Hey all!

I have a 2017 Touring (Gas) and lately it has been making a clunking/creaking/knocking noise when accelerating from a stop, or during sharp low speed turns.

Never seems to happen at higher speeds, or going over speedbumps/potholes/rough road etc.

After doing some research and doing the revving while braking test, I suspected the rear engine "torque strut". Did the replacement this weekend. While the old parts were DEFINITELY past their expiration (pics attached), this didn't seem to fix the noise.

Any suggestions where to look next? I thought about the main motor mounts. I also saw some reports of control arm bushings or axle nuts. While I was under the car doing the torque strut, I did also notice some tired bushings on the exhaust hangers, but could the exhaust move that much to cause a knock?

Has anyone done the motors mounts? It looks straightforward enough, but I worry about where to safely support the engine during the swap.

All advice is appreciated, thanks!

If you are hearing clunking/creaking noise then it's the lower control arm. If you're hearing like a popping sounds as well when turning then it's likely the control arm. It's common issue. The lower control arm are notorious for going out. My driver side one was replaced probably around 10k and then my passenger was about 30k. Both would creak when accelerating. The driver side would also pop/clunk when turning.

Here's an example from mines

 

Thanks for the reply!

Was this during acceleration from stop? It sounds pretty similar to what I have been hearing, though we only get a pop or two and then it stops. Perhaps its on its way out but not as bad as yours was yet?

What was the age/mileage when that was taken?

Did it end up being a bushing, or the entire control arm assembly?

 

Yeah acceleration from stop. And you'll hear the pop more going over speed bumps and turning. The driver side lower control arm went out at like 9k on the car. It's a 2018 so it was replaced in 2019. The passenger side, (which is that video) went out around 30k (2024). They don't seem to last long. It's the bushing in the lower control arm, but you have to replace the whole entire assembly.

 

I took a quick look at the control arms last night, but I didnt get a chance to lift the car or turn the wheels before the rain came in, so I only got a look at the big bushing on one side.

The rubber looks ok, but it almost seems like it is weeping....are these fluid filled? I know I need to check the ball joint too, will try and do so tonight.

 

Spray your control , alarm bushings with WD 40. It's a noise becomes less or goes away for a while, that will be your issue.

 

I read that on another thread.....which bushing? The one pictured, or one of the other two on the control arm? Or all of them?

 

The ends of all of them.

 

I gave them all a good spray and drove the car to dinner.....no change. Creaking on acceleration and low speed, sharp turns.

 

Sway bar bushings....

 

Mine went silent for days. When the noise came back I tried the silicone style, which made them worse. I then hit them with the gel spray. The gel worked the best.

 

Oh, I didn't think there would.be any difference in the spray. I'll have to check but I think I have the silicone spray...

Can I ask specifically what gel spray you used?

 

Ok, I tried a different spray on the bushing, and no change. I also sprayed the sway bar link bushings, no change.

I spent some time on it yesterday and I did discover than I can make it give me a singular "pop" while stationary by turning the wheel to full left lock. This allowed me to have someone turn the wheel while I was outside the car listening, so I can say that its most likely coming from the right side.

Based on the conditions of the bushings and the lack of affect of the sprays I am not convinced it is the control arm, though it could still be. Next I am going to look at the axle nut and hub bolts.

TSB 02-011-18 covers possibly loose hub retainer bolts and also has the green loctite applied to the hub/knuckle joint.
TSB: 03-008-24 covers the updated torque value for the axle nut. I am on the fence about this one cause my van was built in July 2017, JUST after the date specified in the tsb. Also I do not hear the clicking every time I hit the gas as some others have reported. I will still check it though.

Why only NOW would the axle nut back out? Or the hub retainer bolts for that matter? The van is 8 years old.

 

I'm doing the loctite 290 tsb today. Took a little video to document the condition of everything on the right front. I'm not a mechanic, so maybe I'm missing something obvious?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qMgQxZBUhryGt9Xx6

 

I will say I had that done and it didnt fix the issue, replacing the lower control arm was the resolution.

 

Yeah, early returns say it didn't solve it. Gave it quite a few hours to dry (even though it's not fully cured) but we drove it to pick up some food and it seemed a lot quieter at first but by the end of the trip it sounded about as bad as usual. On to the next