow out. Luckily she was only doing about 30 mph on a straight road. The mind boggles had the blow out occured in different circumstances.
On inspection the fracture exhibits no discolouration due to prior cracking. Vehicle not loaded (driver only) and not driven on rough surfaces. So what is wrong with the design/manufacture of these springs to cause catastrophic failure? And why doesn't the leg design guard against a broken spring causing a tyre blow out?