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Creaking steering left

csak1981

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Location
Scotland
Car
Accord Tourer 8th Ge
09 accord tourer ex 2.2 i-dtec 165k

Been getting creaking and clicking noise when parking mainly steering left. Had now gotten to when driving at slow speeds and also slight left turning and can hear it when suspension rebounds when over speed bumps. Noticed track rod ends leaking grease both sides so I replaced myself noise still present.

Put into Honda for investigation 40 bucks. Advised ns drop link and both anti roll bar D bushes making the noise and getting worn. I authorized replacement full bill including health check 282 bucks with them confirming fixed.

Picked car up and before moving off turned steering left and noise still bloody there. Went back in to tell them and they took it straight back into workshop. 25 mins later technician/service manager admitted it was a bugger of a job locating noise and they had the listening machines hooked up to it originally and reckons the noise is different now and that he has now unbolted subframe and re bolted in placed using the alignment jig with the locating pins while i was waiting. So I've wasted my money on the drop link and D bushes?

We go back out to where the car is now waiting in a parking space again and he says try it now. Noise gone he says try it moving forward and noise is gone. I spoke at length with him about the overall condition of car and he says for the mileage it is mint. We had a good chat about which oil to use and intervals and which i keep on top of and i shouldn't have any problems with timing chains and engine bearings etc. Then before he went back inside says any problems with the noise let me know.

As soon as I was stopped at the next set of lights i moved the wheel to the left and noise still there not as bad. That was Friday and they were due to close. Was driving car today and its just the same as before i gave them the car.

I'm going to phone and speak to him Monday morning.

Where do I stand on this as parts have been replaced that didn't need to be replaced. I've paid 40 bucks for the initial investigation and they've not delivered. The drop links and d bushes where picked up on health check so think they were just taking the **** there. Am i entitled to my investigation charge refunded if more parts now need changed to eliminate noise as they've got it wrong already?

Sorry long post but don't usually deal with the dealers but I can't get round to investigating myself due to this bloody weather.

Cheers
 
Not sure about your year of car but they are renowned for issues with bottom ball joints which can often fail. Might be worth getting them to check this
 
I initially called them to price getting the ball joints replaced and the service manager said he doubted that was where the noise was coming from. He stated to me in his experience its aftermarket ones that are failing.
If the boots on them look fine and there is no play then they should be good. I've been in at the wheels and I've checked this myself and going by videos I've seen of noise from failing bottom joints they will usually squeak but I'm definitely getting clicking or creaking.
They can tell you anything and it looks like they've managed to extract the best part of 300 bucks from me without actually fixing anything.
I've got a feeling when I finally get to the bottom of it it'll be a really cheap and easy fix
 
I think clicking when turning can be a CV joint, but it can be a drop link too so it was a fair shout.
 
The clicking is definitely in the steering movement. It does it when wheels aren't moving
 
Ah OK....did you mention that to them ?......not sure how it could ever have been ARB related if it happens when the car isn't moving.
 
I thought that myself. The service manager drive the car himself with me in the car before they worked on it and confirmed he could hear it.
As far as i know because the wheel caster changes when steering even when stationary the lower control arm would have some up and down movement which the drop link is attached to.
Just annoyed that they confirmed the parts that were making the noise with the listening equipment and then confirmed it was test driven and fixed
 
A creak you could understand as tension gets taken up and everything connects with everything else but clicks....not sure there's any up and down movement in a LCA when a car has stopped...what causes that?
I agree with you, you asked for and paid for a diagnosis of this particular fault, and they diagnosed wrongly, yes they did their best but it was still wrong bearing in mind the clicking.
So does it look like wear and tear in the electric steering mechanism?
 
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Best not go in guns blazing though, you don't want to fall out with your local main dealer! But hopefully they can put things right.
 
Yep just waiting on service manager to get back to me. He's either at desk all day or in workshop which is where he was Friday as his hands looked dirty. He's in workshop again today. Will keep you posted
 
I've to drop it off when i can and he'll sort it. He was very apologetic. I didn't fly off the handle. I would of turned straight back with it on Friday but they were due to close and it was pretty hectic whilst i was there
 
Sounds promising, main dealers are usually pretty good on customer service because they don't want you to go over their heads to Honda UK, but fingers crossed the real fault doesn't involve big money.
 
Update

Dropped it off Monday night and was ready by end of Tuesday but only got round to picking up today.

Noise gone, they lowered subframe again and rubbed down any corrosion and lubricated where the rubber mounts mate against the chassis and the noise remained. So they removed anti roll bar and where the bar sits inside the D-bushes there was some corrosion which blisters out and makes the bushes really tight and makes the creaking and clicking noise I was getting apparently. So they rubbed down corrosion and re-painted the bar, lubricated then put together and noise gone.

If they tried this at the start the old bushes would probably of been stretched with the corrosion underneath being like this for so long and so the bushes would of been loose fitting on the bar so I suppose replacement of the D-bushes would of needed done anyway and one less thing for me to tackle with the anti rollbar in place with car on axle stands.

When they gave it back to me after re- aligning the subframe last time the steering was as straight as its ever been since I've owned it and it's not changed so looks like happy days.
 
Good result after all. Good to know that the sound can be caused by corrosion.
 
Yep would be good to own one of those electronic mechanics ear machines as it pointed them to the correct area from the start. Track rod ends(which i replaced), inner tie rods and steering rack looked like the most likely culprits which would of been alot of expense and problem would of still been there
 
Was pretty annoyed that they didn't get it right first time but actually happy with them now that they took it back and made sure it was put right. The car is now going on 11 yrs old and was fully expecting them to just say that with the cars age its going to make noises and its nothing to worry about seeing as they made some money out of it.

I'm going to give it a week or two and if all good I'll give them a wee phone to give them a wee thanks
 
The main advantage with the electronic ear is that you can road test the car with headphones on and see which condition produces noise,left/right turns/small bumps/large bumps etc.
They aren't all that expensive to buy.
 
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