Clunking/popping sound . . . not "The Clunk" =)

[Lo Pony]

It's a POP - and it's the sway bar

Even the 99's and 01's. It's the REAR SWAY BAR JOINT in the rear suspenion. My 99 does it, and every other one I've ever ridden in does it.

Doesn' t hurt a thing - it's just annoying as feck.

TF

 

[Honest Mike]

Is it a big deal to remove the sway bar? If not, remove it and drive the car, if the noise is gone, there you go, if the noise is not gone, look further. I had a customer with a mid 90s toyota camry and the car made the funniest popping banging noise coming from the rear of the car when you would drive over bumps in the road. You would swear it was either a busted rear strut or something in the trunk rolling around. First we checked to make sure the trunk wasnt full of crap, which it wasnt, then with the car parked, i rocked the car side to side with my hands under the rear fender as my brother laid under it feeling with his hand all the different parts that flex, such as the sway bar bushings. He said everytime he heard the noise, he could feel it in his hand the rubber bushings give. We put it up on the lift and replaced the bushings, the ones that wrap around the sway bar and have like a U shaped metal thing that holds them up tight to the body, took the car for a ride, noise was gone!!! Those little rubber sway bar bushings can make a hell of a noise when their worn out. Im not saying this is your problem, since this camry had over 100k miles and you guys have brand new cars, but someone above mentioned sway bar and i felt maybe my input would help. Mike

 

[Randee of the Redwoods]

Re: It's a POP - and it's the sway bar

Originally posted by Lo Pony
Even the 99's and 01's. It's the REAR SWAY BAR JOINT in the rear suspenion. My 99 does it, and every other one I've ever ridden in does it.

Doesn' t hurt a thing - it's just annoying as feck.

TF

So, techinically, if I disconnect my rear sway bar, the noise should go away? I was thinking of doing this so I could verify that the sway bar is exact cause. I'm fine with the noise as long as it's not from anything going wrong. If doing the above cured the problem, I would at least be happy that I knew exactly where the noise was coming from. (and, no, I'm not going to ride around with the sway bar disconnected)

 

[03DOHC]

Re: Re: It's a POP - and it's the sway bar

Originally posted by Randee of the Redwoods
So, techinically, if I disconnect my rear sway bar, the noise should go away? I was thinking of doing this so I could verify that the sway bar is exact cause. I'm fine with the noise as long as it's not from anything going wrong. If doing the above cured the problem, I would at least be happy that I knew exactly where the noise was coming from. (and, no, I'm not going to ride around with the sway bar disconnected)

You could lube the swaybar bushings, put it back, then test drive it.

 

[Randee of the Redwoods]

Re: Re: Re: It's a POP - and it's the sway bar

Originally posted by 03DOHC
You could lube the swaybar bushings, put it back, then test drive it.

Out of curiosity I was just gonna undo the sway bar mounts and drive it to see if the noise went away. I guess eventually I'll get around to it.

 

[chillfactor]

There is a tech bullitin out on the thunk noise.....there are several post on it already. It has to do with the AC system, just take it to the dealer and make him do his job. They fixed mine and changed out the rear end to fix the whining noise, drive shaft for the vibration, and now the Snake is in good shape.

 

[Honest Mike]

As mentioned above, you could lube them as a temporary fix to see if the noise goes away. The noise will come back though in a few days gauranteed when the lube wears off. Mike

 

[03DOHC]

Originally posted by Mike 97 SS
As mentioned above, you could lube them as a temporary fix to see if the noise goes away. The noise will come back though in a few days gauranteed when the lube wears off. Mike

We used to have a similar squeak coming from the front swaybar bushings on '96 GT's, if my memory is correct, and yes I know about the tie-rods on those too, we just used anti-seize. I don't remember if Ford started to use different bushings, but they eventually stopped squeaking later in production.:shrug:

 

[FlashSVT]

It has to do with the AC system, just take it to the dealer and make him do his job.

Nope, different sound entirely. It's more of a popping/clunk not a thud/clunk.

 

[FINICKY]

i have it too and can almost swear that its a axle joint popping.mine seems to do it rite when i start to move somtimes.allmost sounds like the joint is a lilttle loose and is popping when it takes up the slack

 

[ygohome]

I'd suspect the limited slip too. My Jeeps make that same popping noise with the detroit lockers. But with the limited slip (I hesitate calling these lockers) in the diff we shouldn't hear a popping sound. I'd take it to the dealer and suggest it could possibly be the diff like 03dohc mentioned and see what they find.

Best of luck :beer:

 

[2F2F]

At least I am not alone on this one...Seems as if everyone is having this problem...

 

[Stunt Stangs]

My dealer said: "LIVE WITH IT"!:cuss:

 

[03DOHC]

Originally posted by Stunt Stangs
My dealer said: "LIVE WITH IT"!:cuss:

You're kidding right!? I'd shove my foot half way up his ass if they told me that! Did you crash your car or something? Is there more to the story?

 

[Stunt Stangs]

No..They said it is "INHERANT" with the car as is the rough idle where you have to have the A/C on to have it run at 750 rpm's.
They said their is nothing mechanically wrong with it.

 

[bassin247]

My car has a "POP" when I make a tight turn at slow speeds. I initially thought it was something in the suspension.

 

[03DOHC]

Originally posted by Stunt Stangs
No..They said it is "INHERANT" with the car as is the rough idle where you have to have the A/C on to have it run at 750 rpm's.
They said their is nothing mechanically wrong with it.

I would insist there is. If the Service Manager says no, you need to go to the next person above his head.

 

[jumpincactus]

Got the same dang thing going on with mine it is driving me nuts

 

[junglehyped]

the pop noise.....from rear

Ive had this problem since day one with my car ,ive been back and forth to the dealer about the problem,the last time i took it in i finally got an answer from my mechanic who had spoke to someone at svt about the problem,my click popping noise would happen when i came to a stop and then started accelerating again it would pop from one of the wheel well areas, I was told it was something in the caliper and the brake pad clearances had something to do with it,never got a real answer totally just that svt was not intending to do anything unless alot of people complained about it they said some cars do it and some dont but it does not affect the integrity of anything?oh well looks like until people start making a big deal about it im not going to get it fixed akkkkk damn that noise is irratating!!!!

 

[Lomancobra]

I've also had the noise from day one. I now have 3400 miles and the noise is getting worse. When i finally do bring it back to the dealer, they better not tell me to "live with it". Quality is job 1 my ass. :bash: