Suspension Knocking (Hit a pothole)

The piece that is partially popped off appears to be a dust cover. I would try to snap it back into place. If you continue to have knocking, you should have the front suspension checked for damage.

 

Hi John,

I advise that you immediately stop driving the car and have it towed to your local dealer so that the left front strut (or if you have 50K or more miles on the odometer, both struts) can be replaced.

If you look at the exploded parts diagram that dogfriend was kind enough to provide, you'll see that the rubber dust cover is the small part in the center of the assembly that has been raised up.

The problem is that the "front suspension support subassembly" was damaged, which is why you see one edge is raised. That part provides a pivot point for the top of the strut.

Its unsafe to drive the car in that condition.

 

Thanks Patrick. I suppose I should have looked more closely at the photo. It did appear strange to me which is why I found the diagram in the manual.

 

I just ordered parts for my Hybrid Highlander from autopartswarehouse.com
4 strut kits(each corner has a different part number)
2 mounting kits for the front,
2 mounting kits for the rear,
2 boots for the front,
2 boots for the rear and shipping was free,
the dealer is going to gouge you...
Prius uses different struts for each side of the front but the same shocks on each side of the rear, plus mounting kits and boots(rubber sleeves to keep dirt out),
Because the struts require spring compressors and then an alignment needs to be done- a professional garage should be used. Unless you've done McPherson struts before (I have), but an alignment must be done.
Not saying you shouldn't go to the dealer, just showing an option.

 

In 2005 I nailed a huge pothole here in Winnipeg. When Spring arrives, water on the streets can mask enormous holes, and the one I hit was on Fermor, just east of the Lag intersection near the Mint

That was an Autopac claim, everything came to $1,200

Cars are not going to take a large pothole impact without something being damaged. If you're lucky just an alignment is needed.

I have hit similar sized potholes with my FJ, Cruiser sometimes on purpose, and they don't appear to even budge the alignment.

 

The OP lives in Norway, so I don't think that is an option

 

You would be shocked to see the roads I have driven mine on, if I had an option I would have gone another way in a 4x4. They aren't fragile.

 

Pls say more: odometer reading, what caused you to decide you need new struts?

I have 45K miles on my 2006 HiHy, the suspension seems good at this point.

 

Looks like the strut mount is broken, just replace the strut mount will be sufficient and save some money.

 

At minimum the front suspension support subassembly (aka strut mount) has to be replaced. I'd say it is likely that the strut itself is bad. Think about the force required to break the bearing in that strut mount and consider that force went through the strut which likely was not in great condition to begin with.

The strut's goodness or badness will become very evident once the strut mount and coil spring have been removed from the strut.

 

I don't think the bearing is broken. Look at the 3rd picture of the closeup of the cap of the strut mount, the welding area on the lower rim is rusted. These means it has a broken weld for a long time, then when this big pot hole came and gave it the last nail and crack it open.

 

In the US the applicable warranty would be the 3 year / 36K mile warranty. Since this car is 5 years old that problem would not be covered (in the US, at least.)

Yes, please let us know what else you find when you raise up the car. In particular, how does the strut itself look, and what oil leakage if any do you note on the strut body? What does the strut mount look like when the load is taken off that wheel?

 

I understand that you intend to sell the car, so I am glad that you no longer have any knocking.

Looking at your second and third photos, you have the spring compressor claw exerting force near the very end of the coil spring. How did you manage to insert the claw between the spring and the seat above it?

When I attach the spring compressor I usually have to compress a lower part of the spring because the very end is flush against the spring seat. I wonder if the shock from hitting the pothole caused the coil spring to be knocked out of its seat in such a way as to cause the knocking sound?

I have not ever noticed the disc on top of the shock mount being askew. I can't imagine why this would happen normally unless maybe one wheel is on the ground while the other is raised, thus putting a sideways load on the strut.

I've attached a couple of photos of my 2004 which I just took. I replaced the front struts including strut mounts a few months ago.