GenVibe - Community for Pontiac Vibe Enthusiasts

My car has developed some creaking and popping in the last week. I can't make it happen every time, but it does it on a hard takeoff or sudden stop. Turning the wheels aggravates it. It sounds like its at the front left. Last week, when I accelerated after a light turned green I got a really loud pop. By really loud I mean it was so loud I thought I got hit by something. For the past year there has been a slight pop in the right side front when turning the wheels hard left and accelerating but no creaking. Since then I've been getting the creaking and slight popping. Any ideas to what I'm dealing with here? Thanks!

'09 with around 104,000 miles.

yep, I have the same thing. I have not heard it during the winter, but all summer long I heard it. Happens on hard left turns (full wheel turn) or making u-turns and it is coming from the driver's side wheel. It sounds like the CV joint boot problems I have had on previous cars. I don't see any grease or cuts on the boots which would allow dirt to enter the CV joint. Like my intermediate steering shaft issue, it is just another issue I am ignoring until it breaks.

09vGT wrote:My car has developed some creaking and popping in the last week. I can't make it happen every time, but it does it on a hard takeoff or sudden stop. Turning the wheels aggravates it. It sounds like its at the front left.

Does it cause any change in the handling? Can you feel it in the steering wheel when the pop happens?

Can't feel anything, no. The one that worries me is the loud popping while accelerating or hard stopping; when the car "nose dives" on hard stopping, or goes up under hard acceleration.

It might be the strut mounts. Look for movement of the top of the strut inside the mount as you jack up that wheel. See if the top of the strut can be moved around with the weight off the wheel.

This may be totally unrelated to this noise, but I had a popping/creaking noise from the front of the Vibe - we even had some customer complaints about it as well - The noise becomes more present when going over bumps and turning as the body shifts - what we ended up finding out was the the rubber insulation strip on the wiper cowl to windshield gets dry & dirty & start to make noise (mine was really bad @ one point) - The fix for that noise is to spray some silicone spray between the rubber strip and windshield - carfully slide a plastic wedge betwwen the strip and the glass (you only need to open it up a mm or so) and spray the silicone spray between the seal - the noise goes away (it may come back over time as excessive dirt seems to amplify the issue) hope this helps any

I started having this very same noise in the last few days. Mine's exactly as you describe, except it's coming from the front right wheel. Kinda like I've run over a stick... a quick POP... nothing continuous, no rubbing, no repeats... just a single pop and not even every-time I brake.

It seems to be suspension or steering related as I get the 'pop' when I'm coasting slowly over a speed bump (not touching brake). I'm not noticing a difference when turning in either direction, it seems more a position of the front end (high or low).

It is definitely coming from the wheel, not the window or body. I'm hearing the noise outside the car.

Google says:
CV joints/boots, control arm bushings, tie rod ends, ball joints, struts, draglink or steering arm can go "pop".

JohnO wrote:It might be the strut mounts. Look for movement of the top of the strut inside the mount as you jack up that wheel. See if the top of the strut can be moved around with the weight off the wheel.

I just came back from Goodyear where they gave Pandora a good looksee and we all test drove her over speed bumps. She stopped making the noise as soon as I pulled into the mechanic. Seriously, this car is making me look insane. Anywho, Goodyear said the struts are overdue and it's probably the mount needing replacement.

They quoted me $870, which included their special fancy 3 year alignment for $150 (every 6 months you go in for alignment adjustment).

I got prices from Rock Auto for the 2 struts (monroe), mounts and bellows for $275 w/ shipping. monroe is having a mail-in rebate currently for $120 Visa card. I can rent the tools from Autozone or Advance around the corner.

Just thought I'd report in my results!

my dealer just told me that both outer CV boots were leaking. My noise was when I would make a hard U-turn (left) from a dead stop. We'll see next week whether it solves the problem.