'Clunk' sound in reverse

[RyanH]

I was over at my grandparents tonight, and when I was backing down the driveway, I heard a kind of clunk noise that sounded like it was coming from the front end somewhere.

I was just coasting in reverse down the driveway, with the brakes applied a bit. It happened just after I let up on the brakes to let the car start rolling from a stop. I went back up the driveway, put it in park, applied the parking brake, and then started over and backed down again, and did not get the clunk.

I'm fairly sure I've heard it make that sound before under the same circumstances, but I don't believe it does it if I'm backing out of a parking space in a level parking lot, for example. I'm going to have to pay closer attention and see under what circumstances it happens, but I was hoping someone here may have an idea of whats going on.

I did some quick searching, but didn't really find anything that seemed to apply to this. I will say that I'm fairly certain I've got a front wheel bearing that is on it's way out, something up front is making noise, especially around 60mph and again around 90mph. Its going in to the mechanic tomorrow to have them looked at. Is this a noise that could be related to worn wheel bearings, or is more likely to be in the axle? My grandparent's driveway is pretty smooth, and I'm pretty familiar with suspension noises, and it doesn't really sound like anything suspension related.

[maxnix]

ABS system pressurizing?

[CrimsonQ]

My car does the same thing when backing down a slight incline and applying brakes.

I always thought it was normal operation, this is my first abs car.

[RyanH]

Its my first ABS car as well. I just didn't know if it was something to worry about or not. I hadn't even thought that it could be something to do with the ABS, and that it might be normal. As I've been thinking about it, I've only heard it when the windows are down, don't think I've never noticed it when the car is all closed up.

[FDR Dippin]

My '90 does it as well.

[Jeff Williams]

Lola makes kind of a "Buzz" sound when backing up the first time after being off for a long time (all day at work or all night at home). I can feel it in the pedal a bit too.

It is normal ABS operation on the Q. My other cars don't do it, or at least it is not noticeable.

[FDR Dippin]

[QUOTE=Jeff Williams]Lola makes kind of a "Buzz" sound when backing up the first time after being off for a long time .... QUOTE]

Like a stick shift?

[gregorynp]

My 1996 does this too. I did try backing up by putting transmission in neutral and rolling back & it didn'y do it. Does anyone have a solution to this?

[Q451990]

This is just the ABS self-test. No solution to it... that's what it's supposed to do!

The "clunk" is definately more pronounced when backing down a hill... I had more than one passenger ask "What did you run over?" I'm not sure why, but one house that I owned had a steep driveway and it was absolutely more noticeable there.

The other thing I noticed is that the transmission was harder to get out of "P" on a slope. A very firm application of the parking bake before putting the transmission into "P" solves this...

Heath

[louiegz]

Mine does it too and I never knew what it was. ABS self test. You learn something new every day. Funny, none of my other ABS cars do that.

[CrimsonQ]

The other thing I noticed is that the transmission was harder to get out of "P" on a slope. A very firm application of the parking bake before putting the transmission into "P" solves this...

Heath

Thats the way any car should be parked! especially on slopes!

[RyanH]

Its nice to know its something mundane. With my luck, I was thinking it was going to be something expensive.

[qsiguy]

My '94 does it as well. Only on my driveway which is a very slight incline. Only does it maybe 1 out of 10 times. I was thinking something in the suspension was loose, a bushing or something. Why would an ABS self test make a "clunk" sound?

[Qfinity]

Finally, it's confirmed what I have suspected. Thank you, this was bugging me for over a year, thought something was loose. Although it did get me to replace my tension rod bushings. Originally I thought that the they were making the sound.

[elwesso]

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