Vibration and knocking sound; need help with diagnosis
02-05-2008, 10:00 AM
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Vibration and knocking sound; need help with diagnosis
So, the other day, driving home on a 200+ mile drive, the car developed a severe vibration felt through the steering wheel and through the rest of the car. The vibration occurred occasionally in a straight line, but this is when I could reproduce the vibration reliably:
Going at about 80 mph on a right-turn curve (interstate) where all the weight would shift to the front left of the car. The vibration would become more pronounced. I also discovered that the vibration would largely disappear if I took my foot off the gas, but would reappear and get stronger and cause more "knocking" sound (toward the left front) the harder I got on the gas. Additionally, when I got off the interstate and hit a pretty large bump there was a loud noise that wasn't normal (but didn't repeat).
The fact that the noise and vibration seemed to be connected to when I was on the accelerator lead me to believe that it's related to the drivetrain. I'm thinking it's an axle or a bad motor mount. Am I right in thinking this?
Swaybar endlinks and tie rod ends were replaced not that long ago. There doesn't seem to be any play in the wheel bearings, and the wheels weren't getting hot like they did the last time I had a bad bearing.
Finally, the really confusing thing - I continued on my way home and I'd say the last 3rd of the trip the problems disappeared, and I haven't been able to recreate them since. That's really got me.
Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.
Going at about 80 mph on a right-turn curve (interstate) where all the weight would shift to the front left of the car. The vibration would become more pronounced. I also discovered that the vibration would largely disappear if I took my foot off the gas, but would reappear and get stronger and cause more "knocking" sound (toward the left front) the harder I got on the gas. Additionally, when I got off the interstate and hit a pretty large bump there was a loud noise that wasn't normal (but didn't repeat).
The fact that the noise and vibration seemed to be connected to when I was on the accelerator lead me to believe that it's related to the drivetrain. I'm thinking it's an axle or a bad motor mount. Am I right in thinking this?
Swaybar endlinks and tie rod ends were replaced not that long ago. There doesn't seem to be any play in the wheel bearings, and the wheels weren't getting hot like they did the last time I had a bad bearing.
Finally, the really confusing thing - I continued on my way home and I'd say the last 3rd of the trip the problems disappeared, and I haven't been able to recreate them since. That's really got me.
Any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks.
02-06-2008, 02:12 PM
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Not that anyone had any advice, but I just got word from the dealership that they couldn't find anything wrong.
Can't really blame them; for the past two days I've been driving the car like a madman trying to get it to reproduce the vibration and knocking with no luck. They tried driving it for 20 min with two techs and put it up on the rack and checked that everything was tight.
Oh well, I guess just a waiting game until it comes back.
Can't really blame them; for the past two days I've been driving the car like a madman trying to get it to reproduce the vibration and knocking with no luck. They tried driving it for 20 min with two techs and put it up on the rack and checked that everything was tight.
Oh well, I guess just a waiting game until it comes back.
02-06-2008, 04:35 PM
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Add in the fact that all the symptoms have disappeared and I really don't know what's up.
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