Clunk from the front passenger side suspension?

[pcm2a]

When I test drove the XLR over a week ago, before I bought it, there was a clunk sometimes when turning sharply to the right. It was not a continuous clunk, just one or two. It doesn't seem to affect driveability and heard mostly in a parking lot.

The Cadillac dealer said they would take care of this for me. The inspected it and said the control arm needed lubrication. Sounded fishy to me but I drove her in circles and the noise was gone....and now it's back after about 70 miles that I've put on it.

I have already placed a call in to find out more details of what they did, like did they lube up the upper or lower control arm. After that I'll take the tire off and see what I can see myself.

Has anyone had anything like this occur? Since I've already owned it for a week I don't really Cadillac to do anything for me but hopefully they can at least give me details on what they did. I would probably lube it back up (if that works) and delay any repairs.

 

[Stella]

First how many miles are on the car? Could be a couple of things don't know of any grease zerks on the whole car. Would check your wheel bearings raise the front so the wheels are off the ground and give it some good jerks top to bottom or left to right their shouldn't be any play in the bearings, roll the wheel does it sound okay and go smoothly. Would check both sides. Have heard of people having problems with their rack and pinion? I guess any of the ball joints could be bad. Think that theirs no greasing that's gonna solve any clunking noise that I've heard of? Good luck.

 

[pcm2a]

41k miles on the 2006 XLR. Lubing up the control arm did sound fishy to me and they didn't say upper or lower. Since the noise was gone I didn't ask further. I called the dealer and the service manager remembered test driving it a week ago and said to bring in back in Thursday and they would take care of it. I'll make sure to get more details regardless of what the outcome is this time...

 

[05 GRAND DADDY]

I HAD A FRONT END NOISE EVEN AFTER WE PUT ON NEW FRONT SHOCKS AFTER CHECKING THEY FOUND THAT THE 2 BARS THAT RUN UP TO THE STABALIZER BAR THE RUBBER GROMENTS WERE WORE OUT MAKING THE CLUNKING NOISE, THEY CHANGE THEM THE NOISE IS COMPLETELY GONE!

 

[Doug Doty]

I had some clunking as well and now believe after through investigating that my rubber bushings on the bottom of the ride height adjuster bolts were either cut off or tore away from use and the bolt heads are working on the aluminum lower control arm and are being a little noisy. I think mine was monkeyed with and the pads overly cut down. If all is well and stock you should be able to reach through the opening in the control arm where the spring telescopes through and use your finger tips to feel the aprox. 1" tall rubber pads on the adjuster bolts.

P.S. Mine always seems to clunk a time or two after taking it off the hoist as the adjuster bolt pads find where they are going to settle into on the floor of the control arm.

 

[pcm2a]

XLR has been down at the dealer for two days now. They reported in a little bit ago and said that they currently have the sway bar detached and are currently inspecting the lower control arm. This is either going to be free or cost me a fortune, yikes!

I say free because this was supposed to be repaired prior to purchasing the vehicle and wasn't. They also apologized for not getting it fixed correctly and said they would take care of it.

82 and sunny today in Nashville, tomorrow 55 :-(

 

[cubby558]

Hope it all works out OK for you. I would think it should be free, if they didn't fix it the first time.

XLR has been down at the dealer for two days now. They reported in a little bit ago and said that they currently have the sway bar detached and are currently inspecting the lower control arm. This is either going to be free or cost me a fortune, yikes!

I say free because this was supposed to be repaired prior to purchasing the vehicle and wasn't. They also apologized for not getting it fixed correctly and said they would take care of it.

82 and sunny today in Nashville, tomorrow 55 :-(

 

[pcm2a]

Good test to find out what kind of dealer they are. I'll keep everyone updated. It's about to tornado and storm real bad in Nashville, I almost hope they keep it on the rack until tomorrow...indoors.

 

[Stella]

Hopefully their on it, and qualified. Living in the Midwest is killing us newbie's this year! Either snow like he'll or leave us alone no in between! Bright side is she's safe inside getting a rest! She'll need it.

 

[pcm2a]

I'm a little disgusted that the dealer didn't bother to update me today and when I called a little before 3pm all of the service department had already left early. Now I will have to wait until Monday for an update.

Here is a video of the hail at my house from yesterday, luckily no damage to my vehicles: What a sad day. - YouTube

 

[mtrocket]

I'm a little disgusted that the dealer didn't bother to update me today and when I called a little before 3pm all of the service department had already left early. Now I will have to wait until Monday for an update.

Here is a video of the hail at my house from yesterday, luckily no damage to my vehicles: What a sad day. - YouTube

All I can say is "WOW".

 

[Doug Doty]

Ya we had the hail here in Madison Indiana also but that was about all we had right here. It was crazy we are about 5 to 8 miles from the town of Chelsea where so much damage occured, Lost 3 people out there and said to be 25-30 homes. We had plywood, insulation and pole barn metal just falling out of the sky everywhere as it passed south of Madison. I have insulation and plywood in my yard assumably from Chelsea. So Sad. You could stand in an exterior doorway and spot large chunks of building materials in the sky fluttering down to earth and hardly even a dark cloud visable anywhere from here.

 

[carterchapman]

Good test to find out what kind of dealer they are. I'll keep everyone updated. It's about to tornado and storm real bad in Nashville, I almost hope they keep it on the rack until tomorrow...indoors.

Are you using Crest or Andrews?

 

[pcm2a]

Are you using Crest or Andrews?

Crest Cadillac is where I bought it. We went to Andrews mid 2011 and had a terrible experience. I went to look at a black CTS and not only did it smell like someone had smoked in it, every day, 10 times a day but the interior was all beat up! I couldn't believe they would even show that car on their lot. They also tried to rob me on my trade in. The dealer also made my wife get in the back for the test drive.

I got the XLR back yesterday. The mechanic said they loosened up everything, sway bar, control arms, etc on both sides, inspected everything, found no problems, tightened everything up to specs and the problem was gone. While that doesn't give me the warmest of fuzzy feelings they did not charge me anything and at least for today the sound is indeed gone.

 

[carterchapman]

My Mom is in Nashville and Crest takes care of her Cadillac CTS. She's 88 and I take it in for her for service when I am in town. I've not been impressed with Andrews either....