Hi there,
My daughter picked up a 61 (VK61CVO) plate 500 lounge last week. The previous owners had some service history and paperwork for the work done on the below advisories from the mot back in 2018.
I've noticed that there is some quite loud knocking when going over small bumps, potholes and speed bumps. We asked the previous owners to put the car through a new mot before picking it up and it passed with no advisories.
Are these cars prone to this noise or should it be investigated further?

Advisories on mot back in 2018:
Both front bottom suspension arms/rear rubber bushes coming unbonded
Offside Front Suspension arm ball joint has slight play (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Thanks all

I've no experience of the 500s but I think you've answered your own question by showing those historic advisories.

Even without those, I'd have pointed the fingers at those same areas. Chances are the previous MOT have overlooked those items.

Also look at panhard rod bushes
Shock absorber bushes
Broken springs - with the potholes of 3rd world roads that we have in the UK I'd be looking hard at the springs - I've broken many in the last 5 years and Im not a high mileage driver, or a fast driver, and I'm very careful!

The advisories were back in 2018. Its had 2 clean mot's since, would have expected something to show up if the car is checked properly!

Check the front droplinks for play and the front wishbones especially the rear bushes

my 500 is same age ive just changed my suspension as my rear bushes were very worn! the rear struts/springs are a doddle to swap but the front is another story! check the condition of your top mounts under bonnet …. for a car that's almost 10 im guessing very rusty!!

Campbstk said:

The advisories were back in 2018. Its had 2 clean mot's since, would have expected something to show up if the car is checked properly!

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Hi

Advisories are for FRONT.. so concentrate on that

Droplinks are easy and cheap

Potentially followed by wishbones


Im having similar niggles..

So am well versed in the knocks and thumps

You can aim at imperfections.. see if the noise is only triggered by the one corner

It's very likely to need "most" of the front suspension replacing if it's original, not actually a expensive job.
As the car is new to you check the automatic climate control(If fitted) works as expected ie the temperature control works, there is a known issue with this

Thanks all. Will look at changing the droplinks as a first step.

Campbstk said:

Thanks all. Will look at changing the droplinks as a first step.

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Do one at a time..
Lovely to know what ACTUALLY fixed it

chaps what do I need to check on my rear suspension as ive noticed a bit of knocking particularly over speed bumps
ive replaced my springs and dampers and bump stops....everything is nice and tight
im going to check the beams bushes tomorrow but they look like they are hard to get to?
is there anything else I need to check? could it just be down to the design ?
also anyone know where you can new bolts for the dampers? apparently I should have changed these but my kit didn't come with replacements...ive looked on ebay but cant see any do I need to change them?

You shouldn't need to change the bolts on the rear shocks they don't wear and are fairly well protected from rusting unlike the front pinch bolt's

Maybe something needs tightening up then? I’ve torqued the bottom strut bolts but the top bolts are too shallow so I’ve had to use a ratchet spanner and tighten that way.. they are very tight though maybe not tight enough??

I've known people have had issues with shocks having Bush's a bit to large so they can rattle around a bit
Try giving then a shake around with the car on the floor see if you cAn hear anythin

Nothing loose inside the car or boot?
Our Hire car a 19 plate Fiesta had a terrible rattle from the rear, I tracked it down to loose lower bumper fixings loose(probably reversed into something at some point as it has no rear sensors or camera) don't rule out the exhaust either?

John202020 said:

Nothing loose inside the car or boot?
Our Hire car a 19 plate Fiesta had a terrible rattle from the rear, I tracked it down to loose lower bumper fixings loose(probably reversed into something at some point as it has no rear sensors or camera) don't rule out the exhaust either?

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Had a look today .. beam bushes look fine my struts seem solid as do rings
Nothing loose in boot .. spare is nice and tight
I’ll have to listen again tomorrow and try to narrow it down! My rear shocks are koni I have noticed that the bush is very different to the factory ones and even the bilstein ones (yes I’ve tried different types) though apart from this annoying knock the car feels so much better now everything has been changed ...I’m thinking the top bolts need to be much tighter to compensate the lack of outer bush? I’ll have a good look at the exhaust too though I’m pretty sure that’s ok but won’t rule it out !