Total loss of control

[crunchie]

Hi I am new on here but I hope someone will be able to help me!!!   
On Saturday I was driving my Galaxy 19. tdi with my son when it went totally out of control, the back end spun around so I was sideways across the road, we mounted the pavement and through a hedge before I gained control again!!. I was very scary but had happened before in August when we were in France going around a roundabout (my husband was driving then) and we put it down to grease on the road as the car seemed fine afterwards. It has been in the garage for 2 days now and they cannot find any fault with the steering, ABS or the back control rods.   

Has this happened to anyone else or does anyone know what it could be???   I am scared to drive it now as I ferry children to and from school every day   

[bigdave982]

Not sure about the weather so parts of this reply may not be relavent
Wrote my mk1 off when a rear caliper seized jamming the brakes on on one side resulting in a spin on ice,caused by handbrake cable having water in it and freezing(hence my relavence bit earlier)
It might still be worth checking rear brakes aint blinding on one side

[crunchie]

It was only slightly wet when this happened and I think it was the same when we were in France so there may be something in what you say. So sorry to hear yours was a write off - hope you were not hurt.
Thank you for your advice and I will get them to look at that

[SilverBeast]

(i) Were you going round a bend when it happened to you? (Left hand bend, I believe French roundabouts are anti-clockwise)
(ii) Was it just after you had filled up with fuel?
(iii) Have you a genuine screw on filler cap or an "emergency" push on cap

I am asking because if diesel overflowed out of the filler cap while going round a left hand bend it may have gone onto the drivers rear wheel causing this wheel to slip, particularly when the road is wet, this could cause the drivers side rear of the car to spin round (car going anti-clockwise).

I recall Mini Metros had the overflow from the fuel tank in front of the rear wheel where it used to occasionally dump fuel onto the road in front of the wheel when cornering causing them to spin.

[gregers]

do you have the under tray fitted?
if not has been reported that water can get into the power steering and send it haywire.

[crunchie]

I am not sure about the under tray being fitted but will ask the garage if we do - Thank you

With regard to the fuel spillage - we had not filled up and yes it is the original proper screw cap fitted. I have never seen any evidence of spillage of diesel but will check - thank you for your reply.

[SilverBeast]

Spilt Diesel
Not heard of it on a Galaxy but if diesel had been spilt on a damp road, particularly on a bend/roundabout it can cause a spin.

Undertray.
If you look under the car from in front of the number plate and can see the bottom of the engine, then you haven't got one fitted.

[Mirez]

Assuming you were driving normally and not like a maniac then a brake issue sounds very plausible. I would assume youbhad just used them in France, how about over here? Did you spin the same way each time? Does the car have ESP fitted?

I've just overhauled my own system and the drivers side rear had worn unevenly indicating a sticking pad.

The undertray issue can cause a loss of power steering assist, you still have full steering its just heavy which shouldnt cause a spin!!

[crunchie]

Thank you for your replies.
I have spoken to the garage and they, like me, think it could possibly be the back brakes so it is going in tomorrow morning to be stripped down and checked!!  Lets hope that's what it is as I am calling in too many favours to get my kids to school and back without a car!!

Thank you all for your help