One very important part of a car’s internal systems is the suspension. Unfortunately, it’s also something that many Volkswagen owners overlook. Particularly owners of certain Volkswagen Golfs, Golf Sportwagens, Jettas, or Tiguans, it’s essential that you keep an eye on this system of your car because these models are prone to rear spring failure. This can cause several problems with steering and the smoothness of your ride.
We will walk you through some symptoms to look out for that may indicate your rear spring has broken as well as discuss what to do about it if you notice a problem.
Symptoms of Broken Rear Springs in Volkswagens
A car’s suspension is comprised of several components, including the rear springs. They are the mechanisms that keep your car evenly balanced on all four wheels. With this balance, none of the springs should wear out faster than the others.
Your rear springs are also responsible for absorbing bumps as you’re driving down the road so that you and your passengers don’t feel like you’re bumping out of your seat every time you run over a bump or dip in the road.
With that in mind, some symptoms of a broken rear spring are:
- Uneven Tire Wear: If your VW’s tires are unevenly worn, it generally means one of two things: First, they may be unevenly inflated, leading to different parts of each tire getting worn down. And second, there may be a problem with the suspension. If you notice this problem, check your tire pressure to make sure they’re all the same, and look for any of these other symptoms to see if the problem is the suspension.
- Rough Riding/Bouncing: Specifically, if you notice that the back of your car seems to be much bouncier than the front, that’s probably a sign that something has gone wrong with the rear suspension, such as a broken spring.
- Tilting or Sagging: When you look at your car from the outside, the front and back should all hover at about the same height above the ground. If you notice that it is distinctly lower at the back than it is at the front, or it seems to be sagging toward the back left or right, that’s a good indication that something is wrong with the rear suspension.
- Problems Turning Corners or the Car Pulling to One Side While on a Straightaway: Because the suspension is what controls the wheels of your car, if it’s unbalanced, you’ll notice that steering is difficult. You might have more difficulty getting your car to turn one direction than another, or you may not be trying to turn at all but the car is slowly drifting to one side.
- Noises: It’s uncommon for a rear spring to literally break or snap off, though not impossible. Still, you will probably be able to hear a strange clunking noise coming from your rear wheels if there’s a broken spring back there.
What to Do When There’s a Problem
Though it may not sound like that big of a deal, a faulty suspension or broken rear spring can be very dangerous for your car and for you. As 
mentioned, it can make it difficult to properly steer your car.
In an emergency situation where you need to be able to swerve quickly to get out of the way of an obstacle or another vehicle, the inability to steer properly could lead to serious injury or even death.
To help mitigate that risk, it’s essential that you bring your Volkswagen into a trusted, reputable mechanic as soon as you notice that there’s a problem. We will examine your car and quickly replace the broken part so that you can feel safe driving your car the next time you get in it.
Conveniently located for customers in Alton, Barrington, Berwick, Dover, and Rochester, New Hampshire, Hagan’s Motor Pool is a great choice when your Volkswagen is having mechanical problems. Our expert mechanics are specialists in German motor brands such as Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, so you can rest assured that we’ll know exactly what to do to meet your German vehicle’s maintenance needs. Contact us today to learn more and to speak to our friendly staff.