Component & Suspension Noise Identification Table |
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Listen | Inspect | Test |
"Tunk" or "Clunk" noise only when braking. It sounds like something heavy is banging a wheel. STOP DRIVING IMMEDIATELY |
Brake caliper - immediately stop driving and inspect your brake caliper for loose and missing caliper bolts. This failure is rare, but happened to me and is potentially life threatening should your caliper fall off the hub spider. | No test is required as inspection will reveal if the caliper has become loose or partially detached. |
Heavier dull "Clunk" sounding noise only on large bumps. | Lower suspension arm bushes - look for perished rubber and signs of excessive play or slippage. |
Use a tyre iron or crowbar to lever the joints up and down at the bushes to test for play. On most vehicles more than 1/4 inch of play indicates failure. |
Upper suspension arm bushes - look for perished rubber and signs of excessive play or slippage. |
Use a tyre iron or crowbar to lever the joints up and down at the bushes to test for play. On most vehicles more than 1/4 inch of play indicates failure. | |
Ant-roll bar (sway bar) bushes - look for perished rubber and signs of excessive play or slippage. | Use a tyre iron or crowbar to lever the joints up and down at the bushes to test for play. On most vehicles more than 1/4 inch of play indicates failure. | |
Lighter, almost rattling, but dull "Tunk" sounding noises over uneven roads and bumps. Sounds like something is loose. Noise reduces or disappears at higher speeds. | Drop links - look for snapped anti-roll bar drop links and worn/perished rubber bushes at their ends. |
Jack up the car and safely support it on axle stands. Disconnect the drop links on both sides of the anti-roll bar from the suspension arms and securely tape them up. Go for brief and careful drive over some bumps. If the noise has gone, the culprit was the drop link. However, be careful and do not drive at speed as your car will exhibit more body roll around corners without the drop-links. |
Dampers (shocks)- look for worn/perished bushes at the ends of the dampers. Look for excessive corrosion on the body of the damper which may have led to a leak in fluid or gas. Open the bonnet and boot of the car and inspect the top seats of the dampers for corrosion and loose mounting bolts. | Jack up the car and safely support it on axle stands. Grab the damper by its body and give it a solid shove up & down and back & forth, movement indicates possible failure. Open the bonnet and boot of the car and while repeating this test inspect the top seats of the dampers for movement. Movement indicates possible rubber bush failure or loose mounting bolts. | |
Almost ringing "Clang" or "Tang" or "Clung" sounding noise, over large bumps and/or when jacking up the car and unloading the suspension. | Springs - inspect the springs for cracks and breakages. Make sure you look carefully in each spring seat (top and bottom) to see if the spring has broken at the end. |
No test is necessary as a broken spring can easily be identified on sight. |
Lower suspension arm bearing - look for signs of a seized bearing like excessive "red" rust around the bearing. |
Jack up the car slowly at the corner where the seized bearing is located. As the suspension unloads watch the bearing closely to see if it operates smoothly rather than suddenly unloading. | |
Upper suspension arm bearing - look for signs of a seized bearing like excessive "red" rust around the bearing. | Jack up the car slowly at the corner where the seized bearing is located. As the suspension unloads watch the bearing closely to see if it operates smoothly rather than suddenly unloading. | |
Clicking, popping or snapping sound over bumps. May also occur when stationary as you turn the steering. Progresses eventually to a "Clunk" sound if left unfixed. | Lower ball joint - inspect the rubber gaiter around the ball joint for splits and signs of perishing that have allowed dirt into the joint |
Use a tyre iron or crowbar to lever the joints up and down at the ball to test for play. Any play indicates failure as the ball in the joint should not move vertically. |
Upper Ball Joint - inspect the rubber gaiter around the ball joint for splits and signs of perishing that have allowed dirt into the joint | Use a tyre iron or crowbar to lever the joints up and down at the ball to test for play. Any play indicates failure as the ball in the joint should not move vertically. | |
"Creak" sound as you turn the steering, which disappears or reduces when driving at speed. Note that this only applies to cars with McPherson struts. | McpHerson strut seats - check the seats for signs of "red" rust and wear. This is usually fairly conclusive of failure. | Get a friend to turn the steering as you listen for noise at McpHerson strut seats. Jack up the car, support it on stands and firmly grasp the McpHerson strut and attempt to move them laterally. Excessive movement at the seat indicates failure. |
General rubbing, grinding or rumbling sound when driving from one side of the car. | Wheel Bearing - No inspection is required, proceed to the test section | Jack up the car, grab the wheel at the 12 o'clock and 6 o'clock positions. Attempt to waggle the wheel back and forth. On a front wheel drive car any loose movement indicates failure. On a rear wheel drive car there will be a little play, but this should not be excessive. |
Regular and repeated "Click" or "Tunk" only when turning a sharp corner and loudest at very low speeds. Usually only occurs when turning in one direction. | CV Joints - The sound a failing CV joint makes is usually distinctive and conclusive. However, inspect the CV rubber gaiters for splits as this will confirm a likely failure. | If you are unsure of which CV joint has failed then you can get a friend to slowly drive your car while making sharp turns. During these manoeuvres listen to each wheel to determine from which side the noise is coming. |
"Shhhh-sh-shhhh-sh" light intermittent rubbing sound from one side of the car. | Brake disc guard and brake caliper - inspect the dust guard and caliper. Check for loose caliper bolts . Check that the dust guard isn't bent and fouling the brake disc. Note that a bent dust guard isn't a major concern, but that a loose caliper is extremely dangerous and must be corrected immediately. | Note that inspection is enough to identify this fault. However, you can also take the car for a drive and apply the brakes gently and progressively. If the rubbing sound stops then a loose caliper may be indicated although this is not conclusive. Note that driving with a loose caliper is extremely dangerous and you should stop and inspect the car immediately. |