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Annoying Noise, sound familiar to anyone?

5K views 21 replies 12 participants last post by  KiaTech 
#1 ·
Lately, whenever I go over a bump in the road (living in the city there are lots of them) I get an annoying clanking noise. It sounds as if it is coming from the front right side of the car. It is almost a hollow plastic noise.

Anyhow, the crazy person that I am I recorded it. This is going over 2 or 3 consecutive bumps, hopefully you can hear it. Figured I would post it here as a longshot someone may know, otherwise I will bring it to the attention of the dealer in a few weeks (as well as some annoying dash noises) when getting my first service.

Link to noise.

Thanks for any help.
 
#4 ·
It's not the wheel bearing. It's a bearing in the shock tower that allow your front mac-pherson to turn.......... something like this!!! It start on driver side than a week later on passager side. It just get worst in time.

Ask your dealer to have a look!
 
#8 ·
mine just got 400 kmS SHITTTT !!!! and after pushed the mute button on the steering wheel for the first time damn !!! I can clearly heart the clock clock sound comming from the front top plates over light to moderate bumps :mad:

gonna call the dealer tomorrow :mad::(

ONLY 400KMS ! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS CAR RELIABILITY ???? :(:(
 
#9 ·
OK... everyone take a deeeeeeep breath... count to ten... alright. Feel better? Good. I have heard this sound in vehicles with 4 kilometers on them...

I talked to one of my contacts in Kia Canada today, and there IS an issue, and they know what it is... they have the engineers working on a permanent solution. It is believed to be the dust boot covering the shock has fallen down, and is riding on the strut itself. I immediately pulled my car into the shop and sure enough - there they were. We are trying a temp fix on mine, but it'll be a few hours until the silicone sets and I can go for a drive at lunch to confirm. Once the temp fix is proved, I'll post and peoples can try it at home.

Dealers may be reluctant to try the temp fix, as it is NOT safety related, or even a drivability concern. You may have to wait until a permanent solution is released to have the dealer attend to it, otherwise you may be paying for the temp fix out of your own pocket. Again, I'll post as I confirm details, and all my information is limited to Kia Canada ONLY. I cannot guess what the US or Kia Motors will do.
 
#11 ·
Depends on what the final fix is. The temp fix took me about 30 minutes and then a couple hours in the shop to cure up the goo. If they go with a smear of urathane then it can be done with the car jacked up one corner at a time, wheels on. I can't honestly see an entirely redesigned insulator plate if a 30 cent smear of goo is going to do it.

Just depends if the smear will 'do it' on a long term basis which is what I am going to guess the delay is, right now.

Oh... and a strut tower bearing would require the strut to be pulled, and disassembled, either way. Insulator/dust boot or bearing, it's all into the Strut Tamer if parts need to be changed.
 
#13 ·
sigh... i really dont want to pull the nos kit off to take car in for a shock fix...
 
#14 ·
The goo (likely urethane or RTV or ?) goes on the top of the bump stop (which has the boot around it) and glues it to the underside of the insulator plate/bearing housing. This holds the boot up at the top of the shock, as it should be. The problem is it slides down the shock, and then the bump stop gets hit by the shock body moving up and down through road action. Soft hits don't hurt, but large sharp hits make the sound much more noticeable.

I used Ultra Grey gasket material to do mine - happened to be the nearest tube of goo we had handy, and since it's gray it will be easy to see to remove should the 'official' fix require it. I tried to tug a little on it in the shop once it had set up, and it held - but weather and driving will be the true test. We're expecting cold and snow through out the week, so if anything is going to upset it, this will!

If it holds through the week I'll make a how-to page and anyone can do it in their garage at home until a factory fix is in place. Again, I don't know if Kia will do replacement parts (struts come out) or if it'll be a simple application of goo to the boot to glue it 'up' so a 'home remedy' may interfere with the factory fix if they need to re-goo it. You may have to clean off your stuff before taking it in or pay shop rates on them doing it for you.
 
#16 ·
Front "clunking" noise

I too have the clunking noise coming from the front left wheel when I go over bumps. I brought my koup in to the dealer today and they told me the car needs a strut bearing and insulator. They also told me the parts will take 1-2 weeks to get in....

By the way, i started getting this noise around 3,750 miles...
 
#19 ·
Just started getting the same sound as well. Front drivers side wheel area. Only have 5,700 miles on it. Anyone actually have the dealer repair this yet? I've seen quite a few people say there taking it in, but no one giving any post-dealer updates...
 
#21 ·
As long as it's the insulator boot, I'm not to worried I guess. Still pretty annoying...
 
#22 ·
I'm a dealer, who has fixed it. It's now an official Tech Tip from Kia, so there is a warranted operation code and everyone wins (read: the tech gets paid).

I have done 14 cars now, without a single further concern from any of them - including my own. Call up your dealer, make an appointment for a half hour, and get it done.
 
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