Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Broken Coil Spring Question ....

Please add me to the list of those with broken coil springs ...

Right rear broke near the base of the spring.

My question: Is it necessary to replace the springs as a pair >> both rear >> if only one is broken. I know the likelihood that the other will go at some point is still high ...

Will the car handle like cow dung if I only do one and leave an older spring on the left side.

Anyone else just done one at a time ?? How did the car handle ? I was told that if you wait too long, the strut will be damaged because the spring is no longer supporting the suspension ... just the strut ... is this true? Mechanically, it makes sense.

Estimate: $166 for one spring, $332 for both : $68 per spring; $82.50 for labor per side + tax

Has anyone tried to get any After Warranty Adjustment money from Ford for this problem that shouldn't occur in normal driving situations.

thanks,

my95contour

There was a recall for adding spring shields for known spring breakage problems. May want to wander in to your local dealer and tell them you want the recall work done and see if they will replace the springs. Springs are usually done in pairs to avoid odd handling and safety issues with uneven body support.

I believe that recall was just for the front, check out ALLDATA and go to where its says like TSBs and recalls. Go through all the info and it will give you ALL the recalls and TSBs for the car.

Spring shield recall was not for 1995 models ... 98 or later, I think.

That tells you something ... Ford won't replace the failed or failing part ... just rig a shield to prevent the failed/failing part from doing any more damage.

Thanks for the advice ... tw0wheelin ! I'd rather be a cheap-o on this one ... but may not be worth it considering the safety factor.

my95contour

Ford manual for '97 states that it is not necessary to replace springs in pairs, they can be replaced individually.

I think this is correct when replacing due to breakage. If it was a 10+ year old car and you were replacing due to sag then I would replace in pairs.

horseydug,

Thanks .... I've up to 7 years on the car ... so I guess that's marginally close to 10 and am considering doing the pair .... but it's nice to know that it isn't absolutely necessary, though it sounds like a good idea.

my95'

I replaced both rear springs back in January, and wow! They were broke in pieces. The right rear was broken in 5 different places, and the left side was broken in 3 pieces. I don't know how my car held up as long as it did. I just happened to look at them when my car was up on a hydraulic jack, getting 2 oxygen sensors, and 1 transaxle seal, and 1 sway bar link done. After he took off the springs, I was looking at my rear brakes, not remembering when I changed the pads last, and yep, those had to be changed those as well.
My cars new knick name:
THE MONEY PIT

I got both my rear springs replaced for right about $200 @ about 65,000 mi , I think you could do better price wise.

Stupid corrosion. That's just one more part that doesn't hold up like it should.

Springs on a passenger car shouldn't break ... unless you use it as an off-road vehicle ... Is that possible with a Contour Not mine !

$200 might have been a good deal ... unless you do it yourself. I found a local shop that will install both of them for $50 + alignment + tax. I am now able to get the OEM parts for ~$58. a piece for each rear spring .... so it looks like about a ~$215 total after the job is done. That's having someone else do it ... Originally, I was looking at $332 from Ford .. so about $115 less in the end.

Should I feel happy about the cost, I ask myself ? Well ... I guess I might have been stuck for more ....

I need the Franken-tour for a weekend trip and after the tech made sure today the spring was good and loose by moving it out of position to confirm it was indeed broken ... the rear end now squeals like the 900 hogs that used to be housed behind a farm house I once rented ...

Can't be driving that around long .... they tell me the seals on the strut will not hold if I bang it around too much.

Back in the shop on Thursday ... on the road by the weekend. The Franken-tour says "Car run .. Car run good .... for now."

my95

I replaced both springs as I stated above, as well as both shocks. I have never used my Contour as an off road vehicle. Strickly highway miles are on my car. When I went to Ford to buy the srpings, they said that springs for my Contour was a common problem. I called one night to see if they had the springs, they had 4. Once I went there the next day they only had 2 left. I replaced the struts since the car was already up on the hydraulic lift. I didn't want to have to replace the struts and have to bring the car in a 2nd time. I fgure it had 167,000 miles. May as well. :p