What does this squeaky sound mean?
 

We have a 2013 RDX FWD, which has had regular maintenance performed. In the last few weeks, we noticed a squeak that seems to come from the front of the car, behind the dash, on the right side. It sounds like a squeaky bed spring and mainly happens when the car goes over bumps or a dip in the road or during a turn. Is this what a bad shock sounds like? Could it be as simple as something needing grease? I do not hear the loud thump that a lot of people complained about. This is a quieter squeak. Thanks,

Gregg

Usually a bad sway bar link.

They are ultra easy to replace on most cars.

Thank you for your help. Is that a relatively inexpensive fix? Is this likely from hitting a pot hole, or does the sway bar link just go bad over time? Thanks again,

Gregg

Its a lot less noticeable if both wheels go up at the same time such as driving over a speed bump with both wheels. One way to really notice it is if one wheel goes over the speed bump while the other wheel drives over plain pavement at the end of a speed bump...same thing when one wheel goes into a pot hole.

I am not saying it is, but I have replaced these sway bar links early in every car; a few times on my Honda CR-V at about 50K miles and under warranty on my VW Jetta TDI at a mere 24K miles. I now have to replace them on my friend's car with about 50K miles.

The come at different lengths depending on the make and model of vehicle. This is a generic video on Youtube. It usually take me 15 minutes a side to replace.


For a good chuckle. Whoever invented speed bumps ad from about 20 years ago.
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...768d42a019.jpg

It's been my experience with Honda / Acura vehicles that the "squeaky" noises come from the bushings...Sway Bar and/or Control Arm bushings. This I think is primarily due to the material they're made from...polyurethane.

It could also be a strut as well...as anywhere you have rubber-like material rubbing against metal, then squeaking can result.

For the sway bar end links...if they happen to make any noise at all, it's usually a "popping" type sound of stiction as there is no polyurethane in the ball/socket joint of the end link.

Hope that helps.

I have never seen a manufacturer use a polyurethane bushing. They are usually used in the aftermarket for those wanting a more direct/stiffer ride. My Honda CR-V used a traditional rubber bushing with the steel sleeve molded within it. Same on my Porsche.

I'd love to see a pic of an OEM Acura control arm.

I guess you've never replaced a sway arm bushing...they're definitely not rubber and they definitely do not have a metal insert. Regardless, anywhere you have rubber/etc in contact with metal and there's relative movement...you have the potential for squeaking.

Sway bar end links on the other hand are a ball & socket and tend to pop if they make any noise at all.

If your experience is limited to only looking at an Acura parts fiche...then I guess you'd call it an "arm" or "lower arm." Actual Acura and Honda mechanics (and pretty much all mechanics I've communicated with) call it a Lower Control Arm.

Regardless...follow this link 2013 Acura RDX Lower Control Arm

Look at Parts Description and you see Lower Control Arm

You're Welcome

A sway bar and control arm are totally different parts. You mentioned above Yes I have had sway bar bushings out many times and they are a rubber. Some people that want to play boy racer on the street will then replace them with polyurethane bushings. But factory is rubber. Same on my other friend's 911...rubber.


Exactly which has the ball joint pressed into it. But don't confuse it with a sway bar.

If I remember, I'll let you know. My friend's car squeaks and I'll spray the rubber sway bar bushings with silicone spray first, just to be sure. But I am sure it is the links.

Do that. Quite frankly the point of my post was not to argue the material of which bushings are made -or- the semantics of what a control arm is called...because that is totally irrelevant.

My post was meant to point out that squeaks never come from the sway bar end links in my experience and that bushings are usually the culprit. The OP should not limit their search to just end links.

Maybe in "your" experience but I would never say "never". They did in my Honda CR-V, where both front and rear where each replaced twice and in the VW Jetta TDI. And they did not clunk or knock.

By the way, a bushing in a control arm that is pressed in, the type with a metal outer shell and a metal bushing sleeve rotates about the rubber the two metal items are bonded to. It is why the bolts are tightened when the vehicle is on the ground so that the rubber is not preloaded by a twisting moment (the upper A or control arms on the CR-V). Lower control arms mounted in the same fashion are the same.

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/acurazi...f14fab4799.jpg

I see what you did with my (mis)quote there...nice. In my experience with Honda/Acura vehicles I've never had sway bar end link squeak. Period. Sorry that seems to ruffle your feathers.

Sway bar bushings have no metal inserts. Control arm bushings are "rubber" for a reason...otherwise the bushings would be all steel. And yes, they too will squeak with age.

The anecdotes about your friends car, Porsches, Jetta TDIs and even CRVs are nice....as a reminder, the OP has an RDX and you won't find an A-arm on it anywhere,

Depends on your ear. Long before they clunk or rattle, they squeak. As in the ball joint was seized. Anyway, replaced on the Honda and all was quiet.

I know. Duhhh!

Finally! Because up in post #5, you said they were polyurethane.

:snicker: I get it...you've got doggy hearing!

:beatit: I guess you totally missed the quotes...like the point of the thread

Not really. I provided the OP with what the solution in my case to what caused the symptoms he had.

UPDATE:

I finally got around to replacing both front sway bar links on my friend's car. The passenger side which made all the noise had almost 60K miles on it which is on the high side for any of them to last. The driver's side was replaced a couple of years ago when the car was in an accident, but it was replaced as well with the slightly used one being kept as a spare.

As for the worn out sway bar link, only one joint could detect slight play in it.

All quiet now!