Strong knocking from front driver’s side and passenger side when making turns left OR right.
I have a 1995 Mazda Protege SE (or ES?) 4 cylinder, 1.8L Double Overhead Cam. Front wheel drive. I do NOT hear any weird noises or vibration when driving straight. However, whenever I turn left OR right, a hard knocking sound is heard and felt through the floor of the car in the front. It is felt on both driver's side and passenger side through the floor where our feet are. There is no vibration or wandering when driving straight or turning, but the hard KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK is heard on both sides and felt on both sides in the front when turning either direction. There is no noise comin
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
The steering rack and pinion assembly is mounted in rubber bushings; they may be deteriorated and allowing the rack and pinion to contact the sub frame making the knocking noise.
The other component to look at is the struts upper bearing and rubber bushing. These get dry of lubricant and should be lubed with a teflon grease when installed so the rubber will not get damaged.
Have someone feel the top of the strut mount under the hood while the steering is turned back and forth to see if the knocking or popping is in the strut. The rack and pinion bushings should be inspected from under the vehicle.
If either or both are bad then they will need to be replaced.
A mobile mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, can come to your home or business to inspect the knocking noise at your home or business.
How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?
Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced mechanics :
Bad Tires/Bad Left Tire – A knocking sound may be heard when tires go bad, if they are unbalanced or misaligned, or if there is a broken belt in one of the tires. Wheel Bearings – If a wheel bearing is severely worn out the wheel will not be able to spin freely. This may cause a knocking sound to be heard.
One of the most common causes of engine knocking is low oil. If your car has been using more oil than usual, it`s a good idea to top it off. You can also try using a higher-quality oil, as this can help reduce engine wear. It`s important to regularly change your oil because dirty oil can also cause knocking.
Tie Rods: A clunking noise when turning typically means there`s a loose or broken tie rod. Sway Bar Link: With a failing sway bar link, you will not only notice a knocking noise while you are turning but also poor handling.
Your axle has a constant velocity joint built into it that maintains quickness of motion to the wheels when you turn your steering wheel. When CV joints wear out, they cause a thumping or knocking noise when you turn. The only good repair option is to replace the CV joint or axle assembly.
When a wheel hub bearing wears out, it puts extra stress on the CV-joint. That can cause the knocking/clunking noise when you turn the vehicle.
If your car makes noise when turning right but not left, the issue is most likely caused by a problem with the steering system—like worn-out tie rods or a damaged rack and pinion—or issues with the suspension system, like damaged, loose, or worn-out struts and shocks.
On most modern cars, the timing of the engine — that is, at which point in the engine`s travel the spark plugs will fire — is controlled by the computer. But, if for any reason the spark isn`t firing exactly when it should, this can cause multiple detonations in the cylinder, leading to engine knock.
If you hear a light knocking or pounding sound, the noise can usually be traced back to your connecting rods. This sound is often most noticeable when the engine is at an even rpm–not accelerating or decelerating–and is often caused by a worn bearing or crankpin, misaligned connecting rod, or lack of oil.
Engine knocking often occurs when the air-fuel mixture is incorrect. To counter this, you can add an octane booster in the mix. This can help ensure proper octane rating, which can then stop the knocking. The recommended minimum octane level in the US is 87.
A clunking or knocking sound is another sign of a steering rack problem. The clunking noise will sound like someone knocking on your door but from below your car – “kok!”.
If the power steering pump develops leaks, it can drip onto the lower control arm bushing causing the bushing to deteriorate. A knocking noise will be heard when driving over bumps and it may become more difficult to control the vehicle.
A whining noise when an engine is running is usually an indication of a bearing that is on the verge of failure. This noise will increase as the engine RPMs increase. Remember, though, that there are multiple places in the engine where bearings are used.
The noise coming from your bearing may sound like a whistling, rattling or growling. Unfortunately, by the time you hear this noise, your bearing has failed and the only solution is to replace the bearing as soon as possible.
The spontaneous ignition of air/fuel inside the cylinders is a common source of engine knock. While the description of the sound may differ, the circumstances under which it occurs are often the same – low-speed, high-torque conditions common when you`re accelerating.
Engine knocking occurs when the fuel in your engine`s cylinders burns unevenly, and this causes knocking or a pinging sound. It usually happens when the engine`s running, but sometimes you can hear the sound while it is idle or revving up.
Detonation—sometimes called knock or pre-ignition—is a pinging sound that can sometimes be heard during acceleration and throttle tip-in. Unlike normal exhaust noise, detonation is a higher-pitched, raspy note that emanates from the engine compartment.
Spark knock, aka detonation, is when spontaneous combustion occurs at multiple flame fronts simultaneously inside a combustion chamber. Detonation occurs because fuel is subjected either to too much pressure, too much heat or both.
If the ECU or knock sensor is going bad, they will not be able to process the data from the combustion chamber and correct any detonation issues. This can make your engine knock.
Knocking and shaking coming from your engine can be the telltale sign of bad fuel injectors. Another symptom could be misfiring or a vibration.
If you start to notice rod knock, this isn`t a problem that will just resolve itself—you must take immediate action and replace the rod bearing while also fixing any other parts associated with the sound. If you do not take action quickly enough, you might need to replace the engine entirely.
Spark Plugs That Are Worn or Misfiring
If your spark plugs are overdue for replacement, your engine knock could be attributed to that and you may also lose engine power.
