Clunk after sitting

[aigochamaloh]

I have a clunk sound coming from the front right corner after the car has been sitting for awhile. For example, in the morning after the car has sat overnight, I will back out of my driveway, put it in first and go. Maybe 5-10 feet after I've gone, a big clunk from the front end. I'm not sure if it's suspension or it's drivetrain. I'd suspect that if it were suspension, I'd hear it going over bumps or anything like that, but it is quiet any other time, just after the car has been sitting for a little while.

 

Actually, even if I leave the car for maybe 20-30 minutes, and start to go, it will do the same thing. I took it into the dealership along with the heat shield rattling sound, they said they could not replicate the problem. Anyone have any ideas? I guess tomorrow when I take the car out I will leave my hand on the gear stick and see if I can feel it through the tranny. I feel like it's a driveshaft noise.

[vkchu]

like a metal clunking noise? i get that every morning. i think ppl said it was the brakes moving around after sitting. i park w/ the ebrake on so that might have something to do w/ it too.

[aigochamaloh]

Yea it's a metallic clunking noise. Brakes? Interesting, but it wouldn't have to do with my ebrake, it comes from the front only.

[qikslvr]

One of your front brake pads might be hanging up a little and shifting positions when you change direction. Out rotors rust almost instantly after sitting when it's humid out.

[aigochamaloh]

Well it's done it ever since I drove it off the dealership lot. I've taken off the front wheels to change the brakes like 4 times already because the EBC pads I've been putting on have been crap. Regardless, it's still clunking. And the pads are pretty firm in there, I don't see how they have room to clunk around.

 

I noticed it took a bit longer this morning for the sound to come. It seems to be above a certain speed it'll clunk and be gone. I creeped out of the parking lot, then when I got to the road and sped up a bit more, sure enough, clunk.

 

Also after I went shopping, heard it again. Really really strange. I'm going to have to put the car up and jiggle the driveshaft and suspension components to see what's up.

[vkchu]

yours might be different than mine as it only happens after the car has been sitting, and only after a slow roll from a stop. happens once, and thats it (for me).

[aigochamaloh]

That is what I would describe my noise in a nutshell. Car sits for awhile, move car slowly, forward or backward, one clunk, gone for the rest of the trip. If I get to the destination and it sits there a while, maybe even 15-30 min, it'll do it once again.

[Diggs753]

Is it a soft clunk?I f so mine does the same thing after sitting for a few hours.To me it sounds like a CV joint binding.

[Jackk3]

That is what I would describe my noise in a nutshell. Car sits for awhile, move car slowly, forward or backward, one clunk, gone for the rest of the trip. If I get to the destination and it sits there a while, maybe even 15-30 min, it'll do it once again.

 

I got excactly the same thing (most on cold engine). I try to replicate it at the dealership & the manager couldn't here it (I could but barely - hot engine). He said they checked everything. Because we have the same problem it's not loose bolt or something, probably design flow (08 Spec.B here). I will try with them again once we have cold weather.

[aigochamaloh]

It does kind of sound like a CV joint binding. But with something like that, I'd expect to be able to feel it through the gear stick, but I can't. If other people are hearing it, I guess it is a design flaw. I am changing my oil this weekend so I'll get under there and check for things that rattle. I also need to cut off that damn drain hose for the AC that drips right onto a bushing.

[phoenix96]

Are you sure you're not just hearing the ABS self-test? That makes a bit of a clunk, I believe. I've noticed it in every Subaru I've driven.

[aigochamaloh]

Does the ABS self-test still run after you've pulled away from your parking spot?

 

edit: Just looked some stuff up. The ABS self-test is supposed to happen every time you restart the engine? I don't get it every time, only after it's been sitting awhile. Strange

[Jackk3]

I think phoenix96 is BS us. Never heard about ABS test in a car that you could here so much.

[phoenix96]

I think phoenix96 is BS us. Never heard about ABS test in a car that you could here so much.

 

 

 

I haven't been in your cars so I can't say whether you would "here" it so much or if you're the victim of a "design flow".

 

But like I said, I can hear and usually feel a slight clunk pretty often when starting out (it's typically most noticeable when the car's been off for a while and when backing out of a parking spot).

 

Of course, that might just be more of my BS, right?

[Jackk3]

But like I said, I can hear and usually feel a slight clunk pretty often when starting out (it's typically most noticeable when the car's been off for a while and when backing out of a parking spot).

 

On what grounds you're saying it is connected to ABS? I've been in a few cars in my life & have never heard such a test/noise!

