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Pop In Suspension Arm

C

cpacowboy

GUEST
OK, here we go . . .

AV has just turned over 6,000 miles and a few weeks ago I started hearing a faint "pop" when I turned out of a parking lot, street, etc. Here where I live, the city has a small dip at nearly every intersection :rolleyes: and so nearly every turn creates some side to side movement for the AV (suspension, frame, etc.) Anyway, I began hearing this popping, but only when I would turn, and only at an angle. That is, only when I would turn through a corner at an angle. If I would enter the intersection straight, then turn at a 90 degree angle, I would seldom hear it.

Thought I would be pro-active, not re-active, so I took the AV in to the local dealer. The service advisor immediately said it sounded like the intermediate steering arm (on the steering column) and would take little time to fix. They called later in the day and said it was ready, and fixed. They had greased it up good (y) and I thought I was ready to go. This seemed to help, but the popping was still there when I turned, as described above.

Well, second trip back to the dealer, and they kept it all afternoon, finally getting a chance to look at it about 5:00. I went in about 6:00 and they stated they had noticed extra play in the suspension arm on the driver's side. This is also the side that I hear the noise from, amazingly enough! (I am not a mechanic, so please forgive me for my sometimes inadequate descriptions :rolleyes:). They stated that it may be a bad bushing where the suspension arm connects to the frame.

Has anyone experienced this problem before? Does the AV have a history of bad bushings on the suspension arms? Any advice/guidance/help would be greatly appreciated.

The dealer is supposedly contacting GM to report this and see if they can advise them. Said it would be a few days (3 have passed to date).
 
Just got my Z66 out of the shop for the same problem....they initiated the same fix with the intermediate arm greasing....got it home...still has same noise...only worse. Going back in to dealer on Monday...will let everyone know the outcome.
 
Ok, they did repair my "popping" sound this time. Here is what the work order says: "30475 MOTOR SUPPORT BRACKET POPPING OLH 0.9 R/R BRACE AND DRILL AND GRIND PER TAN. SEE ALLEN M.
 
I have this popping noise too, it only happens when I am making a sharp turn to the left and it comes from the drivers side front area. I have yet to take it to the dealer for review.

Has the noise stopped after you guys got it taken care of?

MissAvalanche :B:
 
:0: I would recommend having the torsion bar rubber bushing checked out! My old S10 would make this popping sound when the truck flexes while turning.
 
I had the same problem :cautious: Complained to my dealership service dept. about a harmonic sound I was getting while driving. Service dept ignored my request saying they didn't hear anything :8: Lo and behold had my Av in for a wheel alignment at another shop and they said the idle arm was worn. :mad:. The Av went back to my dealership and had the arm replaced under warranty :cautious:. I told the service mgr. I told you so, and he said it wasn't worn when they checked it out :7: The Av sounds great now :) But I can't trust my dealership service dept. except for a oil change from now on :cautious:
 
Amazing how inadequate service departments can be . . . :8: :8: :8:

Still not done with getting this problem fixed, and it has now been 23 days since I first took the AV in to the dealership.

Since my last post, they have had it in three times and finally were sure that it was the bushings on the "A-frame suspension arm". They ordered them on Tuesday, and they finally arrived this week, on Tuesday. Took the Av in and requested that they give me another vehicle to drive, which they did (fortunately!! :cool:). Tuesday evening comes and no word so I call them. They can't get it aligned until Wednesday, which was fine since I had THEIR car. I called them late yesterday (Wednesday) and they said it was worse than before they fixed it :8: :7: and said they needed their pickup back. When I got there, they said they were getting in a sensor that would detect exactly where the noise is coming from (works on radio wavelengths or something ???).

So here we are, Thursday, and they just called and said the sensor machine is in and to bring the AV in. When I got there, they stated that they would find out where the noise was and would then get the part ordered. The parts man is back now to thinking that it is the torsion bar (which he suspected originally). However, of course, they have not ordered the torsion bar and if that is what it is, it will be another week!! MAN THIS COULD DRIVE YOU CRAZY............

I am ready to just say keep it til it's fixed, and let me drive one of your vehicles in the mean time. For those of you who have, unfortunately, had lots of experience with service departments . . . is it reasonable to make this request??

Logically thinking, if I am driving their car, they hopefully would be more motivated to get mine fixed. To this point (over three weeks have elapsed) it does not seem that they are very motivated. Input would be greatly appreciated. Hopefully at least we will know what the problem is after today, if their sensor can pin point the problem. Once I hear from them, I will respond.
 
chazmo2 said:
I had the same problem :cautious: Complained to my dealership service dept. about a harmonic sound I was getting while driving. Service dept ignored my request saying they didn't hear anything :8: Lo and behold had my Av in for a wheel alignment ?at another shop and they said the idle arm was worn. :mad:. The Av went back to my dealership and had the arm replaced under warranty ?:cautious:. I told the service mgr. I told you so, and he said it wasn't worn when they checked it out :7: The Av sounds great now :) But I can't trust my dealership service dept. except for a oil change from now on :cautious:
Click to expand...

Is this an intermitent (sp) pop that happens when you turn into a driveway, or go over bumps sideways. I have a pop and the dealership said it is a harmless part of the new type suspension or steering or something. They dismissed it as part of the vehicle. I am going back and demanding they take another look. I will demand nicely though. You catch more flys with honey than with me raising H3LL !!!


 
cpacowboy said:
Hopefully at least we will know what the problem is after today, if their sensor can pin point the problem. Once I hear from them, I will respond.
Click to expand...

Well, they brought my AV back yesterday afternoon, and stated that the sensor determined that the problem was the left suspension control arm. At least we have a place to start now. Just talked to the parts manager and he has the new control arm in :eek: Said he would work me in today hopefully.

Here's the kicker . . . He called GM and they told him that there was a batch of these control arms that were bad when they left the factory. Why the the H3LL did they not tell him that three weeks ago when he supposedly called them?? :7: I'm guessin that he never called for assistance :8:

Oh well, at least they are on the right track. For those who may have this same problem, I would have them check the suspension control arm. As previously posted, they replaced the bushings on this arm, but it did not fix the problem. Hopefully by the end of the day today, the problem will be fixed . . . :cool: Will post the happy outcome hopefully today.
 
Wiki & cpacowboy
Wiki at first that was what I heard in the driveway a popping sound. Brought the AV to the dealership and they greased some bushings on the front left side. That alliviated the popping sound.
However I had this low harmonic sound which I thought was a bad tire (Firestones). The dealership gave me four new tires because they thought they were defective. Still had the sound. Then I notice the tires were feathering on the edges. Sent the Av to a alignment shop because the dealer didn't have the equipment :rolleyes:
That's when the alignment shop said my left idle arm was worn :cautious:
Av went back to the dealer, they replaced the arm. cpacowboy you'll get a kick ou tof this. The service manager at my dealership said the same thing I had to wait almost two weeks for a idle arm to come in. It seems it's a hard part to get because alot of Av's
have the same problem. Why isn't there a TSB on this
:8:
 
I have been to the dealer 3 times for this same problem. I am taking it back today and i will follow up! I am to say the least mad as HELLLLL! :E:
 
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