How can I tell if the dual-mass flywheel is broken? Symptoms can include rumbling or squawk noises when chainging gear, shuddering when pulling away and in extreme cases, severe vibration and rattles when the car is in neutral.
The severity depends on how bad the flywheel is; if it`s just beginning to fail, there may be a rattling sound at cruise. The pitch changes as the clutch is engaged and disengaged. When completely worn, they will make a loud rattling noise, usually noticeable right at startup.
Relevant Questions and Answers :
the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue
Strong knocking from front driver’s side and passenger side when making turns left OR right.
ANSWER : The steering rack and pinion assembly is mounted in rubber bushings; they may be deteriorated and allowing the rack and pinion to contact the sub frame making the knocking noise.
The other component to look at is the struts upper bearing and rubber bushing. These get dry of lubricant and should be lubed with a teflon grease when installed so the rubber will not get damaged.
Have someone feel the top of the strut mount under the hood while the steering is turned back and forth to see if the knocking or popping is in the strut. The rack and pinion bushings should be inspected from under the vehicle.
If either or both are bad then they will need to be replaced.
A mobile mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, can come to your home or business to inspect the knocking noise at your home or business.
I have a Dodge Ram and I ran a mailbox over on my right side. When I turn left and right there’s a grinding noise on the right.
ANSWER : After running over the mailbox, the box or stem could have bent the backing plate and is now causing the grinding noise as the backing plate is scraping against the brake rotor on the right side. Inspect your brake system and see what is causing the grinding noise. If you need further assistance with the grinding noise, then seek out a professional, such as one from Your Mechanic, to help you.
Driver side door lock button not working, and passenger side sliding door makes a buzzing noise
ANSWER : Hi there. These door issues are common on this vehicle. Most of the time the main issue is the master door lock switch on the driver door. It sounds like you already replaced that. As for the sliding door problem, most of the time, this is a failure within the door module or it can be a connection issue.
I typically take the door apart and check the connections on the module and inside of the door just to make sure that there is nothing apparent in there. If the connections and the wiring are fine, then I use a scan tool to check the module to see what the inputs and outputs are doing. If you need to have this looked at, consider YourMechanic, as a certified mechanic can come to your home or office to diagnose your door problem and recommend a repair.
What is driver side front versus passenger side front? Isn’t an axle replacement the whole axle connecting the two front wheels?
ANSWER : Hi there. Wheel location is determined by imagining you are sitting in the driver seat. Your, and most vehicles today, have 2 axles in the front; certain vehicle still have a solid rear axle housing, but retain 2 individual axles as well. It sounds like you may have bent the strut, lower control arm, ball joint, and/or hub when you hit the curb. I suggest having a qualified technician perform an inspection to avoid replacing unnecessary parts. Your Mechanic has several available technicians that can assist you with a suspension inspection.
Very Loud Knocking noise from left rear wheel when turning left and braking
ANSWER : The problem could be in the transfer case unit, but the device is mounted closer to the driver than the rear wheel so the noises or vibrations are generally a little more obvious. Especially during sharp turns the transfer case and rear end assemblies are working pretty hard with the wheels turning at different rates. I suggest hiring one of our mobile experts to diagnose the noise you’re hearing. Wheel bearings and worn out suspension components like sway bar links cause similar noises.
Just put on new brakes and replaced driver side tire. Now there’s a knocking sound when I accelerate or turn right (which intensif
ANSWER : Hi there. If you replaced only one tire, this could be an interior wheel weight hitting against the brake caliper. It could also be an issue with a steering stabilizer bar bushing, CV joint or other suspension component. It might be a great idea to have one of our professional mobile mechanics come to your location to complete a car is making a noise inspection, so they can isolate the root source of this noise and recommend repairs that will resolve the issue.
Is there grease in the left side front driver side wheel bearing
ANSWER : The wheel bearings on the front of your car are within unitized hub assemblies and thus the grease that is placed within when the hub is manufactured is permanently sealed inside. It will not leak out. If the bearing has failed that is typically due to overtightening of the axle nut when the vehicle is re-assembled during the repair. The nut that holds the CV axle to the hub can ONLY be tightened with a calibrated torque wrench and the nut has to be tightened only to exact value published in the Factory Service Manual. Shops and amateurs will sometimes use an air tool or an ordinary wrench, contrary to the explicit instructions, and the consequence is the axle nut is overtightened and the bearing is guaranteed to fail prematurely. The other common cause of premature bearing failure is the use of cheap aftermarket bearings (or hub assemblies). If you use the OEM (dealer supplied) bearing or a recognizable, reputable vendor such as SKF you will be better off. The grease you are seeing is from another source and that is likely to be the CV outer joint. You can check to see if the outer CV boot is torn or damaged. If so, the grease has come out and CV joint failure is not far off. To get the bearing inspected, and replaced if failed, please request hub assembly inspection/replacement. To obtain service on the CV joint, please request CV joint inspection/axle replacement. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.
Front right passenger side Shaking
ANSWER : If you have frame damage on the right side that did not get fixed or was hidden from you when you bought it, then your vehicle may not be repairable. I suggest having a body shop check the frame damage to see if there is damage that is unsafe. If you find that the frame has been straightened and is okay, get the work done and parts that are bad replaced.
