This may have been a rugged SUV, but the BMW X1 2.0 diesel still suffered from the problems associated with more run of the mill saloon vehicles. In this case, the problem was a broken spring, leaving the vehicle immobile. Due to the failed spring, the owner had come out on a cold morning to find the 2011 BMW sitting unevenly, with the offside front dipping down.

The X1 is one of the many vehicles which have a coil spring where the last coil, which sits on the strut, is smaller than the circumference of the main body of the spring. This means that if the spring breaks at the end coil (and they do) the rest of the spring will go flying past the contact point.

This one went in quickly, in a downward direction and thankfully didn’t take the brake hose or the ABS wire with it.

Replacement meant removal of the complete strut and disconnecting the driveshaft, but the job did go smoothly and the X1 was soon sitting on an even keel again and ready for the urban jungle.

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