Suspension Front suspension squeaks / thuds

[bluefish1]

After I recently re-visited my dealer the engineer quickly confirmed my driver’s side shock would need replacement. Since the bump stop has visibly dropped.

I took an engineer out again to listen to noise on the passenger side. I found a nearby road with some sloping speed bumps which recreate the noise pretty well. After listening to it he was almost suggesting that some noise is normal. It seems like my local dealer is clutching at straws as to what it could be. They had a look at the wheel arch lining and replaced 2 missing plastic clips in it, but this made no difference. The noise is annoying and unacceptable, it is just so intermittent. Most of my passengers ask me what it is. When I’m driving the car I find myself just waiting for it to knock, it is really annoying.

My passenger side has apparently had the shock absorber and shock assembly replaced with the new parts, yet Honda seem to be running out of solutions for a fix to this side of the car.

I’m not sure whether to try a different Honda dealer or write to Honda themselves.

I’m starting to think it could possibly be something loose behind the passenger side area of the dashboard.

Has anyone had experience of Honda having to remove parts of the dash to fixes clunks/thuds? I’m worried if they start taking parts of the dash off they will make it worse.

[pikkumies]

I've testdriven a 2.2 ctdi and type-r... both have the same characteristic features which can be described as squeaks / thuds coming from the front suspension.. im not going to bother anymore, it's a "feature" of the car.. live with it

[civicfan]

Maybe they should think of some fancy Honda badged and colour coded earplugs

[davieboy]

Is the suspension totally covered under the 3 year warranty or will the dealership try and fob me off? Also what was replaced?Always a worry, suspension!

[hondatech007]

civic's do suffer from the front dampner bump stops dropping down honda are aware of the problem and have now realeased oversized bump stops to prevent this happening.A visit to your local Honda dealer should see the problem rectified,work normally takes a couple of hours.Hope this helps.

[bluefish1]

A couple of months after my last post I have had both front shocks replaced by Southport Honda dealer.

Knocking noise was cured on the O/S and slightly better on the N/S for a week or so. Now (April/May) I am getting the same knock from the N/S only much worse. The White bump stop on the N/S is very visible and only seems to have ~3cm of travel between the bump stop and the top of the wider part of the strut.

With the warmer weather I have been driving with the windows down and I can hear all the noises clearly.

Lately I am getting yet another noise which sounds rather worrying! Whenever I break or accelerate I’m getting a loud click/tick noise from the front end of the car. It sounds like its coming from under the engine. When I go over any slightly uneven road I get a rattling ticking noise like something is really loose. It sounds like Honda have put a sack of bolts in each of my wheel arches for a laugh.

To summarise I now get these noises:

1) N/S suspension knock/thud noise over bumps/grids
2) Loud clatter/ticking both sides over bumps/grids
3) Loud tick/click when breaking or accelerating

If Honda can fix these problems I will be so happy with the car.

I’ve read on this forum that the ticking/clicking noise can be the suspension sub frame. Is this a large part to replace? Are Honda reluctant to replace this part as I can image it is expensive?

I’ve got the car booked in to the Liverpool Honda dealer and I’m taking a list of these problems. Hopefully they will replace parts that will actually make a difference or give me a long term fix for these problems.

[Milano Type S]

Mine had a new bump stop o/s/f for a thud as the wheel drops. This hasn't cured it and then they replaced th whole strut assembly. Still no joy and its getting louder. The dealer can't gauruntee if its safe to drive either and now they think it could be the subframe bolts stretching.

[jimp]

Originally Posted by Pottsy

The new struts I have are ace. The car is silent, drives wonderfully and I'm really very pleased.

If things did go wrong after the warrenty period, they don't seem too pricey (well not end of the world pricey - £45 for the damper, £75 for the whole strut):

Honda Automotive Parts

Pottsy and friends Yesterday to me they changed in the frames of guarantee front absorber reason of noises. In January to me they had changed rear absorber reason of noises,but afterwards from 2500 km rear absorber they have begun and made noises. Yesterday, formerly the engineer begins to replace front absorber in my car, it replaced front and rear absorber in new Mitsubishi Colt reason of noises and escape of oils. The make of absorbers Mitsubishi Colt is Sachs. The make of absorbers Honda civic they is Sachs. What becomes with this company my friends ???? Why we face discomfort because of Sachs ? What we can make at this company? It is sure that also other companies of cars that use absorber Sachs face problem.

