I have just spent almost 2000.00 trying to figure out why I hear this clunking noise from the front of the car especially driving up a slight incline, it clunks. When backing up and turning the wheel left or right its clunks. The teck replaced both front struts, lower left ball joint and control arm bushings and a front wheel alignment. Seemed to ne ok that night, next am pulling out of driveway and she clunks. I love this car but I’m going broke…any idea will be much appreciated.
There’s a Technical Service Bulletin #01-02-32-001O for your vehicle that addresses a clunking noise under the conditions you describe. It requires the replacement of the intermediate steering shaft between the steering column and the rack & pinion assembly.
Tester
Lot’s Of GM Cars / Trucks Need This Shaft Replaced. Most Dealers Stock Them.
A bad intermediate steering shaft makes kind of a popping sound (binds and releases)while turning the wheel and you can slightly feel it in the steering wheel. This short shaft has a couple of universal joints and a greased sliding portion. I don’t believe the noise to be dangerous, just annoying. Verify that’s what the noise is before replacing it. The dealer has people with lots of experience replacing them. It should cost about $135 (+ -) for the improved shaft and about an hour labor to install, a couple hundred (+ -) total, I’m guesstimating.
CSA
Another possibility is a loose subframe. Have the subframe bolts checked, and re torqued back to factory specs.
Good Suggestion. That’s Why I Specified Verification. Everything Needs To Be Checked.
You’d think that would have been done during the $2000, but apparently something was overlooked.
CSA
You described it perfectly, thanks so much and you are right it is annoying. I have a bad habit of exceeding the posted speed limit on the e-way and I have vision that my tires would come flying off. I will have this checked ASAP
Martie, You’re Welcome And Good Luck. Enjoy That Monte Carlo SS.
CSA
One of our regulars (screen name rroff or so) has had the same problem with his Monte. He gets the intermeditate shaft lubed more than once a year. If you search around the posts about DexCool and intake re-seals you will read of his experiences. He relates thousands of dollars in extended warranty repairs,real nice person.
There Was Period Of Time During Which People Needed To Regrease The Shafts, But Now An Improved Part Is Available.
There’s not a huge difference in cost between paying a mechanic to remove the existing shaft, regrease it (using a GM kit) and replace it than the cost to put in a new improved part. We own 4 GM cars in our household fleet.
CSA