Can anyone help!

I have a 2008 58 plate Grande Punto with a Clunking / Knocking noise on the front, mainly at lows speeds going over pot holes/ bumps in road. I can hear this from both n/s and o/s.

I've had it on the ramp at work and checked all the usual Springs, Ball joints, Antiroll bar bushes and links ect and there appears to be no play in these ?

This will be the 5th Grande Punto / Customers and my own that have had this problem.

Ive replaced the top strut mounts with genuine parts last week but its still there.

Its bugging me so any help please.

Thanks

https://www.fiatforum.com/grande-punto/304467-knocking-noise-front-nearside-grande-punto.html

as it appears to be BOTH sides, it's unlikely to be JUST worn suspension..,
charlie

Hiya mate I had this last year,

Only doing it on drivers side - turned out to be a worn shocker not just the too bearings, i did all sorts including new steering rack and as I say turned out to be a £60 fix

Bent strut brace knocking against exhaust?

Could be a bush In the steering rack

I think this is still likely to be the anti roll bar or its links. These are difficult to check with the car in the air or on the ground, due to the way the anti roll bar is loaded when the suspension is unloaded.

Check the anti roll bar is not moving left and right (across the car). Disconnect one of the anti roll bar links and feel for play in the balljoints. Any that seem at all loose are worth replacing.

The worn rack bush is also quite likely - had this with a Stilo - like the anti roll bar, a steering rack noise will transfer from side to side so it will sound like it's coming from both sides. Try moving the left side track rod up and down by grasping the boot. With electric power steering, the rack is just an ordinary manual rack, so is small-diameter with a small plastic bush on the 'long' (left) side, which you may be able to replace or remanufacture.

In the Stilo's case, I didn't bother because the pinion preload was wrong and the pinion was notchy to turn, suggesting that wear had taken place. I replaced the complete rack. Not surprising, when you consider that the electric assistance loads up the high-ratio rack much more than used to happen with manual racks in the old days. I reckon the rack will almost become a disposable item, like shock absorbers, in years to come. Hydraulic racks don't have this problem, because they don't have the same load placed on the rack and pinion.

-Alex

hi my wifes gp does the same, took me ages to find!!! try lifting the rubber boot on the shock and see if the bump stop has dropped down!!

Hi folks ive just joined here as i have got my first fiat punto grande 06. Lovely car but ive had a knocking when going over even slight uneven surfaces. Ive checked everything and it seems the passenger side rod that comes out of the steering rack has play in it. I noticed that the boot was off that end to so must have got grit water inside. Im wondering if i have to buy whole rack or just the link that goes in rack. Hope this makes sence.
Many thanks

It will be the anti roll bar link ball joints the only way I managed to get the noise / play in mine was to take a bit of load off the car using a jacking beam the grab the link and you could feel the movement in them.

Take the drop links off and go for a (careful) drive. Likely to be those and the noise will go away if you remove them. Cheap and easy to replace

Pin-pointing noises can be tricky, but it seems you have ruled a few out.

I have had a few in the past four years of ownership. Since then I have replaced the drop links, shocks, top mounts and still one persistent knocking/rattling remained. Recently after doing the ball joints I was able to determine that it was worse ofter a lengthy slow drive (if I'd been stuck in traffic) which led me to believe that it was something rubber - the reasoning being that if the rubber got hot it got worse. Today I took replaced the gearbox/engine mount and while I was at at chucked in a a gearbox/engine mount Powerflex bush, which has resulted in a much tighter feel, less vibration and so far, it seems, the elimination of the irritating knocking from around the footwell that I have had since I bought the car.

TVRVDV said:

Pin-pointing noises can be tricky, but it seems you have ruled a few out.

I have had a few in the past four years of ownership. Since then I have replaced the drop links, shocks, top mounts and still one persistent knocking/rattling remained. Recently after doing the ball joints I was able to determine that it was worse ofter a lengthy slow drive (if I'd been stuck in traffic) which led me to believe that it was something rubber - the reasoning being that if the rubber got hot it got worse. Today I took replaced the gearbox/engine mount and while I was at at chucked in a a gearbox/engine mount Powerflex bush, which has resulted in a much tighter feel, less vibration and so far, it seems, the elimination of the irritating knocking from around the footwell that I have had since I bought the car.

Click to expand...

What is your car? I got a powerflex bush but they sent me a corsa D one instead ?

As DGPunto says first check drop links, cheap and easy to replace [ 2 nuts hold them in place]

Avaxbox said:

What is your car? I got a powerflex bush but they sent me a corsa D one instead ?

Click to expand...

I have a Grande Punto 1.9 Multijet. Many parts are shared with the Corsa D; shocks, mounts, bushes and many engine parts, too.

In South Africa where Fiats are not all that popular it's easier to get parts from Opel/Vauxhall parts brokers since I learned that the GP shares a lot of things with the Corsa D.