Prius front suspension noise

Hi Derek-
Patrick covered it quite nicely. Where do you live? SF Bay area I hope as there's a great Independent garage there.

 

Thankyou Patrick, I will. Thank's for the advise. It has 90k miles showing. Should I wait until it's gone past 100? Or do they break apart before that? Could it be dangerous?

Oh, and Ed!!

 

Don't worry, the struts/shocks are not going to physically break apart. What happens is that they no longer "absorb" shocks as they should. The danger is that worn struts/shocks will result in longer braking times and may result in uneven tire wear.

I suggest you have the car evaluated by a competent mechanic in your area to decide what is needed.

 

Thanks guys. I think I will just have everything done so I know it's good for the long haul. I read what you went through with the Chrysler, Ed, so I was thinking that sounds like money well spent. Just start with all new parts and no chance of an issue then as they must get it if all parts are new, right?

 

Guys, I know this is an old thread but I also had this issue. Sounds exactly like the video. Took it to a mechanic friend of mine and he was loosing his mind searching for this sound. We initially thought it was the struts, that was replaced but problem was still there, lubed and check all joints, it ended up being the brake /rotor and pads. I know its weird but when he resurfaced the rotor the sound changed a bit, then he replaced both rotor and brake pads and now the sound is gone. Doesn't make sense but maybe the speed of the rotor when going through a hump and the correct pressure generates the sound.

Now the sound is gone... took us over a week figuring this out..

 

that's not too surprising. seems a lot of '10's have brake issues. glad you were able to find the cause and get it resolved.

 

I have the same noise pulling into my driveway or going over speed bumps. The brakes being the issue does sound crazy, but the proof is in the results. I am going to try find the source of this noise very soon and will post back. Would be great to have an inexpensive tool to listen in on where the noises are coming from. i have seen the kit that is about $200, but surprised there is nothing less expensive. If anyone has been able to rig up something that works, I would be interested.

 

I have a 2014 Prius c with 45k miles on it. Got the car brand new and didn't have any noise until about 35k. The sound is exactly as the video and I hear it every time I go over small bumps, dips, or am pulling into a driveway. I have the extended warranty and am covered until 75k so I'm hoping they find the cause of it.

 

I never did find the noise, nor did it really change. I hear it only when going over bumps at low speed like entering my driveway from the street. I did buy a tool to listen to suspension noises. Don't remember being able to narrow down the sound, but maybe I will give it a listen again. Have used it on other cars and it works pretty well.

Please post what you learn and I will do the same.

 

I took mine to the dealer and had them check it out. There was a diagnosis fee, but only if they found something that needed repair. if they didn't find anything, there was no charge. If they did find something wrong with it and because i had the extended warranty, i was told i would only have to pay the $100 deductible for repair and the $180 diagnosis fee.

Unfortunately, the mechanic said he couldn't find anything wrong with the car and that all he could hear are normal sounds that go with age and wear. I am not convinced that this is the case. I would have gladly paid the $280 if they would diagnose a problem and get rid of the sound completely. I personally do not think this should count as "normal" wear and tear. My 17 year old corolla that i had before this car never made sounds like that. I have a hard time accepting that a newer car like this should develop something that sounds like an old car creaking up the driveway and it be considered "normal." At least it is in the system and every time i take it in for service, i will keep bugging them to keep checking so that they continue logging it in the computer and have a paper trail of this in case it ever amounts to an expensive repair out of warranty.

 

I had this noise in my 06. I looked at it and had it looked at many times. Could never find anything, until I finally got a bit of play in the steering. For my car it turned out to be the front control arm bushing. It does not take much play in that bushing to cause a clunking noise at slow speeds. I replaced the control arm and bolts but just checking the torque on the control bushing bolt might have got rid of the noise.

 

hi sorry to bring this up i got this noise on my 08 prius with 113k miles. i changed strut fully assembled and sway bar end link and still have this noise. any idea?

 

I gave up on this noise and decided to live with the glitchy traction control activating on bumps and the disintegrating rubber. My Prius is old and tired. I did notice the noise mostly when pulling into my driveway when the wheels are moving up and down opposite to each other. Also a speed bump diagonally. Makes me suspect the sway bar bushings. Was going to try and spray a line of some sort of lube there but since you are actively working around these maybe try and replace them. Old parts are probably pretty dry by now and maybe sliding rather than twisting. Just a guess that would be a cheap and “easy” fix

 

i just ordered the whiteline sway bar bushing. i was wondering if i have a cat shield will it stop me from replacing the bushing?

 

I think most bushings are split and only require the bolts and Clamps to be removed and they can be wiggles free. Hope you have some success with that

 

Did you installed the sway bar bushing, how you did it?

 

Ok it looks like nobody have a step by step how to change the sway bar bushing in the Prius gen 2 so this is how I did it:

1-Remove front wheels put the car front on safety jacks stands.

2-Get under the car under driver door and passenger door with a 12 mm wrench and remove the back bolts (combination wrench works the best).

3-Get a ratchet with a 12 mm socket (short) and the 12 mm wrench and help you self removing the front bolts of the bushing, this are the easy ones.

4-After bolts removed use a floor jack raise the lower control arm just enough to release pressure from the bushing and pull it out with the bushing bracket on it (you can remove the end links but not necessary if you raise the control arms).

5-Reverse the process to put new bushing and you done.


Tools needed:

1 floor jacks
2 Jack stands
1 12 mm wrench (combination one)
1 12 mm socket
1 ratchet

 

Reviving this thread because I am thinking of selling the car that makes the suspension noise and i was wondering if the sway bar bushings helped.... or if someone else has identified a cause... No issues with drivability, just a noise that sounds like its coming from the driver's side front. I can't duplicate by pushing up and down on the fender by that wheel.

 

Stand next to the driver's door and push and pull sideways at roof level (it helps to have the window down). You're trying to get the car to rock side to side.

If you now have noises (thunk, rattle, klunk) it's likely related to the sway bar. You may need a helper to rock the car while carefully feeling the sway bar end link to see if a joint is loose or if the bar moves at the frame bushing.

Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.

 

Solved

I rocked the car back and forth at the drivers door violently. No noise but a great idea

after seeing something online about cleaning and spraying bushings with silicone or lithium grease I picked up some silicone HD spray and sprayed all the joints including the lower control arms and away links and axle boots

someone earlier in this thread mentioned the noise was related to brakes and it made no sense to me but sometimes the noise was loud when slowing down and braking on on even roads. I think it just had to do with the wheels pushing back to slow the car and the front end going down…. My suspicion is that the noise was related to the lower control arm busings