suspension click sound (noise on bumps) SOLVED -- sway bar bushing

Has anyone experienced this?

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ADMIN edit: this is apparently now subject of a Technical Service Bulletin at Nissan. See post #24 for details.

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When i was driving on a long bridge (pont Jacque Cartier) or on a high way (40 between Acadie and Saint-Michel) there's usually a metallic connector between 2 concretes. It kinda bumps the car every 4-5 meters.. I do hear a "click" sound on the right hand side. i can hear it from inside the car. I am wondering what is it. I gets annoying when you have to take the bridge and 40 twice a day.. and the click happens ever 4-5 meters. it sounds like a misplaced piece...

The same would happen on normal street where there's speed bumps, or pot holes... and in Montreal.. there's lots of nids de poules.

Mine started that not too long ago...had gotten louder, but then is softened up again. still does it, but the bump has to be noticable and make the suspension travel...
Not sure if its a bearing, bushing or ball joint. Will be getting it in the shop in soonish..need an oil change shortly.

I will get it check when i get my winter tires removes in March 15..

Could be the tire hitting,something like tire rub

I believe those metal connectors are called expansion joints.

At the Milton dealership currently. Took the shop guy for a ride. He heard it. Confirmed suspension and all joints are tight and look good.
There are 3 of them under the car currently trying to figure it out?
Really. Started laughing in the dealership. How many people can you fit under a Micra!

Okay. Verdict is bushing on swaybar. Parts ordered and will need to return for fix.

Alright. Took the car into to the dealer on Tuesday, for the click/squeek thing to get fixed.
took maybe half hour to replace the swaybar bushing and clamp...
all good now!
Since i just rolled 20K on Monday, hopefully if it going to go again it will be before warranty goes out the window!

Thanks for the update, Graham.

My car is doing the same thing on the front ride side. When I get my tires changed back over to summers I will see what is going on.

My Micra started the creak/squeak at 4000 kilometers... Its the sway bar bushings. Went to the dealer... it will be fixed under warranty.

This is what i m talking about.
Let me know if the link doesn't work.

I was driving on a highway late at night when there's not many cars to have the best recording.
You can really hear the cracking sound in the whole 2 minutes video. May Micra is 1 month old and with 1000 km... but this sound started on the very first day.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BxK...ew?usp=sharing

Yup, That sounds like the sway bar bushing...
They had to order the parts for the fix for me, took 2 or 3 days...no big deal..install was maybe 45 minutes?

yeah.... on an old car, i can understand.. but my car had this problem when i was driving it home from dealership..

Doesn't the cars go through quality checks before selling it?

Update:

after being replaced at 15mo 22k the front sway bar bushings went again at 38mo 50k. I was out of warranty but the dealer still replaced them free of charge.

The OEM bushings require silicon grease (do not put petroleum based grease it will deteriorate the rubber causing it to crack and make more noise) to be applied on them, since the cars are made in Mexico they skip on applying this grease on the rubber bushings. When it gets dry/cold the rubber gets harder and dries out causing the sound. The OEM brackets have a small groove integrated in them this is where the grease needs to be applied.

To fix this problem permanently, get a hold of urethane bushings which stay naturally lubricated longer without use of grease. POWERFLEX is one of the best brands for performance urethane bushings.

Do they really go bad on a new car like this or is it possibly that they just need a bit of silicone grease? Mine started creaking a few weeks ago and when the weather gets nice I am going to jack up the car and see if I can take them off to grease them.

Nobuseri or anyone else know the size of the bushings? I might look into aftermarket ones if I need a new set. I have a feeling the Nissan ones aren't cheap.

cheers

You should grease them. I still have my OEM ones around, took some measurements bellow:
Attachment 4477Attachment 4478Attachment 4479Attachment 4480Attachment 4481

Thanks a bunch. Really helpful. Will grease in spring and look into aftermarket bushings.

How do you grease these? Must they be taken apart, or can you inject grease in these somehow?

FYI: the Nissan invoice price to replace these is $344

Wow....Rip-off..that include installation?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by tomcj2

How do you grease these? Must they be taken apart, or can you inject grease in these somehow?

