Shuddering noise in D22 front driver's side wheel arch

[docp1980]

Hi,

I've got a 2009 D22 Navara and for the past few months it's been making a loud shuddering noise from the driver's side wheel. It happens when i'm off road and cornering, as well as cornering in mountain ranges on bitumen. It is especially bad when i'm driving in rocky terrain and whenever there is body roll at speed on windy roads. It sounds like the suspension is bottoming out, but Nissan tell me the suspension is fine. I have had the car back to my Nissan dealer twice now and the problem is still there. The second time they told me it was loose wheel bearings, but it's obviously not. It's a real pain to demonstrate to the dealer as I can get it to make the noise very often during normal city driving. Does anyone have the same problem or any suggestions as it what it might be? It's definitely not normal......

Cheers,

Matt

 

[Old.Tony]

I'd start with the obvious.

* Has your car sunk noticeably on the front since purchase?

* How much gear is on the front (bar, winch etc)

* If you jack up the front right wheel and grasp it firmly with both hands, does shaking it left and right, or up and down, produce any alarming movement or noise?

* How long since it had that wheel balanced?

* Is this the spare tyre, with the other tyres being worn to a greater degree? Have you done much in 4WD mode with mismatched tyre sizes?

* Have you used 4WD mode on bitumen?

* Are the CV joints intact? Check the rubber boots as the front axle enters the wheel.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

 

[docp1980]

I'd start with the obvious.

* Has your car sunk noticeably on the front since purchase?

* How much gear is on the front (bar, winch etc)

* If you jack up the front right wheel and grasp it firmly with both hands, does shaking it left and right, or up and down, produce any alarming movement or noise?

* How long since it had that wheel balanced?

* Is this the spare tyre, with the other tyres being worn to a greater degree? Have you done much in 4WD mode with mismatched tyre sizes?

* Have you used 4WD mode on bitumen?

* Are the CV joints intact? Check the rubber boots as the front axle enters the wheel.

That's all I can think of at the moment.

Hi Tony,

cheers for the quick response. The ute hasn't sagged noticeable in the front, it's only got an alloy bar on the front and the wheels have been balanced and aligned twice since the problem started. The tyre is the original tyre and is wearing like the others. I've never engaged 4wd on bitumen and have done no 4 wheeling with mismatched tyre sizes. Haven't checked the CV joints, but I imagine Nissan would have????

Cheers,

Matt

 

[Silver STR]

Hi Matt,
Just read about the noise in your D22's front end. I too have exactly the same problem you desribed. I have a 2009 STR (thailand built) and had it back to Nissan 3 times (latest was yesterday) and everytime they can't find anything wrong. Check wheel bearings, tighten body mounts, check torsion bars, check brakes, grease this and that etc. But to no avail, very frustrating. The boof head service advisor guarrantees nothing will break or fall off, but as soon as I asked him to put that in writing he couldn't change the subject quick enough. It is a very defined thumping/knocking noise and it varies in intensity and loudness depending on speed, amount of left turn, and surface. Generally the faster the wheel moves up/down, the more severe the noise and vibration through the floor.
Have you managed to solve it yet?

Any help would be appreciated. Looks like I need to find the cause and tell Nissan because it's all too hard for them.

Cheers,
Geoff.

 

[Barry@]

Hi Geoff,
I have a similar problem with the same model. First time the noise occurred from front right wheel when I braked on a corner at speed on a gravel road. I thought I had picked up a stone in the brake. The noise slow got less so the by the time I got to the Nissan Service Centre it was not very noticeable. Service Centre could not find anything. Then it happened again on a bitumen road (no stones) but once again caused by braking. Once again noise went away and Service centre found nothing. No doubt whatever it is will finally fail outside warranty period? Did you identify the source of your noise?

Hope you can help

 

[Barry@]

Hi Geoff,
I have a similar problem with the same model. First time the noise occurred from front right wheel when I braked on a corner at speed on a gravel road. I thought I had picked up a stone in the brake. The noise slow got less so the by the time I got to the Nissan Service Centre it was not very noticeable. Service Centre could not find anything. Then it happened again on a bitumen road (no stones) but once again caused by braking. Once again noise went away and Service Centre found nothing. No doubt whatever it is will finally fail outside warranty period? Did you identify the source of your noise?

Hope you can help

 

[docp1980]

Hi Matt,
Just read about the noise in your D22's front end. I too have exactly the same problem you desribed. I have a 2009 STR (thailand built) and had it back to Nissan 3 times (latest was yesterday) and everytime they can't find anything wrong. Check wheel bearings, tighten body mounts, check torsion bars, check brakes, grease this and that etc. But to no avail, very frustrating. The boof head service advisor guarrantees nothing will break or fall off, but as soon as I asked him to put that in writing he couldn't change the subject quick enough. It is a very defined thumping/knocking noise and it varies in intensity and loudness depending on speed, amount of left turn, and surface. Generally the faster the wheel moves up/down, the more severe the noise and vibration through the floor.
Have you managed to solve it yet?

Any help would be appreciated. Looks like I need to find the cause and tell Nissan because it's all too hard for them.

Cheers,
Geoff.

You need to get Nissan to replace all of your body mounts. The ones the D 22's come with are shithouse. Replace the body mounts and that terrible noise is gone.

 

[docp1980]

Sorry, when I say body mounts, I mean the body mount insulators or rubbers.

 

[d22lemon]

Hi,

I've got a 2009 D22 Navara and for the past few months it's been making a loud shuddering noise from the driver's side wheel. It happens when i'm off road and cornering, as well as cornering in mountain ranges on bitumen. It is especially bad when i'm driving in rocky terrain and whenever there is body roll at speed on windy roads. It sounds like the suspension is bottoming out, but Nissan tell me the suspension is fine. I have had the car back to my Nissan dealer twice now and the problem is still there. The second time they told me it was loose wheel bearings, but it's obviously not. It's a real pain to demonstrate to the dealer as I can get it to make the noise very often during normal city driving. Does anyone have the same problem or any suggestions as it what it might be? It's definitely not normal......

Cheers,

Matt

I had the same issuewith my 2009 STR (thai built iece of sh*t). It is the body to chassis mounts. Try and get Nissan to replace them but as Nissan won't listen or admit that the the thai D22's have this issue I doubt that Nissan will replace under warranty.Nissan don't admit to any faults with their cars until after the 3 years or 100k timeis up. I got new mounts and replaced them myself, noise gone. It is the crappy ruber in the bushings that degenerate and allow the body and chassis to' separate. if it is the front mount,check inside the front wheel guard and lower radiator supports for stress fractures as this fracturing is a known Nisaan thai version issue caused by faulty mounts. Nissan don't recognise it though so will not fix under warranty. So check front body mounts.

 

[ggoodey]

I had mine replace under warranty. See the following post:
http://www.4wdaction.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?f=81&t=113420

About to take it back in, as it is happening again...