Clunking Rattle Noise?

jhorton · 01-24-2003, 10:15 AM

With my 2000 Grand AM GT, I keep hearing a clunking rattle noise that sounds like it is coming from underneath the drivers side somewhere. Does anyone have any idea as to what I should look at that could be causing this? It is more noticeable when it is colder out?

01-24-2003, 09:26 PM

I have a similar problem that 2 dealers in my area cannot seem to diagnose. If you get a resolution, please post it here. I would love to hear it. I am so disgusted I am looking into getting rid of the car. Do a search on clunk and you will find me bitchin all over here about my problem. Yours sounds the same as mine and it gets worse when it's colder. I'll be watchin this thread.

BMOBYLE · 01-24-2003, 09:47 PM

You know back in the day(not really like 98'

) the malibu's and some other gm's had a tsb in reference to their Lower Control Arms Even though it "looked" like nothing was wrong with them at all. Where it made a bad like "loose ball joint" clunk and replacing the LCA's resolved the clunk. I wonder if we have the same sh!t cause mine clunks too and I KNOW my suspension is tight.

Just to be sure though you could jack the car up and shake the wheel up and down then left to right to see if you got any play.

play:
up and down=ball joint or wheel bearing

left to right=inner or outer tie rod end

01-28-2003, 10:49 AM

hey guys, your not alone.......im havin same problem....mine seems to happen when i hit a little bump, when road is flat and straight i dont hear it.......im in a mechanics class and just mentioned it to my teacher. we are going to work on it tomorrow, i'll post a reply on how it went..... and in relation to the tsb's, there was one about the brakes in the front, i didnt get to read it very good but i printed it out and we are checking on that tomorrow......i'll post results in a couple days

Kona Bear · 01-28-2003, 01:23 PM

Hey guys.

It's a strut problem. I've had 3 GM cars (97 Sunfire, 99 Z24, and 01 GAGT) and they have all made the same identical noise, especially when it's cold. With the J-bodies it was a recall/bulliten issue, with the n-bodies I'm not sure. All I know is it's the same noise.

Mike

01-29-2003, 05:52 PM

I had a similiar problem with my Alero...

Whenever I hit a bump, I would hear this clunking sound... the dealer replaced one of my tie rods, and the problem seems to be gone now. They said it was loose.

PACE · 02-02-2003, 11:35 AM

My car has soooo many creeks and rattles it is rediculious (sp.).....I think after a couple years they all do that...

sharukhl · 02-02-2003, 03:19 PM

I had the same problem, and it was a loose caliper. My car was taken to a brake shop, and the caliper was realigned, and there was no problem.

Rba007 · 02-02-2003, 03:58 PM

Mine just started doing that about 20 minutes ago. Damn Car!

jayno20 · 02-03-2003, 12:21 PM

my grand am does it too... if i take it to have it looked at what are the options.. like what are the possibilities??

RGAGT · 02-03-2003, 05:03 PM

well I've got both noises the Clunk on bump also had it when turning (New Steering rack Got rid of that problem) the other noise still there To me sounds like Swaybar link but I suspect its a strut problem since i have 56000kms on my car

jayno20 · 02-03-2003, 06:11 PM

well its not my steering cause i dont hear it when turning.. just going over bumps, but its not the struts either cause i just had both front struts replaced...

mjhurley1 · 02-13-2003, 10:47 AM

We see alot of problems with LCA's too. Some can actually see the bushings seperating from the control arm. Definatley will cause a clunking noise. Replaced as an assembly with the lower ball joint.

02-16-2003, 06:53 PM

I have an older Grand Am, and it tends to knock and rattle quite a bit, I've been told to check struts and CV joints

klc317 · 05-11-2003, 12:39 AM

I'm gonna dig this old thread back up because my '02 GAGT just began doing this exact same thing. Has anyone made any progress or got it fixed correctly yet?

andrewe77 · 05-11-2003, 07:26 AM

Mine does the same thing. It is a clunking noise when going over small bumps. It occurs on the drivers side and only seems to occur when it is cold outside.

My parents 1991 Pontiac Transport has the same problem but much worse and has done it for a long time.