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Unscrew two bolts, take off bracket, pull off mounts (they are open on one side I think), grease inside with silicone (important) grease, pop back on, fill outer grease channel on mount or bracket and then put back on and screw in.

Note I am not a mechanic and not done mounts yet. I do hobby stuff like spark plugs and oils changes and have only read about mount replacements on forums and various google/ YouTube things. Someone correct me if I am wrong.

I had the same issue with my Micra at about 18,000 km. Brought it to the attention of my service advisor during a routine service appointment, but of course during their test drive they didn't hear anything. However, I was told there is a Technical Service Bulletin for this issue. After some back and forth and more test driving with the service technician, finally got the sway bar bushings replaced today with 3 months left in my warranty :)

Subject: SB Versa Sedan/Note, and Micra; Squeak in Front Suspension Over Bumps
Summary of NTB17042:
IF YOU CONFIRM
Squeak noise coming from the stabilizer bushings while driving over bumps at slow speeds,
ACTION
Replace both stabilizer bushings.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jude

I had the same issue with my Micra at about 18,000 km. Brought it to the attention of my service advisor during a routine service appointment, but of course during their test drive they didn't hear anything. However, I was told there is a Technical Service Bulletin for this issue. After some back and forth and more test driving with the service technician, finally got the sway bar bushings replaced today with 3 months left in my warranty :)

Subject: SB Versa Sedan/Note, and Micra; Squeak in Front Suspension Over Bumps
Summary of NTB17042:
IF YOU CONFIRM
Squeak noise coming from the stabilizer bushings while driving over bumps at slow speeds,
ACTION
Replace both stabilizer bushings.

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Bummer. I think I'm out of warranty now. Just passed 60k last week and when I took it in last month I couldnt replicate the noise when going for a ride with the service guy. It only seems to happen when it's very cold out.

Hoping now that greasing them helps for next winter.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jude

I was told there is a Technical Service Bulletin for this issue.

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Thanks for sharing that info!

Hello is this an easy diy I think my used car has the same issue , going to try and add grease just not sure if is an easy diy without dropping subframe. Thanks

Looks like I am having the same issue. Does anyone know the part number for the sway arm bushings? Are they the same ones used on the Versa?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by LJ2015

Looks like I am having the same issue. Does anyone know the part number for the sway arm bushings? Are they the same ones used on the Versa?

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see attachments

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MrMicra2015

see attachments

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Thank you. It's interesting that the same bushing is used for the micra and the versa. After some looking around it seems that the micra has a 18mm roll bar and the versa has a 22mm roll bar. Does the sub frame need to be lowered to access the bushings? Debating on trying to tackle the job without taking it to the dealer.

Why lowering subframe? Take clamp out which is holding bushing and slide new one in place. U can free bar by taking out 2 nuts from each end(they connect stabilizer link to the bar).
Dont forget to grease them with silicone grease when installing.

Its very easy job to do if u have heated garage if no wait till spring :-)

ive replaced these on other cars and they can be kinda bithcy....mazda has an allen key that strips...so you need to hold the ball stud still while you undo the nut ...visegrips, wd40, HEAT...yes a propane torch....and a DREMEL CUT OFF WHEEL u can do it yourself....dont freak..but u need to be HANDY!////so what happens is there needs to be ball joints so u can turn the wheels...but the ball joints wear and become "jiggly" thats the noise....so your replacing basically 2 ball joints... BUT THE BALL JOINT ROTATES!!!(hard to take off nut) .some manufacturers eliminate the ball joint .by connecting to A arm...NOT rotating strut..aka honda ... so its jut a vertical rubber bushing joint///which seems like a better idea to me



lol its the bushings the bar rotates in...not the end links ...i just realized...shoot it with oil,silicon, wd 40, cooking oil, ANYTHING and it should stop,i wouldnt even replace them unless your autocrossing

Anyone have any luck with a process on how to do this without lowering the entire subframe?

I just got a quote from my local Nissan dealer of $398 to replace mine :eek:

They also quoted $109 for a cabin filter?! Da fuq, it's $20 from NAPA.

(that's not including the diagnostic fee I had to pay for them to actually confirm that was the issue :| )

It only seems to be noisy when it's cold, so I can live with it for now.

you shouldnt have to lower the subrame to replace the sway bar end links, if you do Nissan did something wrong!