I just purchased a 2001 C5 convertible with 30,000 miles. It has the magnetic ride suspension which I love. The issue is the car squeaks when going over bumpy city streets or even pulling into a parking lot. The bumps do not need to be big. Sometimes it is the smaller ones that create the most squeaking. The dealer said it was the rear shocks and replaced them. The squeaking is better with the stiffer new shocks but still there. If I move to sport or performance it squeaks less. The corvette dealer which specializes in corvettes said they have not run into this before. Any help narrowing the issue down is appreciated. Not a big fan of turning heads because of the squeaking versus the beauty of the car.

 

Do some searching on this- It's one of those things that's asked pretty routinely. Very quickly, 99.9% of the time it's your front (and usually your rear as well) sway bar bushings. Just put the car up, unbolt the bolts to each, remove the bushings, lube them with heavy grease (I recommend Super Lube) and put 'em back on. If you want the grease to last, use a dremel tool to grind small grooves in the inside of the front bushings to hold grease.

If you're not comfortable with a repair at this level, go to your favorite shop and have them replace the bushings and make sure they lube them as well.

 

Thanks. The mechanic did look at the front and showed me the bushing saying it looked good. They had felt on the inside to supposedly eliminate noise. Can you visually tell if a bushing is bad?

 

Thanks, If this is a common issue I would think that a Corvette specialty dealer would have solutions. Getting a feeling they don't want to pay for it but they diagnosed and replace the shocks which cost them a bunch of money. I would think the bushing are a cheaper fix than the shocks.

 

Easy and cheap solution (not for 'waxers')
Grab a $6 can of silicon lube and spray down all the bushings, end links etc lightly. Go for a drive around the block.
90% chance it'll silence the suspension. Repeat annually or as needed.
I've had excellent luck with this method on many cars; including those with noisy metal end links, poly bushings etc.
Don't use WD40 or equivalents, the petroleum may/will degrade the rubber components.

 

I didn't see any rust when he took them off. I will look again and try some of the suggestions. Thanks

 

I just got back from the Corvette Specialty Dealer and they said they sprayed a high dollar Teflon material on the sway bar bushings so it must be the upper and lower arm bushings which is 20 hours of labor to replace. I had the general manager ride in the car. The squeak is more pronounce at slow speeds over smaller rapid bumps in the road versus big bumps. As the ride control goes from Tour to Sport the noise is less frequent but still there on bumpy city streets. I am taking it back tomorrow to have the tech revisit. Before they convince me it is upper or lower arm bushings has anyone had issues with them and when they go bad what noise do they make. Also only 30,000 miles . I would think Corvette only techs would be able to identify. They all act as if this is the first they have seen this issue. Feeling like they are guessing and are part replacers versus techs. The other option they threw out was now front shocks which just 2 days ago they said were fine when they replaced the rear shocks. Needless to say both options are big bucks and the sales side won't cover. As noted already did the back shocks which helped lessen but did not fix underlying squeak. Help...getting dizzy with the circle talk at the dealer.

 

I'm certain it's your sway bar bushings. Dollar to your donut. A little Teflon spray will not help- Do some searching. Heavy axle grease or "SuperLube" is the way to go.

Search the post where the OP discusses small grooves inside the felt of the bushing. Works like a charm. They may not have even removed your sway bay bushings- They may have just sprayed the Teflon spray from the outside. Before I did mine, I had an outfit here in San Diego called "Top Flight Corvette" rip me off for the same thing, $200 and still squeaking. It was only after finding the post about dremeling in grooves and loading them with SuperLube that I cured my issue. I did it with ramps in 20 minutes per axle.

 

Thanks, based on everything I read on the forum my gut was telling me they are wrong. Wonder if they are on the forum. If not they should be. I will see what they say but will hold off on any spending until I can try some of these fixes myself.

 

PM Sent.

 

greasing sway bar bushings helped for some of it but there is still a squeak when I press on the breaks.. kinda odd. What could that be? car doesnt have to be moving just still and it squeaks

 

Time to turn up the stereo

 

Well the issue was the front and rear shocks. And with Select Ride Control they were not cheap. Since the dealer should have caught the problem during their Corvette Specialist used car inspection they did the back total and clipped me for the wholesale cost on the shocks on the front. I am still a little upset they charge anything. I did offer them the car back and I would pick out another. At least it is does not squeak.

 

I too had noise, found it to be the Sway bar bushing. The stock had some kind of tape. I replaced my sway bars with a Z06 size and put teflon tape around the bar where the bushing went, this lasted about 2 years. If the noise returns, I'll just put new teflon tape in the same points. This is a place that will get movement and wear out the teflon. I did the grease on the stock setup, it didn't last very long. Some bushing holders have grease fittings and special bushing just for this. I have the harder poly bushings so teflon was my solution. Good luck.

 

I wish that my issue. Could have saved a boat load of money.