TheSauceBoss

This horrible creaking sound randomly started coming from the front drivers side of my car.

Only occurs at low speed, like less than 10mph, it's the loudest only when I'm moving a few mph and turning the wheel into my driveway or a parking lot.

Doesn't seem to affect driveability - at speed, nothing seems off.

Jacked the car up, the noise disappeared when the wheels were off the ground.

Recently replaced the PS fluid, and now it's colder out, and my wheel was pretty hard to turn along with this creaking.

I'm thinking it's either the rack & pinion or the shock/strut assembly. But after I jacked it up and found nothing visibly or audibly wrong with the brakes, axles, etc. the noise seemingly went away as I was moving the car around the driveway.

Any ideas? Video below. The noise is most clearly heard between the :26 - :32 second mark.

Thanks for your time.

TheSauceBoss

Noise is completely gone today.... not sure if moving the power steering rack by hand and removing the wheel did anything to relieve pressure on any boots or bushings. Totally beats me...

truonghthe

Does this noise happen only when you turn left or right?

TheSauceBoss

Yes, it's definitely more pronounced when turning and at less than 5mph, but it also occurs to a lesser extent when moving straight in forward/reverse.

truonghthe

check motor mounts and upper control arm busing/ joint.

TheSauceBoss

Upper control arm bushings might be the case, I changed my oil and trans fluid last night - I used an impact wrench to remove & reinstall the front wheel, while the car was off the ground. The noise slightly came back then went away this morning.

I've never done this method before - I just noticed that the sound appeared when I started using the impact to fully tighten the wheel when it was off the ground. I'm now guessing that when I lowered the car back down (the past two times), that the fully tightened wheel twisted or flexed the bushings in such a way that it caused there to be more tension on the LCAs. (as opposed to easing the car down, then fully tightening the lugs with the weight of the car on the wheels).

I'm assuming that this sound is a result of me cutting corners....

peter6

Well they way how you tighten your wheel lugs doesn't matter. If done correctly, there won't be any difference on the suspension. When not using the impact, lowering the car is simply required because you need something to hold down the wheel for you. And technically you shouldn't slam car all the way down before tightening, just lower is enough to hold the wheel.

Anyways, when you get to the point that turning the wheel will produce the noise most of the time, get somebody to turn the wheel and lay down on the ground and touch every suspension component. There is a chance that you will be able to feel the extra vibration from component that causes the noise. Otherwise ignore it (assuming there is no worn out components that have play in them)