GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

Well it started a couple of days ago... heard it once when going over a bump and it sounded maybe like I had bottomed out which is a possibility as I was going slowly over a speed bump... sounded like it was from the rear.But now on a rather consistant basis as I am turning slowly and going over bumps, I'm getting this popping/clunking sound. Whats really weird about it is that I hear it from the front one moment then it sounds like its from the rear the next. Mostly though from the front and maybe in the middle of the front suspension area...I can't figure it out. I put the car up in the air, my wheels are on solid, the exhaust is on solid, there are no broken or lose suspension or steering components that I can see. You can have the car flat on the ground and bounce it and maybe hear it once and it doesn't sound like a shock. All my shocks are dry to so no blown shocks.I don't hear the noise when I'm driving down the road... just in parkinglots. My friend Mike heard it to and he looked all over as well and could not find the source.Any ideas?

Check your spare tire area. My clunk was because the jack was loose,from the factory.

That crossed my mind but everything is secure. we bounced the car a good many times and not a sound... he heard it from the back when he drove it. I heard it from the rear and the front...I may have to join the masses of "warranty won't find/finx my Vibe!" group by taking this down to Alaska Sales and Service for them to look. We saw nothing loose.

Don't know if you have an aftermarket rear sway bar or not, but I'd check this out anyway (worth a shot, plus it's easy to do):http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=5634

Don't have a rear sway bar... but I have a front one... Might be a good idea to check that over and make sure those 6 nuts are still tight... cause if you just sit there and turn the wheel, no noise, but if your turn the wheel while moving, you hear it. Gonna get out the tool kit when I get home.

you don't have a fsb, you have a front STRUT bar. i can't imagine why that would cause any clunking or popping sounds in the mid to rear of the car.

I have one too. Sometimes sounds like it is right in the middle of the dash, other times on the right side of the front, other times more like the right middle of the car. Sometimes I get the pop when I first start the engine before I put in gear, release the clutch or anything. Other times will get it while drving or turning, but not consistent.No point taking it to my dealer, they will just add it to the list of other rattles they cannot hear. I guess they have an affirmative action program to hire disabled people - they must be deaf to get hired! I just ignore it. Will probably pass my Vibe GT onto my son in a few months, if he wants to worry about it, fine. I checked out an Acura TSX this weekend.

I'm pretty sure it's coming from the front stabilizer shaft link stud. A couple weeks ago I replaced my springs back to stock and had problems trying to tighten the drivers side stabilizer shaft. I didn't have it tighten to the proper specs. (54.6 lb ft.) I drove it to a friends garage for some help and had the same popping/clunking sound you describe. Get both front tires of the ground and check it out.

Quote, originally posted by rasermon »I'm pretty sure it's coming from the front stabilizer shaft link stud. A couple weeks ago I replaced my springs back to stock and had problems trying to tighten the drivers side stabilizer shaft. I didn't have it tighten to the proper specs. (54.6 lb ft.) I drove it to a friends garage for some help and had the same popping/clunking sound you describe. Get both front tires of the ground and check it out. Yup I have to agree. When we did my springs that was the noise, the stabilizer link bar. It cost about 48$CDN.

My springs have been on for a year now, the strut bar a couple of months. I checked and its tight. The noise I'm hearing is more then something I will ever ignore and certainly am NOT comfortable driving my car with it like this. It sounds more front now as I did some driving and cornering slowly as it won't do it on street cornering, really slow speed cornering. Its definatly from the front...If anyone has had a bad ball joint or strut mount bearing, you know the noise I'm talking about. Thing is the strut seems fine and the wheel has no play when the weight of the vehicle is off it.I'm going to have my friend Jerry take it for a quick spin tomorrow as he had no time to today and see what he thinks. He's not familer with the Vibe or Matrix but he does have some experiences with Toyota. I'm wondering if I may infact have a bad strut mount... I'm on lowered springs after all and did hit some grovey holes on the long drive up here. I'm hardly expecting Warranty to cover it if thats what it is but I know a guy who can probably install it as long as I can get it confirmed as to what it is.

hmm. well guess i won't be taking the vibe for auto-x this weekend. lol. dang! car bill..... that sucks.

well I have an appointment at alaska sales and service monday morning to drop my car off for the day between 7-9am so looks like I'll be catching the Hope Shuttle if she feels like getting out of bed...Got one last thing I want to check and that is the nut at the top of the strut on the driver's side. I just want to know whats wrong, cost of part and how much to fix as because with my springs, I am not expecting warranty should the issue be suspension/steering related... If its a quick install, I'll have them do it... but otherwise I'll pay one of my mechanic friends to do it.

Did you take your wheels off and check the front stabilizer shaft link studs yet? You only need a 17mm wrench and a 6mm Allen. If the stud in not tighten proper your going to get some noise. While changing direction or going over small bumps the front sway bar is under a load like a spring. With that connected to stabilizer shaft link and to the strut, you have two studs that need to be checked. I could be wrong about your noise problem, but I just went through the same thing you described in your post.

Quote, originally posted by Mavrik »well I have an appointment at alaska sales and service monday morning to drop my car off for the day between 7-9am so looks like I'll be catching the Hope Shuttle if she feels like getting out of bed...Got one last thing I want to check and that is the nut at the top of the strut on the driver's side. I just want to know whats wrong, cost of part and how much to fix as because with my springs, I am not expecting warranty should the issue be suspension/steering related... If its a quick install, I'll have them do it... but otherwise I'll pay one of my mechanic friends to do it.ha ha. well, 7 am, no. but i can do 8 am. i like not having to go in til 9 am-ish. however, i'll probably be recanting that once i start having to work til 9 pm as well. lol. and yes, i'd rather have jerry work on the car than any of the techs at (removed) (yes, Alaska Sales and Service). especially since they never seemed to know anything about my vibe whenever i had to take it in. and i'd rather pay Jerry because he's a friend. maybe we can check out that stabilizer bar rich is talking about on Saturday, his mini install meet.

Jerry is going to take it for a drive tonight, the noise is definatly from the left fron strut assy/area... he thinks (hasn't driven it yet) that as I thought, maybe a bad mount. But he also thinks it might be the nut at the top of the strut, if thats loose. But I need to pop that cover off to get to it. Well I hope I can without having to take out the strut... it could be that link to but Mike checked it all out and nothing under the vehicle seemed loose...

hmm. well, is jerry doing that after work? i trust what he thinks. he's the man. besides, i gotta go pick up that transmission cooler so i can show it to Jerry to see what he thinks.

When was the last time you guys talked to each other in real time? lmaoer, hope the car gets fixed.

at lunch actually.

lol. just a few hours ago. and yes, i hope the car does get fixed or at least figured out what's wrong.

i hear that noise too. it i sto occasional for a trip to the dealer fopr me i guess.

well I didn't go to the dealership because the noise went away. I have not heard it since thursday. And I know nothing is loose, broken or what not as I had that checked. I do know the ins and outs of the dealerships... I'm not paying for an hour's worth of diag to get a "unable to duplicate concern" I'm waiting for the noise to come back...

just started to get this "clunk/pop" when turning at low speed --- usually leaving a parking lot or turning at a light. Have to go to the dealer tomorrow for a semi-annual, so I'll mention it

holy resurrection from the past lolAfter tightening my top strut tower nuts, I NEVER had the noise come back.

haha - your description best described what I'm hearingI'll tighten the bolts on the SB --- but I have a feeling that it might be my pads --- the brakes squeak when the car is almost at a stop