Car creaks when hitting bumps, what could it be?

[dailydriver]

Originally Posted By: hypervish
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: lizpat
Originally Posted By: ram_man
What kind of car? It's common for strut assy to get noisy as well as control arm bushings. ...but it could be a number of thing


I'm a little embarassed, it's a 2007 Corolla (right. I hear you--what kind of car guy drives a Corolla, right?)

As for the struts, I did a push down test, up and down: no noise. It doesn't rule out the strut assembly though.


No worries about the driver, what's embarrassing is that the supposed most reliable and quality car has these issues at such low mileage.


Really?

I'd expect a comment like this from someone else but a moderator.

And, didn't you just do the struts at 70k miles on your Saab. Which is 20k less miles than this Corolla has.

Not to mention, that miles don't mean much on suspension wear but rather the roads that the car is driven on matters more.


True, but your Nippon Giant's products are supposed to be/are known as the 'pinnacles of perfection' which can handle this kind of abuse with aplomb.

Also, it is funny how another on here just assumed it was a GM product, although to the Nipponphiles' credit (since they were NOT the ones making this assumption, THIS time), he is a devout Mopar fan.

 

[ls1mike]

Did you get it fixed?

I had a squeak on my Buick thought it was the rear shock, turned out to be an exhaust hanger that shifted from the custom exhaust work. Squeaks and rattles are the worst.

 

[D189379]

Originally Posted By: lizpat
It's a front wheel drive car with MacPherson struts in the front and rear torsion beam suspension.

Road bumps that cause the car to sway from side to side are more likely to provoke this condition. What do you suppose the cause is?

The car has almost 90,000 miles (mostly driven on the punishing stop and go and stop and inch along roads of NYC.) I suppose a total suspension overhaul (ball joints, struts, control arm, wheel bearing hub) is not out of the question.

I suppose it's some kind of suspension component, a quick google search suggest that some bushing is likely the cause. What I'll do is to purchase Permatex silicone spray and start with the bushings first to see if it goes away.


I had a squeek in my truck that I traced back to the small rubber bumper stops attached to the underside of my hood. One was loose.

 

[ram_man]

Originally Posted By: lizpat
Originally Posted By: ram_man
What kind of car? It's common for strut assy to get noisy as well as control arm bushings. ...but it could be a number of thing


I'm a little embarassed, it's a 2007 Corolla (right. I hear you--what kind of car guy drives a Corolla, right?)

As for the struts, I did a push down test, up and down: no noise. It doesn't rule out the strut assembly though.



I drive a Saturn on most days so no reason to be embarrassed. It's reliable simple and practical. Corolla's are good cars.

 

[ram_man]

And a Toyota Corolla is a good car. But good cars also break and get noisier with age. It's part of it. I don't think suspension noise means the car is of inferior quality. Tough roads have a lot to do with it. Some cars do better than others with a corolla being light also means more light duty parts that can't handle as much abuse.