Ok. This is going to sound dumb, but it is entirely true (no exaggeration.)

Right front suspension makes a popping sound all the time (atleast 95% of the time when I'm driving normally.) It is most noticable at lower speeds (sub 45) when hitting a small pothole or dip, causing the right tire to have a change of direction of force, or when moving a bit slower during turning it will pop when I initially turn. Also, when turning at much lower speeds such as when parking it will pop many times in the process, but it is NOT always when turning that it pops. Braking doesn't affect the sound, occurs under braking or not.

The other 5% of the time that it makes NO SOUND were the last 3 trips to Meineke I made (my ****ing car knows when it's going to see a mechanic, I swear.) They drive it, no sound, I drive it with them with me, no sound.

They put it up on lift, visually inspect... no worn ball joints, tie rods or other visually inspectable areas.

A friend of mine that has been a mechanic for about 20 years or so will be looking at it shortly to see if he can find anything wrong. One thing he said very infrequently happens is some bolt somewhere may have worked itself loose over the course of years and is getting worse and worse ... so when he does look at it he will try tightening every bolt he can find to see if any were not torqued down.

If this does not solve the problem, what are some possible causes of this generic popping sound?

Upper strut bearing, tie rod (inner/outer?), ball joint? If I can't find the problem I will just get one of everything that can make a sound and replace it.

 

this happened to me. It was my strut mount. Prior to the event my car was in the shop and the shop never tighted my left strut. The strut pretty much drilled out a new hole in the mount from going up and down. I eventually saw it bc the screw was about to come off. it was scary. Me and my dad ghetto fixed it somehow, but i have a new mount in my trunk waiting to be put on. Check it out.. keep us updated..

 

When you say strut mount are you talking inside the wheel well at the top/base of the strut or where the strut mounts in the engine bay?

I am mechanically inclined, but I've never done suspension work so you'll have to bear with me here and let me know what exactly a strut mount is and what to look for visually if it is worn (or what to try and tighten if that is the case).

 

Ok well I just looked up what they look like, so obviously that's the mount inside the engine bay that the strut bolts onto. Was yours the case that the bolts loosened and the strut destroyed it, or it just wore out such that it needs to be replaced?

 

Are you lowered? If so, who did your install? Suspension noises are sometimes caused by incorrect installations A few causes are improper spring perch clocking, spring seating, bad strut bearings or worn upper strut mounts.

 

suspension is still all stock and never been taken apart (80k)

so I'm begining to lean towards worn strut mount/bearing.

 

it was loosened and the motion of the strut moving up and down destroyed the strut hole. Made it about twice as big as it was suspose to be. If your not lowered and its all stock, could it be a bad strut. It could just be bottoming out. How many miles do you have on your car? Could be something with the bumpstop? im not the suspension guro but i know a little bit.

 

i had a very similar noise coming from an improper suspension install on a friends car... we didnt point the upper spring seats "OUT->" as labeled on the top of them, and thus didnt sit flush against the car.. the symptoms were exactly as you decribed. i would pull them off and inspect them, the bearings are dirt cheap, might as well replace it while you have it off. definately torque your 3 upper bolts to spec too.. i think its like 25-40 lbs-ft, someone check me on that