I suspect it is the struts.

nd4spd · 05-11-2003, 08:05 AM

Well I was told it was the rack an pinion, but the struts are being replaced first, since I have around 90,000 miles on the originals. I dont feel like paying over a thousand bucks for a new rack, since the dealer said its not a hazard, just more of an annoyance.

klc317 · 05-11-2003, 04:51 PM

It was a nice cool day here today and I noticed how much worse mine has got over the past several months. It only seems to do it when its cool out. It sounds like an empty pop can with some rubber marbles being shaken around in it (along with a creaking) when I go over a bump or turn left, deifinately coming from the drivers side front suspension area. Its most noticeable when going slow, but I did notice today that it does it while driving 55 too. I'm gonna try to get into the dealer this week and hopefully I can help some of you all out when (and if) they figure it out.

klc317 · 05-21-2003, 11:23 PM

Well, they figured out that it was a steering rack...put that in, sound still there. They then replaced sway bar bushings and brackets, noise still there. Its goin back this next week for the next round of stuff. I would swear its somehting to do with struts or related hardware, but they wont replace those. Oh well, it'll keep going back to the service dept. until its fixed.

HaVoK~DOGZ~ · 05-21-2003, 11:42 PM

do any of your lights come on...like the abs,brake lights???

01-24-2003, 10:15 AM	#1
jhorton GAGT - Member Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kitchener, Ontario Age: 45 Posts: 46 Vehicle: 2000 Grand Am GT	Clunking Rattle Noise? With my 2000 Grand AM GT, I keep hearing a clunking rattle noise that sounds like it is coming from underneath the drivers side somewhere. Does anyone have any idea as to what I should look at that could be causing this? It is more noticeable when it is colder out?

01-24-2003, 09:47 PM	#3
BMOBYLE Grease Monkey Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: drexel hill Age: 44 Posts: 659 Vehicle: 99GAGTBLACKmodded!	You know back in the day(not really like 98') the malibu's and some other gm's had a tsb in reference to their Lower Control Arms Even though it "looked" like nothing was wrong with them at all. Where it made a bad like "loose ball joint" clunk and replacing the LCA's resolved the clunk. I wonder if we have the same sh!t cause mine clunks too and I KNOW my suspension is tight. Just to be sure though you could jack the car up and shake the wheel up and down then left to right to see if you got any play. play: up and down=ball joint or wheel bearing left to right=inner or outer tie rod end __________________ GM's love me ASE Certified!!! My N-Body I'll see ya with my tools F-FACE!

02-02-2003, 11:35 AM	#7
PACE Woooo Woooooooo ! AKA: Jason Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Clarkston, MI Age: 43 Posts: 2,514 Vehicle: GRAND AMERICAN	My car has soooo many creeks and rattles it is rediculious (sp.).....I think after a couple years they all do that... __________________ Grand Am---Long gone. 2009 Yukon Denali with 4" drop on 24" black Escalade wheels -- in the garage 1970 Impala convertible triple black - In the Garage

02-02-2003, 03:19 PM	#8
sharukhl GAGT - Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Central CA Age: 36 Posts: 220 Vehicle: 2000 Grand Am SE 3400	I had the same problem, and it was a loose caliper. My car was taken to a brake shop, and the caliper was realigned, and there was no problem. __________________ www.n-body.net/registry/sharukhl www.cardomain.com/id/sharukhl

02-02-2003, 03:58 PM	#9
Rba007 GAGT Oldie AKA: Dave Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: N. Muskegon MI Age: 38 Posts: 2,444 Vehicle: 04 Grand Prix GT	Mine just started doing that about 20 minutes ago. Damn Car! __________________ Dave's Sexy Ride "Sul3LiME883: i'm drunk tho. i'd throw myself at a penis right now, i bet." "When you step over the line, your nuts are mine" "ArcticSun GT: u do smell dave, smell like awesomeness"

01-24-2003, 09:26 PM	#2
buzzaudio Guest Posts: n/a	I have a similar problem that 2 dealers in my area cannot seem to diagnose. If you get a resolution, please post it here. I would love to hear it. I am so disgusted I am looking into getting rid of the car. Do a search on clunk and you will find me bitchin all over here about my problem. Yours sounds the same as mine and it gets worse when it's colder. I'll be watchin this thread.

01-28-2003, 10:49 AM	#4
01GrandAman Guest Posts: n/a	hey guys, your not alone.......im havin same problem....mine seems to happen when i hit a little bump, when road is flat and straight i dont hear it.......im in a mechanics class and just mentioned it to my teacher. we are going to work on it tomorrow, i'll post a reply on how it went..... and in relation to the tsb's, there was one about the brakes in the front, i didnt get to read it very good but i printed it out and we are checking on that tomorrow......i'll post results in a couple days

01-28-2003, 01:23 PM	#5
Kona Bear GAGT - Newbie AKA: 1 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: 3 Age: 43 Posts: 4 Vehicle: 2	Hey guys. It's a strut problem. I've had 3 GM cars (97 Sunfire, 99 Z24, and 01 GAGT) and they have all made the same identical noise, especially when it's cold. With the J-bodies it was a recall/bulliten issue, with the n-bodies I'm not sure. All I know is it's the same noise. Mike

01-29-2003, 05:52 PM	#6
DR EVYL Guest Posts: n/a	I had a similiar problem with my Alero... Whenever I hit a bump, I would hear this clunking sound... the dealer replaced one of my tie rods, and the problem seems to be gone now. They said it was loose.

