MOT Fail! (Now passed!)

[jojo]

So I had my MOT yesterday and it failed!

The main thing was a broken rear coil spring, snapped right at the bottom where it sits in the cup, you can't even see it, but the MOT tester had a feel round then showed me! Quite disappointing, considering the springs have only covered 30k odd miles, but they have been on the car for 8-9 years, which lives in the garage 95% of the time! New springs ordered anyways...

Anyways, as the MOT operated the washwipe, my car decided to lose all it's washer fluid, I think he may have had the headlights on to operate the headlamp washers aswell? Thoughts of where it could be all coming from? It's all leaking out under the front bumper on the driverside. My searches have only bought up sticky headlamp washers in the cold when they freeze up and don't go back down fully, mine were all the way down and sitting flush with the bumper!!

Regarding other aspects of the MOT test, my S3 breezed through the Emmissions test, and brake test, but I have to adjust the handbrake lever, as I've never adjusted it in 10yrs of ownership! He just said it was a bit high.

So I have 10 days to get the springs and fit them on! lol, not helped that it's a bank holiday weekend, so I'm not sure when they will arrive!

 

[aragorn]

maybe the headlamp washer pipe has come off?

 

[jojo]

maybe the headlamp washer pipe has come off?

Bumper off job isn't it?

Great!

 

[Dani_B19]

Yup, only takes 2 mines mate, either pipes bust of the t's died.

 

[JD09]

maybe the headlamp washer pipe has come off?

This but it takes minutes Joe.

 

[thegoal007]

Broken rear spring - that would have escaped many a good mot'rs !

on the one hand it's good that they are thorough, but in the case of rear broken spring - come on, you were probably completely oblivious to the fact. I bet anyone buying an S3 wouldn't even have checked that !

 

[jojo]

Broken rear spring - that would have escaped many a good mot'rs !

on the one hand it's good that they are thorough, but in the case of rear broken spring - come on, you were probably completely oblivious to the fact. I bet anyone buying an S3 wouldn't even have checked that !

This MOT guys is sound, as I'm waiting on site, he takes me to the car for things that are major, like the rear spring on this instance.

 

[s3 Hoggy]

Very common though Goal007 I've had the same and my MOT garage say they always have A3/S3's fail with the same problem

 

[S3 Rav]

What springs do you have on your car jojo. It's wierd how it's common even on non original items. Happened to Gops s3 aswell and they were h&r's. As for oem springs mine failed its mot a couple years ago for the same reason.

 

[Paul-RS6]

Broken rear coil springs are common on S3/TT

I had one go on my previous S3, when it snapped it was parked and went with quite a ping as I was walking back to the car.

I also had about 1" snap off the end on one of the front springs causing a mot fail. So that was all 4 springs replaced over 9 years / 70k miles ownership.

Springs were circa £65 each for the genuine Audi Quattro GmbH optional suspension my car was fitted with.

 

[jojo]

What springs do you have on your car jojo. It's wierd how it's common even on non original items. Happened to Gops s3 aswell and they were h&r's. As for oem springs mine failed its mot a couple years ago for the same reason.

Eibachs

 

[superkarl]

only so good a steel spring can be against fatigue of so many miles and years.
the rear spring on our cars are pathetically small too

 

[jcs356]

You've also got to factor in the terrible state of our roads and the proliferation of speed bumps and no wonder they snap!

 

[s33nyboy12]

I had these problems with mine fixed them pre mot mate. Front bumper off and it's a pain to get your hand in connect it back to the joint for the washer. There is a front bumper removal guide on here and I'm sure I used one off here to do the rear springs.

All in all to do both and the top mounts with bearings took me 6 hours as a novice..... Not bad I thought.

Cheers, Sean

 

[jojo]

only so good a steel spring can be against fatigue of so many miles and years.
the rear spring on our cars are pathetically small too

You've also got to factor in the terrible state of our roads and the proliferation of speed bumps and no wonder they snap!

I don't think my ventures out on track helps neither!

 

[Jay A3]

Im sure you will have this sorted soon, going to use the track at ADI to christen those new springs?