[phoenix96]

On what grounds you're saying it is connected to ABS? I've been in a few cars in my life & have never heard such a test/noise!

 

On the grounds that the ABS self-check is described in the car's owner's manual.

 

You may feel a slight shock in the brake pedal and hear the operating sound of ABS from the engine compartment just after the vehicle is started. This is caused by an automatic functional test of the ABS system being carried out and does not indicate any abnormal condition.

[Jackk3]

On the grounds that the ABS self-check is described in the car's owner's manual.

 

This is not what I and others described here. The manual talks about starting the vehicle not rolling it at least a few or more yards. Also it says about small vibration of the break pedal. You don't keep your foot on the pedal while you're rolling in first, do you? I wonder if this problem occurs only in manual transmissions?

[phoenix96]

This is not what I and others described here. The manual talks about starting the vehicle not rolling it at least a few or more yards. Also it says about small vibration of the break pedal. You don't keep your foot on the pedal while you're rolling in first, do you? I wonder if this problem occurs only in manual transmissions?

 

In actual practice, it usually seems to take a couple minutes before I feel the clunk, and it doesn't happen every time. And you can feel it through the accelerator pedal, though maybe not as much as through the brake pedal.

 

As I said before, I've felt it in every one of my cars (to varying degrees).

[aigochamaloh]

Mine still does this. I am taking it in to the dealer next week again to try to reproduce the noise. I also have a nasty rattling noise at 2k rpm in any gear, almost sounds like valve chatter. It sounded like a rattling heat shield early on, but not anymore...

[LuckyBob]

This is not what I and others described here. The manual talks about starting the vehicle not rolling it at least a few or more yards. Also it says about small vibration of the break pedal. You don't keep your foot on the pedal while you're rolling in first, do you? I wonder if this problem occurs only in manual transmissions?

 

In that I roll down a hill immediately after leaving my parking spot, I do have my foot on the brake from time to time immediately (<10sec after the car starts moving), and I've had this clunk from the day I drove it home from the dealer. I can also feel it in the gas pedal, but not anywhere near as strongly.

 

A Google search turns up page after page of people complaining of the same "problem", and a couple of semi-official references, including:

 

Included in this system is a

built-in, self-check feature that performs a systems

check each time the engine is started and the vehicle

is driven at speeds of approximately four miles per

hour, either in forward or reverse.

Source

 

I hear this noise when I first start to move my Tundra, what is it ? (All)

 

This is known as an ABS Clunk. It originates from the right side

engine compartment of the Tundra. The ABS system will do a self test

during the first batch of forward or rearward movement that your

Tundra has within the first 1-2 minutes of operation. This is normal

due to the ABS self test and will occur when your Tundra is either in

a forward or reverse gear.

Source

 

The VDC system computer has a built in diagnostic feature that tests the system each time you start the engine and move the vehicle at a low speed forward or backward. When the self-test occurs, you may hear a clunk noise and/or feel a pulsation in the brake pedal. This is normal and is not an indication of a malfunction.

Source

 

ABS produces a clunk noise during self-test when the vehicle is first started and moved at low speed (such as backing or pulling forward out of a parking space). A slight pulsation at the brake pedal may also be felt during the self-test procedure. If any problem is found during self-check, the ABS system will deactivate automatically and yellow "anti-lock" brake light comes on. The vehicle will operate as a conventional, non-ABS system.

Source

 

ABS/VDC (if applicable) self test(s) makes total sense to me. No BS on phoenix96's part.

[Jackk3]

ABS/VDC (if applicable) self test(s) makes total sense to me. No BS on phoenix96's part.

 

All respects & apology to phoenix96 than! I wished my dealership knew that when I pointed out that problem.

Cheers

[aigochamaloh]

Noise is confirmed to be ABS related. Pulled my ABS fuse out, and had it that way the whole day. Used the car the whole day, multiple stops and sitting. No clunk. This gives me peace of mind now knowing the noise is normal. Now to get to the other rattling noise, the only other thing I have an issue with.

 

On a side note, I only expected the ABS light to come on when I pulled the fuse, but I was greeted with no fewer than 3 lights on the dash. ABS, Brake, and VDC Off. I also had an almost empty tank, so that in addition to my headlights and cruise control made for quite a colorful dashboard yesterday.

 

Why the stupid dealership doesn't know about this is completely beyond me. I will make sure to give them a piece of my mind when I visit for the rattling noise.

[Mr. Sinister]

Good to know the actual cause. My car does this and so did the Legacy that I had before it. I always thought it might be parking brake related.