strange rear end behaviour

J

JINGLE

Veteran
 Norwich, Norfolk
was driving home last night and when I came to a junction I started braking and noticed the rear end slightly kick out briefly, didn't think much of it at the time.... then approaching the next junction a similar thing happened when I was decelerating and changed down a gear, it seemed to happen when I let the clutch out

happened a few more times on the driver home and again this morning after hitting small bumps in road and braking or changing gears :/

im a bit worried as I have changed my springs/shocks over with a friend 2 weeks ago and im worried I might have done something wrong??

any info or suggestions as to what to check would be appreciated
 
If you eliminate the obvious of driving quickly, changing down aggressively under braking, damp surface, etc. breaking traction, then I'd be looking for damage in a sensor as you've recently changed the shocks. It's quite common for people to force things when changing springs by levering down the wishbone and damage anything from level sensors other damage can be to ABS/ESP sensor. These control all sorts of stability programmes, applying brakes under different conditions.

I'd take a good look underneath starting with the sensor on the top of one of the rear wishbones.

Can't look at my TSC as I'm away from home, but a pointer to start you on
 
the rear shocks were replaced last year and were fine, replaced the rear springs a month or so ago and seemed fine, then the front shocks/springs 2 weeks ago, never noticed anything until today.

I wasn't driving very aggressive so pretty sure its not that, how many sensors are there to check, and locations?

thanks for your help CJ :)
 
Have you had it aligned since changing the springs etc? Maybe it's all out of alignment although doubt it would affect the handling as much as you've described.
 
JINGLE said:
the rear shocks were replaced last year and were fine, replaced the rear springs a month or so ago and seemed fine, then the front shocks/springs 2 weeks ago, never noticed anything until today.

I wasn't driving very aggressive so pretty sure its not that, how many sensors are there to check, and locations?

thanks for your help CJ :)
Click to expand...

There's one on top of each diagonal wishbone (2.in total) abs sensor on each wheel, after that you'd be after steering sensors and all sorts of modules. Id be pulling codes if nothing obvious.
As I said travelling so can't look up anything.

Never underestimate the ability to imagine problems though :)
 
not turned the dsc off, would light up if i did anyway.

pretty sure its not the brakes, did it changing up a gear, changing down a gear and after hitting a small bump so that rules that out :(

what would the sensors do that makes the car behave like this then? (if its them), does it think a wheel is wheel spinning or something and cut the power to that wheel and therefore reduce power and make the car pull that way?

if i understand what the sensor problem does it might help me diagnose the problem?

thanks all
 
Old adage start with the last thing you did. So I would check the springs are good, seated correctly first. Only time I've ever locked the back up, with the TC on, is changing down to second when breaking hard into a corner.
 
will try get under it at weekend, doesnt feel like anything is locking up, just feels like it pulls to 1 side, its hard to explain. i drove to football and back earlier and nothing, that makes me think its nothing mechanical as it would be constant.... if its electrical/sensor then it would be more erratic.. will keep an eye on it and check at weekend if i can find somewhere online to show the sensor locations
 
quick update, felt absolutely nothing on the way to work this morning so maybe it was just a sensor playing up in the cold maybe?
 
Could it be that you picked something up on one of your tyres (diesel perhaps?) that has now worn off with a few miles? I think I'd still be getting codes read etc just to make sure there's not an issue that will rear it's head when you're hooning along somewhere....
 
still not happened again, going to book tracking next week i think and then get codes read and see if i can find out what it was, thanks for help guys and gals :)
 
The only time I've had issues with the rear similar to that was when my rear tyres were catching on the arch liner when cornering but that would fire my traction control light up on the dash.
The only thing I can think it would be is maybe your tyres not liking the temp or something was on the like diesel. You would have a light on the dash if it was anything to do with the TC I think, it's very sensitive
 
yea when i slip etc from cornering hard and wheelspin/drift the light comes on..... it didnt on these occasions which made me think mechanical maybe, like a suspension part loose or something, not happened since and all feels solid.... will keep an eye on it
 
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