My 2007 Nissan Murano had some front end noise and vibration. So I had both control arm with ball joints replaced, four new tires, a new CV axel, new brakes, and had all wheel balanced and alignment done.
I checked the engine mounts and the engine doesn’t jump out nor can you reproduce the noise while testing the engine mounts.
It is a clunk when you take off and a thumping noise that cause some vibration to be felt in the steering wheel. If you’re driving down a long straight road it will smooth out. It has happened a lower speeds as well as higher speeds. The replacement parts that was replace has quitted it down.
I am now looking at either the struts, wheel bearing, or rear drive shaft. I am leaning towards the struts but can’t be sure. As the symptoms don’t seem to match a typical strut failure but some of it does.
The rear drive shaft I bring up as I want to say it is almost right under the middle of between the driver and passage seat where the rear shaft would be, The failing U joint could produce a clunk and vibration.
The wheel bearing as a wild guess only that the CV shaft is slipping and when it catches it causes that clunk. The bearing going bad could cause vibration.
Any thoughts, Am I thinking right or wrong here? So far a lot has been just maintenance repairs though starting to get costly doing it all with in the last 2 month. Just let to get it figured out and get it fixed for good.
If you go under the vehicle and try to rotate the rear driveshaft back and forth by hand, you should be able to feel, see and hear the movement of the bad u-joint.
Have you been telling the shop what to replace to fix the problem? Or have you telling the shop your problem and asking them to find and fix it? The first method will cost you lots of money and not fix the problem. The second gives you the best chance of a solution.
I was told I needed to replaced the lower ball joints prior to me having a problem. I had developed the vibration and we had discuss it and deemed replacing both lower control arms with ball joints should take care of the problem.
It didn’t care of problem and again it was upon with discussion with the shop on the cause and the solution. It was tires because the tires had signed of uneven wear, After the tire alignment and balance of course.
It was at this point it noticed the thumping and when I went under the car. I found my CV boot had flung grease everywhere. That I told the shop to replace and I thought might get rid of the thumping and vibration.
It didn’t, it was at this point the shop said when they took it out for test drive they don’t experience anything. They had gone back over there work and checked for a few other things but couldn’t determine what the vibration or thumping I heard is from.
I asked them to changed the brakes as they were in need of replacing and as a possibility that caliper sticking or rotor was warped for the reason for the symptoms. After replacing the brakes they took it for a test drive and they said it drove great and they that we hit the jackpot. However it is still there and I am still unsure.
I could take it to another shop and have them check it out. Though I am afraid if I don’t test drive the vehicle with them now nobody is going hear or feel this. I don’t think the current shop is trying to rip me off by just calling off parts to fix. They fixed the most obvious item that were wore out or damaged and it still now has symptoms they can’t reproduce.