Recorded in
3.6% 0% fail
of every MOT test in our data — 4,052,861 records across 1,241 models.
Suspension → Coil spring corroded
The Coil spring corroded MOT failure is recorded in 3.6% of all MOT tests in the DVSA data — 4,052,861 records across 1,241 models. A typical repair costs £25–£65. This page explains what the item means, how testers write it down, what a repair usually involves and Fiat Grande Punto records it most often for its size.
Advisory only
100%
were noted without failing the car.
Typical cost
£25–£65
Usually a DIY or independent-garage job. Estimate, fitted where needed. Parts only: £30–£50.
What Coil spring corroded means on an MOT
Coil spring corroded is an MOT inspection item in the suspension section of the manual. The tester records it when they see the condition the description names — here, when coil spring corroded. A fractured, detached or seriously weakened coil spring fails the car; the manual treats it as a structural item. The failure is reported against that rule, so the page uses the tester's own wording.
How common is Coil spring corroded on an MOT?
Recorded in 3.6% of every MOT test in our data — 4,052,861 records across 1,241 models. That is 4% in every hundred tests, which puts Coil spring corroded in the middle of the items testers record.
Of the 4,052,861 records for this item, 0.4% of the records are a fail (Major or Dangerous) and 99.6% are advisories that did not fail the car.
Other things testers write about this item
Testers do not all write the same thing. These are the exact DVSA strings from the records for this item, each with how many tests it was written on — the page's keyword vocabulary comes straight from them.
- Brake discs in such a condition that it is seriously weakened — 10,496,042 records
- Sub-frame corroded and seriously weakened — 2,708,307 records
- Coil spring fractured or broken — 2,186,705 records
- Suspension arm corroded and seriously weakened — 1,564,573 records
- Component mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength — 1,251,313 records
- Headlamp has a product on the lens so that the light output is severely reduced — 1,049,817 records
- Integral vehicle structure condition corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced — 612,323 records
- Chassis condition corroded to the extent that the rigidity of the assembly is significantly reduced — 510,995 records
- Sub-frame mounting prescribed areas prescribed area excessively corroded significantly reducing structural strength — 366,545 records
- Other suspension component corroded and seriously weakened — 357,489 records
What does it cost to fix Coil spring corroded?
A typical repair on this item costs £25–£65 at UK prices, and it is usually a DIY or independent-garage job. The bracket is our estimate from reported prices and parts, rather than a DVSA figure — see how it is built on the method page.
How the price brackets are built · full repair cost list · add it to your fail-sheet total.
The part behind the price
Fitted, our bracket is £25–£65. The part itself is £30–£50. The price is mostly the part.
A coil spring — the spring that holds the car up. A corroded spring is one that has lost metal to rust, and springs almost always break at the corroded point rather than at the ends.
What to buy
One per side, and in practice a pair: springs are matched to the car’s weight and a new spring beside a sagging one changes the ride height and the handling.
| Tier | Brands | Parts price |
|---|---|---|
| Budget Check the colour code matches your car’s spec. | Pattern springs | £20–£32 |
| Mid-range typical Lesjöfors and KYB cover most applications. | KYB, Febi, Lesjöfors, Sachs | £30–£50 |
| Premium / heavy duty For towing, vans and campers. | Bilstein, Eibach, Sachs HD | £50–£90 |
The premium tier can cost more than the whole typical bracket above. That is not a mistake in either figure: the bracket is a typical job, not a ceiling — and this is the point at which a quote tells you which part the garage is actually fitting.
Fitting it
Not a DIY job on a strut car without compressors — and a compressed spring is stored energy. One to two hours a side, including an alignment check afterwards.
On the retest
No corrosion that has reduced the spring’s section, no break, and the car sitting level.
Parts prices are our survey of UK parts prices in 2025 money, for coil spring corroded, and exclude delivery, VAT differences and the fitting — see how these figures are built.
Models that record Coil spring corroded most often
As a rate of each model's own tests, Fiat Grande Punto and Fiat Punto lead the list: Fiat Grande Punto records it on 21.0% of its tests. The rate, not the volume, is what matters here — a model with 20,000 tests can outrank one with a million.
| # | Model | Rate | Tests | Detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fiat Grande Punto | 21.0% | 25,466 | — |
| 2 | Fiat Punto | 18.9% | 226,310 | 5.1× · year by year → |
| 3 | Honda Fr-V | 15.8% | 27,466 | — |
| 4 | Fiat Panda | 15.0% | 329,104 | 4.1× · year by year → |
| 5 | Jaguar X-Type | 15.0% | 93,223 | — |
| 6 | Alfa Romeo Mito | 14.8% | 73,057 | — |
| 7 | Volkswagen Lupo | 13.7% | 21,292 | — |
| 8 | Suzuki Alto | 13.1% | 174,258 | 3.5× · year by year → |
| 9 | Suzuki Wagon-R+ | 13.0% | 29,904 | — |
| 10 | Toyota MR2 | 12.9% | 24,989 | — |
| 11 | Ford Focus C-Max | 12.6% | 56,718 | — |
| 12 | Nissan Pixo | 12.4% | 42,149 | — |
| 13 | Vauxhall Vectra | 12.3% | 117,307 | — |
| 14 | Mitsubishi Colt | 11.9% | 86,319 | — |
| 15 | Suzuki Baleno | 11.8% | 23,277 | — |
| 16 | Peugeot Horizon | 11.1% | 30,385 | — |
| 17 | Alfa Romeo Giulietta | 10.9% | 91,823 | — |
| 18 | Toyota Celica | 10.9% | 27,501 | — |
| 19 | Toyota Rav-4 | 10.9% | 109,644 | 2.9× · year by year → |
| 20 | Volvo V70 | 10.8% | 146,306 | 2.9× · year by year → |
Which years of car record Coil spring corroded
| Year | Recorded in |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.0% |
| 2011 | 6.0% |
| 2012 | 5.4% |
| 2013 | 4.4% |
| 2014 | 3.1% |
| 2015 | 2.0% |
| 2016 | 1.3% |
| 2017 | 0.7% |
| 2018 | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 0.1% |
| 2020 | 0.1% |
| 2021 | 0.0% |
| 2022 | 0.0% |
| 2023 | 0.0% |
These are rates by year of registration from 2010 to 2023, not year of test, so the curve mostly reflects age — a recent car has barely been to a test station. Compare models at the same age instead.
Frequently asked questions about Coil spring corroded
How common is Coil spring corroded on an MOT?
It is recorded in 3.6% of all MOT tests — 4,052,861 records across 1,241 models.
Does Coil spring corroded fail the MOT or just get an advisory?
0.4% of the records for it are a fail, 0.0% were fixed at the test, 0.0% are minor and 99.6% are advisories. In short, it is an advisory or minor most of the time rather than a fail.
Which cars record Coil spring corroded most often?
Fiat Grande Punto and Fiat Punto head the list, at a rate of each model's own tests — Fiat Grande Punto records it on 21.0%. Only models with at least 20,000 recorded tests are shown.
How much does it cost to fix Coil spring corroded?
Typically £25–£65 fitted, and it is usually a DIY or independent-garage job. That is an estimate from reported prices, not a DVSA figure.
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