Mystery Click/Clunk

[AndrewGLS]

Hey everyone,

I've got a 22.5 GLS which has developed a sound which is only really noticable on deceleration. It started as a braking noise but I can also recreate it when manually changing down a gear.
Initially I thought it might be the brakes, which seemed logical, but everything there seems fine.

I was due a service so took it back to where I bought it for them to have a look at.

So far they have had the ute for almost 2 weeks all up and they can't figure it out. They've had more senior mitsubishi engineers check it out and they also can't figure it out. They still have the ute and have asked me to go back next week to go for a drive with one of their techs to see if we can work it out. They've heard the sound and been able to recreate the sound by themselves so I think it's a bit weird they need me out there too.

Anyway, I searched this forum and the general consensus seems to be something relating to control arm bolts when there's a clink/clunk like this. They all seem fine.

The dealer I took it to has even taken the steering assembly (not sure exactly how much but definitely the knuckle) off a brand new Paj Sport and swapped it with mine, without any resolution.

There was some discussion that it could be backlash in the front diff. Obviously thats a bit harder to swap out.

Anyway, just wanted to start a bit of discussion here about the problem, the service experience and hopefully eventually a solution. The guy who has been handling it has been very professional and pleasant to deal with, but I would love to get it fixed and 2 weeks seems like it's taking a bit long to trace down the source of this sound.

[AndrewGLS]

I went out there last Monday to go for a drive with one of their techs and the sound was gone.
Stoked!
Took the ute away and 10 min later it's doing it again so I took it back to them.
Not a peep out of the dealer all week so I emailed them for an update.

They havent gone as far as blaming the bullbar (TJM Outback) but I get the feeling they are looking for a scapegoat and an exit strategy based on the tone of their communication which is very frustrating.

It has been with them on and off (mostly on) for 4 weeks now and my patience is running thin. I've been mostly happy with my ute so far but it seems crazy to me that professional technicians can have a vehicle for almost a month and not find the source of a sound which is easy to recreate.

[RHKTriton]

Reminds me of a noise I had in my first Commodore. Noise from the rear end. Dealer had it on two occasions with the car not even looked at one day.

In the end I tied a microphone to various locations and isolated the sound to the diff.
Went to another dealer and they identified a faulty diff carrier. Problem fixed. Know where I bought next unit?

Re your issue, your ride would have spent much time at 'rest' at the dealer. I would suggest another dealer or mechanic have a look. Before that though, have a careful look over the vehicle for any loose objects.

[NowForThe5th]

I had a similar, although not exactly the same, experience a few years ago. Turns out it was the LCA bolts that had been done up just a touch too tight. Released and re-torqued and the clunk was gone.

It may or may not be this but I mention it because you have to try everything it could be, plus a few things that (you think) it couldn't be, to find it. Sometimes "seems fine" isn't quite enough.

[AndrewGLS]

[quote="RHKTriton"
In the end I tied a microphone to various locations and isolated the sound to the diff.
Went to another dealer and they identified a faulty diff carrier. Problem fixed. Know where I bought next unit?
[/quote]

Thanks for the reply. They said they have had chassis ears on it to try and locate teh source of the sound with no success. I am tempted to get it back and gaffer tape some microphones and a go pro to the front wheel arch because I am sure I could track it down better than these guys.

It's now been over 5 weeks and they are playing the game of them being out of ideas and taking direction from Mits Australia. Problem is the cadence of this game is painful. MMAL suggest one thing, next day dealer does it and it doesn't help. So they go back to MMAL and get another suggestion the next day, then the next day they do something else.

My major gripe isn't so much the sound any more it's the pretty sub par experience I've had from the dealer in regards to finding the source.

We are about to go away for a week, and when we get back it will have been 7 weeks that they've had it. At that point I'll just tell them to give it back and I'll go to another dealer. I only went to this one as that's where I bought it and perhaps wrongly assumed they would take more pride in resolving the issue. I feel like they really don't give a shit!

[AndrewGLS]

I had a similar, although not exactly the same, experience a few years ago. Turns out it was the LCA bolts that had been done up just a touch too tight. Released and re-torqued and the clunk was gone.

It may or may not be this but I mention it because you have to try everything it could be, plus a few things that (you think) it couldn't be, to find it. Sometimes "seems fine" isn't quite enough.

I asked them again last week to check the LCA assembly as it wasn't on the list of itemised actions I asked for, then they said they had done it. So, who really knows what they've done. According to them, they took an LCA and hub assembly from a doner car as well as the brake calipers. In the process of doing this they claim "everything" has been removed and retorqued. But again, I can only go on their word.
To me it screams worn bushes somewhere but you'd think that would be pretty easy to diagnose.

Cheers!

[RHKTriton]

I wonder what BS some dealers serve up. Are they really going to take the time to take bits off a 'good" vehicle to try on yours and then swap everything back?

Ultimately a mechanic or any technician will have some clue and experience with a product they work on every week.

Just reading the beginning of this thread. Does the noise only occur with only you in the car or also with a passenger? Just humor me, hop in passenger seat and try and slide it forwards and backwards without touching any adjusters. Have a look in the area outside where you suspect the noise comes from and have a Brutus rock the car. Long shots, but might show up something.