Riiiight.... Let me 'try' to explain the problem i'm having.

My car has had a slight knocking sound every time i take a corner, it appears to come from the steering column or around that area. It usually knocks as i turn the wheel and again as i straighten up. The knocking is alot worse if the corner i'm taking is a bit bumpy or has manhole cover then it makes a right old rattle.

The knocking started about a couple of months after i got the car and i took it to my local independant vag/skoda specialist who couldn't find anything. He promises me the f-arb is rock solid and is not the cause. He did say that one of the bolts on one of the struts was loose though and maybe that was the cause so they had undone the bolts slightly put some thread lock on them and did them back up. It did not cure it but i decided to just live with it for now........

Sooo.... a couple months later i was due for a service, so i went back to my local vag/skoda indy for the service plus cambelt & pump change. I also asked them if they could investigate further this knocking noise as it was really starting to annoy me now. When i picked up the car they said that a worn track rod end was the culprit, and they could order me one in and they'd give me a bell when it arrived..... couple of weeks passed then i got the call and they fitted the new track rod. I'd need to take a look at the bill but i think it said it was the o/s track rod.

So, i drove the car home, it felt awfull! they hadn't done the tracking and my steering wheel wasn't sitting straight when driving in a straight line........ but i didn't hear any knocking for the few days that the tracking was out. So, i went back and they sorted the tracking for me. But as soon as i drove out of there the knocking was back......

Not only is the knocking back but ever since they did the track rod end and corrected my tracking the car feels awfull and the knocking has gotten worse! I now get the knocking noise when just going over rough bumpy roads and it sounds worse when cornering than before. As for the handling of the car, on less than perfect roads it seems to contstantly need tiny steering input corrections, if you get to a strech where a trench has ben dug up then relaid or the tarmac has worn thin it will tramline horribly, occasionally when braking it will pull to the left, sometimes the right...... My car never felt like this before........

So back to the garage i went, i left it with them for 2 days to investigate further. They cannot find a thing wrong....... They say all suspension is rock solid, i asked if they checked the drop links they say they have and they're fine. I asked if it could be the arb again, and they say it is perfectly intact and no problems with it (and they seem to be perfectly aware of the common issue with the collars breaking) i even asked if it could be a broken engine mount and they say no. They said the only bit they hadn't checked, because they had already checked it before is the top mounts.........

So, what could be causing my knocking sounds? and could the knocking issue also be to blame for my new handling problems or is it possible that is something that was caused by them messing with my track rod and tracking??

Just to explain again, the knocking sounds like it is coming from around the steering column area, or o/s strut/suspension area.

Anybody any ideas? it's ruining my enjoyment of this car......

I just wish Lummox was nearer and i would wiz it up to him to have a look, at least i'd feel confident someone that knew what they were doing was looking into it.......

Sorry it's such a long winded post.

Hope somebody can help.....

Steve

Possible knocking could be the wishbone bushes?

Is that something that they would likely of missed when looking at it, should they have picked that up? how obvious is it when a bush is going? i'm slightly 'mechaniclly' challenged, so i don't know how easily these things show up when being inspected.......

If i can build up a sort of check list of things i want checked out, then maybe i can take it into them (probably a different garage this time i think) and say hey... check this this and this. Rather than leaving them trying to find a needle in a haystack......

To check:

1. wishbone bushes

2. top mounts

3. ?

If your wishbone bushes had gone, you should have had an extended period of Creaky Speedbump Action, if that helps narrow things down...???

Oh, and if repeated visits to your local garage aren't getting you anywhere, I'd try somewhere else. They wouldn't have to be VAG specialists to diagnose something up with your suspension - most McPherson strut setups are the same, so shouldn't throw up any surprises whatever (if any) make the garage specialises in...

No creaks over the speed bumps in the time from getting the car to the knocking sound revealing itself a couple of months on.

I will try another garage not far from me that have always done and ok job on my girlfriends pug, and see if they can come up with anything.

Cheers

I would say either consule bushes or faulty steering rack if it's tram-lining. Latter is very rare though, even after huge miles. What worries me is tracking out after fitting a TRE, that's just downright dangerous, I wouldn't trust them.

In fact, I would take the car to someone who knows what they are doing, chances are it will be one of the common things.

Also make sure tyre wear is even across the tread pattern.

I never really got a "creaking" noise from the bushes, it just kinda went if you know what i mean lol

Would defo take the car elsewhere, the garage you took it took sounds a bit shoddy TBH

Might also be worth having a look at driveshafts/CV joints as well, just for peace of mind

Hope you get the problem sorted ASAP. Keep us posted

Id say deffo have a look at the CV joints. Check the boot for splits. Could be on its way out

Cheers all, i'm keeping my fingers crossed that it's not the rack......... The garage ruled that out but then they don't seem to have a clue what they are doing so i'm taking that with a pinch of salt. (and to think i gave them rave reviews in the review section, i might have to go back and edit those when i get a diagnoses! )

I will take it elsewhere and report back with any findings.

Thanks again.

Steve

Never discount looking at the engine mounts!

The noise coming from your car sounds a bit like mine - but my engine mounts broke and the engine very nearly dropped out the bottom.

Does the noise change as you accelerate / decelerate? Is the knocking getting worse over time? Does it give a heavier knock at certain RPMs or when changing gear / going over speedbump or some such?

Have a think about the physicality of the engine and try and work out what you do to change the noise or vibration frequency etc....

Good luck

If it tramlines as bad as that, then it has got to be a worn bush

Never discount looking at the engine mounts!

The noise coming from your car sounds a bit like mine - but my engine mounts broke and the engine very nearly dropped out the bottom.

Does the noise change as you accelerate / decelerate? Is the knocking getting worse over time? Does it give a heavier knock at certain RPMs or when changing gear / going over speedbump or some such?

Have a think about the physicality of the engine and try and work out what you do to change the noise or vibration frequency etc....

Good luck

I'm sure the issue i'm experiencing is steering or suspension/bush related rather than what you have described. I don't get any knocking from accelerating or braking, and it doesn't appear to happen at any particular rev range. It purely does it when cornering and when some steering input is being made (even just tiny movements of the wheel) whilst travelling over uneven road surfaces.

However, i will not rule it out and will get them to check it out when i take it in, you never know.....

If it tramlines as bad as that, then it has got to be a worn bush

Yep thats what i'm hoping....... keeping my fingers crossed it won't be the rack.....

I'm not sure when i'm going to be able to make to the garage, i'm busy as can be at work (apart from when i'm browsing briskoda!) so it might be a couple of weeks before i can get it looked at. I will report back though when i get an answer.

Cheers

Steve

My mate had the same thing. It turned out to be a crack in the console housing where the rear wishbone bush goes. The crack was at the top so was not noticeable until the whole lot was dropped down. Got a whole set up from the breakers for 100 notes (console and both wishbones) added new bushes and job's a good'un.

Worth looking at yours.