 

[S3quatt]

If it suddenly dumped all the washer fluid, i'd say its a pipe...
If it was a trickle or a drip its most likely the headlight washer units.

I had one start to leak last year, & the other at the start of this. I looked at them to see if the seals could be replaced on the plungers, but doesnt seem like it as they look like sealed units.
Cant remember the cost of replacements, but £180 springs to mind...

 

[jojo]

Im sure you will have this sorted soon, going to use the track at ADI to christen those new springs?

I hope so! Are you joining us on track?

 

[Jay A3]

I hope so! Are you joining us on track?

No not this year...

Still getting it ready :weight_lift2:... bring on the rocky montage

 

[Nilz]

Jo as you mentioned the handbrake, I have been meaning to ask for ages, how many clicks does the usual S3 take to be on full?

 

[rhubarb4]

Never thought about that nilzy I always hold the button in till its tight then go 1 click lol

 

[Lewis583]

Don't forget Jo it's 10 working days not including Bank holidays so that gives you a bit more time to get it done :icon_thumright:

 

[jojo]

Jo as you mentioned the handbrake, I have been meaning to ask for ages, how many clicks does the usual S3 take to be on full?

I just do what Chris has described below, I rarely pull the handbrake without the button, relying on the clicks. Plus the S3 is suppose to be self adjusting, as the handbrake winds the piston out when you operate it. Since my S3 is over 10 yrs old, it's probably a sign of seizing calipers, but I have a pair of new ones spare.

Never thought about that nilzy I always hold the button in till its tight then go 1 click lol

 

[jojo]

Don't forget Jo it's 10 working days not including Bank holidays so that gives you a bit more time to get it done :icon_thumright:

Cheers for this bit of info, every day helps with, so I just need my springs to arrive sharpish, and a dry day to fit them. I think I'll just do the rears to pas the MOT first, then swop the fronts over later on, as I'm not actually road legal at the mo'.

 

[[Dave B]]

Jo as you mentioned the handbrake, I have been meaning to ask for ages, how many clicks does the usual S3 take to be on full?

2 clicks for me, but that's on fresh rear discs and pads...

 

[Gops]

I think it's bad corrosion on the rear springs. Mine were appalling! I'll always urge people to check them every now and then if they are a few years old. Despite 3 emails to h&r, I never received an email back - that's crap!

 

[jojo]

I think it's bad corrosion on the rear springs. Mine were appalling! I'll always urge people to check them every now and then if they are a few years old. Despite 3 emails to h&r, I never received an email back - that's crap!

I've found out I can order just the rear Eibach springs! But they cost more than a full set of Apex ones, so Apex here I come!!

 

[jojo]

So it's MOT round2 time tomorrow, just changed the rear springs for the pass, will get on the fronts at the weekend hopefully!

Eibachs out!

Apex in.

 

[Snash7]

Looks good dude good luck with the MOT how hard are the springs to fit.
Cheers Grant

 

[jojo]

Looks good dude good luck with the MOT how hard are the springs to fit.
Cheers Grant

Rears are a piece of cake, took me around 2.5hrs on axle stands outside my house having not done it before. Fronts are a bit more tricky, you need to take the whole strut out and spring compressors etc. I could probably do it half the time if I was using a ramp.

 

[Nilz]

Well done Jo, let us know how it goes.

 

[jojo]

Well done Jo, let us know how it goes.

5 minutes visual inspection and pass!

Good for another 12 months, and I can buy my roadtax!

 

[[Dave B]]

Any pics of the ride height with the Apex springs on?

 

[jojo]

Any pics of the ride height with the Apex springs on?

Not yet, I only have the rears fitted. I can tell you they are 5-10mm lower than the Eibachs, and that was straight after I fitted them, they've not settled yet! These maybe the lowest option for springs only from my experience!

 

[jojo]

Here's a pic of the rear.

 

[Nilz]

5 minutes visual inspection and pass!

Good for another 12 months, and I can buy my roadtax!

Road Tax, you may as well sorn it....the amount it sees the road...lol

Good result btw