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View Full Version : What is this Noise?


lowey22
25th May 2007, 01:29 PM
Here's the suituation. There is a groaning noise coming from what appears to be the rear left of my car. Not long before this I had my rear sway bar put in and the noise occured when I turn left. I had the car in for a service and asked them to see if they could work out what the noise was, I suggested that it could be the suspension. They "apparantly" checked it and it is "apparantly" fine. They didn't offer any other suggestions to what it could be.

The noise has started to get worse and now happens whenever I hit a bump or turn either way, even when I accelerate fast enough. I though it might be the exhaust (it is on the back left), but I just had it checked out and it is fine. Got under the car with him myself and everything looks in place, nothing is loose or rubbing up against anything.

So now I'm back to my original thought that it is the suspension, as it sounds like a spring or something metal being pulled or rubbed. Plus I don't really trust that the mechanic had a good look the first time.

So if anyone has any ideas, please let me know. I will take all ideas and present them to the mechanic (probably not the same one) and see if they can find the problem.

Thanks!
JasonGilholme
25th May 2007, 01:34 PM
grease the sway bar bushes.
lowey22
25th May 2007, 01:50 PM
grease the sway bar bushes.

Yeah, I had that thought too, although it's only been on there for maybe 6 months. Do they need fairly regular greasing?

I will get under the car this weekend and have a look. Thanks :)
reedaaron
25th May 2007, 01:55 PM
quite possibly the same creaking noise we all get... the corsa's do it and i'm fairly sure the astras do too..holden charged me $50 last time and all they did was lube up the boot lid.. still creaked when i drove it away.. still don't know exactly what it is either..
pred8r
25th May 2007, 02:13 PM
On my Corsa they said it was the bootlid - It was the rear trailing arm bushes.

Instead of replacing them they used graphite grease/powder and the creaking returned 2000kms later.

Visually they 'looked' ok too.
JasonGilholme
25th May 2007, 02:33 PM
haha bushes always look ok. They feel like shit way before the fall apart lol.

Temp fix them with silicone spray i guess. Either that or buy some proper, water proof, automotive grease and re-install it with that.
bornwild
3rd June 2007, 01:16 PM
On my Corsa they said it was the bootlid - It was the rear trailing arm bushes.

Instead of replacing them they used graphite grease/powder and the creaking returned 2000kms later.

Visually they 'looked' ok too.

Spot on!

Occured in my brothers 2003 Ford Focus as well, at both the left and right rear.
lowey22
4th June 2007, 05:34 PM
Ened up being the sway bar bushes...

Took it to a suspension place and got a free suspension check done. They greased the bushes for free :)

They also gave me a quote for works that "could" be done, although they said only one thing on there "needed" to be done soon. That was the front bearing caps, which will be about $430 including labour, ($220 worth of parts). The Astra has done about 220,000kms, is this something that needs doing? I do trust them, well I trust them more than I trust most mechanics, but you never know. I am in the process of getting another quote for them.

The other stuff they listed was:
- front lower control arm
- front lower control arm rear
- rear crossmember mounts front
- wheel alignment

They tell me that the rest doesn't need to be done, I think it is just their wish list ;)