[pikkumies]

Just took my car to 30k service. Rear springs we're backwards, they changed them to the correct position. Both front poles are being changed because of a hinging noise which is constant when driving slow and turning the car to left. Service had to call honda support, they havent had any other case like mine .

[kwokieuk]

Try this for a fix, my car been back to the garage so many times about the suspension front back front back, today took technician for a test drive and the front thud thud noise was so loud he pin pointed it to the drop link of the civic, getting it replaced tomorrow, but also he mentioned honda is supposed to be issuing a new set up for the rear shock absorbers this week,

[bluefish1]

Finally my problem is 100% sorted! After getting my car back from Lookers Honda Liverpool they had thoroughly diagnosed the fault 2 weeks previously and ordered parts to attempt to fix the fault on my car. I have to say their service department in general seems much better than Lookers Honda of Southport.

I got the car back on Monday, they had it in for the whole day whilst I had their Jazz courtesy car, which I’ve gotten quite used to over the last few months.

Upon getting my Civic back I asked for details on the job and they said they have replaced the front Cross Members and Sub Frame. The car is now as you would expect when driving over bump/grids in the road and does not knock, clunk or rattle front or rear. The car also feels much more solid in the front end, especially when cornering. I am so glad they have finally fixed it.

The Liverpool garage did not disagree with the work Southport had done, but said further investigation should have been carried out after replacing the front bump stops and struts on both sides. I’ve probably had the car in to the Southport about 10 times to diagnose or have parts replaced.

The loud click when braking or accelerating has also been resolved with this fix. I’m so happy with it now. I just hope it stays this way!

[jimp]

Originally Posted by bluefish1

Finally my problem is 100% sorted! After getting my car back from Lookers Honda Liverpool they had thoroughly diagnosed the fault 2 weeks previously and ordered parts to attempt to fix the fault on my car. I have to say their service department in general seems much better than Lookers Honda of Southport.

I got the car back on Monday, they had it in for the whole day whilst I had their Jazz courtesy car, which I’ve gotten quite used to over the last few months.

Upon getting my Civic back I asked for details on the job and they said they have replaced the front Cross Members and Sub Frame. The car is now as you would expect when driving over bump/grids in the road and does not knock, clunk or rattle front or rear. The car also feels much more solid in the front end, especially when cornering. I am so glad they have finally fixed it.

The Liverpool garage did not disagree with the work Southport had done, but said further investigation should have been carried out after replacing the front bump stops and struts on both sides. I’ve probably had the car in to the Southport about 10 times to diagnose or have parts replaced.

The loud click when braking or accelerating has also been resolved with this fix. I’m so happy with it now. I just hope it stays this way!

What is front Cross Members ??? Any pictures please???

[jimp]

bluefish1 , pict 1 or pict 2 you have replaced ???

[jimp]

Have you any part numper for sub frame and cross members ???

[bluefish1]

From those pics I think I have had pict2 replaced, but also some of the elements shown in pict1 have been replaced. They are all shiny and new at the moment so it is easy to tell.

It strange because it looks like a part that wouldn't be the cause of a knock or rattle. So I guess this must add stability to other components of the front suspension.

I will have a closer look under my car and post back.

[jimp]

Originally Posted by bluefish1

From those pics I think I have had pict2 replaced, but also some of the elements shown in pict1 have been replaced. They are all shiny and new at the moment so it is easy to tell.

It strange because it looks like a part that wouldn't be the cause of a knock or rattle. So I guess this must add stability to other components of the front suspension.

I will have a closer look under my car and post back.

I will wait for your news. ¶If it can you learn from the garage you them part numbers, they would be much better. ¶