front end clunk
front end clunk
For the last 3 years there has been a clunk seemingly coming from the driver's side front wheel when travelling over rough ground. The nearest Infiniti dealer is 80 miles away but the local Nissan guys are pretty good and although their technician spent a couple of hours looking for the problem and tightening everything in sight he was unable to find the cause. The car is a 2003 G35 sedan with 148,000 KM (about 92,000 miles) on the clock which I have had since new. The clunking does not seem to affect the ride, tire wear is even and the steering has no play in it. The only recent maintenance to have been done in the area was the replacement of the wheel bearing (expensive!) about a year ago. If anyone has had a similar experience I'd like to hear about it.
Re: front end clunk
Does this clunk happen over big bumps or small bumps? Is it a loud sound or a lighter sound? Metal on metal or a plastic type of sound? Just trying to help narrow it down.
Re: front end clunk
Hi, and thanks for taking an interest. The clunking sounds similar to a worn shock absorber in many ways except that it is only a sound and no physical results are evidenced. It happens continuously over rough roads and singularly over a pothole or similar bump. On a reasonable road surface it is not present at all. The fact that it has been in existence for over three years indicates that it's probably not something that should cause a major problem and the car continues to drive perfectly, however it is aggravating and there is always a chance that it still could lead to bigger problems in the future.
Re: front end clunk
Ok, I had asked the questions because a lot of times when there is a similar noise to yours it can be the sway bar end links. These are often overlooked as an issue. They feel tight when you try and move them but they actually make a pretty good noise and are worn. I am actually changing both of mine this week as one of them has started making noise. Just something you may want to take a look at. If you want to see if it's an issue without spending the money just remove it. Then, go for a small ride. Keep in mind the car will have a bit of front end lean around a corner because the link is out. If the noise is gone then that's your problem. Very easy and free part to troubleshoot.
Re: front end clunk
Thanks and worth a try. This has been the only issue in quite a while and even though the car drives well I'd like to see it settled. Every once in a while I get the itch to update, but after taking a new one out for a test drive I find the extra cost to be unjustified - in fact I do believe I like my old lady better than the new ones - at least I can still play my cassette tapes!
Re: front end clunk
Another thing I forgot to mention that is often overlooked is the sway bar bushings. I chased a knocking sound in my 06 Cadillac CTS-V for about 3 months. Had someone mention the bushings and sure enough. They are $30 for both and that was the issue. Anyhow, hope you find it. I know how annoying front end noises can be.