"Clunk" in Steering
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,023
Likes: 2,715
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
"Clunk" in Steering
Our 2009 Z51 A6 Coupe has about 21,000 miles. When making a moderately tight turn at low speed, like pulling into a parking space, occasionally I feel or hear a single slight "clunk" in the steering. This is not the normal tire scrubbing in a tight turn, nor is it the differential chatter. It's only occasional, so it's hard to pin down exactly when/why it happens.
The dealer replaced the front swaybar links, no change. The rear links still look good. Alignment and tire wear patterns are normal.
My local shop put the car up in the air and discovered that pushing up and down on the steering column (from underneath) gives maybe 1/8" of movement, but we don't know if that is normal or not.
Suggestions?
The dealer replaced the front swaybar links, no change. The rear links still look good. Alignment and tire wear patterns are normal.
My local shop put the car up in the air and discovered that pushing up and down on the steering column (from underneath) gives maybe 1/8" of movement, but we don't know if that is normal or not.
Suggestions?
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
I would have said the tires in full-lock turns, but that's not it. As many others have said on other threads, it could actually be in the rear. Are you actually 'feeling it' in the steering wheel? I realize we have gas by wire and steer by rack, but do you feel it?
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 16,015
Likes: 829
Our 2009 Z51 A6 Coupe has about 21,000 miles. When making a moderately tight turn at low speed, like pulling into a parking space, occasionally I feel or hear a single slight "clunk" in the steering. This is not the normal tire scrubbing in a tight turn, nor is it the differential chatter. It's only occasional, so it's hard to pin down exactly when/why it happens.
The dealer replaced the front swaybar links, no change. The rear links still look good. Alignment and tire wear patterns are normal.
My local shop put the car up in the air and discovered that pushing up and down on the steering column (from underneath) gives maybe 1/8" of movement, but we don't know if that is normal or not.
Suggestions?
The dealer replaced the front swaybar links, no change. The rear links still look good. Alignment and tire wear patterns are normal.
My local shop put the car up in the air and discovered that pushing up and down on the steering column (from underneath) gives maybe 1/8" of movement, but we don't know if that is normal or not.
Suggestions?
I do apologize for the troubles you are having with your vehicle. I see that you took it into the dealership and they were not able to take care of the problem. I would suggest taking the vehicle back and letting them know the problem still exists. If they have trouble figuring out the problem, I will be more than happy to contact them to see if we can assist them in taking care of this issue. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Geoff Allen
Chevrolet Customer Service
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
hmm, man, my first thought when I saw the title was to jump in here and say check the sway bar links as that is about 100% of the time exactly the cause of what you described. In fact, I literally just replaced the sway bar links on my fiancees Ford Focus a couple weeks ago to fix this exact issue; one was wallowed out pretty bad.
So will be interested to see if you get a final outcome and to know what the fix ends up being - in other words, please post results when this gets figured out to help educate the rest of us
And, seeing a rep from GM on this site that is willing to help out, holy mole, makes me even happier I switched over to GM! Geoff, that is awesome to catch this post and offer help immediately! Way better than waiting on hold to talk to a Ford representative at a call center that knows a little about nothing hahaha.
So will be interested to see if you get a final outcome and to know what the fix ends up being - in other words, please post results when this gets figured out to help educate the rest of us
And, seeing a rep from GM on this site that is willing to help out, holy mole, makes me even happier I switched over to GM! Geoff, that is awesome to catch this post and offer help immediately! Way better than waiting on hold to talk to a Ford representative at a call center that knows a little about nothing hahaha.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 4,974
Likes: 14
From: Pinellas Park Fl
St. Jude Donor '08-'09 & '12, '14
I haven't heard it happening on the vette, but GM has a problem with the intermediate steering shaft. When it happens you will get a knocking noise, and feel a vibration in the steering wheel when it happens.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,023
Likes: 2,715
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Thanks to all who responded, especially Geoff.
I'm going to wait a while and see if i can learn something that might help the Tech diagnose the problem. Going to Eureka Springs at the end of the month, maybe discover something on that trip.
I'm going to wait a while and see if i can learn something that might help the Tech diagnose the problem. Going to Eureka Springs at the end of the month, maybe discover something on that trip.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 10,962
Likes: 29
From: Van Buren Arkansas
Wounded Warrior Escort '11
I experienced clunks when moving slow in parking lots and turning. It was the end links. Replaced them the first time and within a few months, the problem came back. GM had come out with a new design by then. Replaced them again, no more problem. Now these were the rear links in my case but the front has them too.
Last edited by dgrant3830; Sep 19, 2010 at 08:43 AM.
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Michael S. Palmer
Racer
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 318
Likes: 11
From: Temecula CA
First I would try tightening the end link nuts, even if they are a little loose they will cause the "clunk". Make sure the bolt (shaft) does not spin and don't tear the boot or you may ruin the end link. Good luck!
