A clunk when turning that turned out to be a snapped spring

The owner brought in his 2014 Volkswagen Jetta because of a strange noise when he turned the steering wheel. He described it as a clunk.

When our technician took it for a drive, it sounded more like a springy "boing" than a clunk. That was a good clue about where to look.

Left front coil spring: The spring had broken close to the strut mount because of corrosion (photo 1). This is a safety issue. The coil spring holds up that corner of the car and helps keep the tire planted on the road. A broken spring can change how the car handles and brakes, and a sharp broken end can rub on the tire or other parts.

• Replaced both front struts as complete assemblies, with new coil springs and mounts
• Replaced the front sway bar links (covered under the customer's warranty, so no charge)
• Replaced the CV axle bolt with a new bolt from Volkswagen, pre-coated with thread locker, and tightened it to 200 Nm plus a further 180 degrees
• Performed a wheel alignment to straighten the steering wheel and keep the tires wearing evenly

With new strut assemblies on both sides, the front end is back to even. Replacing both sides together keeps the car level and handling the same left to right. The alignment afterwards puts the steering wheel back on centre and protects the tires from uneven wear.

One detail worth knowing on these Volkswagens: when the axle bolt has to come out, it should be replaced, not reused. It has a specific tightening procedure, 200 Nm and then another 180 degrees, so we fitted a new one from Volkswagen (photo 2) that comes with thread locker already applied.

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