02-03-2003, 12:21 PM	#10
jayno20 GAGT - Member AKA: Justin Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Indiana, PA Age: 36 Posts: 118 Vehicle: 99 SE	my grand am does it too... if i take it to have it looked at what are the options.. like what are the possibilities??

02-03-2003, 05:03 PM	#11
RGAGT GAGT - Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Calgary/Alberta Age: 51 Posts: 151	well I've got both noises the Clunk on bump also had it when turning (New Steering rack Got rid of that problem) the other noise still there To me sounds like Swaybar link but I suspect its a strut problem since i have 56000kms on my car

02-03-2003, 06:11 PM	#12
jayno20 GAGT - Member AKA: Justin Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Indiana, PA Age: 36 Posts: 118 Vehicle: 99 SE	well its not my steering cause i dont hear it when turning.. just going over bumps, but its not the struts either cause i just had both front struts replaced...

02-13-2003, 10:47 AM	#13
mjhurley1 GAGT - Member AKA: Mike Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Shelby Township, Michigan Posts: 497 Vehicle: 2004 Grand Prix GT	We see alot of problems with LCA's too. Some can actually see the bushings seperating from the control arm. Definatley will cause a clunking noise. Replaced as an assembly with the lower ball joint. __________________ Mike

02-16-2003, 06:53 PM	#14
Gatesy Guest Posts: n/a	I have an older Grand Am, and it tends to knock and rattle quite a bit, I've been told to check struts and CV joints

05-11-2003, 12:39 AM	#15
klc317 GAGT - Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cincinnati, OH Age: 44 Posts: 185 Vehicle: 2002 GAGT FOR SALE	I'm gonna dig this old thread back up because my '02 GAGT just began doing this exact same thing. Has anyone made any progress or got it fixed correctly yet?

05-11-2003, 07:26 AM	#16
andrewe77 GAGT - Member AKA: Andrew Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Blue Springs, MO Posts: 162 Vehicle: 2000 Grand Am GT Coupe	Mine does the same thing. It is a clunking noise when going over small bumps. It occurs on the drivers side and only seems to occur when it is cold outside. My parents 1991 Pontiac Transport has the same problem but much worse and has done it for a long time. I suspect it is the struts.

05-11-2003, 08:05 AM	#17
nd4spd GAGT - Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Harrison, Michigan Age: 41 Posts: 161 Vehicle: 1999 Grand Am GT Coupe	Well I was told it was the rack an pinion, but the struts are being replaced first, since I have around 90,000 miles on the originals. I dont feel like paying over a thousand bucks for a new rack, since the dealer said its not a hazard, just more of an annoyance. __________________ Behold the pale horse, and who sat upon him was death, and hell followed with him.

05-11-2003, 04:51 PM	#18
klc317 GAGT - Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cincinnati, OH Age: 44 Posts: 185 Vehicle: 2002 GAGT FOR SALE	It was a nice cool day here today and I noticed how much worse mine has got over the past several months. It only seems to do it when its cool out. It sounds like an empty pop can with some rubber marbles being shaken around in it (along with a creaking) when I go over a bump or turn left, deifinately coming from the drivers side front suspension area. Its most noticeable when going slow, but I did notice today that it does it while driving 55 too. I'm gonna try to get into the dealer this week and hopefully I can help some of you all out when (and if) they figure it out.

05-21-2003, 11:23 PM	#19
klc317 GAGT - Member Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cincinnati, OH Age: 44 Posts: 185 Vehicle: 2002 GAGT FOR SALE	Well, they figured out that it was a steering rack...put that in, sound still there. They then replaced sway bar bushings and brackets, noise still there. Its goin back this next week for the next round of stuff. I would swear its somehting to do with struts or related hardware, but they wont replace those. Oh well, it'll keep going back to the service dept. until its fixed.

05-21-2003, 11:42 PM	#20
HaVoK~DOGZ~ GAGT - Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: POMONA-TOWN CA Age: 37 Posts: 411 Vehicle: 2000 Grand Am GT Coupe	do any of your lights come on...like the abs,brake lights???

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