Worrying sound from car!

Padraig Mor

Car: 00 Focus saloon 1.6

Problem: On left turns, I'm getting a 'creaking' noise from the front left of the car. This noise sounds very like a dodgy spring in a mattress. Pretty loud, easily heard above the engine. Suddenly appeared last Friday. Disappeared yesterday (due to the rain?) and is now back today (dry again).

Obviously I will get it looked at but should I be worried? Are we talking something dangerous and/or expensive? Car was *two days* out of guarantee when the noise appeared!

Thanks for your help!

Seth Brundle

My guessing is that it is from one of the suspension components but there is no point guessing which one. Get it to a decent mechanic!
Should you be worried? As you don't know what it is or what damage it could be doing, my answer would be yes. IMO until you know it is nothing then you should worry!

Big Nelly

Could be a CB joint? is it a clicking noise when you locked the wheel??

Padraig Mor

Big Nelly wrote:

Could be a CB joint? is it a clicking noise when you locked the wheel??

Nope, definitely a 'creaking' as opposed to 'knocking' noise.

BrianD3

It could be something quite expensive like a broken spring on one side. If it is, AFAIK the spring on the other side of the car should be replaced at the same time.

However it could be something cheap like a rubber bushing that needs replacing or just needs some rubber/nylon lubricant applied to it.

BrianD3

bazz26

It could possibly be a worn suspension spring/shock absorber or cv joint as somebody suggested but without hearing it's impossible to tell.

Best to take it to an independant mechanic to check it out.

JohnCleary

If its a squeeking noise, its probably your wheel bearing. Not saying that it IS, but when I had a squeeking noise on my drivers side when turning, it was the bearing.. Replaced it myself but it wasnt fun

De Hipster

JohnCleary wrote:

If its a squeeking noise, its probably your wheel bearing. Not saying that it IS, but when I had a squeeking noise on my drivers side when turning, it was the bearing.. Replaced it myself but it wasnt fun

bearing is more of a momentum squeal...creaking sounds like suspension/bushes

damo605

I had this on a Primera before - would squeak mad in the dry but silent in the wet - turned out it was only a dried out bushing.... On the Primera it was really cheap, if I remember about 28 euro inc. fitting at a main stealer. Hope you're as lucky!

AMurphy

sounds like the same problem here

highdef

Sounds like the bushes to me - I got all mine replaced in my 98 Ford Scorpio a month or so ago. I wouldn't be terribly worried about it. Mine was like that for the best part of 6 months before I got it repaired. It made most noise when going over ramps and just like yourself, the noise disappeared when driving in the rain. Not too expensive to get done either

Ratchet

Big Nelly wrote:

Could be a CB joint? ............

CV joint.


anyway

yeah, it sounds like rubber bushes

Padraig Mor

Thanks for the replies folks. Hope it's only the bushes! Now, if only I could get yer man in the garage to ring me back....

mike65

Could be a CB joint? ............

Hey Dude - Breaker! breaker!

Mike.

Dub_Ster

could be one of the cv boots eaher ur inner or outer ones or a wish bone get it cheacked man !

stratos

my bets on the bushes too. My old bimmer groans a lot at the back. but you know whay they say......... a bird in the hand is worth more than some wd 40 in the bushes

Padraig Mor

Got the bushes done and......noise is still there! Arse! Friend of mine reckons it could be some kind of links in the suspension at the front. Not sure what they're called though. Any ideas?

bazz26

Best thing is to bring it to a mechanic and get him to diagnose the problem. Replacing parts which you think may be the problem is a very expensive exercise.

Ratchet

get it checked

it could be also tie rod for anti-roll bar

Padraig Mor

bazz26 wrote:

Best thing is to bring it to a mechanic and get him to diagnose the problem. Replacing parts which you think may be the problem is a very expensive exercise.

I did! Brought it to garage I got it from - they said bushes; guess they were wrong!

AMurphy

Padraig Mor wrote:

Car: 00 Focus saloon 1.6

Problem: On left turns, I'm getting a 'creaking' noise from the front left of the car. This noise sounds very like a dodgy spring in a mattress.
........

Thanks for your help!

I'd have gone for the bushes firat also, given they are the easiest to replace, cheap too (provided you do it yourself).

Anyway, given you say it may be like a bed spring, it could indeed be a suspension string.
It is not uncommon for the last/closed coil end to break orr, the car will not drop noticibly and if there is a rubber/plastic antirattle/squeek sock on the end of the spring, it will soon tear it up.
So you couls have a blunt, broken spring end bearing down directly on the metal of the support area.
Easy to check, remove wheel, jack up car and inspect the spring ends and the condition of the supports and anti-rattle plastic bits.

If the spring broke anywhwere other than the very end, that side would drop a bit from normal.

You can test the CV joints and axles easily also.
Just locate a large empty car park.
With the wheels at full lock, drive about in a circle, start slowely and work up.
normally, worn CV joints will clack-clack at just about any speed at ful lock.
also, reverse about the same circle, then test the other side inteh same manner.

Also, check your engine mounts. It is not uncommon for a worn or bloken engine mount to a allow the engine to fly off center on a turn, thus compressing the cv joint on the side it moving towards, then they will clack, inner and outer.
Given the engine will not mode as much at slow speed, it will tend to show a speed sensitive response.

litirspam

I now have the same problem. Front left hand side of car squeaking but not when it is raining. Did you find out what the problem was?