# Chevy Impala 2001 Clunk in Front End Left Side **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** noises, impala\ **Created:** [July 23, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-impala-2001-clunk-in-front-end-left-side/17108 "2008-07-23T16:08:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![herbertk1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/838e76/32.png) [@herbertk1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/herbertk1)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 4:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-impala-2001-clunk-in-front-end-left-side/17108/1 "2008-07-23T16:08:09Z")
About 2 weeks ago every time I back my car out of the parking space and turn the wheel, I hear a loud dull pop/clunk in the front left side of the car. It usually does it once, but may do it 2 times. I brought it to a Chevy Dealer and they replaced the 2 upper motor mounts and lubricated the Intermittant Steering Shaft, so NOW it does it also if I am on an incline and in drive but at a complete stop. When I go it pops again. I can reproduce the problem/noise if I put the car in reverse and put my foot on the break and then give it gas. It pops just once. I brought it to Sears auto and they said it was transmission spindles. I don?t know what that is but it didn?t sound remotely right. I then brought it to a Chevy dealer, and they said it was my upper motor mounts and my Intermittent steering shaft. So $300 later I now have new upper engine mounts with new rubber, and a freshly lubed intermittent steering shaft, AND the same problem. Any idea what is going on. I read online people talking about CV joints, boots, and drive train, transmissions, shafts, aliens. It only happens in the front left side, and I can sometimes make it happen after I park and if I aggressively rock the car front to back. ---
**Author:** ![NYBo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nybo/32/17281_2.png) [@NYBo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/NYBo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-impala-2001-clunk-in-front-end-left-side/17108/2 "2008-07-23T17:00:32Z")
Ball joint, upper strut mount, improperly seated coil spring, or swaybar bushings and/or end link. A bad ball joint is a safety hazard, so get this checked quickly. ---
**Author:** ![americar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/americar/32/42_2.png) [@americar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/americar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-impala-2001-clunk-in-front-end-left-side/17108/3 "2008-07-23T21:30:55Z")
Could be front Sub frame bushing. I think I remember something about shims for the sub frame bushing to stop the noise. ---
**Author:** ![americar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/americar/32/42_2.png) [@americar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/americar)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 9:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-impala-2001-clunk-in-front-end-left-side/17108/4 "2008-07-23T21:54:13Z")
Also having the subframe bolts re torxed to factory specs may stop the noise, but you would think the factory trained tech would have check that. ---
**Author:** ![herbertk1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/838e76/32.png) [@herbertk1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/herbertk1)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 1:00pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-impala-2001-clunk-in-front-end-left-side/17108/5 "2008-07-25T13:00:05Z")
Thank you to all who replied, and gave suggestions. The Problem is fixed!! I was amazed. It turned out that the 2 small bolts that hold the motor mounts to the frame were stripped, so they never held. Chevy replaced 4 bolts, and no more problem. I wonder if the mounts needed to be replaced to begin with, or if it was the bolts all along, but with 100,000 miles it was probably a good idea anyway. So, endless diagnostic headache turned out to be $.39 in bolts. Ugh!! ---
**Author:** ![americar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/americar/32/42_2.png) [@americar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/americar)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/chevy-impala-2001-clunk-in-front-end-left-side/17108/6 "2008-07-25T20:46:45Z")
Its alway great to here the outcome.