Renault Scenic 2005 front end creaking??

[kevinarbury]

Hi there, I have a 2005 Renault Scenic and recently there is a weird creaking noise coming from the front end when steering or driving over speed bumps. At higher speed it seems to stop. It almost sounds like somebody strumming a really tight elastic band! Weird.
Any ideas? I thought maybe shocks but when I read online someone posted about top mount bearings? Not quite sure what they are but is that a possibility?
Thanks in advance for any help,
Cheers,
Kev

Edited by kevinarbury on Tuesday 19th March 09:48

[Greg the Fish]

14 year old Renault creaks!

Shocking! Especially with their reputation for build quality!

[legless]

I'd look at the bushes on the front anti roll bar drop links first.

[Dr Interceptor]

Suspect the front is about to fall off...

[geeks]

legless said:

I'd look at the bushes on the front anti roll bar drop links first.

yeah and thin the springs and top mounts. It will be suspension related I would say

[swisstoni]

Not a Scenic but my Vel Satis had a front spring that went spectacularly one morning on the school run.
Add that to your list.

[kevinarbury]

geeks said:

legless said:

I'd look at the bushes on the front anti roll bar drop links first.

yeah and thin the springs and top mounts. It will be suspension related I would say

Thanks for your help mate, it still drives perfectly but will suggest this to the garage when I take it in

[kevinarbury]

legless said:

I'd look at the bushes on the front anti roll bar drop links first.

Thanks mate, appreciated

[Gary29]

Top mounts would be my guess.

My Megane has started to make the same noises recently but not had the time/inclination to investigate yet.

[Faust66]

I’d put money on a suspension bush being past its best. Either anti roll bar (as mentioned by another poster) or lower wishbone.

If you are DIY minded, I’d get the car in the air, grab a pry bar and test every suspension arm or balljoint you can find (use the bar as a lever: you don’t want to find any excessive movement).

Failing that, another test is to squirt some penetrative spray/silicon lube on suspected bushes (make sure it goes inside) and go for a drive. If you’ve the creak goes away then you’ve identified the dodgy bush and can change it sharpish.

I’d have thought a top mount (where your strut bolts into the car) would make a thud or bang noise rather than a creak?

[reglard]

As somebody else said Drop Links to anti roll bar , my Saab they seem to be a service item.

[kevinarbury]

Faust66 said:

I’d put money on a suspension bush being past its best. Either anti roll bar (as mentioned by another poster) or lower wishbone.

If you are DIY minded, I’d get the car in the air, grab a pry bar and test every suspension arm or balljoint you can find (use the bar as a lever: you don’t want to find any excessive movement).

Failing that, another test is to squirt some penetrative spray/silicon lube on suspected bushes (make sure it goes inside) and go for a drive. If you’ve the creak goes away then you’ve identified the dodgy bush and can change it sharpish.

I’d have thought a top mount (where your strut bolts into the car) would make a thud or bang noise rather than a creak

Thank you so much for your help. If I take it to the garage they would do these tests wouldn't they to find the culprit?

[Faust66]

kevinarbury said:

Faust66 said:

I’d put money on a suspension bush being past its best. Either anti roll bar (as mentioned by another poster) or lower wishbone.

If you are DIY minded, I’d get the car in the air, grab a pry bar and test every suspension arm or balljoint you can find (use the bar as a lever: you don’t want to find any excessive movement).

Failing that, another test is to squirt some penetrative spray/silicon lube on suspected bushes (make sure it goes inside) and go for a drive. If you’ve the creak goes away then you’ve identified the dodgy bush and can change it sharpish.

I’d have thought a top mount (where your strut bolts into the car) would make a thud or bang noise rather than a creak

Thank you so much for your help. If I take it to the garage they would do these tests wouldn't they to find the culprit?

Should’ve thought so if they’re halfway competent!

Don’t go in there telling them how to do their job though… that’s pretty much guaranteed to ps off a mechanic.

If you’re not a DIYer, take your car along and ask their advice. Listen to what they recommend and take it from there. It might be a small/cheap fix (droplink or ARB bush), it might be a larger/more expensive job (lower wishbone/knackered strut).

If you can't do the fix yourself then you'll have to trust the garage.

Edited by Faust66 on Tuesday 19th March 13:39

[E-bmw]

Gary29 said:

Top mounts would be my guess.

My Megane has started to make the same noises recently but not had the time/inclination to investigate yet.

^^^^ Wot 'e said.

[GreenV8S]

Faust66 said:

Don’t go in there telling them how to do their job though… that’s pretty much guaranteed to ps off a mechanic.

^^^ That.

If you're investigating the problem yourself, the ideas here suggest where to look. If you're asking somebody else to investigate, tell them the symptoms as clearly as you can and let them get on with it.

[E-bmw]

GreenV8S said:

Faust66 said:

Don’t go in there telling them how to do their job though… that’s pretty much guaranteed to ps off a mechanic.

^^^ That.

If you're investigating the problem yourself, the ideas here suggest where to look. If you're asking somebody else to investigate, tell them the symptoms as clearly as you can and let them get on with it.

Is the correct answer.

[kevinarbury]

Just got my wife to sit in the car with the engine on and steer full lock left to right and I put my hand on the springs, drivers side nice and smooth, passenger makes a 'boingy' feel on the spring...for want of a better description and it's making the clunking / creaking sound from passenger side only

[Oscar011]

kevinarbury said:

Just got my wife to sit in the car with the engine on and steer full lock left to right and I put my hand on the springs, drivers side nice and smooth, passenger makes a 'boingy' feel on the spring...for want of a better description and it's making the clunking / creaking sound from passenger side only

From that description its most likely your passenger side top mount bearings that are knackered...