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Loud Knock Noise When Turning Steering

Mistertee

Mistertee

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Location
Bradford
Car
Honda Accord
Hi guys,

I dont about anyone else, but when I am driving my car the slightest of knocks or cranks really annoys me..! So last week I took my car to the mechanic as I had a few knocks coming from the front end of my car.

To me precise, the first problem was directly linked to the offside suspension, every time I went over a bump, or a pot hole there was a rattle, more when turning in to a road. The second problem was, when preforming a 3 point turn, I get a really loud knock.

So me being me left all problems to be solved by the mechanic (D.S. Autos, Shipley), who advised me that there was play on the upper suspension arm, and play on the steering track rod end, so I replaced both these parts at a cost £150.

After bringing the car home, the loud knock when turning is still there, and getting even louder, with added echoes of little knocks, the main problem is the loud bang when turning steering and slow speeds, ie when parking or when trying preform a 3 point turn.

Also I have notice that when going at a slow speed, if i press the accelorator and let go i feel a thud... my main question is, is my drive shaft going? has anybody else had any similar problems...

Realisticlly I expected all faults to be fixed, but now I am faced with more repair work... I am due to go back to the mechanic but before I do, I am dreading this ongoing repair work of replacing part after part and spending dollar after dollar and still not solving the problem, so guys anyone else faced with anything similar....??


thanks
 
As has been said Tariq anti roll bar drop links seem a likely cause

BUT

Ultimately sitting at a keyboard doing a diagnosis is just guesswork

So to avoid throwing money blindly at what might or might not be the problem as you say, the only solution is for a mechanic you trust to check under the car for play in the bushes, links etc. and test drive it when turning, to diagnose what is causing these noises.

If he spotted play in the arm and track rod then these needed sorting even if they weren't causing the noise. I think the issue is more why weren't the other items which are still causing noise not spotted last time?
 
Mr T

Out of curiosty would you recommend DS Autos on Carr lane He advertises that he is a Honda independent repairer
 
sorry not replied any sooner, been very busy.

After going for the second opinion, it was apparent that my the nearside track rod end also needed replacing... so i did... but it is still not right.. so i have been riding with it for now...

Anyhow, firstly my problem is still not 100% solved, and the thing with DS Autos is, if they know what they are fixing, ie driveshaft, bearings or anything in the clear, then they will do a good job at replacing it, not a cheap price, but not massively expensive either...

but heres the thing, when you have a problem like mine, and every mechanic gives a different opinion, they too are not sure, and always say I think it may be this, or i think it may be that... unfortunately i find that hard to accept, as if you are a Honda Specialist, you should know the most common faults, and be aware of needs replacing, without having to guess...

so generally they are not bad, but they are 2 old fellars who worked in honda for 25years, how long ago i dont know, as all new hondas are nothing like the old hondas they used to make...
 
Have u had your steering rack checked might be some play in that hence getting the knock when you turn
 
As oscar says above play in the steering can be checked quite easily.

However it depends what kind of a problem it is. you describe banging...but what we don't know is how loud/tone etc. and we can only guess here.

The thing is with modern cars tolerances are so fine that the old are of diagnosing where you see play in a wheel bearing etc. (you know the type of stuff you read on the web) means that the car would have been loooonnnngggggg undriveable. It only takes very very little to give noise/vibration in new cars and that I'm afraid is very difficult to spot unless you're looking very hard for it.

Do you ger vibration?

Do your dampers and springs look ok? how is ride height difference from side to side?

Have you checked your lower control arm bushes and balljoints (although this will most of the case give vibration also)

Wheel bearing and driveshafts - I'm afraid these two items, if you go there, are cheaper to replace them anyway once disassembled.

Have you taken it anywhere else for a second opinion? and by opinion I mean one that they can justify i.e there is a crack in the bushing or play in the ball joint etc. rather than the usual it could be the driveshaft...
 
Alan you are right in what you are saying, I had seen the play shown to me by the mechanic in the track rod ends, and it did seem small to the amount of knocking noise it was causing.

But my concern is that even after taking for a 2nd opiion to a local MCC garage, lad I know there, got him to test drive the car, so he can understand the noises. He checked it all out, and his verdict was track rod end, this time the n/s one. So I get this replaced. After the repair I took it for a test drive, everything seemed fine, sterring felt stiffer and not as loose as before, and the drive was smoother.

As time went on... only days later I started to feel little thuds in my steering, which got more regular as the days went on. So still didnt feel right, and since last couple of days I started to here a small 'twang' here and there when turning. There is no vibration.

So you can understand my frustration, as the car still does not feel right. I am close to getting rid of the car, and maybe going back to a german car..!

So, anyways I seen another mechanic yesterday, who was saying his brother has had a Honda Accord for a long time with over 300k on the clock, and advised me to bring car to hime this afernoon and he will take a look, as he is quite familiar with them. My point of coming on here is at least, I can get hime to check absolutely every possible area, to try and get to the fault...

I will mention the steering rack, lower control arm bushes, ball joints, bearings and driveshaft... lets hope I get to bottom of it 3rd time around.... let you know what happens....

thanks for all the help guys..
 
I had the mechanic thoroughly check the car. After his long inspection, he showed me the play I had in my n/s front upper arm bush, and also when he hit the tyre with bottom of his fist, there was an odd noise which echoed in to the top arm bush... so guess everything must go in pairs...

So... I am getting that same mechanic to order part tomorrow, and fit it as soon as it arrives. we'l see if that is the end of it.....
 
I had the part fitted, huge difference on the drive, steering much solid, and much smoother over bumps and pot holes... pretty much spot on...


thanks for all the help guys... i am now much happier.. also have decided to keep the car for a while longer... possibly looking at geting tints done...., and refurb some of the wheels...
 
Mistertee said:
I had the mechanic thoroughly check the car. After his long inspection, he showed me the play I had in my n/s front upper arm bush, and also when he hit the tyre with bottom of his fist, there was an odd noise which echoed in to the top arm bush... so guess everything must go in pairs...

So... I am getting that same mechanic to order part tomorrow, and fit it as soon as it arrives. we'l see if that is the end of it.....
Click to expand...

Hi mate,
Do you mind if I ask what the cost was of getting the bush replaced by your mechanic?
 
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