[Solved] So my suspension started making this noise...

"BJ" (benjamin-bignell) 09/16/2014 at 11:23 • Filed to: strange noises, suspension problems, on the internet nobody knows you're a mechanic's dog

0

20

Update: The car is a 2008 VW Passat wagon with ~ 116 000 kms on the clock. Based on your excellent feedback, it looks like suspension bushings, which was my suspicion. Now I just need to isolate the bushing(s) and decide how I'm going to fix it (myself, or at the dealer). Thanks to everyone for their input!

Any Internet mechanics out there got any ideas? It seems to have started with the onset of cooler weather here. It's not regular, but generally speaking the more the suspension travels, the more likely it is to make a noise.

Noise from front suspension, travelling at low speed over some speed bumps:

Mattbob > BJ 09/16/2014 at 10:22

0

Sell it and get a CPO Prius.

Chteelers > BJ 09/16/2014 at 10:24

1

Worn bushings is my guess. Either on the control arms or shocks

Yimmy_D_Yo > Chteelers 09/16/2014 at 10:38

0

What this guy said

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > BJ 09/16/2014 at 10:41

1

Sway bar bushings. Common noise when they get crusty.

themushman > BJ 09/16/2014 at 10:41

0

Gotta be bushings or a shock has gone bad and its bottoming out.

BJ > Mattbob 09/16/2014 at 11:16

0

Hmm, I was thinking about setting it on fire and pushing it into the river, then buying a CPO Prius. What do you think?

BJ > themushman 09/16/2014 at 11:19

0

It could be a shock, but I haven't noticed any bad road manners. Definitely not bottoming out, but I'll double check for excessive bounce and signs of leakage.

BJ > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 09/16/2014 at 11:19

1

Eww, those look awful.

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > BJ 09/16/2014 at 11:28

0

I am a VW guy, now that I know what you have I am POSITIVE it is the sway bar bushings. I had to replace mine in my 2003 GLI. Can be done in the driveway, btw.

deekster_caddy > BJ 09/16/2014 at 11:59

0

We also have an '08 Passat Wagon (love it!) with 95,000 miles on it. Suspension is quiet as a mouse! Sounds like control arm bushing creak to me, but it's possible that it's from the front shocks. Could be front sway bar bushings.

Any mods? (poly bushings in particular)

deekster_caddy > BJ 09/16/2014 at 12:01

1

There is more to a shock/strut than road manners - there are different valves for small movements and big movements. That's why the bounce test and the road test often come up different when evaluating worn shocks and struts.

deekster_caddy > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 09/16/2014 at 12:02

0

Or just drive it harder so the bushings don't get stuck and dry out! Ours has 95K miles on it and doesn't make a sound. But I love to drive it hard...

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > deekster_caddy 09/16/2014 at 12:19

1

Sometimes you can lube them and get them quiet. But if they are all dry rotted like the ones in the pic...they cost less than $2.50 each.

BJ > Trevor Slattery, ACTOR 09/16/2014 at 13:42

0

Cool, thanks for the details. If I wanted to put in a poly bushing kit (not just for the swaybars) is that something I can do in the driveway as well?

BJ > deekster_caddy 09/16/2014 at 13:43

0

I would say that my wife drives the car 75% of the time, and the 25% where I'm behind the wheel, the whole family is in there, too. That doesn't leave a lot of time for hard driving, unfortunately.

:)

BJ > deekster_caddy 09/16/2014 at 13:46

0

Good to know. Which should I do to best evaluate if a shock needs replacing, besides the bounce test?

deekster_caddy > BJ 09/16/2014 at 13:49

0

Ahhh sort of! Same goes for me, but I take onramps/offramps kinda fast and the kids love it when the turbo spools up! Have a LITTLE fun!

deekster_caddy > BJ 09/16/2014 at 13:52

1

Both really - the "bounce test" is simple - just push down on the fender a few times to get the car rocking good. Let go, and it should stop in 1-2 bounces. For the road test, there are dips (similar to bounce test) and bumpy roads - make sure the car feels normal over bumps. If the shocks are bad, it may start to hop to the side or get all wonky... That's really the basics. If the wheels hop while cornering and bumpy (like deep cracks in road bumpy), the shocks may be at the end of their life.

With only 100K km on it, I wouldn't expect the shocks and struts to be worn out. We have almost double on ours (95K miles), and they are still decent.

Trevor Slattery, ACTOR > BJ 09/16/2014 at 14:24

0

You will need a press of some type to install lower control arm bushings. If it is the family car...I'd would not bother with the poly kit.

BJ > deekster_caddy 09/16/2014 at 15:05

1

My kids are always telling me to go faster. My wife tells me to do the opposite. In life, you pick the battles you can win.